PREACHED BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF INVALID LADIES AT MENTONE, BY
C. H. SPURGEON,
Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.'John 11:3.
THAT DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED is not at all backward to record that
Jesus loved Lazarus too: there are no jealousies among those who are
chosen by the Well-beloved. Jesus loved Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus:
it is a happy thing where a whole family live in the love of Jesus.
They were a favoured trio, and yet, as the serpent came into Paradise,
so did sorrow enter their quiet household at Bethany. Lazarus was sick.
They all felt that if Jesus were there disease would flee at his
presence; what then should they do but let him know of their trial?
Lazarus was near to death's door, and so his tender sisters at once
reported the fact to Jesus, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest
is sick.' Many a time since then has that same message been sent to our
Lord, for in full many a case he has chosen his people in the furnace
of affliction. Of the Master it is said, himself took our infirmities,
and bare our sicknesses,' and it is, therefore, no extraordinary thing
for the members to be in this matter conformed to their Head.
I. Notice, first, A FACT mentioned in the text: Lord, behold, he whom
thou lovest is sick.' The sisters were somewhat astonished that it
should be so, for the word behold' implies a measure of surprise. We
love him, and would make him well directly: thou lovest him, and yet he
remains sick. Thou canst heal him with a word, why then is thy loved
one sick?' Have not you, dear sick friend, often wondered how your
painful or lingering disease could be consistent with your being
chosen, and called, and made one with Christ? I dare say this has
greatly perplexed you, and yet in very truth it is by no means strange,
but a thing to be expected.
We need not be astonished that the man whom the Lord loves is sick, for
he is only a man. The love of Jesus does not separate us from the
common necessities and infirmities of human life. Men of God are still
men. The covenant of grace is not a charter of exemption from
consumption, or rheumatism, or asthma. The bodily ills, which come upon
us because of our flesh, will attend us to the tomb, for Paul saith, we
that are in this body do groan.'
Those whom the Lord loves are the more likely to be sick, since they
are under a peculiar discipline. It is written, Whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.' Affliction of
some sort is one of the marks of the true-born child of God, and it
frequently happens that the trial takes the form of illness. Shall we
therefore wonder that we have to take our turn in the sick chamber? If
Job, and David, and Hezekiah must each one smart, who are we that we
should be amazed because we are in ill-health?
Nor is it remarkable that we are sick if we reflect upon the great
benefit which often flows from it to ourselves. I do not know what
peculiar improvement may have been wrought in Lazarus, but many a
disciple of Jesus would have been of small use if he had not been
afflicted. Strong men are apt to be harsh, imperious, and
unsympathetic, and therefore they need to be put into the furnace, and
melted down. I have known Christian women who would never have been so
gentle, tender, wise, experienced, and holy if they had not been
mellowed by physical pain. There are fruits in God's garden as well as
in man's which never ripen till they are bruised. Young women who are
apt to be volatile, conceited, or talkative, are often trained to be
full of sweetness and light by sickness after sickness, by which they
are taught to sit at Jesus' feet. Many have been able to say with the
psalmist, It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might learn
thy statutes.' For this reason even such as are highly favoured and
blessed among women may feel a sword piercing through their hearts.
Oftentimes this sickness of the Lord's loved ones is for the good of
others. Lazarus was permitted to be sick and to die, that by his death
and resurrection the apostles might be benefited. His sickness was for
the glory of God.' Throughout these nineteen hundred years which have
succeeded Lazarus' sickness all believers have been getting good out of
it, and this afternoon we are all the better because he languished and
died. The church and the world may derive immense advantage through the
sorrows of good men: the careless may be awakened, the doubting may be
convinced, the ungodly may be converted, the mourner may be comforted
through our testimony in sickness; and if so, would we wish to avoid
pain and weakness? Are we not quite willing that our friends should say
of us also Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick'?
II. Our text, however, not only records a fact, but mentions A REPORT
of that fact: the sisters sent and told Jesus. Let us keep up a
constant correspondence with our Lord about everything.
Sing a hymn to Jesus, when thy heart is faint;
Tell it all to Jesus, comfort or complaint.'
Jesus knows all about us, but it is a great relief to pour out our
hearts before him. When John the Baptist's broken-hearted disciples saw
their leader beheaded, they took up the body, and went and told Jesus.'
They could not have done better. In all trouble send a message to
Jesus, and do not keep your misery to yourself. In his case there is no
need of reserve, there is no fear of his treating you with cold pride,
or heartless indifference, or cruel treachery. He is a confident who
never can betray us, a friend who never will refuse us.
There is this fair hope about telling Jesus, that he is sure to support
us under it. If you go to Jesus, and ask, Most gracious Lord, why am I
sick? I thought I was useful while in health, and now I can do nothing;
why is this?' He may be pleased to show you why, or, if not, he will
make you willing to bear his will with patience without knowing why. He
can bring his truth to your mind to cheer you, or strengthen your heart
by his presence, or send you unexpected comforts, and give you to glory
in your afflictions. Ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is
a refuge for us.' Not in vain did Mary and Martha send to tell Jesus,
and not in vain do any seek his face.
