True Sight
The Gospel of John
John Chapter 11
Scripture: John chapter 11:3, 4, 6 (New International Version)
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord the one you love is sick."
When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it."
Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed there two more days.
Observation: The fact readily observed in verse 4, is that Lazarus did die! Jesus most likely was referring to a spiritual death or the fact that Lazarus’ death would not be a permanent condition at this time. But Lazarus did die and Jesus purposely waited two more days before he even started to move toward Bethany. This whole chain of events seems strange but looks at what Jesus says in verse 4, after he states that Lazarus will not die. Jesus says, "No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." Lazarus’ death served a greater purpose than we at first understand. Mary and Martha caught in the immediacy of their brother’s sickness and then the grief of his death could not possibly understand the greater purpose of these events. In verse 15, Jesus tells the disciples that that Lazarus’ death was so that they may believe. In verse 40 through 43, Jesus says, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" At the end of verse 42, Jesus is praying to his Father and states that what he is saying is so the people will believe that the Father has sent him. We would probably look at this whole story in the same way as Mary and Martha did; Jesus come and save our brother and yet there was something greater going on, this was "for God’s glory."
Application: Sometimes what we see is not really a clear picture of what is actually going on. We too would want Lazarus healed now! In this chapter we can see however, that God’s ways are not always our ways. There is often something happening that is more important and more real than what we know and see. Verses 9 – 10, bring this truth out. When we are obeying our Heavenly Father according to what He knows and sees, then we are walking in the light and will not stumble. When we are following our own thoughts and operating simply by what we see, we could actually be stumbling in the darkness. After taking a closer look at John 11 we can see that Jesus is following the orders of his Father in heaven. Jesus was aware of what was happening in Bethany and he knew that he could not die in Judea until it was time for him to lay down his life. Jesus trusted his Father’s plan and had "true" sight and direction and his obedience gave God glory.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to remember to ask and know the will and plan of my Heavenly Father first before I ever act on my own natural impulses. Oh Lord, with spiritual eyes, may I really see what you are doing and not trust in my natural sight. And Lord, when I don’t see with spiritual eyes, may I be obedient to your leading anyway.
John Chapter 11
Scripture: John chapter 11:3, 4, 6 (New International Version)
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord the one you love is sick."
When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it."
Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed there two more days.
Observation: The fact readily observed in verse 4, is that Lazarus did die! Jesus most likely was referring to a spiritual death or the fact that Lazarus’ death would not be a permanent condition at this time. But Lazarus did die and Jesus purposely waited two more days before he even started to move toward Bethany. This whole chain of events seems strange but looks at what Jesus says in verse 4, after he states that Lazarus will not die. Jesus says, "No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it." Lazarus’ death served a greater purpose than we at first understand. Mary and Martha caught in the immediacy of their brother’s sickness and then the grief of his death could not possibly understand the greater purpose of these events. In verse 15, Jesus tells the disciples that that Lazarus’ death was so that they may believe. In verse 40 through 43, Jesus says, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" At the end of verse 42, Jesus is praying to his Father and states that what he is saying is so the people will believe that the Father has sent him. We would probably look at this whole story in the same way as Mary and Martha did; Jesus come and save our brother and yet there was something greater going on, this was "for God’s glory."
Application: Sometimes what we see is not really a clear picture of what is actually going on. We too would want Lazarus healed now! In this chapter we can see however, that God’s ways are not always our ways. There is often something happening that is more important and more real than what we know and see. Verses 9 – 10, bring this truth out. When we are obeying our Heavenly Father according to what He knows and sees, then we are walking in the light and will not stumble. When we are following our own thoughts and operating simply by what we see, we could actually be stumbling in the darkness. After taking a closer look at John 11 we can see that Jesus is following the orders of his Father in heaven. Jesus was aware of what was happening in Bethany and he knew that he could not die in Judea until it was time for him to lay down his life. Jesus trusted his Father’s plan and had "true" sight and direction and his obedience gave God glory.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to remember to ask and know the will and plan of my Heavenly Father first before I ever act on my own natural impulses. Oh Lord, with spiritual eyes, may I really see what you are doing and not trust in my natural sight. And Lord, when I don’t see with spiritual eyes, may I be obedient to your leading anyway.
