Belgrave South Baptist Church

26 March 2023

As we have continued our Mourning After series looking at Lament in the bible this has provided opportunity to cast ourselves upon God as we experience and observe brokenness in life.

In talking about the emotions of Jesus last week we also reflected on John 11, the raising of Lazarus.

Here is a reminder of what we said. Rereading my notes gave me such encouragement.  I hope it does for you…

1. The return of Lazarus to life gave Jesus encouragement, hope and new resolve as he faced Calvary.
2. Jesus discerned the circumstances beyond the immediate stress and wailing of the mourners.  God was doing something not imagined.  Jesus alone had eyes to see it.
3. Jesus hasn’t changed and sometimes breaks into our broken circumstances and does something unimagined.  This can give us hope even if there are no guarantees of immediate answers.
4. Such answers when they do come are necessarily short term. Lazarus still eventually died. All who are healed eventually die. All answers to prayer here and now however, point to a future hope that is permanent.
5. This certainty is ours as we lament like Martha and Mary: Jesus is with us in the midst of our pain and drawing us towards a future hope.
6. Darkness and evil may continue.  Death is not yet finally destroyed.  But the one who is the resurrection and the life has died and his death marks the beginning of the death of Death.
7. Without denying ongoing pain, all lament can now be transformed into hope… The story of suffering is no longer one of fate or chance but is now being reshaped and redefined by the one who conquered death. The Author has entered the story of human suffering and is changing it from the inside out – rewriting it towards a wonderful final chapter.

^{2 Cor 4v16} Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Julian Holdsworth
BSBC Pastor