SERMON VII.

CHRIST THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE.

JOHN, XI. 25.

Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live.

There are certain expressions in the Scriptures which seem to contain a sermon in themselves, and cannot be dilated or put into different words without losing much of their fullness and force. Like the bow in the clouds, they display a beauty formed of different shades, which charm the eye more than the shades separately viewed. Hence when we analyze the compound thought, and in a sermon give you the ideas one by one, we do not increase the pleasure of the first impression. The mind turns from the exposition and delights to dwell on the text itself.

Such, I apprehend, is the character of the text which I have just read in your ears. I know not in what manner I can expand it without weakening

its force. And I expect that after I have done, my spiritual hearers, forgetful of the sermon, will still be dwelling on the text, and repeating over and over again, "I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live."

The occasion on which these words were spoken was as follows. There was in Bethany, about two miles east of Jerusalem, an interesting family who received Christ as the Messiah, and whom he and his disciples very tenderly loved. This family consisted of Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. This was that Mary who at a former time, when her sister had received Jesus into her house and was providing him a supper, sat at his feet and heard his words; and who afterwards, a few days before his death, anointed his feet with ointment and wiped them with the hair of her head. And this was that Martha who, after she had hospitably invited Jesus to her house, complained to him that her sister had left her to serve alone. Martha, while she was truly pious, appears to have been ardent, resolute, active in domestic business, and full of words. Mary was still, humble, affectionate, and heavenly minded. She was the more interesting character, and appears to have been more dear to her neighbors and to Jesus. Lazarus was a very worthy, pious man, and tenderly beloved by Christ and his disciples.

It happened at a time when Jesus was in the country on the east of Jordan, that Lazarus fell sick. His sisters, who doted on him, seeing him

at the point of death, despatched a messenger to Jesus, saying, "Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick." They had no doubt that their Messiah could save his life. Jesus delayed returning that he might have an opportunity to give a striking proof that he was "the Resurrection and the Life." He stayed two days in the place where he was, and then told his disciples that Lazarus was dead. They were so affected that they said one to another, "Let us go that we may die with him.”

When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he found that Lazarus had lain in the grave four days. The two afflicted sisters were at that time in the house, with numerous friends who had come from Jersualem to comfort them. Martha, having secret information that Jesus was near the town, went out with all her natural eagerness to meet him; but Mary abode still in the house, silently pressed with her grief. "Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother had not died. But I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God will give it thee;" intimating perhaps some half formed hope that her brother might yet be raised. "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection and the Life. [I carry with me power to raise the dead.] He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord; I believe that thou art the

Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had so said she went her way, [leaving Jesus still without the town,] and called Mary, her sister, secrtely; saying, The Master is come and calleth for thee." As soon as Mary heard that, she arose quickly and came to Jesus. The friends who had come to console her, "when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, [observe the sweet and lovely saint,] saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here my brother had not died." Her heart was more tender and her grief more silent and deep than that of her sister. "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept." How tender was the heart of that blessed man. "Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him.-Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone." Martha, who was always full of words, objected that the body was putrefied. "Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid." And Jesus lifted up his eyes and addressed his heavenly Father. O what a countetenance was there! Could a painter draw it to the

life, would it not be what one never saw before? What a trembling, awful moment was that to the sisters' hearts. Look to that spot, ye ends of the earth. Ye who wish to learn the power of our Jesus to pluck the prey from the very jaws of death; -who wish to see him attack death in his strong hold, in the sepulchre itself;-ye who would learn whether he can rescue the prey shut up four days in the grave; turn your eyes hither. And Jesus "cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth! And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go." Methinks I see him fall into his sisters' arms. I see their arms strained fast around their brother's neck, and their tears of transport streaming upon his cheek. I see a sister on either side leading a brother home, triumphantly repeating, "I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live."

What blessed words are these! One could dwell upon them forever. What a glorious hope has Jesus brought to our world by coming among the dead to be "the Resurrection and the Life!" After this specimen of his power to raise the dead, who will ever despair? They have no cause to despair who have long been spiritually dead, shut up in the darkness of the sepulchre, with a great stone upon it, bound with grave clothes and covered with putrefaction. Where can you find a wretched sinner that is conscious of worse than this? Yet with all