STINKING THINKING

“He set out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan.  Then crowds converged on Him again and, as He usually did, He began teaching them once more.”  (Mark 10:1 HCSB) 

Our behavior is directly linked to our beliefs—our conduct flows out of our convictions. 

Remember what Jesus said in the seventh chapter of Mark?

“Then He said, ‘What comes out of a person — that defiles him.  For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.’” (v.20-23)

The sinful heart of man is a sewer out of which flows every kind of moral pollution.  This wrong kind of thinking also leads to the wicked kind of talking.  “For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” (Matt.12:34b).  So, we find Jesus teaching the truth—consistently conveying to the crowds who gathered to listen—knowing that the truth had power to wash their wicked hearts clean. 

In our text we hear three questions which originate in the stinking thinking of man’s vile heart and the answers of Infinite Wisdom. 

The first question concerns THE PERMANENCE OF MARRIAGE: The Need for Correction—the Hard Heart (Mark 10:1-16).

“Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him.  They asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce [his] wife?’” (v.2)

The question is intended to draw Jesus into a controversy raging in those days between the liberal interpreters which said that a man could divorce his wife at a whim and the conservatives who demanded adherence to the Mosaic code requiring a writing of divorce with strict conditions.  What we see is that the man didn’t really want an answer, but he was trying to lay a trap for Jesus—where He was sure to displease somebody. 

The question is wrong at its heart—and it is hard-heartedness—for it is looking for a way to end the marriage rather than to mend it. 

Observe that divorce was never promoted but was only permitted.

“He replied to them, ‘What did Moses command you?’  They said, ‘Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.’” (v.3-4)

It wasn’t given to aid in the dissolution of a marriage but to assist in the reconciliation of a marriage.  In granting a legal document to begin divorce proceedings it bought time so a hasty decision wasn’t made.  The guilt of the partner had to be established, giving a “cooling off” period where the two might think about the finality of their act—for the law also said that if divorce occurred it was final and the two could not go marry again and then after that later remarry. 

Jesus goes back to God’s ideal and speaks to the permanence of marriage.  Divorce is a matter of hard hearts and that is what Christ moves to correct them about in their thinking. 

I understand that divorce occurs, and we must have compassion.  Sometimes a partner may do all they can do to be faithful and the spouse is unfaithful and despite a willingness to reconcile walks away.  Even when we fail and fail repeatedly, there is grace.  Recall the woman at the well—married five times and living with a man when Jesus transformed her life.  Adultery isn’t the unpardonable sin. 

Having said that we dare not act like it doesn’t matter.  Divorce is epidemic.  The ramifications are profound, especially as it affects the family and I believe that is why the next verses are so important.

“Some people were bringing little children to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me. Don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’  After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on them and blessed them.” (v.13-16)

Divorce doesn’t just break a marriage, it breaks a home and children are the broken pieces.  I understand there can be great suffering among spouses, but what of the offspring?

The parents who brought their children to Jesus wanted His holy hands to hold them and bless them.  This is a great thing for parents to do!  Put your children in His almighty arms! 

How will you respond to this teaching?  Don’t have a hard heart!

The second question dealt with THE POVERTY OF RICHES: The Need for Confrontation—the Proud Heart (Mark 10:17-22).

“As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” (v.17)

This man had convinced himself already that he was good enough to get to heaven.  He was full of self-righteousness and religious conceit.  He wanted to do something to earn his way to heaven—and really believed he had—merely wanting Jesus to confirm it. 

So, Jesus hits right at the heart of what it means to be “good” in verse 18, “‘Why do you call Me good?’  Jesus asked him.  ‘No one is good but One — God.’”     Goodness isn’t determined in relation to how we measure up with our fellowman, but how we measure up to God’s perfect standard—and of course none of us do. 

Jesus seeks to get the man to confess he is a sinner—but rather he boasts. 

“‘You know the commandments: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not defraud; honor your father and mother.’  He said to Him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.’” (v.19-20)

This response was the crux of justification or condemnation.  In another portion of today’s Scripture reading, the Lord taught this:

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the temple complex to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee took his stand and was praying like this: “God, I thank You that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.”