Remember, too, that Jesus may give healing. It would not be wise to
live by a supposed faith, and cast off the physician and his medicines,
any more than to discharge the butcher, and the tailor, and expect to
be fed and clothed by faith; but this would be far better than
forgetting the Lord altogether, and trusting to man only. Healing for
both body and soul must be sought from God. We make use of medicines,
but these can do nothing apart from the Lord, who healeth all our
diseases.' We may tell Jesus about our aches and pains, and gradual
declinings, and hacking coughs. Some persons are afraid to go to God
about their health: they pray for the pardon of sin, but dare not ask
the Lord to remove a headache: and, yet, surely, if the hairs outside
our head are all numbered by God it is not much more of a condescension
for him to relieve throbs and pressures inside the head. Our big things
must be very little to the great God, and our little things cannot be
much less. It is a proof of the greatness of the mind of God that while
ruling the heavens and the earth, he is not so absorbed by these great
concerns as to be forgetful of the least pain or want of any one of his
poor children. We may go to him about our failing breath, for he first
gave us lungs and life. We may tell him about the eye which grows dim,
and the ear which loses hearing, for he made them both. We may mention
the swollen knee, and the gathering finger, the stiff neck, and the
sprained foot, for he made all these our members, redeemed them all,
and will raise them all from the grave. Go at once, and say, Lord,
behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.'
III. Thirdly, let us notice in the case of Lazarus A RESULT which we
should not have expected. No doubt when Mary and Martha sent to tell
Jesus they looked to see Lazarus recover as soon as the messenger
reached the Master; but they were not gratified. For two days the Lord
remained in the same place, and not till he knew that Lazarus was dead
did he speak of going to Judea. This teaches us that Jesus may be
informed of our trouble, and yet may act as if he were indifferent to
it. We must not expect in every case that prayer for recovery will be
answered, for if so, nobody would die who had chick or child, friend or
acquaintance to pray for him. In our prayers for the lives of beloved
children of God we must not forget that there is one prayer which may
be crossing ours, for Jesus prays, Father, I will that they also, whom
thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my
glory.' We pray that they may remain with us, but when we recognize
that Jesus wants them above, what can we do but admit his larger claim
and say, Not as I will, but as thou wilt'? In our own case, we may pray
the Lord to raise us up, and yet though he loves us he may permit us to
grow worse and worse, and at last to die. Hezekiah had fifteen years
added to his life, but we may not gain the reprieve of a single day.
Never set such store by the life of any one dear to you, or even by
your own life, as to be rebellious against the Lord. If you hold the
life of any dear one with too tight a hand, you are making a rod for
your own back; and if you love your own earthly life too well, you are
making a thorny pillow for your dying bed. Children are often idols,
and in such cases their too ardent lovers are idolaters. We might as
well make a god of clay, and worship it, as the Hindus are said to do,
as worship our fellow-creatures, for what are they but clay? Shall dust
be so dear to us that we quarrel with our God about it? If our Lord
leaves us to suffer, let us not repine. He must do that for us which is
kindest and best, for he loves us better than we love ourselves.
Did I hear you say, Yes, Jesus allowed Lazarus to die, but he raised
him up again'? I answer, he is the resurrection and the life to us
also. Be comforted concerning the departed, Thy brother shall rise
again,' and all of us whose hope is in Jesus shall partake in our
Lord's resurrection. Not only shall our souls live, but our bodies,
too, shall be raised incorruptible. The grave will serve as a refining
pot, and this vile body shall come forth vile no longer. Some
Christians are greatly cheered by the thought of living till the Lord
comes, and so escaping death. I confess that I think this no great
gain, for so far from having any preference over them that are asleep,
those who are alive and remain at his coming will miss one point of
fellowship, in not dying and rising like their Lord. Beloved, all
things are yours, and death is expressly mentioned in the list,
therefore do not dread it, but rather long for evening to undress, that
you may rest with God.'
IV. I will close with A QUESTION'Jesus loved Martha, and her sister,
and Lazarus'does Jesus in a special sense love you? Alas, many sick
ones have no evidence of any special love of Jesus towards them, for
they have never sought his face, nor trusted in him. Jesus might say to
them I never knew you,' for they have turned their backs upon his blood
and his cross. Answer, dear friend, to your own heart this question, Do
you love Jesus?' If so, you love him because he first loved you. Are
you trusting him? If so, that faith of yours is the proof that he has
loved you from before the foundation of the world, for faith is the
token by which he plights his troth to his beloved.
If Jesus loves you, and you are sick, let all the world see how you
glorify God in your sickness. Let friends and nurses see how the
beloved of the Lord are cheered and comforted by him. Let your holy
resignation astonish them, and set them admiring your Beloved, who is
so gracious to you that he makes you happy in pain, and joyful at the
gates of the grave. If your religion is worth anything it ought to
support you now, and it will compel unbelievers to see that he whom the
Lord loveth is in better case when he is sick than the ungodly when
full of health and vigour.
If you do not know that Jesus loves you, you lack the brightest star
that can cheer the night of sickness. I hope you will not die as you
now are, and pass into another world without enjoying the love of
Jesus: that would be a terrible calamity indeed. Seek his face at once,
and it may be that your present sickness is a part of the way of love
by which Jesus would bring you to himself. Lord, heal all these sick
ones in soul and in body. Amen.
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At School