Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
For Dec 14th-The Raising of Lazarus-John 11:1-l4
BY DR. MARION MCH. HULL

! departure. Jesus mad ldlSeu Nitt
/ daughter of Jairus from the dead
| lust after she had died, and the
| son of the widow of Main the day of
| his death and burial always the
same day in that hot climate. This
is probably why He waited the two
! days. so there could be no possible
question in their minds as to wheth-
er the spirit had really made its de-
| parture.
All this time the sisters had been
wondering why He didn't come and
yearning for His presence. They
had evidently talked the matter over
a good deal for both of them say the
same thing when each sees Him:
Lord if Thou hadst been here my
| brother had not died" They had
| been hoping that He would get there
! before the time limit had elapsed
| for he soul to depart. Martha
shows a suggestion of this when she
says: And even now | know that
whatsoever Thou shalt ask of God,
| God will give Thee" A faint hope
that God will give back the spirit
| which her faith knows has gone to
Him.
That she had no idea of what she
said though is shown by her next
statement. She, like all Jews, had
no doubt Of the resurrection at the
last day, but that the real Giver
of Life was in her midst was beyond
her fondest dream.
Jesus made to her a wonderful
revelation. He said; II am the resur-
rection and the life: he that believeth
on me, though he die. yet shall he
live; and whosoeVer nveth and be-
lieVeth on me shall in no wise die
unto the ages. Believest thou
this?" Yes, Lord, [ have believed
that Thou art the Messiah, the Son
of God, even He that cometh into
the world
She seemed satisfied, for she left
Him at once to go and call her sis
ter. Love yearned for Mary to have
what she had just gotten.
Mary had been sitting still in the
house; as it was less than two miles
from Jerusalem she was surround
ed by friends who had come out from
the city to comfort her. They were
making a loud noise-that is what
the weeping" in verse SO means.
They followed her when she left,
thinking that she was going to the
grave TO weep. But the sight of
it all was too much of Jesus. He
was troubled-all stirred up within;
and when they led Him out to the
tomb, Jesus Wept. His weeping was
vastly different from that of the
Jews. The word here is different
and means to shed tears. You can
wall and make a loud noise at WILL
but tears do not come at WILL they
come only when they cannot be kept
back. The Jews were wailing; Jesus
shed tears. Even those Jews them
selves could see the difference, for
they said, Behold how He loved
him"
Mary had not said anything else
to Jesus after she came and express
ed her confidence in the fact that
Lazarus would not have died had He
been there. Possibly she saw some
thing in the face of Jesus that kept
her from speaking further. Martha
had something more to say.
When they reached the tomb
Jesus ordered them to roll away the
stone that covered it. Martha imme-
diately objected. She did not want
to be subjected to the humiliation
of seeing the putrefying body nor
have him disgraced in that way.
But Jesus was confident that what
would be done would be for the glory
of God, and she made no further
objection.
Loves Power
When the stone had been rolled
His Father and prayed. 1t was
l,.,.o L.,
was going to do. Evidently He had
been making petition before this,
for He thanked God for hearing
Him and giving Him the assurance
that what He had asked was going
to be done. 1t was not because He
had doubted it a moment but only
because of those who stand by, that
they may believe that He was sent
by God. Then turning to the tomb
where the dead and putrefying body
of His friend lay He cried with
loud voice: Lazarus, come forth"
And he that was dead came
forth, bound hand and foot with the
grave clothes" The spirit had been
brought back, had re-entered the
body, putrefaction which had al
ready begun to set in was checked
and normal tissues restored. The
body, weakened by illness, became
strong at once, and Lazarus was
himself once more. He was resusci-
tated, not resurrected. Such a mar
Vicious display of power gripped the
people so that many of the Jews who
had come out to wall believed on
Him. But some Of them, hardened
in heart and mind, went To tell the
Pharisees what had been done. Oh.
the power of love! The singer of
old had said, Love is stronger than
death; many waters cannot quench
love-" Love delays, love dares, love
sees, love yearns, love trusts, love
overflows, love is strong. God is
love. Jesus is the manifestation of
love