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, “God, turn Your wrath from me—a sinner!”  I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Notice how in responding to the inquirer, Jesus deals with matters that pertain to the second table of the law—and leaves off the first—for He knew that’s where the man was fatally flawed.  Nor does he mention the tenth commandment, “You shall not covet.”

There was a reason for the glaring omission.  Jesus wanted this fellow to think about the very commandments so conspicuous by their absence. 

This man was an idolater and Jesus exposed him.  He was covetous and this became clear.  Still, the Lord had compassion on him.

“Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.   Then come, follow Me.’   But he was stunned at this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.” (v.21-22)

The sin isn’t in possessing riches but it is when riches possess us!  Do you think you have done enough to work your way to heaven?  Do you have a proud heart?  Jesus confronted this rich young ruler in the same way He confronts us today—with the need to humble ourselves and admit our sinfulness!

The final question focused on THE POSSIBILITY OF SALVATION: The Need for Comprehension—the Slow Heart (Mark 10:23-31)   

“So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’” (v.26)

The disciples didn’t get it.  They believed that a man’s right standing before God would be rewarded with material blessing.  Indeed, God may do that, but often the riches prove a hindrance rather than a help to get to God. 

The disciples—hearing this teaching—concluded that nobody could be saved!  Jesus admits the impossibility.

“Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’  But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’

So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’

Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.’” (v.23-27)

Man cannot save himself.  But God can!  He will and He does—and every time, it is a miracle! 

None can be wealthy enough to purchase a plot in heaven.   None of us can be industrious enough to build a mansion over there.  None of us can be clean enough to walk on golden streets without making them dirty by our defiling presence. 

It takes the blood of Jesus to fit us for heaven!  It is the riches of His grace, the acceptability of His work and the cleansing of His sacrifice that qualifies us for living in His glory.  We must come to the cross in repentance! 

Peter didn’t know what he was talking about, but talked anyway, “Peter began to tell Him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed You.’” (v.28). 

Jesus, then, attempted to clarify this.  He spoke to these slow-hearted disciples.

“‘I assure you,’ Jesus said, ‘there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel, who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.’” (v.29-31)

There is a price to pay in following Christ, but we shouldn’t really think in terms of losing out, when we actually gain everything.  It isn’t throwing away, but making an investment.  God has something better for us! 

But they still didn’t get it.  He takes them again and again to the cross and its centrality in discipleship.

“They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, but those who followed Him were afraid.  Taking the Twelve aside again, He began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.

These were slow students—and I don’t mean there was a problem with their heads—it was an issue with their hearts.

Do you have a slow heart—slow to grasp biblical truth?

Let us repent of our stinking thinking!  The Holy Spirit has been sent to be our Teacher.  We have the Word of God as our text book.  The school of life experience will be our classroom.

Today we will have a mind shaped by the pressure of the world or molded by the principles of the Word.  Just listen to how Paul framed it:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)

That is how to flush from our minds the stinking thinking!

LOST

“All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”  (Luke 15:1-2 HCSB)

I don’t ask for directions.  I’m a man and consider that a sign of weakness.  My thought is that I’m not lost, just temporarily disoriented!  What a humbling thing it is to have to finally stop after miles and miles of driving and enter a service station to ask for directions—your wife sitting in the car with a smug look, “I told you so.”  She knew you were lost.  You just didn’t want to admit it.

You can be lost and not even know it.  I remember going to Charlotte years ago for “Camp Meeting.”  That was when you sat on a metal chair for what seemed an eternity while an array of preachers bombarded you with sermon after sermon, with gospel music intermittently inserted between the messages.  After a day of that, I slumped in the backseat and tried to sleep in the old Pontiac Bonneville as we sped toward home.  But, how could I sleep with Mom and Dad arguing?  It went something like this:

“This isn’t the right way.” 

“Margaret, I know it is.”

“Well, I don’t recognize any of this.”

“See that sign—that’s the road we are supposed to be on.”

After a few minutes of icy silence, when I had begun to drift away to Never Land, it would be repeated.

