Why Did Jesus Delay?

November 18, 2025

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was” (John 11:5-6 NASB95).

Have you ever been in a very difficult situation and wondered, “Why hasn’t God helped me yet?” Have you ever thought, “If God loves me, why won’t He act?”  I believe the above verses can shed some light on these kinds of honest questions.  These words were written about the illness of Jesus’ beloved friend, Lazarus. When Lazarus became ill, his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus.  But when Jesus received the news, He waited for two days before leaving for Judea.  Why did Jesus delay?

One reason was because Jesus knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, and in raising Lazarus, both God and the Son would be glorified (John 11:4). This great miracle was also going to create faith in the disciples and in others who witnessed the miracle (John 11:15, 45). 

But there is another reason, related to the first, why Jesus delayed.  He waited because He loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.  Notice the flow of the verses:  Jesus loved them, so (or therefore) He stayed two days longer.  One might think the verse would read, “Jesus loved them, and so as soon as He heard about Lazarus, He left immediately to help.”  But such is not the case.  It was because of His love for them that He stayed.  He stayed so that they could see the glory of God.  He stayed so that their faith could be built up in a profound way.

There is a deep lesson here for us:  Jesus’ love is demonstrated to us not by taking all our problems away, but by letting us see His glory in the midst of our problems.  Mary and Martha got to witness the glory of God in one of the darkest times of their lives, and it built their faith. What about you and me?  Is there anything Jesus could do that is more loving than letting us see His glory?

If you are going through difficulties in life, know that Jesus cares deeply for you.  He loves you.  Our pain deeply moves Him (John 11:33). Let us never doubt His great love for us, even when we’re wondering why He has delayed. It may be that, in times of difficulty, He is helping us to see His glory more clearly. May God help us to see it!

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | John 11:5-6, Lazarus, Mary and Martha, problem of suffering, resurrection, suffering | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin

New Heavens and a New Earth

November 14, 2025

What is the fate of this present world? One day, this world and all of its works will pass away. As Peter writes, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10 NASB95). God is going to bring the present order of things to an end. Just as He destroyed the earth in the days of Noah by water, so also one day He will destroy the heavens and the earth with fire.

While we weep at the certain fate of those who have rejected Christ on that day, you and I who are in Christ can also look forward with anticipation to that day. Why? Because God has promised that He will create new heavens and a new earth. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

What will the new heavens and earth be like? Revelation chapters 21 and 22 give us some insights into this:

  • It will be a place where God Himself will live among us (21:3)
  • There will be no death there (21:4)
  • There will be no mourning, crying, or pain (21:4)
  • There will be no need of the sun or the moon there because God will illumine it, and Jesus will be its lamp (21:23)
  • There will be no night there (21:25)
  • There will be no sin there (21:27)
  • The river of the water of life will be there (22:1)
  • The tree of life will be there (22:2)
  • We will see God’s face there (22:4)
  • We will reign forever with God there (22:5)

In short, the new heavens and new earth will be a place of great beauty. It will be like Eden once again, where man walked and talked with God in unbroken fellowship.

Don’t you want to go to that land? How can we dwell there forever?  We must have our names written in Jesus’ book of life (Revelation 21:27). Have you come to Jesus, in faith, in the way He has commanded, so that your name will be written there?  And if you have come to Him, let us continue in Him. As Peter wrote, “Therefore, beloved since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…” (2 Peter 3:14). Are you being diligent in your walk with Him? May God help us to continue in faith so that we can see that land He has promised to His children.

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | 2 Peter 3, Day of the Lord, Garden of Eden, heaven, New Heavens and New Earth, Revelation 21, Revelation 22 | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin

Jesus’ Sheep Hear His Voice

November 11, 2025

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28 NASB95)

Jesus’ sheep hear His voice. This plain statement of Jesus has caused me to reflect on my own preaching and teaching, and I hope it will stir reflection in all among us who proclaim the word of God. What can we learn from Jesus’ words?

First, we should not be surprised or disappointed if some do not respond when we faithfully proclaim the words of Jesus. This very thing happened to Jesus Himself. He said to the Jews who would not accept Him, “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep” (John 10:26). There will always be people in the world who simply do not care to hear or learn from God (John 6:45). They are not Jesus’ sheep; therefore, they do not respond to His voice.

Second, we should never modify or water down the words of Jesus in any way in order to bring more people in. There are many in the religious world who do just that. Many will try to make the words of Jesus more exciting, more entertaining, and more in line with modern-day thinking. The message may be softened in order to get more people in the pews. This is a very serious error that injures both the saved and the lost. It injures the saved, who are already a part of Jesus’ flock, because they want to hear the voice of Jesus in every sermon and in every class. They long to hear His voice!  They will follow His voice!  If we don’t let the flock hear the clear and powerful voice of the Great Shepherd, we are doing enormous harm to the church. But modifying the message does great harm to the lost, as well. There are people in the world who are searching for God, who want to hear the truth, and will respond very positively to the voice of Jesus (the blind man of John 9 is a perfect example of this). But if we do not give these people the clear, unadulterated words of Jesus, how will they become a part of his flock?  We might think that we’re doing a good thing by softening the message and making it more “entertaining,” but in the end, what have we done?  We’ve kept the seekers from hearing the voice of Jesus (to which they would have responded) and offered a watered-down gospel to those who will reject Jesus anyway. But if we preach Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), if Christ’s word resonates from our pulpit and our classrooms, then we can really help both the saved and the lost.

Jesus’ sheep hear His voice. May it always be said of this church body that the word of Jesus is boldly and clearly proclaimed!

—Scott Colvin

Leave a Comment » | belief, Jesus' sheep, Jesus' voice, John 10:26-28, unbelief, words of Jesus | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin

Will Jesus Grant You Sight?

November 4, 2025

“And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind” (John 9:39 NASB95).

Why did Jesus come into this world?  It was for judgement.  But how can this be reconciled with Jesus’ earlier statement in John chapter 3?  Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus did not come to earth with the goal of condemning mankind.  No, He came to save.  He came to offer eternal life.  Nevertheless, the words of Jesus, which embody truth and light, will by their very nature create a separation.  In John 9:39, Jesus uses the word “judgement” not in the sense of condemnation, but in the sense of separation based on the response of people to His word.  Some, when they hear the words of Jesus, will come into the light, but some will reject His word and go farther into the darkness. This type of judgement is unavoidable.

And what is the judgment?  That those who do not see may see.  Who are those who do not see in this passage?  It is those who have been in darkness but who long for the light.  It is those who recognize their spiritual poverty but hunger and thirst for righteousness.  It is those who recognize their spiritual ignorance and their need for God.  It is those who, like the tax collector of Luke 18, beat their breast and cry out to God, “Be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13).  It is people like this to whom Jesus will grant sight!

But on the other side of this separation are those “who see.”  Jesus came that those who see may become blind. Who are those who see?  It is those who are like the Pharisees.  It is those who are self-righteous.  It is those who think they already know all the answers.  It is those who think they already have their lives together.  It is those who are impressed with their own spiritual performance.  It is those who are so sure that they already see.  Jesus says it is these who will become blind because they will reject Christ and His word.  It is those who say, “we see” who will remain in their sins (John 9:41).

In all of this, there is encouragement and warning for you and me.  On which side of the divide will you fall?  Will Jesus grant you sight?    It all depends on our willingness to recognize our spiritual need and to humbly listen to the words of Jesus.

Leave a Comment » | darkness, Jesus as the Light, John 3:16-17, John 9:39, light, spiritual sight | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Scott Colvin