Biblical Text: John 11:1-48

The introduction on a non-essential point is too long. Although it does tie into the situation of the story – the power of eyewitness accounts. When Jesus raises Lazarus of Bethany, and that guy is going to be walking around Jerusalem on a daily basis, it moved the Chief Priest’s Jesus problem to a new level.

But as the sermon developed, it developed as a story of the reaction of three souls to the love of God. Because what happens with Lazarus – the entire story from when Jesus delays going until after Lazarus is dead until he calls him out of the tomb – is said to be for the glory of God and because God loves Martha and Mary and Lazarus. The disciples’ reaction is to avoid the life and death stuff, which the love of God is life and death stuff. Martha’s reaction is putting God on trial. Mary’s reaction is something like despair. And Jesus gives answers to each of these responses.

When the love of God is proclaimed and realized on our lives, we probably realize that the ways of God are not our ways. The ways of God include things like suffering. The ways of God in this world are under the cross. And I don’t think the text limits the reactions that our souls have to this, but it covers three big ones. And the sermon is an exploration of how God answers these complaints of each soul.

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