The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-27
SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH 3.
Lesson Text: &C The Raising OF Lag
arus," John XII, 3O-46-Gold-
en- Text: John XII, 25-
Commentary.

30. 1t is probable that all the events re-
corded in Luke a., II, to xviii, 43, and also
in John X, come between the last lesson and
this, and that Jesus is now on His way to
Jerusalem, shortly before the last passover.
While He was beyond Jordan Lazarus took
sick. and the sisters sent Him word, but in
stead of fastening to him He tarried two
days in the same place, and not till Lazarus
was dead and buried did He set forth to
awake him out Of sleep (verse 1D. When
Martha heard that He was coming, she went
forth out Of the town to meet Him, and az
terward calling Mary secretly she, too. went
forth out of the town, Jesus tarrying where
Martha had met Him.
81. When the people in the house who had
come together to comfort Martha and Mary
saw Mary 60 forth hastily, not knowing that
her sister had called her, they supposed she
had gone to the grave to weep there. Ihey
must have been poor comforters, for they
knew not the comfort OF Thess. iv., 1918.
how few seem to know it even now, for even
at the funeral Of believer we have often
heard portion of the context, but seldom
these words wherein the comfort lies, which
assure us that any hour our departed loved
ones in Christ may join us, and together we
meet the Lord In the air.
80. Mary. coming where Jesus was, fell
down at His feet, uttering the very same
words which her sister had used (Verse 2I.
Now II, as some teach us, the coming OF the
Lord means death. Martha and Mary should
have said, Lord, we are 80 glad You came
when our brother died, but they say that II
He had come Lazarus would not have died.
3S. He would not be troubled without
cause. and when we hear Him twice groan-
ing in spirit in this lesson (see verse 38(w
may be sure the cause was very great. What
could it be2 His dear friends whom He loved
were In deep sorrow, and He felt sorry for
them.
"a. His inquiry, sWhere have ye laid him9"
confirms us in the thought that 1t was the
work of death upon this dear friend whom
Jesus loved (verse 81, which was in'part at
least the cause of the Saviour's groaning,
and while He knew that He would surely
raise up and restore Lazarus to his sisters,
yet He felt deeply the work of the enemy and
saw 1t in all its terrors and horrors from Abel
to the very end.
35. "Jesus wept." Shortest verse in the
Bible, but who can tell its breadth and length
and depth and height On three different
occasions Jesus is said to have wept. Sec
we see His sorrow for those who, by their un-
belief, were bringing untold sutferings upon
themselves, but into the meaning OF the lat
tor We cannot pretend to enter.
3S. nBehold how He loved him" God is
love, and all the love Of Jesus was the mani
festation Of the love Of God. "In this was
manifested the love Of God toward us, be-
cause that God sent His only begotton Son
into the world that we might live through
Him" q John w., 81.
37. They have not forgotten the unheard
of wonder of the opened eyes OF the man who
was born blind. Possibly they had heard OF
the two resurrections in tho north country,
of the little girl and the widows son. Like
Marthaand Mary, they feel that, ii Jesus had
only been present, He might have prevented
Lazarus from dying, but it is too late now.
for he is dead and buried, and neither OF the
others had been buried.
38. They are now at the grave. or cave,
with stone upon it, and again He groans
within Himself. We are reminded Of the
words In Rom. viii, %, yourselves, also,
which have the first fruits Of the spirit, even
we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting
for the adoption-to wit, the redemption OF
our body"
80. The stone is between Him and the dead
body Of His dear friend. and that they can
take away. 1t is ours to take away every
thing that may be between Jesus and the
soul that Is dead in sins. No matter who
nav object. because Of the seeming impossi-
bilities Of the case, let US get away oil the oD-
stacles and bring the sinner face to face with
Jesus.
40. The greatest of all hlndrances is unbe-
lief. In one place He could because OF this
do no mighty works, and 1t Is unbelief
that both keels sinners under condemnation
and keeps saints from entering into rest,
.(John iii, 19; Heb. ill.,. 19. In spite OF feel
ings or circumstances or all that our eyes can
see we must believe God. To the man whose
little Girl had Just died, Jesus said, "Be not
afraid, only believe" Mark ", 36): In the
storm at sea. when it seemed as II the vessel
must 20 down with oil on board, and there
was nothing to rest upon but the Wora Oh tne
messenger, Paul said, 81 believe God"
IL. The stone being taken away, Jesus
;clorifled His Father by acknowledging Him
as the one who was about to work, and He
thanks Him beforehand for the answer.
Hear Him also thanking the Father IN Math.
xi.. 25: Luke K, 81. He ever made 1t mani
fest that the words and works were not His,
but those of the Father who sent Him. He
would have US to believe and make it mani
fest to all that "it is God who worketh In US
both to will and to do of His good pleasure
:(Phil. IL, 13).
40. He always pleased the Father, the:
Father ALWAYS heard Him, because He sought
only the Fathers will and glory (John vi,
SO; viii, 29, 5O). 1t is our privilege to be
well pleasing in His sight, and 80 to abide in
Him that we may ask what we will and re-
ceive 1t (Heb. Kill, ~.
AS. The same voice that said in the begin
ming, "Let there be light that spoke to
Israel from out of the mist OF the fire on the
mount; that spoke and 1t was done, COM
manded, and it stood fast; that same voice
now cries, lazarus, come FORTH"
A. ''The mighty word gave life, and sud
denly he that had been dead stood at the mouth
of the cave alive and well. Whata word 1t was!
What word il is! There is nothing like It on
earth. Godisinit. The Bible, the word OF God,
not only was inspired, but is inspired: 1t is
forever settled in heaven, 1t Is true from the
beginning, and it shall stand forever (Ps.
exix., SO, 160; Isa. Il, g..
As. Many will still believe on Jesus when
they see real life and liberty in those who
bear the name Of Jesus, but mere name to
live where there Is no real life will never
honor Christ nor win people to Him: But as
lin the context this miracle stirred up the
hatred of those who were merely religious
without any reality we may be cure that real
life will work just that way 81 Lesson
Helper.