But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15 Our human nature can be tempted to mislead others by what we say or do. Sometimes we can deceive people due to a desire to hold our position, to slack off on a duty, or even to cover up a secret. Consider how often this can easily be part of our communication if we are not aware of Satan’s tactics. This type of dishonesty can lead to communication struggles and conflicts in our relationships. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. In other words, we are to do all that we can to make “peace” with another. God has given us specific instructions in how to do so in Matthew 18:15-20. “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” What is meant by the words loosing and binding? In other words, because of the authority given to believers to handle these issues, whatever we bind (forbid) or loose (free) on earth, it is as if, it has already been done in heaven whether bound (forbidden) or loosed so that God’s will, His eternal plan can be carried out.
What should we do when a brother or sister is offended by another brother or sister? We should go to that person and tell them. What is the condition for adding more people to go with you to an offended brother or sister? They do not listen to you. If that person does not listen, we should continue to make attempts to work things out with our sister or brother, adding mature believers one or two at a time. Sharing the problem with the church and removing the offender from the church should be a last resort and only after numerous attempts from our church body for restoration have been taken. Forgiveness takes one person; reconciliation takes two. When a person refuses to be restored and it has gotten to the point of bringing it before the church, the bitter person should be removed from the church body so that the “root of bitterness” does not trouble the whole church (Hebrews 12:15). Communicating truth is not an easy thing to do but being honest and speaking the truth in love is in the best interest of both parties-the offender and the offended-as well as for the whole body of Christ.
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John 11:28-37 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” John 11:28-37 recounts a powerful moment in the life and ministry of Jesus, where we see not only His dominion over death but also His deep compassion for those who are suffering. This passage brings us to a pivotal point in the story of Lazarus, as Jesus interacts with Mary and the grieving crowd, demonstrating His heartfelt pity. Jesus Calls Us in Our CalamityWhen Mary was mourning her brother’s death, Martha came to her and said, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you” (John 11:28). Even in the midst of sorrow, Jesus calls us to Himself. His voice is present in our pain, offering hope and comfort. Do we recognize His voice in our struggles? Romans 8:16 reminds us, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” We must listen for His call, just as Mary did, and respond with faith. We Come to Him to Be Comforted Mary’s response was immediate—she arose quickly and came to Jesus. She knew where true comfort was found. The Bible assures us in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 that God is the “Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.” When we face hardship, we must seek Him, knowing that He alone can provide the peace our hearts long for. As Mary reached Jesus, she fell at His feet, saying, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). Her words echo the cry of many hearts—longing for God’s intervention in suffering. Yet, even in her sorrow, she came to the right place: the feet of Jesus. Like Mary, we are invited to come to Him with a hearing heart, a hurting heart, and an honoring heart. Jesus Weeps With Us John 11:35, the shortest verse in Scripture, carries profound meaning: “Jesus wept.” His tears were not a sign of helplessness but of deep compassion. He groaned in His spirit, moved by the pain of those around Him. His reaction shows us that God is not distant from our suffering; He enters into it with us. Jesus’ response to death and sorrow reminds us that He understands our grief. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that we have a High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses, inviting us to approach Him for mercy and grace in our time of need. The Invitation to Trust Through this passage, we see a Savior who not only has power over death but also a heart that is tender toward the brokenhearted. Mary’s story encourages us to listen for Jesus’ call, come to Him for comfort, and trust in His compassionate heart. No matter what sorrow we face, we can be assured that Jesus is near, weeping with us and working for our good.
Will you trust Him today? He calls you to come, to believe, and to live. John 11:18-27 (NKJV) Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “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. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” In John 11, we witness one of the most powerful moments in Jesus’ earthly ministry—His dominion over death as He raises Lazarus from the grave. This chapter reveals the depth of Christ’s love, His divine power, and His promise of eternal life. Today, we focus on John 11:18-27, where Jesus assures Martha that He is “the resurrection and the life.” The Painful Reality of DeathDeath is an inescapable reality. We all experience the sting of loss, just as Martha and Mary did when their brother Lazarus died. They had prayed, they had hoped, and yet their brother succumbed to illness. Their grief is evident when both sisters tell Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). Like them, we sometimes struggle to understand God’s timing. But Jesus had a greater plan—one that would reveal His power in a way they had never imagined. The Promise of HopeEven in her grief, Martha demonstrates remarkable faith. She declares, “But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” (John 11:22). She believes in Jesus’ ability to intercede but does not yet grasp the fullness of His power. Jesus responds with a life-changing promise: “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” (John 11:25-26). This is the heart of the gospel. Eternal life is not just a future hope—it is a present reality for those who believe in Christ. A Present ReminderMartha believed in a future resurrection, but Jesus was calling her to trust in Him now. He was not just a teacher of life—He is life itself. This truth remains for us today. Jesus’ resurrection power is not limited to a distant event. It is active in our lives, transforming our hearts and assuring us of our eternal hope. When we place our faith in Him, death is no longer the end but a passage into everlasting life. Do You Believe This?Jesus’ question to Martha is the same one He asks each of us: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). The promise of resurrection is not just a theological concept—it is a personal invitation to trust in Christ completely.
As we reflect on this passage, let us anchor our faith in Jesus, the One who has dominion over death. In Him, we find not only hope for the future but life abundantly in the present. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The word strengthens in the Greek translation is “endynamoo” which means “to empower.” The Holy Spirit actually infuses us as believers with His strength and gives us a confident peace to use our spiritual gifts in serving the Lord. When it comes to empowering in the Bible, the best example we have is Jesus. Jesus spent lots of time praying for and investing in the lives of His twelve disciples. He modeled how to serve in both “word” (sharing the word) and “deed” (good works of service) wherever he went. Then, one day, Jesus “sent them out” on a mission. Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority… Matthew 10:1 In other words, Jesus called the twelve to Himself and gave them specific instructions. Then, He empowered them with “authority” which means that the disciples were “given permission or liberty to do the will of God and the right to exercise their God-given power.” Since we have the Holy Spirit within us, it is the Spirit that empowers us to do works of service. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7 When Jesus sent out the twelve to serve, He could have gone along with each group He sent out and managed what was being done in the community. However, He prayed for them and trusted that God would “empower” them and use them to accomplish His purposes. Close, loving relationships give people freedom to serve God using the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has equipped them with.
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, Not by might (hayil-resources, wealth, etc) nor by power (koah-human strength, ability), but by My Spirit (ruah-the third person of the triune God), says the Lord of Hosts.” Zechariah 4:6 The Lord of Hosts refers to Jehovah, the Existing One who is ruler of an organized army of both the heavenly host as well as the demonic rulers at war against them. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice! When we choose to focus on the facts that God is sovereignly in control of the details of our current circumstances (Job 1:8, 12), His loving presence is with us in our trials (Ephesians 3:17-19; Daniel 3:24-25), and He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28) and His glory, this should bring us great joy. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. The testing of our faith produces endurance and helps us to mature in the character of Christ. God is training us to increase our impact in the lives of others in making and equipping disciples to do the will of God. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:17 Sometimes we can become focused on the negative and grow critical in our spirit. This can lead to festering in our hearts and find its way through our words (Matthew 15:18). Pray that God will guard our hearts and minds from this type of critical spirit. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. |
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