1 00:00:10,220 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a calming 2 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:19,009 Speaker 1: scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end each day 3 00:00:19,470 --> 00:00:21,750 Speaker 1: with God's Word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:25,090 --> 00:00:28,110 Speaker 2: Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll reflect 5 00:00:28,270 --> 00:00:42,210 Speaker 2: on tonight's scripture and John chapter 11. Tonight's scripture reflection 6 00:00:42,250 --> 00:00:46,089 Speaker 2: is written by Sophia Bricker and read by Carrie Eichberger. 7 00:00:47,420 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 2: John chapter 11. 8 00:00:51,979 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 3: Now a man. 9 00:00:52,659 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: Named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village 10 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,190 Speaker 1: of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary was whose 11 00:01:00,290 --> 00:01:03,950 Speaker 1: brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who 12 00:01:03,990 --> 00:01:06,950 Speaker 1: poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with 13 00:01:06,990 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, Lord, 14 00:01:11,780 --> 00:01:15,279 Speaker 1: the one you love is sick. When he heard this, 15 00:01:15,660 --> 00:01:18,179 Speaker 1: Jesus said, This sickness. 16 00:01:17,819 --> 00:01:21,899 Speaker 3: Will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory, 17 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,870 Speaker 3: so that God's Son may be glorified through it. Now 18 00:01:26,010 --> 00:01:28,630 Speaker 3: Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 19 00:01:29,220 --> 00:01:32,020 Speaker 1: So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed 20 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: where he was two more days, and then he said. 21 00:01:35,190 --> 00:01:37,930 Speaker 3: To his disciples, Let us go back to Judea. 22 00:01:38,790 --> 00:01:42,170 Speaker 1: But Rabbi, they said, a short while ago the Jews 23 00:01:42,250 --> 00:01:45,230 Speaker 1: there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back? 24 00:01:46,250 --> 00:01:51,010 Speaker 1: Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone 25 00:01:51,030 --> 00:01:54,370 Speaker 1: who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they 26 00:01:54,450 --> 00:01:57,580 Speaker 1: see by this world's light. It is when a person 27 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,820 Speaker 1: walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light. 28 00:02:01,860 --> 00:02:04,190 Speaker 1: After he said this, he went on to tell them, 29 00:02:04,950 --> 00:02:08,430 Speaker 1: Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going. 30 00:02:08,270 --> 00:02:12,490 Speaker 3: There to wake him up. His disciples replied, Lord, if 31 00:02:12,530 --> 00:02:14,110 Speaker 3: he sleeps, you will get better. 32 00:02:15,110 --> 00:02:17,950 Speaker 1: Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples 33 00:02:17,990 --> 00:02:21,770 Speaker 1: thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, 34 00:02:22,330 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad 35 00:02:25,530 --> 00:02:28,820 Speaker 1: I was not there. so that you may believe, but 36 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,940 Speaker 1: let us go to him. Then Thomas, also known as Didymus, 37 00:02:33,419 --> 00:02:36,500 Speaker 1: said to the rest of the disciples, Let us also go, 38 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: that we may die with him. On his arrival, Jesus 39 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: found Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 40 00:02:44,490 --> 00:02:47,810 Speaker 1: Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and 41 00:02:47,850 --> 00:02:50,850 Speaker 1: many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort 42 00:02:50,889 --> 00:02:54,250 Speaker 1: them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard 43 00:02:54,290 --> 00:02:56,710 Speaker 1: that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him 44 00:02:57,100 --> 00:02:58,180 Speaker 1: But Mary stayed at home. 45 00:02:59,380 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 3: Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if. 46 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,060 Speaker 1: You had been here, my brother would not have died. 47 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: But I know that even now God will give you 48 00:03:07,860 --> 00:03:11,940 Speaker 1: whatever you ask. Jesus said to her, your brother will 49 00:03:11,980 --> 00:03:16,380 Speaker 1: rise again. Martha answered, I know he will rise again 50 00:03:16,430 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, 51 00:03:20,910 --> 00:03:23,710 Speaker 1: I am the resurrection and the life. The one who 52 00:03:23,750 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: believes in me will live even though they die. and 53 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do 54 00:03:31,220 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: you believe this? 55 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 3: Yes, Lord, she replied. 