* Failure to Communicate

When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.

Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.

But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

Jesus responded, “Didn't I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me..."

John 11:32-33, 38 - 41

This is basically going to be a Cliff Notes© section - just one section - of the teaching I heard tonight. I hope I can do it justice.

This is for everyone who has ever been frustrated and angry to the point of tears because of the failure to communicate effectively due to the lack of understanding on the part of the hearer. Jesus knows just how you feel.

Ever had one of those days when you know your mouth is moving because your ears hear the sound of your words, and yet nobody 'gets it,' and you know it will have serious repercussion if no one will listen? Our text for today was just one of those kinds of days for Jesus.

Mary and Martha sent for Jesus. He didn't come right away and Lazarus, their brother, died. In fact, Jesus waited a few days before telling His disciples they were going back to Judea. They argued with Him, reminding Him that just a few days prior, the good people of Judea tried to stone Jesus. Then He tells them Lazarus has fallen asleep and He is going to wake him up. They argue with Him again, until He finally tells them plainly, "Lazarus is dead." Then He bids them, "Come, let's go see him." So Thomas resignedly "said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

He gets to Bethany and Martha can't "hear" what He's saying. (It's all there in John 11.) Mary comes, the one who sat at His feet to gather the wisdom of His teaching, and she can only accuse. "If You'd been here..." 

Think about this for a minute. How many times have we asked God, 

"Where are/were You?" 

"What are You doing?"

"Why didn't You...?"

And always, it is when we take our focus off God and what He has said - and look only at what we see. Only what we can humanly comprehend. How much and how many times have we reasoned away His Truths spoken to our lives?

Prayer:

Father,

         Open our hearts to receive Your Word. Open our ears to hear You. Open our eyes to see only You. You who are high above our circumstances. Keep us focused on You, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen