Evening star., 1932-02-27
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

pointment at the Masters failure to ar
rive sooner, she confessed her faith IN
His power to have prevented her
brothers death and her hopes that He
would still do something great for
them. She told Him that whatsoever
thou Will ask of God" would be given
to Him. Possibly she may have heard
of the raising of Jairus' daughter and
OF the son Of the widow of Main. Jesus
sought to build up her faith by assuring
her that her brother would rise again.
Others had told her that, but she need
ed some more definite word. Christ
gave 1t when He told Martha 'I am
the resurrection and the Life" He
asked Martha If she believed Him to
be the source of life. He did not call
upon her to have faith in some future
restoration, but in Him, as the sub
stance OF both resurrection and life.
Did she trust Him as the life that was
the power Of the resurrection and in
dependent of it?
When Martha professed her faith
Jesus asked to see Mary privately, as
He did not wish to come into conflict
with His enemies until He had demon
strated His power over death. When
the people in the house saw Mary leave
they thought that she was going to the
grave to weep, so they followed her
When Jesus saw her weeping and the
sorrow of those with her, He was
deeply moved, filled with deep in
d1gnation of soul at death and all its
suggestions Of suffering and sin"
Shaking with His feelings of sympathy,
He asked where the tomb was located.
Reaching 1t, He broke down and wept.
No wonder the Jews, noticing how
deeply He was moved, said, Behold
how He loved him"
Mastering Death. &.
Christ commanded them to move the
stone that closed the grave. He never
does for us anything that we can do
ourselves. The reality of the death of
Lazarus is clear from the statement
of Martha: He will be stinling by
this time; he has been dead four days"
She had not fully grasped the Lords
words. so He reminded her of His
of God If she only believed" Then
they removed the boulder from the
opening into the tomb. While others
shuddered because of the odor that
came from the grave, Jesus prayed.
Then He commanded Lazarus to come
forth. II Jesus had not mentioned
him by name, some one has suggested
that all the deads would have heard
the voice of the Lord Of Life and re-
sponded like Lazarus did. When the
dead man came out, "his feet and his
hands swathed In bandages and his
face tied up with a towel" the Lord
ordered that they unite him and let
him CO." Christ proved conclusively
that He was the Master Of death. He
proclaimed to the multitude present
that He was the Lord of Life and the
Resurrection.
The miracle increased the number
of persons who believed upon Him. The
enemies recognized the necessity Of dis
posing of Jesus, because If they allowed
Him to continue they could not control
the people, who would believe on Him
because Of the signs of His power. Jesus
retired to Parea again for He knew that
He had to develop the Apostles SO that
they could carry on after His death.
When he returned again at the time
of His passion, He became a welcomed
guest in the Bethany home, where
Jesus loved to be- Martha entertained
Jesus with a banquet, while Mary
proved her love by amounting Him with
her most precious possession. Judas,
filled with the spirit Of the CRATER,
criticized the waste of such a valuable
gift. His love of money caused Judas
to agree to betray the Lord, who had
demonstrated that He was the Resur-
rection and Life when he raised Lazarus
from the dead. Lazarus had love for
Christ in his heart when the end came
to him, so death did not end all for
the Masters friend. If we have love
for Christ when the end comes to us
we will partake of His power. share
His love and enjoy His life In the glory
of His Fathers home, where He has
gone to prepare a place for all who
love Him.