| Lovest thou me?
John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) (Ah the alabaster box of precious, expensive ointment broken open and poured over a broken and humbled divine vessel of humanity. For Mary it was her supreme act of worship and sacrifice, the significance lies in the fact that this ointment was to be kept half for her burial at death and half for her marriage and without it she would be considered cursed, her future lost, yet she was making a bold proclamation! I hereby recognize that you Jesus are my husband and my Lord. I willingly die to my flesh and self and choose to live unto Christ for you are my resurrection and the life! John 12: 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. ( If only we would fill his house, his presence with a sweet odor of worship and praise from our sacrifices, that he would see and smell our sacrifices as a sweet fragrance and not a stench? sacrifices given not in hypocrisy but in humility, not in arrogance but adoration, not out of bitterness but out of blessedness! ) Mark 14:4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? ( There are always those who question your giving, your sacrifices, those who consider time spent on Jesus a waste, who always have a better way or plan, those who have the nerve to be angry about another persons giving even despite the fact that it‘s not costing them a thing personally ) 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 And Jesus rebuked them, saying let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. ( Hum.. they murmured but really against who? Notice the Lord rebuked them, anybody ever murmured against you? ever been rebuked? hope we have a better attitude than these characters, For it was here that Judas decided to betray the Lord. Have we decided to betray those who offer us correction? ) 10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought opportunity how he might conveniently betray him. ( I wonder how may times I look to serve him or even betray him out of convenience ) John 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. (He who Jesus loved! wonder what it was that cause Jesus to love him? was he a man after Gods own heart, did he example love to others, could it be why he was known as John the beloved! was it his character, his fidelity, his spirit, his faith or his faithfulness, or all ? ) 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. ( 12 hours? and we complain about 8 hours, something tells me that what is being said here is that we should be using our time wisely, we should see the urgency of the moment, be busy about the work of our father! we should value the time given us, yea the opportunities presented us.. “ Looking for the blessed hope “ ) 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. ( he may have been a doubter but he was at least willing to follow Jesus no matter the cost or outlook! would to God we would do the same despite our doubts ) Mark 14:33 And Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ( ever felt so broken, so hurt, so let down that you felt you were about to die, or hurting so bad you’d rather die, wish you had someone to stand with you, to pray with you, to care, to share, to listen, to believe, to love... ) 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. “ ..but for this cause was I born ” ( sometimes it’s hard to see destiny when were hurting, to see purpose in pin, to see the greater good in bad, let alone to be willing to go it alone, to pay the price that others might live, that others might be free!) Reflections: Wow what a story, in life’s unfolding drama many a time we find ourselves playing the role and character of these individuals. lets look at some of the characters in this chapter. First we have Lazarus there must have been something bout this guy, people just seem to gravitate towards him, why the Lord himself loved him, that he wept over him, not even death would rob him nor hold him, what a heart he must have had, what a friend, what a faith, what a God, the story saids it all, yeah sometimes we too may have to face death head on. We may know the love of the Lord yet things can still come our way that may seem to defeat us but all is not always as it seems. Then we have Mary and oh what a character, what a lady, what a sacrifice, what a faith, of all people who would have imagined that a lowly former prostitute would be the one to set the example? she came broken and humble and she left blessed and honored, you see Mary learned to not be concerned about the gossip and accusations, the innuendos and the stone throwers, she rose above the phonies and the Pharisee’s the self righteous and the dignified. She gave her all that he might have his all, she close the door on her past that he might open the door to her future! she recognized what others couldn’t see through their blinding willful ignorance and corrupt flesh, she saw through faith not flesh, through the mind not the eyes, she felt with her heart and not her hands, she came demon oppressed but left divinely directed and heavenly inspired! Then there was Judas oh we all have seen our Judas’s and what a sad ending, but it had everything to do with his beginning, you see how he started or rather why he started was the cause of his downfall? Yes like some of us he was in it for the profit not the prophet (Jesus) he was in it for what he could get out of it not put into it, for him money not the master was his God, he was full of the demon not the divine, funny how God would choose him huh? Yeah we wouldn’t expect him to be picked ah but Jesus you see he’s like that, he picks the unwanted, unqualified, unworthy, he gives a chance even to the ungodly, so next time you question the word, the vessel or the man of God think about it! If there’s a Judas in you, you still have time to repent maybe this is your passover? Then there was Thomas my my what a guy, doubting Thomas he was called, he had seen it all yet still found it hard to believe, he experienced the miracles, saw the hungry fed, the lame, the blind, the dumb all healed, saw and felt the divine presence and power many a time, so wassup? What was the problem? ah but who are we to talk we too have seen the divine, the miracles, the healings, we too have felt the sweet and tender presence of the master yet how may times have we questioned him or others? At least Thomas was still willing to go and die with him and for him, now what’s our excuse? Then there was Jesus Hum.. what more can be said, he was the man, the God, the savior, and if I may say my hero! what an example, what a love, what a friend, what a hope, what a privilege, oh how he must have hurt, must have suffered, must have felt, must have prayed, he laid it all down that we might have it all, his life that I might have life, his pain that I might gain, his hurt that I would have healing, he gave his present that I would have his future! Isn’t he something? Amazing grace he is! he saw purpose where others saw pain, he saw hope where others saw only hurt, he saw destiny where others saw despair, he saw potential and providence where others saw persecution and poverty, it was here that divinity kissed humanity and grace was birthed, freedom proclaimed and death and failure defeated! To God be the glory! A Prayer: Dear Father here I am again and as usual in need of your compassion, as I reflect upon this story, I see that many a time have I played the role and character of many of these Individuals, sometimes all to perfectly sometimes not to well, sometimes to my own shame and pity, and other times I hope to the blessing and providence of others! Help me daddy when I’m down, when I’m confused, when I’ve lost sight of the purpose in my suffering, my destiny, my hope, I worship you and I thank you for all you’ve done for me, Father forgive me my sins which may be many? Help me to fulfill the role you have cast me in, and not refuse the part you have given me though it may be a lowly position and offer no glory or gratitude, let me do it in faith and fortitude, I pray that you will continue to be Lord of all that I am and that I have! help me to see not so much with my eyes as I do with my heart, not so much thru the circumstances but thru compassion! Father so often I want to proclaim your love and goodness, you mercy and truth! yet so often I example the opposite, and sometimes I’m just to ashamed, to afraid to make a stand or to speak out, help me, encourage me, I pray that I would never doubt you, never forget you, always love you, and maybe that I to could make a great sacrifice to you and for you, I to must learn to die to self and recognize that I am your bride, may I show your love to others willingly not out of obligation but out of adoration, and last may I to be willing to give my all for others, yea give my life that others might live! yes with you I can do all things “ failure is not final AMEN Prepared by : George R. Nava 2170 E. Market St. Stockton, Ca phone -46-59731 |