JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD

 The incident of the death and ressurection of Lazarus appears only in the scripture of John 11:1-44. This miracle caused so much fury and hate towards Jesus and Lazarus from the Pharisees. 

Lazarus was a friend to Jesus and a brother to Mary and Martha. This was the same Martha who sat at Jesus's feet to learn from Him. Lazarus and his sisters all lived together in Bethany, which was located in Judea, south of Mount Olives near Jerusalem.

The death of Lazarus happened in the last year before the crucifixion of Jesus. At this time, Jesus' denunciation of all the hypocrisy and fraud in the Jewish worship and teachings was causing great opposition from various quarters. The many miracles He had been performing were adding fuel to the fire of jealousy and envy already burning.

As a result, Jesus found it necessary to leave the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem to escape persecution. He was beyond Jordan, where John the baptist first baptized when He recieved a message that His friend, Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha sent unto Jesus saying "he whom thou lovest is sick"[Jh 11:3]

Upon hearing this, Jesus said "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."[Jh 11:4]  Jesus delayed for two days before going to Bethany. He then told his disciples that Lazarus was asleep but they didn't understand He meant that Lazarus had died. He clarified them and told them plainly that Lazarus was dead and He would be going to Bethany in Judea to awaken him.

Jesus' announcement that He would return to Judea again was recieved with many misgivings by His disciples. They knew the tide of hate that was rising against Jesus and His followers in Judea. They reminded Jesus that just recently, the Jews had sought to stone Him.

Jesus sought to alleviate the fear of His disciples for His safety by reminding them that His works were not yet finished. So long as His mission was not finished, divine providence was being invoked on His behalf. He asked them "are there not 12 hours in the day? [ Jh 11:9]

By this question, He meant that as the day runs its course hour by hour, according to the plan of God, so also would the plan of God work in His life each piece and segment in its own place and time. Jesus and His disciples then left for Bethany. When they arrived, they found out that Lazarus had been buried for four days.

Before they reached the house of Lazarus, Martha came to meet Jesus and said to Him "Lord, of though hadst been here, my brother had not died"[Jh 11: 21] then Jesus replied her "the brother shall rise again."[Jh 11:23]  Martha who misunderstood the context of Jesus's statement replied Him "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day"[Jh 11:24]

Jesus then made one of His grandest declarations found in scripture of Himself, His deity and His ressurrection power. He said to Martha "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."[ Jh 11:25-26]  Jesus asked Martha if she believed in His statement and Matter replied "yes lord: I believe that though art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world"[Jh 11:27] 

When Jesus arrived the home of Lazarus, He met Mary and the people who have come to console her. Upon seeing their grief and weeping, He was deeply moved, which the shortest verse of the bible described as "wept". 

Jesus asked where he was buried and they showed him Him, He asked for the stone of the grave to be removed but martha interjected and told Him there would be a smell. Jesus then responded and said "said i not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? [Jh 11:40]

So they took the stone away, then Jesus looked up and said "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 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"[Jh 11:41-42] 

When He had said this, He called with a loud voice "Lazarus, come forth!"  The dead man immediately came out, with his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face. Jesus told them to take off the grave clothes and let him go. 

The news of Lazarus' death and ressurection spread everywhere and many believed in Jesus because of it. Lazarus became a powerful testimony to the power and grace of God during his entire lifetime. This remarkable event teaches us that with God, all things are very possible. If Jesus can raise Lazarus from the dead, He can raise you too from your lowest point to your greatest height where your light will shine and never diminish. 

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