Bible

The Glory of God: Lessons from Lazarus’ Resurrection

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“Jesus said, ‘Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time he smells, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” (John 11:39–40, LSB) 

Mary and her sister Martha must have sat together, grieving in their home as they waited for Jesus. Why was He delayed? They knew He loved them and had informed Him of Lazarus’s sickness in time for Jesus to rush in and heal their brother. What happened?

The fact that both sisters told Jesus the same thing, almost verbatim, leads me to believe they had discussed this very truth: if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died (see vv. 21, 32). In fact, it seems the gathered mourners may have overheard their conversation and reached the same conclusion, but they used it as proof that Jesus was a sham (v. 37) or not powerful enough to prevent Lazarus’ sickness from leading to death.

However, instead of stopping the sickness, Jesus allowed the illness to take His friend’s life. Not only did Jesus wait long enough for the disease to do its damage, but he also missed the funeral and burial. Lazarus had been dead for four days, and in the Middle East, decomposition of bodies begins quickly. 

The question of whether Jesus could heal a sick friend was settled in the minds of Mary and Martha but remained uncertain for the watching crowd. However, Jesus didn’t want to just heal a sick man; He aimed to demonstrate that His power surpassed that of an ordinary doctor. The crowd was intrigued by a man who could supposedly heal the blind (a more complicated healing) but seemed unable to heal a sick man (a simpler task typically handled by doctors and basic medical remedies).

Christ saw and knew all of this. If He healed Lazarus, people would likely dismiss the healing. If He raised him immediately from the dead, some might argue that Lazarus hadn’t truly died. However, after four days in the tomb and being already decomposed, there could be no doubt that this was a case beyond the ability of anyone but God. A miracle was necessary.

I enjoy watches and clocks, especially the beautiful mechanical clockworks that demonstrate precision and craftsmanship. I have a few clocks on which I have performed some minor repairs, creating the wonderful “tick-tock” sound in my study that I enjoy. I’m not sure if there will be clocks in the eternal state, but I do know that God won’t be constrained by them as we are now. God’s timing doesn’t align with ours.

Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to stop death. The crowd doubted He could do it. Jesus delayed. All of these aspects often puzzle us because we tend to believe that God wants things to happen our way and in our time. But in this account, Jesus shattered that notion.

God does things in mysterious ways that I don’t understand, and probably never will. He lets disaster happen and then causes the circumstances to work out perfectly. He makes our manure work out to be fertilizer for the flowers to grow. I’d avoid the mess, but our infinitely wise God knows better.

But even more important than how everything turns out for you and me is what it teaches us about God. In verse 40, Jesus pulls back the curtain and shows us why everything needed to happen this way. He said, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Why wait and let Lazarus die, causing such grief for these two sisters He loved? Why wait and endure all the suffering and expense of a funeral? Because God wanted to teach His children something. The lesson? “If you believe, you will see the glory of God.”

I don’t think Jesus was speaking only about the glory He would receive in that moment from bringing Lazarus back to life. I believe He was referring to the greater glory when He speaks and the dead in Christ will rise, bringing about the resurrection of all the dead (Jn 5:25-32). The brief glimpse of what He did before all those people that day was merely a sample of what is to come. On that day, all who believe will witness the glory of God in a way this world has never seen.

So, dear reader, what are you facing today? Be careful not to grumble and complain against God for leading you through it. I know you might believe you had a better plan for your day, but trust me, you don’t. God has a perfect purpose for why you are experiencing whatever you are going through. Trust Him; He knows what He’s doing. 

Embracing Vulnerability as a Christian Leader

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” (John 11:1–3, LSB) 

There is an abundance of goodness in this account of Lazarus being raised from the dead by Jesus that I wish I had the time to discuss this morning. However, the opening verses convey many truths that the rest of the account confirms. Jesus loves His sheep. I’m not suggesting that Jesus only loves His sheep or that His love for them is of the same kind or quality as His love for everyone else. Nevertheless, we cannot examine the life of Christ and deny that Jesus was a loving shepherd to His sheep.

This post continues my thoughts from yesterday about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. You can read that post here. Now, in the next chapter, John 11, Jesus will once again demonstrate how deep His love is for His friends.

In this section, we are reintroduced to the siblings, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary has shown her love for Christ by anointing His feet with perfume and wiping His feet with her hair. Martha has been hosting Jesus and the disciples, feeding and caring for them. Lazarus is referenced in verse 3 as “he whom you love.” Jesus the Good Shepherd loves His sheep, and His sheep love Him.

This truth prompted me to reflect on several conversations I’ve had with older pastors. They warned me during my early ministry days that my wife and I should be cautious about becoming too close to those in our congregation. They indicated there was a risk in forming friendships with the people, suggesting that loving them should be maintained from a distance.

I understand. If you keep your distance, when you get burned by others (not if, but when), it will hurt less. Don’t invite them into your life, don’t share, don’t care, and you won’t hurt. All of that is true, but is it faithful? When I look at the life of the Good Shepherd, I see that He wept with those who wept. He was raw, and He even cried. When He saw that Lazarus was dead, Jesus wept (Jn 11:35) even though He knew that He would raise him to life again. 

Jesus wasn’t a cold robot. He didn’t keep people at arm’s length. He had 12 disciples with Him for three years, almost non-stop. They saw Him laugh, cry, and display every human emotion possible, yet without sin. Jesus lived among the sheep, not wrapped in a bubble or in a high tower above them. He touched both the sick and the sinner alike. Are we better than Jesus?

I have experienced many sleepless nights because my troubled heart wakes me from my sleep. I have wept with those who lost loved ones and sat with friends as they faced death. I have laughed deeply until I can hardly breathe. My brothers and sisters in Christ are some of my dearest friends on earth. I feel deeply with them and for them. That’s what love does. And that’s what the Good Shepherd did, and continues to do for His own.If you’re in ministry and someone has told you to stay distant and aloof, don’t buy it. Be wise. Be the mature, Christian leader God has called you to be. But don’t isolate yourself from the sheep to protect your own heart. That’s not only cowardly; it’s ineffective and unfaithful. Remember that a servant is not above his Master (Matt 10:24), and you’re not better than Jesus. Be like Him. Love the sheep.

Improving Writing Skills as a Pastor

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

As a pastor, I wouldn’t write anything that I would consider “formal,” such as articles, papers, or books. After seminary, papers became a thing of the past, but they taught me both good and bad habits. Seminary papers are often meant to be technical and, to be honest, are not the most enjoyable to read. They can be tedious because they are so precise and focus on the minute details of a biblical text that interest scholars, but not most other people. It can take a while for a newly minted seminary graduate to break away from that style of writing when preparing his sermons. If you’ve ever heard a message given by one of these young men, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.

I began leading a church as their pastor after my first year of seminary. I knew I wasn’t ready yet, but the church was small and needed someone to guide them, and my pastor was confident that with his help and guidance, I would be okay. I found that the combination of experience with the congregation, time spent in seminary classrooms, and hours spent reading had a positive effect on me. The reading assignments and papers I wrote had focus and purpose. They reflected the idea of the pastor-scholar, the shepherd who invests deeply in his studies so that he can frequently emerge to tend to the sheep with loving care and deep devotion. Being a scholar is a lot of work, and so is being a shepherd of God’s sheep. But merging the two is a joyful labor that offers the best of both worlds.

I write all of this because it was in this laboratory of the local church that I truly began writing in a different way. In serving my local church, I was writing—but not on exegetical minutiae; nor was I producing the emotional devotional material typically found in church newsletters. Mainly focusing on expositions, my writing aimed to merge the deeper thoughts of the biblical text with practical applications and illustrations. Making hard concepts understandable for the person in the pew was a labor of love.

I have once again begun writing for this blog because I need to continue honing my writing. I write for the Voice magazine and constantly edit the content we create. But writing takes a certain amount of practice and discipline if you want to become a decent writer. I want to grow in this area, and so I need to write every day, if possible.

Our world is shifting from humans to machines. Artificial intelligence, like social media, is changing our environment. People have shorter attention spans, read less, and possess less patience for anything longer than a few brief sentences. This has also impacted how people write. Younger generations struggle with spelling, at least without the aid of auto-correct. Many can’t write in longhand (cursive). Additionally, crafting sentences that flow smoothly and are readable is becoming increasingly rare. I often read news articles from major outlets that are filled with typographical errors. Just yesterday, I read a scholarly journal article packed with misspelled words. This reflects both poor writing and inadequate editing. I mention this not to throw stones but to encourage you to personally combat this tide of dehumanization. Read books. Write. Sharpen your craft if you are a pastor.

If you’d like to sample some of my more formal writing for the IFCA International magazine, The Voice, you can read it here. I have written the first article in each issue for about six years. I am greatly indebted to the many fine writers we feature, which makes our magazine an excellent blend for the church of the pastor-scholar ideal.

Yesterday was Sunday. Now What?

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahweh thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Regarding the words which you have heard, because your heart was soft and you humbled yourself before Yahweh when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become an object of horror, and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,’ declares Yahweh. ‘Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.’ So they brought back word to the king.”  (2 Kings 22:18–20, LSB)

How will we respond to the Word of God once we know what He has said? Many of us spent a good portion of our Sunday in our local church and we heard the Bible taught to us—possibly multiple times in different ways. In addition we sang biblical words, and prayed Scriptural truths. But, what happens to that truth we heard now that it’s Monday?

Josiah was a king who began his reign at the tender age of 8. His prospects for a long and godly reign didn’t look good. Many kings before him had been assassinated, and most of the kings who ruled David’s former kingdom (now divided in two) ruled in evil ways that looked more like the pagan nations around them. But King Josiah was different. His heart was set to obey the Lord, and the influence of godly priests around him hardened his resolve to follow God and lead his nation with wisdom and godliness.

At 18, Josiah began making some long-overdue changes. The temple had been neglected and he made arrangements for this to be corrected. In the process a copy of the Word of God was discovered and brought to the kings attention. As this mysterious book was read to the young king, he reacted with great emotion. He tore his robe in grief and anguish, and called the priest and his scribe to go and seek the Lord on his behalf.

What had disturbed this young king? The words of the Law of God spoke clearly about how God’s people—Josiah’s people—were to behave. They were to be a holy people, a godly people. They were never to worship any other gods, and they were to follow the Lord’s directions for life. But Josiah knew that it had been a long time since they had done that, and that the nation was guilty of great sin against the Lord God.

Imagine taking on a new job, and you start with anticipation of how well you will perform your duties. You work there for a few years, and you begin to learn that you are in a long line of serious slackers. Not only did they fail to do their jobs, but they stole from the company, sold secrets to the competition, and talked bad about the company owner. Some even called the company by the rival company’s name! Now you have the job, and you are a company man, and you hope to change things, and straighten up things. Then one day you find a book that not only has the company history, showing you the glorious past of your firm, but it also has all of the expectations that you should be meeting. As you read it, you become terrified! “We’re failing every metric in this book! Every worker in this company should be fired, and even sued for the damage they have caused to the owner. His losses are immense!”

This was Josiah’s dawning reality. He sent the priest and scribe to the Owner, the real King of his kingdom, to find out what He really thought about their situation. The word that came back was what Josiah feared—God was furious. Payback was coming, and it would cause the ears of those who heard about it to buzz.

Josiah, this righteous king, was overcome by grief. Yes, he was filled with sorrow for the coming judgment. But even more so, he was crushed by how his people had been toward their God. Josiah wanted to be a good king, obedient to all that the Lord had spoken—but he was in a long line of losers. It was almost payday, and not the good kind.

But God saw Josiah’s heart, and he saw his grief over the situation. The Lord told his ministers to tell the king that the judgment was so great that there was no avoiding it, but that it would be delayed. Josiah would reign, and he would be recorded as a good king. God would wait until after he was gone to bring the promised judgment.

