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encouragement and exhortation.
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Thursday, November 7, 2019
Buggies parked along a long lane at an Amish wedding here in Lancaster County. November is a popular month for Amish weddings normally on Tuesday or Thursday.
"Was
There An Odor?"
Message summary: Today let us consider what is considered one of the foulest odors of all, death.
Listen
to this
message on your audio player.
Message summary: Today let us consider what is considered one of the foulest odors of all, death.
Listen
to this
message on your audio player."But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days" (John 11:39) "The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, 'Take off the grave clothes and let him go'" (John 11:44).
Out here in the
country we are subject to a variety of odors, some
pleasant some not so much. We benefit from fresh
country air and the fragrance after the rain.
Sometimes you can smell the crops, especially
alfalfa. We are especially blessed when, depending
on wind direction and production, we get a
wonderful chocolate aroma from Cargill Cocoa &
Chocolate Plant in Mount Joy. At times we may even
get a whiff of chocolate from the M&M Mars
Plant in Elizabethtown.
However you take the
bad with the good and several times a year we get
an application of organic fertilizer (AKA manure)
on the neighboring farm fields as well as the
periodic, always distinct, odor of a skunk
(usually dead).
But the last several
weeks we have endured a newer odor, at least in
our area. Several are now growing marijuana, also
known as hemp. It's not as bad as manure but we
sure don't find it pleasant.
Today let us consider
one of the foulest odors of all, death.
Today's text is from
the account of the resurrection of Lazarus. This
is surely one of our Lord's greatest miracles and
particularly set in motion the great opposition
that led to His arrest, trial and crucifixion (see
11:46ff). This is the occasion when we are
specifically told "Jesus wept".
How utterly
disappointed His sisters Mary and Martha were when
Jesus did not make it in time to heal their
brother. But Jesus had another miracle in store, a
resurrection!
Prior to the miracle
Mary had responded to Christ's command to move the
stone with the well reasoned observation,
"But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor,
for he has been there four days" (v.39).
Notice Jesus does not dispute this. Instead
he calls out in a loud voice, "Lazarus come
forth". And that's just what Lazarus
did!
Think and ponder with me for a moment. Surely a great miracle had occurred as Lazarus marched out of that tomb. But do you suppose there was an odor? Now surely Jesus could have had him come out in a tuxedo if He willed, but the text plainly says he was still wrapped in the linen grave clothes and Jesus commanded those who witnessed the miracle to "take off the grave clothes and let him go".
Think and ponder with me for a moment. Surely a great miracle had occurred as Lazarus marched out of that tomb. But do you suppose there was an odor? Now surely Jesus could have had him come out in a tuxedo if He willed, but the text plainly says he was still wrapped in the linen grave clothes and Jesus commanded those who witnessed the miracle to "take off the grave clothes and let him go".
I wonder what kind of
job this was? Sure, they were rejoicing, but did
they say to one another, "You unwrap him". Was
there an odor? Was Lazarus, graveclothes and all,
completely sanitized during the miracle? Did he
come out smelling like "Old Spice"? Of course we
don't know but I really think not! I would imagine
that the folks had a pretty nasty little job in
getting those clothes removed.
The Bible says, prior to conversion, we are all "dead in our transgressions and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). To those with a nose to smell spiritually I'm sure there is an odor! I'm thankful for those who, through the years, have removed the old, stinky graveclothes of the newly redeemed (and still do so). I'm thankful for the privilege of unwrapping graveclothes from others who have been resurrected spiritually. Sure, there is an odor and it's hard at times, but underneath a new person is being formed and growing in the image of Jesus Christ.
The Bible says, prior to conversion, we are all "dead in our transgressions and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). To those with a nose to smell spiritually I'm sure there is an odor! I'm thankful for those who, through the years, have removed the old, stinky graveclothes of the newly redeemed (and still do so). I'm thankful for the privilege of unwrapping graveclothes from others who have been resurrected spiritually. Sure, there is an odor and it's hard at times, but underneath a new person is being formed and growing in the image of Jesus Christ.
Jesus loved Lazarus
and he loves us in spite of the odor. May He also
help us to love one another today!
Be encouraged and
today,
Stephen &
Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we marvel in the resurrected
healing of the dead man, Lazarus. When his sisters
and friends had given up hope all along You had a
plan to defy death and raise Larazus to newness of
life. It's true in our lives as well, since You
have made it possible for us to put to death the
old nature and You have raised to life the new
person we are as we are born again. Thank You for
forgiving us our sins and giving us life eternal
through Your death and Your resurrected life.
Amen.
Daily
prayer: Father, we marvel in the resurrected
healing of the dead man, Lazarus. When his sisters
and friends had given up hope all along You had a
plan to defy death and raise Larazus to newness of
life. It's true in our lives as well, since You
have made it possible for us to put to death the
old nature and You have raised to life the new
person we are as we are born again. Thank You for
forgiving us our sins and giving us life eternal
through Your death and Your resurrected life.
Amen.Tomorrow
we will consider another passage dealing with
odor. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ
among those who are being saved and those who
are perishing. To the one we are the smell of
death; to the other, the fragrance of life" (2
Corinthians 2:15,16).
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