This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant
John 11:1-44
Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent word to him, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.” But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” So Thomas, called Didymus,* said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [But] even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” l She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice,* “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Grace Prayed For
Hope in the Midst of Grief: Ask for the grace to hold onto hope, even in the darkest moments of grief and loss. May you find solace in Jesus’ words, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and trust that He can bring new life even in the midst of death.
The Raising of Lazarus: A Symphony of Hope and Divine Power
The story of Lazarus, a beloved friend of Jesus struck down by illness, unfolds as a poignant testament to the enduring power of faith, hope, and love in the face of loss and despair. It’s a narrative that resonates with our own human experiences of grief, doubt, and the longing for restoration.
When Martha and Mary send word to Jesus about Lazarus’ illness, their message is a desperate plea for help, a cry from the depths of their hearts. Jesus’ initial response, “This illness is not to end in death,” seems enigmatic. Yet, it hints at a deeper purpose, a divine plan that transcends human understanding.
Jesus’ delay in coming to Bethany, despite his deep love for Lazarus and his sisters, adds another layer of complexity to the story. His words to the disciples, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him,” further obscure his intentions, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and uncertainty.
Martha’s unwavering faith shines through her initial words to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Yet, her faith is tinged with a hint of doubt as she adds, “But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” This mixture of faith and doubt reflects the human struggle to reconcile our trust in God with the harsh realities of life.
Jesus’ profound declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life,” is a pivotal moment in the story. It’s a bold assertion of his divine authority over death, a promise that transcends the boundaries of time and space. This declaration challenges Martha’s understanding of resurrection, shifting her focus from the future to the present, from the hope of a distant reunion to the possibility of immediate restoration.
Mary’s heartfelt plea, echoing Martha’s words, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” reveals the depth of her grief and her longing for Jesus’ presence. Her tears, a testament to her human vulnerability, touch the heart of Jesus, who is “perturbed and deeply troubled.”
The scene at the tomb, with Jesus weeping alongside the mourners, underscores his deep empathy and compassion. His tears, a powerful expression of his shared humanity, offer comfort and solace to those who grieve.
Jesus’ command to “take away the stone,” followed by his prayer of thanksgiving to the Father, sets the stage for the miraculous. The raising of Lazarus, a breathtaking display of divine power, is not just a resuscitation but a restoration of life in its fullness. Lazarus, emerging from the tomb bound in burial cloths, symbolizes the liberation from the shackles of death and the promise of new life in Christ.
The raising of Lazarus invites us to:
- Trust in God’s timing and purpose: His plans may not always align with our expectations, but they are always for our good and His glory.
- Embrace faith in the face of doubt: Even when our faith is tested, we can hold on to the hope that God is always with us, working for our good.
- Allow grief to lead to deeper trust: Our tears and pain can become pathways to a more profound relationship with Jesus, who weeps with us and offers us comfort and hope.
- Believe in the resurrection and the life: Jesus’ victory over death assures us that death is not the end but a passage into eternal life with Him.
- Open our hearts to the transformative power of Jesus: He is the source of life and resurrection, able to bring new life to our deadened situations and relationships.
May the story of Lazarus inspire us to place our trust in Jesus, the resurrection and the life. May it fill us with hope and courage as we face the challenges and uncertainties of life, knowing that with Him, even death is not the final word.
Growing in Intimacy with Jesus
Understanding His Divine Identity: Jesus’ declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life,” reveals His divine nature as the source of eternal life. Reflecting on this statement can deepen your understanding of who Jesus is and inspire a greater love and devotion for Him.
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post