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Divine Time Episode X "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the Glory of God?" An thus spit Jesus of Nazareth to His homegurl Martha, who had questioned his request (and sanity?) to remove the stone covering her brother Lazarus' tomb. Yo, and this is precisely how Jesus' replied to Martha, who had just clearly and earnestly confronting Him wit whut wuz Real in dat sitchiashun: "But, Lord, he (Lazarus) stinketh…" Check it: 1.Lazarus was dead.2.Lazarus had been dead for…four…dayz. 3.Lazarus' cadaver was probably wuz already decomposing So, what could even Jesus—who made the lame walk, the blind see, and healed lepers--the living dead—do now? It seemz dat Martha, Mary an' tha mess o' mournerz were so baffled and astonished at Jesus' request to remove the stone covering Lazarus' tomb dat He had to repeat Hisself: "Go ahead, take away the stone." But, baffled, confused, grieving, whatever, Martha and Mary had enough faith—confident trust in they Homebwoy dat they obeyed Jesus, an immediately had the stone removed. Word--they faith in Jesus, at this point, could well have been madd fragile an' shaky. No doubt. I mean, they had jus lost they brother, they wuz this huge crowd of mournerz bawlin' an' wailin' like scorched cats, an now they been axed to do somethin' "unthinkable" mebbe even sacriligeous—"Take away the stone." But, even shaky faith—like that the size of a mustard seed—can move mountainz. Cuz what givez faith itz Power iz itz Object, what faith be trusting in. Check it: I can believe wit all mah heart dat a rickety, ol' chair datz ‘bout to fall apart iz gonna hold me up when I sit in it. I can testify to itz ability, it'z "beauty", itz "strength," etc. But, if I sitz in it, an wreckz it (not to mention mah backside lol) mah great faith wuz in vain. If dat jainky chair wuz instead a chunk of solid rock, and I jus barely had tha faith dat it would hold me up enuf to actually sit on it, denn even dat shaky faith of mine was sound, since the object of mah shaky faith was reliable and trustworthy. Yo, we gonna come back to this analogy in tha next episode or two, cuz it has madd Eternal implicashuns fo' all of us. Yo, so what gave Martha and Mary'z faith Real Power wuz dat they trusted in…Jesus. They may have only had enuf faith to move a stone, instead of a mountain, lol but they placed it in tha Right Person. An' Jesus rewarded they faith, an' now felt free to bust a Move dat dey--an' erry livin soul who ever read tha Gospel of John—would nevah forget.So, "They removed the stone." Now, what doez Jesus do ? Doez he burn incense an' mutter som arcane, mystikal incantation? Doez he wave a majik wand or wizard'z staff and snap His fingers: "Presto! Chango! Abracadabra?" No, He don't. What He doez, however, , iz a move available to erry one o' us, at any time, 24/7. Jesus prays. He prays to God, the Father: "Father I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here, I have spoken so they might believe that you sent me." No hocus, pocus here. Yo, peep what Jesus prayz first: "Father, I'm grateful…" Mang! What ill humility. Jesus humbly—sincerely--expresses gratitude and thanks to God: "…that You always listen to me." Yo, herre be Real Mystery, fam: God the Son be rotatin' wit God the Father. It sorta channelz Jesus' opening line from the fine prayer He taught His (first) disciplez: "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name." Yo, peep "hallowed" and "Thy name." Jesus concern, even at this crucial moment, iz not to floss an' be "tha Man," (tho dat He be) itz for the Father's glory. He continues, givin' madd props to the Father: "I know You always do listen…" affirmin' the Father's love, faithfulness and trustworthiness. But, He don't stop durr. Jesus need to go on. He got an Object lesson to drop, fo them dat ain't believin', them who hatin', az well az them who are trustin' in Him to do a Thang, that they heart iz now tellin'‘em might be scarcely possible, but they headz iz tellin' ‘em ain't no way possible. Jesus concludes: "…but on account of this crowd standing here, I have spoken that they might believe that You sent me." Yo, Jesus desirez dat Martha, Mary an' tha posse gathered in front of Lazarus' tomb know dat God—God the Father—iz the Source o' what gonna take place. Jesus wantz them katz to recognize dat God, God, the Father, God Almighty—is His Sponsor and Sender. Jesus don't in any way put Hisself up like He tha One. He relies on The Father to validate Him az God's Messiah, in a way that testifies—beyond a shadow of a doubt--that God the Son be madd on tha scene. So, after looking to the Father for the Holy Spirit'z Empowerment, and prayin' to the Father to Authorize tha Move to bust--only then--does Jesus shout the words that madd anticipate the Wordz He gonna shout to us--who trust Him az Savior--on the Last Day: "Lazarus, come forth!" And, immediately, upon Jesus command: "And he (Lazarus) came out." Peace. I'm out. ONE sun John 3:30 |