Death of Lazarus

Believe.

John 11:1-16
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Lazarus was a dear friend to Jesus as He walked this earth. He loved all He came in contact with, but Lazarus held a special place in Jesus’ heart. It must have really hurt Jesus when He heard the news, yet was in constant contact with our Father IN heaven. He knew that God would be glorified through this difficult trial.

Jesus understood His job so well, that He waited another two days before He went to Lazarus. Those that were with Him could not understand why Jesus would wait, but it is in the wait that His plan would be revealed. Nothing through spontaneity. The plan was God’s and it must be according to God’s will. His plan never fails and is always perfect.

Patience is an amazing characteristic of Jesus. He truly understood the power of the wait. Paul was the essence of passionate patience. He knew, as Jesus did, that the power in the wait is stronger than the quick and eradicate action that can be wasted. We must learn to be patient in all we do. It is in the patience, coupled with a connection with the Holy Spirit through orayer, that we can act in His authority. In this patyern, we begin to act as Jesus did, and when that is done, we possess and can activate the power that He left in us at Calvary.

As we walk in the flesh, it is our job not to allow doubt or ignorance to overtake us. If we connect to Jesus through daily reading of His Word in the Bible, we can become more and more like Him. It’s not easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is. We must persevere and commit to becoming a true believer and friend of Jesus. Fear not, for fear is as much a sin as anybother. Instead, trust in the Lord. For He is always with us. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK