Title: John 11:1 - Some Sick
Contents
There was a sick man, Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her brother Martha
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Maria and her sister Martha.
1. What God is doing
When God uses His creations, He uses them in a noble way or in a lowly way, but people still have not given up on the glory of the world, so we understand that they only use them large or small. If God uses it a lot, it is misunderstood that it is used preciously. If you use it small, it will be mistaken for a mean use. The house of God, the great house, has many vessels. There are vessels of gold and silver as well as vessels of wood and earthenware. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he can become a vessel of honor. Obviously, from a human point of view, the gold and silver vessels seem larger or even more precious. However, since the vessels that God uses are vessels of gold and silver, they are not only preciously used. Even if it is only a wooden or earthen vessel, even a small vessel, partially broken and polished to gold, as long as it purifies itself, it is holy and worthy of the master’s use and can be prepared for all good works.
God uses both the sick and the healthy. Being sick does not mean that God uses them in a lowly manner. When humans get sick, demons get sick. Some diseases come from sin. Other diseases are not caused by demons or sin, but to show the glory of God. For those like Paul, God's grace was so great that Satan's thorn came upon them. In this case, no matter how great the grace that came to Paul, no matter how much he prayed, he would not let him go. Paul had already received the power to heal others and cast out demons from God. He had the power to be healed by just covering Paul's handkerchief or apron, but he could not heal his own disease. After all, sickness is in the hands of God. It was Satan who made Job sick, but even Satan could not make Job sick without God's permission. In the end, God uses the sick or the healthy as he pleases. But God uses them, but those who use them preciously are wise.
Jesus was able to heal people because He already had the authority in heaven and on earth. Demons and demons could not overcome Jesus because Jesus already had the authority in heaven and on earth. The devil is someone who will do anything to get Jesus to worship at his feet. Even so, the devil did not have power in heaven and on earth. However, I was able to show all the kingdoms and their glory that had been built since the Garden of Eden. So when the devil tempted Jesus, he showed all the kingdoms of the world and their glory with a hidden card and promised to give them all these things if they worshiped him. The devil's words are always lies. He even had the ability to tell lies as his own. The devil is the one who has the ability to tell a lie as if it were the truth. Not only did Jesus not believe the devil's words, but he did not respond to the devil's request because he had more power than the devil has.
(1) There was a sick man who lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her brother Martha.
God can heal all diseases. However, God did not heal all the diseases in this world like Jesus did. Sometimes it will give you more glory to stay sick, so you leave it sick. From the point of view of the sick, a healthy state only brings glory to God, but God knows each person. You know, you know all the insides of that person. It is God who knows all about the state of being sick and the outcome of the state of being healed. God is without a single inch of error in your intellect. God has never made a mistake with people. It is the will of God to make sick and to heal. No matter what kind of disease you have or what kind of disease you are healed of, God is in control, so if you focus on the glory of God, you can learn to be content in any situation and environment.
The same is true of any sick person Jesus knows well, who lives in Bethany, the village of Mary and her brother Martha. Jesus can cure any disease, but any disease can be overlooked. In some cases, people do not reveal their sickness because they do not want to admit that they are even under God's sovereignty. But for some, being sick is a way to reveal the glory of God. God made the person sick or allowed him to become ill for His glory. It is not only when the disease is healed that the glory of God is revealed. Paul's illness did not go away until he died, but he could only live for the glory of God. In order to do that, we have to become a person who focuses not on the disease itself, but on the God who causes and heals the sick.
(2) There is one who is ill, Lazarus.
God made someone sick, and he even made it known that his name was Lazarus. It is not known whether Lazarus was suddenly ill or if he had a previous illness, but it was clear that Lazarus was ill. Jesus was already friends with Martha and Lazarus as well as Mary. If you go to a village called Bethany, you seem to have met Lazarus often. The fact that Jesus loves them and even calls Lazarus a friend shows that they have already had a lot of fellowship. Even so, Lazarus was ill. Whether he was acquainted with Jesus or not, whether he loved him or not, Lazarus was ill. Moreover, although Jesus was close enough to call Lazarus his friend, Lazarus could not escape from God's disease.
Jesus could heal Lazarus' disease in an instant. Even without going to a village called Bethany, just as He healed the servant of the centurion Cornelius, He could heal you from afar just with your words. But Jesus did not do that. Rather, he waited until the Father's time to reveal the work of the Father in Jesus. Two things happened to Jesus. One work is to do the work of the Father who is in Jesus, and that work is not to do anything on your own, but to preach the word of the Father. The other thing is that to those who do not believe when they see it, the Father is in Jesus and does what he does, that is, he does it so that even if they see a sign, they will believe. Jesus is the One who glorifies only God through each work.
2. The heart of God
He wants you to admit that you are a sick person.
God wants everyone in the world to admit that they are sick. He wants you to admit that you are not only physically ill, but also weak and mentally ill. There is not a single person in this world who is not sick. Everyone got sick. Since all are sinners, at least there is not a single person who is not sick of the soul. Even if they are found to be healthy after undergoing a medical examination at the hospital, their soul is already ill. Otherwise, Jesus would not have come to this world. Jesus came into this world as a physician. Even though Jesus came as a physician, He did not do any further work in the state where each person did not admit that he was ill. He wants everyone in the world to come to Jesus, confess their sickness, and be healed by Jesus.
2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore, for the sake of Christ I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, privations, persecutions, and hardships, for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Paul, a servant of Christ, rejoices in weaknesses, insults, privations, persecutions, and hardships for Christ's sake. Ordinary people would not rejoice at these times, but they would have been distressed, troubled, or have a hard time in heart. On the contrary, Paul was able to rejoice because he was physically weak and ill, but his heart was not. Because Paul's heart was full of God's grace, and that fullness was revealed in his weakness when he was strong. Knowing that God's power is manifested in strength when we are weak, He wants us to be those who, above all, receive the circumcision of our hearts, understand and be healed.
3. Who God is
He is the one who makes any sick person sleep.
After making people sick, God sends Jesus to make them useless to the healthy and useless to the sick, so that when you realize your weakness, you will be strengthened immediately.
4. Traces of Jesus (Confession and Sharing)
(1) The blood of Jesus - Failing to admit to being sick
(2) The life of Jesus - A decision to admit to being sick
5. Prayer
Even though he was ill, he was not ill.
Saying that even if you are sick, your heart is fine
I was afraid to even be healed
forgive me
Help me to admit that I am sick.
Above all else, let me heal your heart
Although the sickness of the body persists, when it is weak, then it is strong.
Help me to be a person who is sufficed with grace