The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-02-20
again groaning in himself cometh

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS
The Power Of Jesus was exhibit
ed at the tomb of Lazarus. First
he ordered the attendants of the
bereaved, or perhaps his disciples
to take away the stone that closed
the entrance to the vault. The
remonstrance of Martha was but
an expression of n natural deli
cacy of feeling; the remains of
her departed brother were now in
no condition to be viewed. But
Jesus both strengthened and salts
fled her faith: "Said / not unto
thee, that, if thou wouldest be-
lieve, thou shouldest see tn eglory
of God" Then they took away
the stone, and the dark sepulcher
stood open before them. Lifting
his eyes heavenward, Jesus offer
ed to the Father a prayer of
/ thanksgiving for past answers, an
expression Of confidence as to fu-
ture blessing, and the desire that
bystanders may believe that thou
hadst sent me-" Then he cried
into the sepulcher, Lazarus, come
FORTH Though bound hand and
foot in the cerements Of the grave,
the dead came forth in obedience
to the omnipotent Master. Loose
him, and let him CO." was the terse
command of the Saviour. From
the bandages of death Lazarus
was Immediately released and thus
restored to his joyous sisters, he
walked once more among the liv-
ing.
The effect of this unparalleled
miracle was twofold. In the first
place, many Of Mary's associates
who had seen the things which
Jesus did believed on him. Thus
one great purpose of the miracle
was realized. But, secondly, there
were some who would not be con-
WINGED that Jesus was the promis-
ed Messiah. So "some of them
went their ways to the Pharisees,
and told them what things Jesus
had done" The result was that
the Sanhedrin formally determin-
ed on his death. Though for a
time their plans did not mater
ialize, they succeeded ere long in
mailing him to the cruel tree.
CHRIST HAS POWER
OVER DEATH
(1) The Absent Christ. of thou
hadst been here" Over and over
again for fou rlong days two
bleeding hearts had pondered this
thought. Possibly Martha and
Mary knew what we have infer
red, that Jesus never allowed
deathbed scene in his presence.
The last dread enemy of man
stands back when he was near.
(2) The Sympathetic Christ.
"Jesus wept." This shortest verse
in the Bible is certainly not the
least full Of meaning. How it mir
rors forth the tenderness and SYM
patty of our Saviour! The un-
speakable grief of Martha and
Mary filled his eyes with tears. He
also sorrowed sincerely at the
death Of his beloved friend. And
he is today the same loving, SYM
pathetic Saviour.
(3) The Commanding Christ.
Take We away the stone" Only
Jesus could call the dead Lazarus
back to life, but human hands
could roll the sine away from the
tomb. How insignificant is one
compared with. the other! Yet the,
obeyed command to the living pre-
pared the way for the effective
call to the dead. Thus we are and
may be workers together with
God.
| (4) The Undaunted Christ.
Dead four days" The remon-
STRANGE Of Martha was but nat
ural shrinking from the spectacle
Of a putrefying loved one. When
she stood before the Master her
faith was unclouded; when she
thought of the dead, doubt over
came her.
60 The Praying Christ. Thou
nearest me always" This was the
central part of that prayer offered
to the Father, by the open tomb
and among the mourners. 1t could
have been offered only by the
Son Of God.
(6) The Restricting Christ.
Lazarus, come forth" No use
less ,equivocal language here; a
brief summons, and Lazarus re-
turned from the UNEMPLOYED re-
gion of the grave. Truly could
Jesus say 81 am the resurrection,
and the life"
| CD The Accepted Christ. Many
believed on him." 1t seems sur
prising that any witness of that
great miracle should for moment
doubt the claim of Jesus. Yet
such was the gloomy fact. Still
there were many whose faith was
confirmed and Others who for the
first time exercised faith in Jesus.
Today he is raising the spiritually
dead. Would that there were
resultant widespreading contagion
of living faith!
GOLD IN THE
GOLDEN TEXT
I am the resurrection, and the
life.-John II rs.
Jesus is the resurrection; for no
tomb could hold its dead when ne
came and called; he gave Death It's
death blow in the ne wtomb OF
Joseph of Arimathea; and by, his
power we shall rise from the dead
on the morning Of the last day.
He is the life, because he was
self-existent, the author and pre-
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