John 11: 1-16 The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.  So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”  The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?”  Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”  This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”  The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”  Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.  So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,  and I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”  Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

Jesus loved Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus.  When Jesus was away from Judea, Lazarus became severely ill.  Yet even when notified, Jesus stayed two days longer inspite of Lazarus’ illness.  Even though Jesus was away from Judea do to its hostility toward Him He says to His disciples let us go to Judea.

To the disciples surprise they question Him.  Jesus speaks to them in parables contrasting the light of the day to the darkness of the night.  He says He is going to wake Lazarus, but they did not understand that He meant wake him from the dead.  So Jesus says plainly that Lazarus is dead.  This miracle is a pre-curser to the cross.  Jesus needs to exhibit that He can raise the dead into life because He will resurrect from the dead, but not only to die again, but to eternal life.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, it is important to us to know that eternal life is a  present possession.  We don’t have to undertake a physical death to have it.  Eternal life means that we have been spared a second death, that is death of the soul, once our body dies.  And resurrection by You means that all will resurrect, so to companionship with You and those who don’t recognize You will raise to everlasting contempt.  Let all of us who understand spread the Good News of the gospel which is salvation through You.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.