(John 11:5-6, 11-15, 17-27) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was... 11 ...after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” 12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” 17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
As Christians, we know that we have eternal life. And when we die - we will live forever in heaven with God. So when my mom, a believer who had been struggling with many health issues, died at the young age of 51, I was truly happy for her. We had been praying that God would heal her - and He did. She is now in a far better place - perfectly healed. Meanwhile, I suffered the loss - but it is only a temporary loss. And God gave me an amazing peace throughout this. The difficulty is seeing those around you suffer...
(John 11:32-37) Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, [i]have kept this man also from dying?”
Of course Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying, but Jesus knew that He was going to do something greater in this circumstance. Not that bringing Lazarus back from the "dead" was actually "better" for Lazarus, but this miracle would demonstrate Jesus' power over death - because Jesus was going to something EVEN GREATER in the near future by dying on the cross and then rising from the dead after three days!!! This would bring a way salvation to all people!!! So that even if there is physical death - there is still eternal life, in a place where there is no sorrow...
(John 11:38-42) So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”
Being God, Jesus could say, "I KNEW that YOU ALWAYS hear Me". Sin impedes prayer (John 9:31). And so, God hears the prayers of righteous people. How much more righteous is Jesus? He IS righteousness! And so...
(John 11:44-46) The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
Being our perfect example, Jesus said things aloud for the people's sake, just like Jesus asked people questions - for their sake - to get them thinking about something and come to a spiritual realization. Through God's word, Jesus is still asking us questions...
(Matthew 7:3) Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
(Luke 6:46) “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
(Matthew 8:26) “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”
(John 21:17) “Do you love Me?”
(Matthew 9:28) “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
(Luke 18:41) “What do you want Me to do for you?”
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