How would you respond? Josiah was surely relieved. But even more, he was determined. He knew the judgment would miss him, but instead of sitting back and enjoying his royal life, he leaped into action. He leaned into the reforms he knew were needed. He tore down the centers for idol worship and reinstated God’s holy standard. He made godliness great again.

Let’s go back to Sunday—yesterday. What did God say to you through His servants? Do you have the zeal of Josiah? Are you looking at this week with anticipation for how you will carry out what God shared with you through His Word yesterday, or are you comfortable sliding back into your life, like the kings that came before Josiah?

Josiah is known to this day as one of the godliest kings of Judah. His reforms didn’t last long because the people quickly slid back into their wretchedness when the kings after him continued the long path toward paganism. But that doesn’t matter. Right is right, and God calls us to obey. What happens after we are gone isn’t our problem. He calls His people to walk with Him, and we need to strive to do so every day of our lives. We can prepare the next generation as best we can, but ultimately, they will need to do it themselves, and will give an account before God, just like we will.

Yesterday was Sunday. Now what?

Sitting with the Scoffers or the Wise?

/ Richard Bargas / 5 Comments

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, And in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.” Ps 1:1–3 (LSB)

I believe that Psalm 1 sits at the beginning of the sacred psalter because it lays before its readers (and singers) a theme that is apparent throughout—that there are two significant influences upon the hearts of man, the influence of the wicked and the godly.

The blessed man or woman has discriminating tastes in what comes into his or her mind and heart. Discernment means that the godly do not give space to the counsels of those who hate God and His word. They don’t travel with them, nor stand and converse, nor will they sit and take counsel together. The blessings of the righteous are not simply that they receive the Word (His law) and meditate upon them. Yes, this is true. But the blessings also include the omission of the poisonous influences of the wicked as well.

This is essential for many modern Christians to consider because we often like to “have our cake and eat it too,” as the saying goes. In an outmoded time and place, Christians used to speak and write about the need for Christians to be “consecrated.” By this, they meant that followers of Christ were to be set apart and declared holy. As unattainable as it might be, perfect purity was still longed for and sought after. I don’t remember when I last heard a sermon on consecration, nor did I hear another Christian reference this seemingly antiquated idea.

Has “consecration” been rightly relegated to the dustbin of concepts we have “grown out of” as modern Christians who fear being called “fundamentalists” more than being called “worldly?” Have we matured to the point when we can have a heaping dose of wicked counsel alongside a large scoop of sound doctrine and be unharmed?

This type of thinking reminds me of a video I recently saw of two boys bailing water out of a sinking boat. One was bailing the water out of the boat, while the other was unintentionally adding water to another part of the little boat. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t get the boat to stay afloat.

Let’s be honest. I have heard Christians claim that they can watch filthy things at the movies and on TV and that it doesn’t affect them spiritually. Maybe they are somehow stronger spiritually than most. But Psalm 1 seems to say that the blessed one won’t do that. They won’t sit down with the ones who will mock Christ and learn from them. They won’t walk with the ones who justify sin. And they won’t stand as if one of the unregenerate and converse as if our worlds and eternal destinies are the same—because they aren’t.

I’m not advocating for a legalistic set of rules and acceptable practices for Christians. That’s been done and has failed miserably. But I am saying that some of us need to consider what we permit to influence our thinking and lifestyles. We can’t hope to be totally separated, as the Amish have tried and failed, because that isn’t what Christ has called us to do. We can’t escape the world by isolationism. Instead, we need to be set apart as holy, preferring the company of God and His people and the Word to the company and wisdom of this world. By this, I don’t mean we physically separate or stay apart from interacting with our unbelieving neighbor. We dare not do that for the sake of the gospel and for the influence of this world. However, there is a big difference between engaging with people as Jesus did and engaging in their sinful activities, which Jesus did not do.

I think as we do this, we will see our lives, our families, and our churches grow more spiritually healthy and vibrant, like trees planted by streams of water. And as we grow in spiritual health, the taste of the world’s wisdom will begin to fade away and lose its allure.