LAZARUS CALLED FROM THE GRAVE
[John:11:1-45 [1] Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. [2] (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) [3] Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. [4] When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. [5] Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. [6] When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. [7] Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. [8] His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? [9] Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. [10] But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. [11] These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. [12] Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. [13] Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. [14] Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. [15] And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. [16] Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. [17] Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. [18] Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: [19] And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. [20] Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. [21] Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. [22] But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. [23] Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. [24] Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. [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: [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? [27] She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. [28] And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. [29] As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. [30] Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. [31] The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. [32] Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. [33] When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. [34] And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. [35] Jesus wept. [36] Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! [37] And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? [38] Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. [39] Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. [40] Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? [41] Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. [42] And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. [43] And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. [44] And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. [45] Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. ].
“Thou hast given him power over all flesh” (John 17:2).
For the Glory of God
One of Jesus’ friends, named Lazarus, became very sick. Jesus had visited at the home of Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary, some time before this. We know that Jesus loved these kind friends, and no doubt He enjoyed being with them. When the sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, they very likely thought He would come quickly. But He did not. He had an important lesson to teach them. He said that the sickness was for a reason: for the glory of God.
When sickness or trouble comes to us, it may be for a purpose – perhaps Jesus has a lesson to teach us, too. He may not always answer our prayers right away, because He wants to teach us to trust Him. If we are sick and pray to Jesus and He heals us, we should tell others about it. Perhaps we can tell about our healing in a testimony meeting; that is one way to give glory to God for healing us. It often causes other people to have faith to trust God for healing, too; for if He will heal one person, He will also heal others.
Never Too Late
Jesus did not hurry to go to Lazarus, but spent two more days in the place where He was. By the time that He reached the village of Bethany, He found that for four days Lazarus had been dead and in the grave. When Martha heard that Jesus had come, she went to meet Him and said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Later, we find Mary saying exactly the same words. They had faith in Jesus and knew that He could have prevented their brother from dying, and they wondered why Jesus had not come to them sooner; but Jesus knew why. He is never too late. When we call for Him, as these sisters did, Jesus comes to our help and He will come at just the right time. He can heal us at any time.
We find recorded in this lesson the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” This shows how much Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters. Even the Jews who were there said, “Behold how he loved him!” Jesus knows when one of His children is suffering or in sorrow; and He cares, too. We sing that beautiful song, “Jesus Love Me.” We know He loves us, because the Bible tells us so.
They came to the grave of Lazarus and Jesus told them to take away the stone. Jesus wanted Mary and Martha to have much faith in Him, and no doubt their faith was made stronger when He said to Martha, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
“Come Forth”
The graves of long ago were not like the graves of today. The place where Lazarus was buried was a cave, and a stone was rolled to the door of the entrance. The people rolled away the stone, at Jesus’ command; and He lifted up His eyes and prayed to His Father in Heaven, and then cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”
This was the same Voice which had stilled the tempest on the Sea of Galilee; the same Voice which had said to the sick man at the Pool of Bethesda: “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” Many other commands had been given by the voice of Jesus. All Heaven and earth obey that Voice – now the dead man in the grave obeys the voice of Jesus – Lazarus comes out of the grave! If Jesus had not said, “Lazarus,” all the other dead in the graves might have come forth, too. There was great power in that command to “come forth.”
It is impossible to imagine the extent of the joy that must have filled the hearts of Mary, Martha, and the friends of Lazarus, when he came forth from the grave! Some of us have lost a brother or some other member of our family through death. Surely, words could not express the joy one might know, if, after several days, this loved one were restored to our side!
The Great Resurrection
Someday there shall be a greater resurrection than the raising of Lazarus. Jesus said, “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” [John:5:28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
];[John:5:29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
]). When one of our friends or loved ones is taken by death, we can look forward to the day of the final resurrection, and say as Martha said, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
When Jesus Comes
Some of us who are living today may never die, for we are looking for Jesus to return and take us to Heaven. Perhaps very soon we shall be caught up to Heaven to be with God. We read in [1 Thessalonians:4:16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
];[1 Thessalonians:4:17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
]: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” A wonderful hope! The ones who are ready are not fearing that day, but are longing for it. We shall have no more sickness, no more sorrow, no more death – all will be joy and peace.
The Preparation
But there is something for us to do in order to be ready for that day. If we are not saved, we must pray that God will save us from all our sins; then we must pray and give our lives to God, and He will sanctify us wholly; He will also baptize us with the Holy Ghost and fire so that we may have part in that wonderful Rapture. In Heaven we shall see and know Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, and all the other saints who have gone before us. First of all we want to see Jesus who died to save us from sin. He made it possible for every one of us to make Heaven our home. What a happy time that will be!
1. Did Jesus go immediately to Lazarus? [John:11:6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
].
2. Did Martha and Mary think that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus’ death? [John:11:21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
];[John:11:32Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
].
3. Why was Jesus able to call Lazarus from the grave? [John:11:25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
].
4. Did Martha believe that Jesus was the Christ? [John:11:27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
].
5. Will the dead in Christ rise someday? [1 Thessalonians:4:16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
];[1 Thessalonians:4:17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
].
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