The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 11:28-46, “Jesus therefore again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was

a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

39Jesus said, ‘Remove the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this

time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.’

40Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’

41And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank Thee that

Thou heardest Me.

42And I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it,

that they may believe that Thou didst send Me.’

43And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’

44He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face was wrapped

around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’

45Many therefore of the Jews, who had come to Mary and beheld what He had done, believed in

Him.

46But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done.”

There’s a fair bit of reading, so I’ll try to be brief. Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, so we should not be surprised that He was “deeply moved” within Himself. Remember that Jesus was both God and Man. He then asked that the huge stone that covered the cave opening be removed; and it was.

Then Jesus prayed aloud to His Father in Heaven. He explains why He prayed aloud: He wanted those who stood by to know that the Father was hearing Him, so that they would believe that the

Father had indeed sent Him.

Then He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” And Lazarus did! He was bound with burial cloths and must have stumbled a bit because Jesus said, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Life had been restored to Lazarus, and he was alive again! Mary and Martha had many friends, and they had come to comfort the two in the death of their brother. Now, many of them believed in Jesus!

Yet, the sad verse is our last: “But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the

things which Jesus had done.” The sadness lies not in the message of Lazarus’ resurrection –that’s reason for rejoicing! But sadness lies in the fact that others went away in unbelief.

Jesus did not win to Himself everyone with whom He shared the Gospel. That, however, is not to impugn or indict Jesus! Not at all! It is to encourage us! Our responsibility is to share His death and resurrection with others. We do not “win” them! If they are won, Jesus does the winning! But only those who truly believe in Him as LORD and Savior can be won. Do you believe in Him? If you do, are you sharing Him with others? I am praying for you, and I trust you are praying for me.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”