Finally, it happened, “Hah—look at that sign!  We are supposed to be headed toward Asheville and that sign says we are headed toward Fayetteville!”

All Pop did was snort, find a place to make a U-Turn, and we were on our way home.  We were on the right road—just going the opposite direction!  The faster Dad drove and the longer he traveled, the farther were from our intended destination.

That is the spiritual condition of multitudes today.  They don’t think they are lost.  Insofar as they ever think about heaven, they are convinced they are headed there.  But, every day they get closer to hell instead.

That was the condition of the Pharisees and scribes.  They were convinced they were on the right road.  If anybody was going to wind up in heaven it would be them.  They were so self-assured in their self-righteousness that they scorned Jesus for sitting down with “sinners” and supping with that scum.

So, Jesus has a story for them.  He tells a parable—which really has only one point with three different illustrations, about what it means to be lost and found.

There was A LOST SHEEP.

“So He told them this parable: ‘What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it?  When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!”  I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.’” (Luke 15:3-7)

Sheep were valuable.  In that society, your flocks were your wealth, and you wanted to guard them carefully.  Seeking and finding a sheep was a reason to celebrate.

It was a shepherd’s responsibility to find them.  A lost sheep was not like a lost sheepdog—the latter might find their way back home, and would, at least have a fighting chance of survival, but the former would be hopeless to return and helpless to fend for itself.

The religious leaders were appointed to be spiritual shepherds of God’s flock.  They were too busy with the duties in the lush pasture to worry about the straying sheep in a desolate desert.  They would have to go into the world and get their hands dirty to bring back that smelly old flea-ridden lamb.  That was their attitude—and they didn’t understand Jesus; they didn’t understand the heart of God.  Rather than complaining about the Good Shepherd seeking lost sheep, they should have been celebrating the saving of them.

Heaven rejoices when just one sinner is found!

Then, Jesus reinforces the message by speaking of A LOST SUM.

“‘Or what woman who has 10 silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?  When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, “Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!” I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.’” (Luke 15:8-10)

The Pharisees saw no value in the sinner.  The looked down their pious noses and snorted, “Yes, they are going to hell—and that’s what they deserve!”  But, to God, all have value—and that’s why He sent His Son—to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

In the story Jesus speaks of a lost coin.  A woman knows its value and so she turns the house upside down searching for it.  A coin that is lost is even more incapable than a lost sheep of finding its way back.  Someone must look for it and reclaim it.  But, why not?  It is valuable!

How valuable is a lost soul?  The worth of something is determined by what one is willing to give in exchange for it.  After all, silver is just shiny metal—but if someone is willing to take it and give you food or clothing or something else, then a round piece of metal has value.  God gave His Son.  Jesus gave His life.  For what?  For sinners!  That’s how much God values a lost soul.

Then, there is A LOST SON.

“He also said: ‘A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.” So he distributed the assets to them.  Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.  After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.  Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any.  When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!  I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.”  So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.  The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father told his slaves, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”  So they began to celebrate.

Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant.  “Your brother is here,” he told him, “and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”

Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.  But he replied to his father, “Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.”

“Son,” he said to him, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”’” (Luke 15:11-32)

People are lost because they are natural born sinners.  But, that sinful disposition is reinforced by sinful decisions.  Those choices have consequences and that is seen in the story of the prodigal son.

Yet, it was his bankruptcy that brought his brokenness—and that would lead to his return.  The fact is that you cannot be found until you recognize you are lost.  As long as my father thought he was going the right way, he was not going to turn around.  That turn-around is repentance!  That’s what this lost son did.  This explains what Jesus meant when He said, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!” (Matt.21:31b)

The religious elite were scandalized by our Lord’s outreach to the outcasts.  Yet, the Son was just showing the Father’s heart.  That is seen in this story of an old father, running to embrace his wayward son.  It was a shocking concept to Christ’s audience.  In Jewish society, the patriarch of the family was too dignified to ever do such a thing.  You came reverently to him.  He did not run to you.  But, this is the love of God—His grace and condescension. 

