Does sin make you angry? No, I don't mean do other people's sins personally offend you, as when someone lies about you or steals from you. That makes anyone upset! I mean when you see a report about a child being molested by a pervert, does it make you angry? When you see someone abused or oppressed because they are a different color does it make you angry? When you see what addictions have done to a family does it make you mad? Sin angers God and moved Him to send us a Deliverer, Jesus Christ. God anger is expressed, at this time, in amazing grace that reaches out to us with forgiveness and restoration best demonstrated in this: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV) By that death, He made life possible.
In the 11th chapter of John's Gospel, we find Jesus going to Bethany. Despite the request of Martha and Mary for Him to come and heal their brother, Lazarus, He waited and when He arrived the man was already dead four days. Naturally, He walked into a scene of great sorrow. What happened next is stunning. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. "Where have you put him?" he asked them. They told him, "Lord, come and see." (John 11:32-34, NLT)
Death was the ultimate result of sin! God is the Giver of Life, the Lover of Humanity, Light and Joy. Death is none of those things. As Mary and her friends surrounded Him that day, He got mad at sin and the Devil for all the suffering visited on people that God loved. The NIV says that Jesus was "deeply moved in His spirit." Yes, He was moved, but it was an anger not a deep grief about His friend, though that was how the crowd read His emotion that day.
Jesus went to the tomb and shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" and a dead man walked into the light, restored to life, the Lord of Glory demonstrating the power of God over sin and death! He had told Martha moments earlier,"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." (John 11:25, NIV)
Disciple, if we really believe Him, we move into Life, right now. We do not have to wait for Heaven to know eternal life! The Cross is the place where death died! The Tomb from which Jesus rose is testimony that sin is defeated! Don’t stay at the Cross, in a repetitive pattern of sin, forgiveness, sin again! Accept Resurrection Life! Be filled with the Spirit, alive to God, dead to sin!
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)
_______________
Make a joyful noise!
Sing unto the Lord!
Tell Him of your love,
Dance before Him.
Make a joyful noise!
Sing unto the Lord!
Tell Him of your love,
Hallelujah!
In Him we live and move
And have our being,
In Him we live and move
And have our being.
In Him We Live
Randy Speir © 1981 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
1 comment:
Thank you. I never quite knew how to interpret what it meant when Jeseus got angry in this scene and who or what He was angry with. I suppose I thought he was angry at Mary. Now I see this passage in a new and real way. Jesus’ anger at sin and the devil.
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