So Much More: Moving Beyond Kingdom Principles to Kingdom Power by Todd Hudson Page A
Book: So Much More: Moving Beyond Kingdom Principles to Kingdom Power by Todd Hudson
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Authors: Todd Hudson
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timetable and I’m in no hurry. I’m going to take my time and wait a couple of days before I go because it really doesn’t matter how quickly I get there. Whenever I show up it’s never too late for something you think is impossible to be made possible. And when I’m through with this miracle, everyone will know that there is no way this could happen except for the hand of God at work. We’ve got to give God glory for that one.”
Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they wee by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
—J OHN 11:7–15
I’m sure the disciples were thinking at this point, “It’s too late Jesus. Mary and Martha asked You to do a miracle and heal their brother, but You dillydallied around here for two days and didn’t go and now it’s too late. You just said Yourself, he is dead.” Furthermore, the disciples really didn’t want to go to Bethany. Bethany is just on the other side of the Mount of Olives right outside the city of Jerusalem. The last time Jesus had been there, He had gotten in a heated toe-to-toe conversation with the Pharisees, who had picked up stones planning to stone Jesus to death; but He had managed to slip away from them. Now Jesus is suggesting that they make a trip back to that area. The disciples decided they like living too much so that didn’t seem to be a very good idea to them.
Thomas spoke up and said what the rest of the disciples were probably thinking, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (v. 16). He’s being kind of sarcastic and basically saying we are going to get killed if we go there.
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
—J OHN 11:17–21
Let me paraphrase this for you: “Where have You been Jesus? We trusted You to do a miracle and heal our brother. We have been bragging about Your wonder-working power to all our friends. This was the perfect opportunity for You to display Your power and show these people that the kingdom is at hand—to show them that You are the Son of God and have come to take authority over disease. And You come walking in four days later? You’re too late.” Martha was hurt and disappointed.
Many of us can relate to the disappointment that Martha felt and expressed. At times like this thoughts and questions run through our minds, such as, “God, I have been praying for this miracle. I have trusted You to do this miracle and yet nothing has happened. Are You there, God? Are You even real? And if You are real, and You’re not doing what I’m asking You to do, are You good? And if You are there and You are good and You still aren’t doing anything, then do You really have the power to do something about my situation? If You can, then why aren’t You?” Those are real questions that run through our minds when we don’t immediately get the miracle from God we are seeking. We say things like, “God, I just don’t understand.
Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they wee by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
—J OHN 11:7–15
I’m sure the disciples were thinking at this point, “It’s too late Jesus. Mary and Martha asked You to do a miracle and heal their brother, but You dillydallied around here for two days and didn’t go and now it’s too late. You just said Yourself, he is dead.” Furthermore, the disciples really didn’t want to go to Bethany. Bethany is just on the other side of the Mount of Olives right outside the city of Jerusalem. The last time Jesus had been there, He had gotten in a heated toe-to-toe conversation with the Pharisees, who had picked up stones planning to stone Jesus to death; but He had managed to slip away from them. Now Jesus is suggesting that they make a trip back to that area. The disciples decided they like living too much so that didn’t seem to be a very good idea to them.
Thomas spoke up and said what the rest of the disciples were probably thinking, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (v. 16). He’s being kind of sarcastic and basically saying we are going to get killed if we go there.
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
—J OHN 11:17–21
Let me paraphrase this for you: “Where have You been Jesus? We trusted You to do a miracle and heal our brother. We have been bragging about Your wonder-working power to all our friends. This was the perfect opportunity for You to display Your power and show these people that the kingdom is at hand—to show them that You are the Son of God and have come to take authority over disease. And You come walking in four days later? You’re too late.” Martha was hurt and disappointed.
Many of us can relate to the disappointment that Martha felt and expressed. At times like this thoughts and questions run through our minds, such as, “God, I have been praying for this miracle. I have trusted You to do this miracle and yet nothing has happened. Are You there, God? Are You even real? And if You are real, and You’re not doing what I’m asking You to do, are You good? And if You are there and You are good and You still aren’t doing anything, then do You really have the power to do something about my situation? If You can, then why aren’t You?” Those are real questions that run through our minds when we don’t immediately get the miracle from God we are seeking. We say things like, “God, I just don’t understand.
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