There was another lost son, who remained lost because he didn’t see that he was lost!  The elder brother did not come into the father’s house.  He missed the party!  That was the arrogant attitude that marked the Pharisees and scribes.  They were full-throttle on the highway to hell, convinced they were headed toward heaven.

For my father to be going the wrong way was a matter of delay.  To do that spiritually is a matter of damnation.

RETIREMENT PLANNING

“Someone from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’

‘Friend,’ He said to him, ‘who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?’  He then told them, ‘Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.’

Then He told them a parable: ‘A rich man’s land was very productive.  He thought to himself, “What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops?  I will do this,” he said.  “I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there.  Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’

‘But God said to him, “You fool!  This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared — whose will they be?”’

‘That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.’”  (Luke 12:13-21 HCSB)

I am not as young as I used to be.  It’s a good reason for leaving the light off when I first get up in the morning!  One day, I looked into the mirror and saw my father looking back at me!  How did he get in there?  Then I rubbed my eyes, and looked again—it wasn’t him, but it sure looked like him.  How did this happen?

Age is no respecter of persons. Now, if you have enough money, you may be able to artificially and cosmetically alter your appearance.  It is sort of like going to the embalmer before the funeral and letting them work on you.  When a funeral director gets through with you, you may look better, but it doesn’t change the reality.  Neither does plastic surgery, Botox, wrinkle cream, and so forth.

Knowing that the years will roll by no matter what means that retirement planning is important.  We need to be ready for the “golden years”.  There is nothing wrong with storing away some gold for those years.  I have a retirement portfolio, and the church I serve is good enough to make regular contributions to it.  I guess they have noticed me aging also—and want to help me get ready for it.

But, how does this square with what Jesus says here?  Isn’t it sinful to store up money?  Wouldn’t it bring down God’s wrath on someone who buys a condo, moves to Florida and plays golf three times a week?

Maybe…and maybe not.

The issue is whether we are merely planning for this life and hoarding up what we have, with the attitude, “This is what I am going to do,” while leaving God’s will out of the equation, or are we planning for the life to come and investing what we have, with the desire, “I want the will of God more than anything else!”?

In Scripture, the issue is never how much money we hold, but how much hold does money have on us.  It isn’t a matter of what we have in the bank, but what we have in our heart.  It’s not the amount but the attitude that is pivotal.

Let’s dig a little deeper, and see if there aren’t some glittering gems of truth waiting to be mined for our spiritual enrichment.

Jesus is warning us about A SELFISH APPROACH TO LIFE.

Did you notice the excessive use of personal pronouns by this fellow?

“What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops?  I will do this,” he said.  “I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there.  Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”

This guy had “I” trouble!  It was a bad case of spiritual myopia—the nearsightedness that caused him to only see the temporal and have the eternal beyond his field of vision.

It is easy to do.  Selfishness is our default setting.  Inherently, we are that way—and it is no chore to live for what pleases us rather than what pleases God.

Look at the context that gave rise to this parable.

Here is a man coming to Jesus as a selfish child asking him to referee the dispute.  How many parents can identify with that!  It is a spirit of entitlement.  “I’m not getting what’s coming to me!”  It’s amazing the family squabbles that often happen following a funeral.  Sometimes it reminds me of vultures circling a corpse ready to fight over the remains.

Jesus refuses to get into that fight.  There is a far more important problem.  It wasn’t the emptiness of the man’s bank account that was the real issue, but the bankruptcy of his soul which truly mattered.  His attitude toward money was a barometer of his spiritual state.

The Lord sounds a warning.  He gets to the bottom line quickly.  The man is guilty of greed.  This is covetousness and Scripture brands that as idolatry.  Emblazoned on our money is the motto, “In God We Trust,” but more often we seem to think it reads, “In This God We Trust” and we lean on our loot.

It is a mistake to equate life with possessions.  We can never find security and significance there—but, we sure try!  This is what Jesus will explain in the parable.

The story is a portrait of A SENSUAL APPROACH TO LIFE. 

“Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’(v.19)

God blesses the man with a bumper crop.  But, there is no acknowledgment of God—no expression of gratitude rendered.  This fellow seems consumed with the material to the exclusion of the eternal.

His question is, “What am I going to do with all this stuff?”

