Bible

[plugger]

John Chapter 11 tells of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Almost every time I have heard this Scripture used mainly concerns the resurrection.....A favorite for a funeral service, but there was a couple of other things in this chapter which caught my eye......1--the disciples pointed out to Jesus that previously the Jews had tried to stone Him there, so why go there?----2---I noticed in verse 16 that the disciple Thomas told his friends---"Let us go that we may die with Him." Thomas is also the disciple that after Jesus's resurrection doubted and is known as the "doubting disciple". 3---Jesus tells Martha--"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. -----OK, we got 3 great topics for a Sunday sermon.....4---then as I was reading I got to verse 33---"Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping , He groaned in the spirit and was troubled"---and this verse is what really caught my eye, that little word "GROANED", In the past I never paid that word much attention, too busy focusing on the larger picture in Chapter 11---allow me to share a bit here....From my John MacArthur study Bible---"This phrase does not mean that Jesus was deeply touched or moved with sympathy at the sight. The Greek term "Groaned" also suggest anger, outrage, or emotional indignation. Most likely Jesus was angered at the emotional grief of the people because it impliclitcly revealed unbelief in the resurrection and the temporary nature of death. The group was acting like pagans who had no hope. While grief is understandable, the group was acting in despair, thus indicating a tactic denial of the resurrection and the Scripture that promised it. Jesus may also have been angered because He was indignant at the pain and sorrow in death that sin brought into the human condition."-----Probably verse 33 could offer a good a sermon as anything else in this chapter

The death of a loved one is always a sorrowful, painful occasion, yet for the Christian, a believer in the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ, the pain--the sting-- of death is greatly softened. I, as a Christian believe that when I take my last breath I my Spirit will be where it is going and by Scripture my belief in Jesus Christ will place me in Heaven.--------All of the crap that I have pulled off during my years here on earth, once I asked for "forgiveness", all that crap was washed away and I am not any longer guilty and in my day to day short comings as long as I acknowledge them and ask for forgiveness all is well. All people, Christians and Non-Christians fall short, each and every day----the only difference is the word "Forgiven"....

OK !!! That should be good enough for a 1st of the week thought---God Bless and treat yourself to a great week