READ JOHN 11
Have you ever had someone die in our life who was truly special to you. Maybe a mother or father, a grandparent, brother or sister or and aunt or uncle. Chances are most of us have had this happen at least once and for some many times over. Why did you grieve when they died? If you ask the unsaved world they will say it was because they loved this person… they were everything to them… They say things like… “I don’t know what I will do without them, or I can’t live without them.” It is easy to see why death triggers in so many people long days of depression, grief and agony. In fact some people are never the same after the death of someone close to them.
So you might say, “What’s wrong with that… even Christians grieve.” Well in the following verses we will see Jesus travel from Jordan to Bethany in order to comfort the sisters of Lazarus. We will see them and many others grieving over the death of Lazarus. As he comforts them with promises that he is the resurrection and the life we will witness one of the most touching verses in the Bible. Jesus wept. Even Christians grieve…even Jesus wept. To the world these tears seem like the same thing but for those who know the truth that Jesus Christ has power over life and death tears can have a much different meaning. The world weeps for their loss during death but Jesus Christ weeps for the lost, he weeps for the pain his loved ones go through in death, he weeps that sometimes his beloved must go through trials so that God may be glorified. God will be glorified as we read on.
Let’s look at one of the greatest miracles in the Bible… Lazarus raised from the dead.
In the first six verses of this passage, Lazarus the one Jesus loved was sick and his sisters Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus. Jesus tells them that his sickness would not end in death but glorify God and he stays two days.
Even from these seemingly innocent first verses of this passage, we learn an important biblical truth... that illness, delays, and disappointments can be opportunities to glorify God.
Matt 6:31-33 tells us this – “31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Trials in the lives of true believers do not end in death but are present so that God and his Son may be glorified. What trials are you currently experiencing in your home and how are these trials bringing glory to God and his Son?
In the next section of verses through verse 44, Jesus decides to go back to Judea but his disciples try to dissuade him. Jesus tells them that they must walk in the light in order not to stumble. He tells them that Lazarus is dead and that it is good that he was not there as a witness. Thomas is worried as Jesus arrives after Lazarus is dead four days and Martha goes out to meet him. She attests her faith in him and her faith that Lazarus will be resurrected in the last day. Jesus tells her that he is the resurrection and the life and she believes that he is the Christ. Next we see Martha as she goes and gets Mary. As she leaves the Jews comforting her follow her. Mary tells Jesus that if he had been there Lazarus would not have died. Jesus is moved and troubled by their response to him and some say he could have kept Lazarus from death. Jesus asks them to take away the stone from the tomb but Martha questions him. He tells them that through belief they would see the glory of God and gives thanks to God... that the people would know that Christ was sent by God, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
From this section we witness Jesus as he goes back to Judea with his disciples and raises Lazarus from the dead so that the people would know that he was sent from God. We learn the truth that faith begins with knowledge and grows into a personal trust in Jesus.
Jesus was sent by God to bring resurrection and the life to those he loves. How does your life reflect the Glory of God that you now share through Christ your Savior? Do you have a personal trust in Jesus? How have you cast off the bindings of death through the redeeming work of Christ for you?
Go further to read verses 45 through 57. Many of the Jews believed but some went to the Pharisees who called together the Sanhedrin. They feared doing nothing would cause more to believe -they would lose their place and nation. We witness Caiaphas as he informs them that it is better that Jesus should die than the whole nation perish. Then they plot to kill Jesus because Caiaphas had prophesied the death of Jesus. The passage ends as Jesus departs to Ephraim and the Jews look for him at Passover to arrest him.
From this last section of John 11 we see some of the Jews believe but the Sanhedrin plot to kill Jesus to preserve their place and their nation.
Faith in Jesus Christ requires a response. The truth offered by Jesus causes some to believe and some to rebel against him. How does this knowledge change your approach or your response to the people God has placed in your life who do not know his son the Christ?
Lazarus raised from the dead shows us that Christ has power over life and death. From this passage we learn that there are many opportunities in a believer’s life to bring glory to God. We see the need for a personal trust in Jesus and how this faith in him requires a response. Most of all we witness how God was and is glorified through the life of Christ. Jesus wept. The next time you encounter someone who is lost, in grief or in the deep trials of life will you pray with me to have the perspective that Jesus had as he went to Bethany.
Amen
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