How about stopping to give thanks to God the Provider?  What about considering the needs of others?  Might he have prayed and sought the will of God?  Not this man—the sensual and not the spiritual drove him.

Again, let’s underscore that money itself is not the root of all kinds of evil—and that isn’t what Scripture warns us about.  It is the love of money!  A poor man might love it enough to want what he doesn’t have more than anything in life and a rich man might love it enough to want to keep all he does have more than anything else.  Fundamentally, it is the same soul disease afflicting each.  The money isn’t the reason for the greed—it is a revealer of it.

The man in the story arrogantly states what he will do.  It is as though he is shaking his fist in the face of God.  This same spirit swept an angel out of heaven and turned him into the Devil of hell.  That never works out well. It didn’t for Lucifer and it won’t for this guy.  His will, and not God’s will, was uppermost in his plans—bad mistake!

Hear his boast of “many goods…many years…” and the truth is he left it all behind, soon!  Neither assertion was true in the end.

There is nothing wrong with retirement, per se, but we better not retire from God’s work to do our will.  Investments in eternity need to be made all the way to the end.  God’s retirement plan is “out of this world!” 

Don’t imagine there is anything wrong with eating, drinking and being happy, but if the approach is only a self-centered and sensual one, then we are in trouble. 

This man had a conversation with himself.  The problem therein was he was talking to a fool!  If we spent more time talking to God and less time talking to ourselves, we’d be much better off!  When I seek counsel from God, I get wisdom, and when I seek the counsel of my own heart, I get foolishness.  Many will say, “Follow your heart.”  That will lead to destruction because of its desperately depraved condition.

                                                                

That leads us to a final consideration.  Ultimately, this was A SENSELESS APPROACH TO LIFE.

“‘But God said to him, “You fool!  This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared — whose will they be?”’

‘That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.’”  (v.20-21)

This man is labeled as a fool by God.  What made him so? 

In the Bible, a fool doesn’t necessarily suffer from a lack of intelligence.  This man seems pretty sharp—a successful businessman. What he decides to do is reasonable—from the world’s perspective.  A fool isn’t someone mentally defective, but morally deficient. 

Here’s something to chew on: What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?  Someone dies and the question comes, “How much did they leave behind?”  The answer, of course, is: “All of it!”

We should make sure we are investing in the eternal—that’s the wise decision.  Jesus would later bear down on this point: “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (v.33-34) 

It isn’t that saving and investing money is wrong—indeed it’s good stewardship.  The Proverbs extols the industry of the ant.  It isn’t possessing earthly wealth that is decried.  The problem is when our possessions possess us.  It is the failure to be rich toward God that is the sin.

How is your retirement planning coming along?  Invest wisely! 

DEALING WITH DEATH

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die — ever. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25-26 HCSB)

Why?

It’s the age-old question isn’t it? There seems to be so many vexing, perplexing things we face in life. We look to an all-knowing God and pose the question.

There is little heartache we encounter that can be as debilitating as the death of someone we love. Sorrow rises up like a tsunami of grief and descends on us with such force as to bring us to our knees.

And the nagging question we often face is why? Oh, an autopsy might reveal the reason a person died. A death certificate might list the cause and time of death. But, our question is, “Where was God in all this?”

All of us, at any stage of life may ask, but we tend to be a bit more accepting when the person who dies is very old and has been extremely sick for a prolonged period. But, death does not just come to the old. What about when a baby we have been expecting with such joy arrives stillborn? What about when a child gets cancer and we watch him or her waste away—the tender little bloom wilts, the petals fall to the ground and they are gone? What about a teenager with so many plans, so much to give and their life is cut off by a drunk driver without so much as a chance to say, “Good bye”? What about a couple bound by love, the spouse sent off with a kiss and then comes the dreadful phone call—they’ve been taken by ambulance to the emergency room with a massive heart attack; you rush to the hospital and are met by the chaplain and the words, “I am so sorry’? What about the grandparent just retired that will take the grandkids fishing or have them over for a sleepover—read them stories and take them to Disneyworld—so many memories to make, unmade by a stroke from which there is no recovery?

