John 11:39 Jesus said, Take you away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said to him, Lord, by this time he stinks… (text and ver. 44): — God's power is all-sufficient. He does not need human help. The utmost that man can do is little. What little man is required or permitted to do is for his own welfare and improvement. I. Is THE REALM OF NATURE. 1. Physical. God has given bodily life, and then continues to uphold its powers, so that man is capable of work within the appointed limits. 2. Natural. God has adapted the seed to the soil, and sunshine, rain, and seasons to harvests; but to man He has given the important work of combining the conditions. God will not plough and scatter the seed; neither will He cut and grind the grain. God stops His work where man's may begin, and begins His where man's must stop. II. IN THE REALM OF THE SUPERNATURAL. 1. The miraculous. It was just as easy for Christ to do all, in the raising up of Lazarus, as only a part. But at the grave He said, "Take ye away the stone;" and after the working of the miracle, Jesus said unto them, "Loose him, and let him go." This the friends of Lazarus might do, and in doing might either receive unmistakable proof of the life-giving power, or show their tender sympathy for the sisters and the risen man by ministering to them and him. 2. The spiritual. It is the Holy Spirit that gives life or renews the soul, and then the means of grace are to be faithfully used in building up a Christlike character. 3. The providential. Here the renewed are directed to offer prayer for the fulfilment of the promises as relate to nations and individuals, for the evangelization of the world, for the coming of God's kingdom, and then faithfully to employ all necessary instrumentalities by which to secure these ends. III. INFERENCES. 1. "Take ye away the stone." This is preliminary. If the word is to enter a soul "dead in trespasses and sins," the stone of prejudice, ignorance and unbelief must be taken away, and then the life-giving word will enter and do its work. 2. "Loose him." Let us help others to a greater freedom and larger usefulness. 3. "And let him go." Let us not chide others if they do not work in exactly our chosen methods, or in the same branches of moral and spiritual work. There is "one Spirit," and "to every man his work." (L. O. Thompson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. |
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