Evening star., 1932-02-27
Our lesson calls for us to consider IL

Our lesson calls for us to consider the
most marvellous miracle of all that
Jesus performed. Next to the record OF
the Lords resurrection there is nothing
in connection with Christ's ministry
that is more wonderful and significant
No other event has been asSailed more
by destructive and hostile critics than
this climax of the Masters miracles,
which before He performed 1t, Jesus
knew that it would hasten His death.
The record of this miracle bears every
mark of having been written by an eye
witness.
No portion of the gospel reveals the
genius that the Lord possessed for
pitality of home in Bethany while He
was in Jerusalem attending the Feast
Of Dedication few months previous.
During that visit He had given sight to
the man born blind and as a result Of
events considered in last weeks lesson,
aroused the animosity of the Pharisees
and left Judea for Perea, because they
sought to destroy His life. While Jesus
was preaching to the multitudes that
came to him there the message reached
Him that ''he whom thou lowest is sick. "
Although he loved Lazarus and his two
sisters, the Master did not Immediately
start for Bethany. He was not indiffer-
ent to their need, but He recognized a
higher obligation called for Him TO
tarry there two days. before he proposed
to start for Bethany to help them in
their sorrow.
When Jesus told His apostles that He
was going to return, they raised the
question Of the danger that He faced.
They had witnessed the heavy sorrow
that filled his soul when the news
reached him Of the illness of His friend
Where duty called or danger the Mas
ter never hesitated to go; His delay
was not due to fear. If He had been
present, He would have prevented the
death Of Lazarus. Not once did death
ever enter His presence until He died
upon the cross. His heart was heavy
because Of the two sisters, whom He
loved, had to pass through the sorrows
that death always brings. In a short
while his disciples would be called upon
to enter the valley and shadow of
death; He was glad for their sake that
He had not been present, because He
realized that He would perform a mir
acle that ought to help their faith in
that hour. They proved their loyalty
to Him, even when they did not grasp
His message concerning the death of
Lazarus, for Thomas Immediately urged
that they all go with Him, so that they
could "die with Him" Following the
courageous leadership of the Lord, they
travelled to Bethany expecting to die
with Him. Although there was price
upon His head" because His enemies
considered Jesus to be public enemy,
the Master, moved by love for His
friends. travelled for two days. so that
He could share with Mary and Martha
their sorrow.
The Sympathetic Friend.
The two sisters had counted upon
the friendship of Jesus when they sent
Him the message concerning the serious
illness of their brother. No one ever
makes mistake when they trust the
Lord to be their friend. Evidently both
Martha and Mary had hoped that
Jesus would respond In time to prevent
Lazarus death. Their hearts had been
wounded. There is O note of disap-
pointment in their greeting, IF Thou
hadst been here my brother had not
died" Four days had passed since his
burial, for 1t was customary to bury
the body the first day, "and the spirit,
which, according to their traditions. hov-
cred about the body for three days, as
If unwilling to leave it, had finally dis
appeared" The three day Of weep
ing" were over and the seven days Of
lamentation" were just beginning when
Jesus reached Bethany.
Although Martha revealed her disap-