Something screams inside us, “Why?”

Maybe you’ve been told that you shouldn’t dare ask God, “Why?” But, Jesus did. On the cross, he said, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” He asked the question—and He did so without sin—so we may ask also.

That’s how Jesus felt. Maybe you feel that way now. Sometimes we think we are past it, and some bittersweet memory resurfaces the pain that is ever lingering just in the shadows of our soul.

We may not get an answer at that point. Just be prepared for that. Sometimes heaven is silent. Jesus got no response. It was as though God had turned His back on His Son.

What did He do? He resigned Himself in faith and hope to the Father’s will, and uttered with cracked lips and swollen tongue, “‘Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.’ Saying this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46)

We know that we need to get there, but we are still on the journey through the valley of the shadow of death. We understand that we will emerge someday from the shadowlands and into the light of glory, where everything will be clear.

But we are not home yet and now our minds are still haunted with, “Why?”

I don’t have all the answers. God hasn’t revealed everything. Yet because we don’t know all things, does not mean that we don’t know any thing.

God has given us enough insight to hang our faith on…enough hope to give us an anchor in the storms of life. “We have this ⌊hope⌋ as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19a)

One such anchor of truth is found in the eleventh chapter of John. There are a few insights that can help us.

GOD WILL EVENTUALLY WORK ALL THINGS FOR OUR GOOD AND HIS GLORY.

“Now a man was sick, Lazarus, from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent a message to Him: ‘Lord, the one You love is sick.’ When Jesus heard it, He said, ‘This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” (John 11:1-4)

Sickness comes into the home of Martha and Mary and then sorrow follows with the death of their brother, Lazarus. At times, the outcome of this story looks bleak. But, Jesus knew how the story would end—with Lazarus being raised from the dead. There would be more glory given to God by not healing Lazarus, than by raising him!

Though the death of a family member hurts like everything now, I want to assure you that in the end, all will be well. The groans give way to glory.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it — in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits — we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.” (Rom.8:18-25)

GOD LOVES US NO MATTER WHAT.

“Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.” (John 11:5)

Several times the Lord’s love for this family is mentioned in the chapter. This never changed, although their circumstances did.

When we are tempted to doubt that love, all we have to do is look at the cross. There we see beyond our suffering and sorrow to the suffering of the Son and the sorrow of the Father. The cross is the testimony of God’s unfailing love and the incredible price paid to take us to heaven.

GOD KNOWS MORE THAN WE KNOW.

“So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” (John 11:6)

That is a strange statement—a friend has an urgent need, Jesus can fix it—in fact, He doesn’t even have to go to Bethany, He can just say the word and the sickness would depart. But, He doesn’t. What Jesus does is deliberately delay!

It doesn’t make sense—at least, on the surface. The reality is that an amoeba has as much likelihood of understanding quantum physics as we have of understanding supreme Intelligence.

God knows more than we know. In our story, Jesus knew full well what He was going to do, though the disciples couldn’t grasp it and Mary and Martha certainly didn’t get it.

“He said this, and then He told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on My way to wake him up.’ Then the disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.’ Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought He was speaking about natural sleep. So Jesus then told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died. I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.’” (v.11-15)

Several years ago, my son Corey wound up in the hospital with a broken arm. I accompanied him back to the X-Ray Room, but had to sit outside while they took the little fellow in for the test. I could hear what was going on in the room as they stretched out his arm and manipulated it into position for the test—he screamed for me in pain, “Daddy! Daddy! Oh, it hurts…Daddy!” It broke my heart, but I knew he had to go through this. I couldn’t intervene. I knew what he did not understand. He felt abandoned into the hands of strangers who were hurting him. But, I was there, unseen, just outside a heavy wooden door.

So is God. He is there. There would come a time when Corey would know I was not gone—and that leads me to the next truth.

JESUS COMES TO US IN OUR SORROW.

“When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.” (v.17)

At first it seemed Jesus was late—too late—four days overdue. But, He did come—and on His schedule. But, the important thing is that He showed up.