56 00:03:35,020 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, 57 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,820 Speaker 1: who is to come into the world. After she had 58 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,490 Speaker 1: said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. 59 00:03:46,130 --> 00:03:49,390 Speaker 1: The teacher is here, she said, and is asking for you. 60 00:03:50,230 --> 00:03:52,910 Speaker 1: When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went 61 00:03:52,930 --> 00:03:56,350 Speaker 1: to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, 62 00:03:56,670 --> 00:03:59,010 Speaker 1: but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 63 00:03:59,870 --> 00:04:02,150 Speaker 1: When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, 64 00:04:02,270 --> 00:04:05,310 Speaker 1: comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, 65 00:04:05,690 --> 00:04:08,790 Speaker 1: they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb 66 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus 67 00:04:12,260 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: was and saw him, she fell at his feet and. 68 00:04:14,780 --> 00:04:18,380 Speaker 3: Said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would 69 00:04:18,420 --> 00:04:22,190 Speaker 3: not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the 70 00:04:22,250 --> 00:04:25,230 Speaker 3: Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he 71 00:04:25,250 --> 00:04:29,370 Speaker 3: was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Where have you 72 00:04:29,410 --> 00:04:33,550 Speaker 3: laid him? he asked. Come and see, Lord, they replied. 73 00:04:34,670 --> 00:04:39,650 Speaker 3: Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, See how he loved him. 74 00:04:40,470 --> 00:04:43,310 Speaker 1: But some of them said, Could not he who opened 75 00:04:43,380 --> 00:04:46,100 Speaker 1: the eyes of the blind man have kept this man 76 00:04:46,150 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: from dying? Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the 77 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,380 Speaker 1: tomb It was a cave with a stone laid across 78 00:04:54,420 --> 00:04:59,020 Speaker 1: the entrance. Take away the stone, he said. But Lord, 79 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,190 Speaker 1: said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this 80 00:05:02,260 --> 00:05:05,270 Speaker 1: time there is a bad odor, for he has been 81 00:05:05,310 --> 00:05:09,350 Speaker 1: there four days. Then Jesus said, Did I not tell 82 00:05:09,410 --> 00:05:12,390 Speaker 1: you that if you believe, you will see the glory 83 00:05:12,410 --> 00:05:12,849 Speaker 1: of God? 84 00:05:13,690 --> 00:05:15,050 Speaker 3: So they took away the stone. 85 00:05:15,690 --> 00:05:19,620 Speaker 1: Then Jesus looked up and said, Father, I thank you 86 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,750 Speaker 1: that you have heard me. I knew that you always 87 00:05:22,810 --> 00:05:25,650 Speaker 1: hear me, but I said this for the benefit of 88 00:05:25,710 --> 00:05:28,810 Speaker 1: the people standing here, that they may believe that you 89 00:05:28,850 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: sent me. When he had said this, Jesus called in 90 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:37,340 Speaker 1: a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. The dead man came out, 91 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and 92 00:05:41,260 --> 00:05:44,910 Speaker 1: a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, take 93 00:05:44,990 --> 00:05:46,370 Speaker 1: off the grave clothes. 94 00:05:46,170 --> 00:05:50,100 Speaker 3: And let him go. Therefore, many of the Jews who 95 00:05:50,140 --> 00:05:52,140 Speaker 3: had come to visit Mary and. 96 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,650 Speaker 1: Had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some 97 00:05:55,690 --> 00:05:57,690 Speaker 1: of them went to the Pharisees and. 98 00:05:57,670 --> 00:06:00,929 Speaker 3: Told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests 99 00:06:01,029 --> 00:06:04,570 Speaker 3: and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. What 100 00:06:04,610 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 3: are we accomplishing? they asked. 