John 11 - Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead!

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The Death of Lazarus

This is a very poignant story about the supernatural power of Jesus combined with His deep love and affection for Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. Jesus loved all three of them equally though the each of them had unique qualities and personalities. The story gets more dramatic when Jesus waits for two days, after he hears about Lazarus being sick. The two sisters had seen Jesus heal sick people, so it was natural for them to call on Jesus to help their brother, who was dying. Their brother Lazarus was, "the one who Jesus loved!" Note: John realized that their were other "beloved" disciples besides him. 

We don't know why Jesus waited two days, but when he told his disciples he was going back to Judea, the disciples tried to stop him. After all, the people had just tried to throw him off the cliff for claiming He was God. When Jesus said Lazarus had fallen asleep, they were confused as they were not thinking he had died. Jesus then informed them that Lazarus was dead, but that it would be another sign for them to believe in. 

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

When Jesus got there, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days (ie. it took them 2 days to get there). Martha went out to meet Jesus and said, "Lord, if you would have been here, he would not have died." Given what we know abothis ut Martha's personality, she could have said with a note of disappointment that Jesus didn't come sooner. But she also expressed faith that Jesus could raise him from the dead. Martha believed in the resurrection, as most Jews did. 

Jesus gives us another "I am" statement perhaps the most important one when he states, "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me will live even though they die. Do you believe this." 11:25-26

Martha confirmed her believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. Then, she went and got Mary. Mary jumped up and went quickly out to meet Jesus. When she saw him, she wept and said the same words Martha had said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!" One gets the sense that the tone in Mary's voice might have been a little different than her sister, Martha. Maybe Mary was a little less indignant and her words were more an expression of her deep devotion and belief in Jesus. 

When Jesus saw Mary's sorrow and those who had come with her the text says, "Jesus wept". (The shortest verse in the bible). I love this verse because more than anything it shows the humanness of Jesus once again. Though Jesus knew he would raise Lazarus from the dead, in the moment he is sad his friend has died and has strong empathy for his sisters and other friends. 

This is why it is important to know it is never wrong for a Christian to express sorrow and emotion at the death of a loved one, especially at a funeral. Though we know, if they believed in Jesus, they are in heaven, we still grieve here on earth. It is not a sign of a lack of faith. Those who repress their feelings are prone to depression. Grief is God's way of healing us. God gave us emotions and they are part of how we show love.  This has been neglected in the church's teaching in many ways over the years. 

It seems as if though Martha believed in the resurrection, but she was still thinking on earthly terms. When Jesus asks for the stone to be rolled away, she is worried about the smell of death. When the stone is rolled away Jesus tells Lazarus to come forth. Lazarus got up graves clothes and all. This is perhaps the greatest sign Jesus ever performed aside from his own resurrection. 

Many of Mary's friends came to faith this day and went to the Jewish leaders to tell them what had happened. So the leaders called a meeting to determine what to do with this trouble maker. After all, now he was raising people from the dead. Pretty soon everyone would believe in him, and they might lose their temple let alone their prestigious standing. 

At this point Caiphas, the high priest, uttered something which he had probably no idea of its significance. 

You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 11:50

Little did he realize that he was prophesying about Jesus' death on the cross which would provide forgiveness for all people. Now the plot to kill Jesus was well on its way and coming to a head. It was just around Passover time, when the innocent Lamb of God would shed his blood as a sacrifice and atonement for the sin of the world!