Although Jesus doesn’t immunize us from grief, He doesn’t isolate Himself from us in our grief. He comes to us in our sorrow. You can hear His voice in His Word and know His touch in your soul. Whisper a prayer, and He is there.

He has promised, “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (John 14:18)

FRIENDS CAN HELP US IN OUR GRIEF.

“Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.” (John 11:19)

There are always a few who show up at a funeral to get some of the chicken casserole and potato salad served by the church Bereavement Committee. Occasionally, some will say stupid things that exacerbate a person’s grief rather than relieve it. But, most come because they really care—and that helps a family.

I have told the story many times of a small boy who was awakened in the middle of the night by the clap of thunder and flash of lightning. He cried out for his parents. They wanted to sleep and said, “It’s just a storm. Go back to sleep.” He kept screaming, “But I’m afraid!” So, Mom says, “Honey, God is watching over you. You don’t need to be scared.” The lad responded, “But, I need somebody with skin on them!”

That is the church, the Body of Christ. It is God “with skin” who reaches out through our hands to strengthen their trembling ones. It is how God gives a shoulder for the grief-stricken to cry on. He borrows our shoulder. This is why the local church fellowship is so vital. It is not good to be alone. We need the ministry of human kindness.

IT HELPS TO BE HONEST WITH GOD.

“Then Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.’” (v.21)

It was an accusation—an expression of hurt. The underlying question was, “Lord, why? Why didn’t you come? Why didn’t you do something? Don’t you care?” She wasn’t trying to be disrespectful, but she was distraught.

We have permission to be human. God understands and has much patience with us. He has designed us with the need to vent or we will either implode in depression or explode in rage.

God is not surprised by how upset you are; neither threatened by your questions; nor caught off guard by your raw emotions and the concurring thoughts that rise in your mind. God knows what we’re thinking, anyway.

So, why not shed tears and speak your mind? Pour out your soul to God. It will help to express the pain rather than try to bottle it up.

But, then what? What is the next step? Martha responds with a rising faith and not a reinforced fury.

“Yet even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” (John 11:22)

Facing the death of a family member or friend will make you better or bitter. You have no choice about this encounter with death—it is the human condition and will be until death is swallowed up by eternity. The only choice we have is how we are going to respond to the inevitable. It will become a bridge or a barrier to God.

“Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.” (Hebrews 12:15).

At the point of the crisis, God provides grace sufficient to meet the demand upon us. The warning is that we might choose bitterness rather than brokenness. It becomes a destructive power and defiling pollution for us and those about us.

You are going to have to deal with death. Will you do it with God or without Him? That is the only choice before you. Run to Him and not from Him.

Here’s why: WE HAVE A SYMPATHETIC SAVIOR.

“When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and told Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!’

When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved. ‘Where have you put him?’ He asked.

‘Lord,’ they told Him, ‘come and see.’

Jesus wept.” (John 11:32-35)

Jesus was angry over the ravages wrought by sin. He was moved by the pain He saw about Him—knowing full well it did not have to be that way. Adam and Eve could have eaten of the Tree of Life, but chose to consume forbidden fruit—and death came to curse the planet with its horror.

Jesus was moved to tears. Two words, “Jesus wept”—the shortest verse in the Bible—contain such sublime truth.

This is in large measure why He came to earth. There is not a pain you face that He hasn’t felt. He knows what you are feeling right now. Do you weep for a loved one? Jesus has done that. Must you travel to a cemetery? Jesus has been there.

He did more than that. He would enable us to deal with death in the present because He will deliver us from death in the future!

Look at what happened:

“So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You heard Me. I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me.’ After He said this, He shouted with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him and let him go.’” (John 11:41-44)

Jesus holds the keys to death, hell and the grave. He has overcome death in His resurrection and so gives the promise:

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die — ever. Do you believe this? ” (John 11:25-26)

The child of God, whose physical form ceases to function, does not truly die—they just move out of a house no longer fit for occupancy into the eternal home God prepares for them. They are not dead—but more alive than ever! They have just changed addresses.

Do you believe this? This is how we deal with death. Martha’s confession must be ours, “‘Yes, Lord,’ she told Him, ‘I believe You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.’” (John 11:27)