101 00:06:06,740 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: Here is this man performing many signs. If we let 102 00:06:10,220 --> 00:06:13,140 Speaker 1: him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, 103 00:06:13,620 --> 00:06:15,700 Speaker 1: and then the Romans will come and take. 104 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,659 Speaker 3: Away both our temple and our nations. 105 00:06:18,690 --> 00:06:22,029 Speaker 1: Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest 106 00:06:22,070 --> 00:06:25,890 Speaker 1: that year, spoke up, You know nothing at all. You 107 00:06:25,910 --> 00:06:28,310 Speaker 1: do not realize that it is better for you that 108 00:06:28,529 --> 00:06:31,270 Speaker 1: one man die for the people than that the whole 109 00:06:31,410 --> 00:06:34,529 Speaker 1: nation perish. He did not say this on his own, 110 00:06:34,850 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: but as high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus 111 00:06:38,420 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for 112 00:06:41,420 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: that nation, but also for the scattered children of God, 113 00:06:45,060 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: to bring them together and make them one. 114 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 3: So from that day on, they plotted to take his life. 115 00:06:52,020 --> 00:06:55,659 Speaker 1: Therefore, Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people 116 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,910 Speaker 1: of Judea. Instead, he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, 117 00:07:00,470 --> 00:07:03,270 Speaker 1: to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed. 118 00:07:03,029 --> 00:07:03,909 Speaker 3: With his disciples. 119 00:07:04,730 --> 00:07:07,690 Speaker 1: When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many 120 00:07:07,730 --> 00:07:10,770 Speaker 1: went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial 121 00:07:10,810 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus. As 122 00:07:14,940 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: they stood in the temple courts, they asked one another, 123 00:07:17,910 --> 00:07:20,570 Speaker 1: What do you think? Isn't he coming to the festival 124 00:07:20,590 --> 00:07:23,770 Speaker 1: at all? But the chief priests and the Pharisees had 125 00:07:23,810 --> 00:07:27,570 Speaker 1: given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was 126 00:07:27,970 --> 00:07:30,630 Speaker 1: should report it so that they might arrest him. 127 00:07:35,310 --> 00:07:35,830 Speaker 3: C.S. 128 00:07:35,870 --> 00:07:40,050 Speaker 1: Lewis notably wrote in A Grief Observed that no one 129 00:07:40,170 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: ever told me that grief felt so like fear. To 130 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: add my thought to this observation, no one told me 131 00:07:48,130 --> 00:07:52,150 Speaker 1: that grief could feel like guilt. Only recently have I 132 00:07:52,190 --> 00:07:55,770 Speaker 1: connected the guilt I too often carry to the sorrow 133 00:07:56,170 --> 00:07:58,470 Speaker 1: that continues to ache these long. 134 00:07:58,190 --> 00:08:03,620 Speaker 3: Years after my mother passed away. Often, during times of loss, 135 00:08:04,300 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 3: whether after the death of a loved one, a terminal diagnosis, 136 00:08:08,580 --> 00:08:11,660 Speaker 3: or the burial of a dream, we fight against thoughts 137 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 3: of what if. What if we had done things differently? 138 00:08:15,860 --> 00:08:19,350 Speaker 3: Would our loved ones still be here alive and well? 139 00:08:20,170 --> 00:08:22,630 Speaker 3: Or what if we had chosen a different trajectory for 140 00:08:22,710 --> 00:08:26,150 Speaker 3: our lives? Perhaps our health would not be in the 141 00:08:26,180 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 3: condition it is now. What if … fill out the blank. 142 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: Martha and Mary also struggled with the form of what 143 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: if after their brother Lazarus died. Both sisters expressed to 144 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: Jesus their conviction that. 145 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 3: If only he had been there, their brother would not 146 00:08:43,140 --> 00:08:43,660 Speaker 3: have died. 147 00:08:44,820 --> 00:08:48,460 Speaker 1: Having heard the accounts of Christ's ability to heal the 148 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: sisters likely assumed that he could have rebuked the illness 149 00:08:52,540 --> 00:08:55,959 Speaker 1: or placed his hands on Lazarus to bring restoration of health. 