The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 11:46-48, “But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which

Jesus had done.

47Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, ‘What are

we doing? For this man is performing many signs.

48If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take

away both our place and our nation.’”

With virtually everyone you know, there are positives and negatives that work in conjunction to identify their lives. The Pharisees were like that. They believed in angels and miracles like most of us today. One of their huge errors, however, was that they were fiercely legalistic in the practice of their religion. Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law of Moses, but the Pharisees clung to the Law so rigidly that they missed its true meaning altogether.

In the verses preceding our verses today, Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead. Many of the people who witnessed this miracle believed in Jesus as God’s promised Messiah. But the Pharisees among the crowd raced feverishly back to their leaders and the chief priests, as if their very lives depended on it. Interestingly, both the Pharisaical leaders and chief priests cried, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many (miraculous) signs.”

Allowing who the Pharisees were and what they religiously believed, one would think they would be excited that Lazarus had been raised. Yet, something more important – important to them – lay at the root of their cry. Listen carefully to the remainder of their thinking: “If we let Him (Jesus) go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Now, we see what’s in play! If the people accept Jesus as the Father’s Messiah, they will all turn to Him and –where does that leave us? On the other hand, any scuffle between the people and us will bring the Romans in and we will then lose our place (positions) and our nation (which we control). In short, Jesus was standing in their way. The Romans did not worship as Christians or Jews. They tolerated all religion, so long as it didn’t cause uprisings among the masses. But, the loss the Jewish leaders would experience was just too much.

An awful lot could be said in commentary here; yet, briefly, we should all consider our priorities. Are we Christians regardless of whether we have “position,” or is “prominence” among people our true concern? When we leave this world for a place in eternity, how we will be remembered will be of infinitely little importance when compared with where our eternal residence is. Get your priorities straight! The place of your eternity depends on it! And eternity could come at any moment!

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.”

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.”

Dear Grands,

John 11:31-35, “The Jews then who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they

saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the

tomb to weep there.

32Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him,

‘LORD, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’

33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her, also weeping, He

was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled,

34and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’

35Jesus wept.”

Young school children are running on the playground, when one falls, hurts himself, and commences to cry. “There, there,” says the consoling teacher, “boys don’t cry.” Oh, but they do! And so do they, even when they become grown-up men.

Lazarus had died and His sisters, Martha and Mary, called immediately for Jesus. Now, He is there, and Mary has rushed from the house to meet Him. Lazaruz has been dead and in the tomb for four days. Broken-hearted, Mary says, “LORD, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” It was not a rebuke for His late arrival. It was simply a notable truth. Her heart was broken. She was weeping profusely. Jesus’ was deeply moved, and tenderly asked, “Where have you laid him?” And Jesus wept.

Those two words that occupy all of verse 35 demonstrate clearly the humanity of Jesus Christ. As God, He knew what He was going to do to erase the hurt of the two sisters; but as Man, He was deeply moved by the expression of their tears of sadness. Never were two words so filled with consolation as these: “Jesus wept.”

This was not the only time Jesus wept, however. He wept over Jerusalem, where His words overflowed with pathos,

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,

and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often

would I have gathered thy children together, even as a

hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

(Matt. 23:37)

He wept again in the Upper Room, when He said of Judas Iscariot,

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me

on the table. 22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was

determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

(Lk. 22:21-22)

Indeed, one can weep within his heart without a flow of tears. Do you weep like that for those who do not know Him? Does your heart break when those you love turn their backs on Jesus? Far too often we have hardened our hearts against the tenderness of love; and we do so when we seek and delve into things that titillate our emotions rather than strengthening our love for others.

If you doubt me, embrace Mary’s words, and “Come and see.”

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.”

Dear Grands,

Joshua 9:8-14, “But they said to Joshua, ‘We are your servants.’ Then Joshua said to them, ‘Who

are you, and where do you come from?’

9 And they said to him, ‘Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of

the LORD your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt,

10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king

of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth.’

11 “So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in

your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; now

then, make a covenant with us.”‘

12 “This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that

we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled.

13 “And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our

clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.”

14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the

LORD.”

People who are honest are prone to believe that everything they hear, especially when it comes from people they know. Joshua had always sought the LORD and listened to His instructions. He and his people had been very successful in defeating those who dwelled in land given to Israel. But now, this group of people undertook a different tactic with Israel and Israel could have lost everything they had gained.

“Who are you and from where have you come?” Joshua asked. The strangers spun a good tale and Israel swallowed it “hook, line, and sinker.” How could Israel have been so victorious in previous battles and now lose in this one? The answer lies in the final nine words of our Scripture:

Israel “…did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.”

From the time of Moses death, Joshua had been in charge of leading Israel. They had numerous victories, and they had always sought the counsel of the LORD beforehand. But these foreign people caught them off guard, and they neglected to seek the LORD’s counsel. Ever have that happen to you? Boy, I sure have! What’s the matter with us, anyway? Well, we sometimes get in a hurry and forget. Also, we become so accustomed to doing some things –and they turn out alright, so we start forgetting to seek the LORD’s counsel.

We live in serious and dangerous times. We cannot afford to undertake anything on our own. We don’t always see the danger that lies in the bushes. When we stay focused on the LORD and are continuously seeking His counsel, we don’t have to live in fear. We must, however, be committed to Him and “stay in close touch.”

No, I don’t believe everything I hear. I don’t even believe everything I see. But, I have learned to trust the LORD Jesus Christ, and He has been faithful to care for me. Give Him opportunity in your life, and remember the words of the old hymn –

There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases:
No, not one! no, not one!

Jesus knows all about our struggles;
He will guide ’til the day is done:
There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! no, not one!

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.”

Dear Grands,

Hebrews 6:10-12, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have

shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance

of hope until the end,

12 that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the

promises.”

From time-to-time, the President of the United States awards selected persons of merit the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is the highest award the president can give, and arguably this highest that can ever be awarded to an American citizen. This award was recently conveyed in conjunction with the president’s State of the Union address before Congress.

Yet the thought came to me that there was yet another award –one of far greater worth—that would be bestowed upon all of those whose lives and work had been centered on the glory of our LORD Jesus Christ!

The Apostle Paul assures us that God does not forget our work of love on His behalf. Further, Paul himself desires that our diligence will produce “the full assurance of hope until the end…” Six times in his Letter to the Hebrews, Paul uses the word hope (?????, elpis). Hope in the New Testament can be translated “future certainty.” The word diligence (??????, spoude) means both haste and earnestness. We dare not be sluggish (??????, nothros) –slothful or careless, lest we fail in our calling.

Have faith (??????, pistis) and patience, long-suffering (?????????? makrothumia). Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged. Study the Word, pray earnestly to the Father, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leadership, encourage other believers, and tell others about Jesus! They don’t know what they don’t know. It’s our privileged responsibility and joy to share Christ Jesus with others. His Coming may be closer than we think.

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.”