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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conflict - The Clash of Belief and Unbelief, The Raising of Lazarus, Part XCI, John 11:7-10 - Lesson 88
Read Verses John 11:5-6, for review: Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
John 11:7,8, Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
The time is right.
The Father's will is known by Jesus Christ.
Two days have passed and Christ knows that it is the Father's will that he and his disciples leave and go to Judaea again.
Judaea, the place of danger and this disturbs his disciples.
It is a time of testing and trial for them also.
They well remember the threats against their master.
The Jews just now sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again, they ask?
The disciples saw no need for going into the mouth of the lion.
Why not stay east of the Jordan until things blow over?
Their Lord's ways certainly were beyond figuring out.
Peter, what did Jesus tell you?
What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Disciples, what does the proverb mean where we are told not to lean to our own understanding? Oh, how susceptible we are to lean.
John 11:9,10, 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. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Jesus must be about his Father's business.
A work had been given him to do by the Father and that work he would finish!
As he said in John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
This mission was always uppermost in his mind.
He meant, I've got a job to do and my time is fixed.
I have twelve hours in a day and I have a given number of days to work.
But I do have twelve hours.
The Father will not cut that short nor will others be allowed to cut that short.
And when I work in the light of the day that the Father has given me I can see the obstacles that are in my way and I am able to get around them without stumbling.
Jesus tells us here that it is impossible for one who is walking with God to stumble and fall because he is walking in the day or the light of the Father.
Those who work in the night stumble because there is no light in them to point out the obstacles.
They fall.
Jesus must follow the path of the Father's will while life lasts; it may be the eleventh hour of daylight in his life but that is no reason for a faint heart.
My death can not take place before the Father's appointed time.
There may be those who wish to stone me and kill me but it is daytime.
What are threats against doing God's will?
There are no exceptions and there are no excuses.
There are no conditions to doing God's will.
No dangers are to cause night to fall on our mission and on our cause!
Quit leaning, disciples, it is day.
If you don't follow me and walk in the light with me, staying here in Bethany east of the Jordan will be staying in darkness.
This is the dangerous place, disciples, for without me ye can do nothing.
We have twelve hours to work just like there were twelve hours yesterday.
God will be glorified if I work today. Isn't that reason enough?
We too have our allotted time.
We must work the work of him who sends us.
We have the opportunity to work in the illumination of God's word, the light of Jesus Christ.
Each of us has a given time to do our life's work and no calamity, no so called accident can shorten it.
No fear of danger must deter us from doing our duty.
The direction we must go is the direction that God's will points regardless of what dangers we may think face us. |