150 00:08:56,660 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 3: But he didn't. 151 00:08:58,059 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: In fact, Jesus deliberately delayed his journey to Bethany. What 152 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,420 Speaker 1: we see in Jesus' response to the death of his friend, though, 153 00:09:06,970 --> 00:09:08,950 Speaker 1: shows us that he grieved. 154 00:09:09,670 --> 00:09:13,130 Speaker 3: He mourned the reality of death that snatches. 155 00:09:12,690 --> 00:09:15,970 Speaker 1: Away the breath of those we love. He mourned the 156 00:09:16,030 --> 00:09:18,869 Speaker 1: effects of sin and what it means to live in 157 00:09:18,890 --> 00:09:23,210 Speaker 1: a broken world. He wept, and in those tears, we 158 00:09:23,290 --> 00:09:26,500 Speaker 1: find a love that is great enough to hold all 159 00:09:26,620 --> 00:09:30,510 Speaker 1: our questions and ponderings. Not only is He the Savior 160 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,660 Speaker 1: who understands our pain, He is the Lord who called 161 00:09:34,820 --> 00:09:36,059 Speaker 1: out Lazarus. 162 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 3: From the tomb. 163 00:09:37,140 --> 00:09:41,020 Speaker 1: In Jesus, death is undone, and He gives us the 164 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:46,750 Speaker 1: promise of restoration and resurrection. But until that day, When 165 00:09:47,010 --> 00:09:50,390 Speaker 1: all tears will be wiped away, we can trust in 166 00:09:50,410 --> 00:09:53,980 Speaker 1: the goodness of Christ, even as we weep at his feet, 167 00:09:54,750 --> 00:10:03,219 Speaker 1: for he grieves alongside us. Lord, I often carry guilt 168 00:10:03,580 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: regarding my grief that I'm not walking in the path 169 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: of joyfulness as a good Christian should. Questions continue to 170 00:10:11,580 --> 00:10:14,460 Speaker 1: come to my mind as I wonder if I could 171 00:10:14,500 --> 00:10:15,860 Speaker 1: have done something differently. 172 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,429 Speaker 3: Perhaps the situation would have turned out differently. but your 173 00:10:20,510 --> 00:10:24,500 Speaker 3: word never commands me not to grieve. I read of 174 00:10:24,580 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 3: how you wept, Lord Jesus, after your friend died. 175 00:10:28,460 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: Two simple words on that page, yet they carry more 176 00:10:31,700 --> 00:10:33,500 Speaker 1: comfort than I can express. 177 00:10:34,460 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 3: You understand the ache I feel, the. 178 00:10:37,059 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: Emptiness that gnaws inside me when I remember those I 179 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,220 Speaker 1: have loved and lost. You did not rebuke me for 180 00:10:44,260 --> 00:10:47,730 Speaker 1: my lament or tell me to cheer up. Rather, you 181 00:10:47,809 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: stand with me and weep. And as I consider the 182 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,939 Speaker 1: love you show in my season of grief, I remember 183 00:10:55,340 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: that you also stand with nail-scarred hands and feet. You 184 00:10:59,860 --> 00:11:01,969 Speaker 1: are the resurrection and the life. 185 00:11:02,830 --> 00:11:05,850 Speaker 3: In you, I will live even though I die. 186 00:11:06,570 --> 00:11:10,590 Speaker 1: So I grieve, but not like someone without hope, for 187 00:11:10,670 --> 00:11:12,930 Speaker 1: you are my living hope, Christ. 188 00:11:13,850 --> 00:11:14,210 Speaker 4: Amen. 189 00:11:15,650 --> 00:11:18,790 Speaker 3: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 190 00:11:18,990 --> 00:11:21,010 Speaker 3: in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. 191 00:11:29,740 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 192 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 4: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All 193 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:45,500 Speaker 4: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, your 194 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:50,830 Speaker 4: daily Bible verse on Apple or Spotify. By following your 195 00:11:50,929 --> 00:11:55,230 Speaker 4: daily Bible verse and your nightly scripture, you can be 196 00:11:55,309 --> 00:11:59,580 Speaker 4: sure that your day begins and ends centered on the 197 00:11:59,620 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 4: Word of God. 198 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: Thank you.