Read John 11:1-44. In what sense was Jesus “glorified” by the sickness and death of Lazarus (John 11:4)?
Here, too, Jesus uses the metaphor for sleep in talking about death. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up” (John 11:11, NIV). When some thought He was talking about literal sleep (John 11:11-13), Jesus clearly stated what He meant: “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:12-14, NIV). Actually, when Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus already was dead four days; his corpse was already rotting (John 11:17, John 11:39). By the time a body starts decomposing badly enough to smell, there’s no question: the person is dead.
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In this context, when Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise from the dead” (John 11:23, NASB), she reaffirmed her belief in the final resurrection. But Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die forever. Do you believe this?” (John 11:23-26, LEB). And Jesus added, “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (John 11:40, NASB). Martha believed, and she saw the glory of God in the resurrection of her brother.
The Bible says that by God’s word life was created (Genesis 1:20-30, Psalm 33:6), and by His word life can be re-created, as in the case of Lazarus. After a short prayer, Jesus ordered, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43, NKJV). Right then and there these people saw the life-giving power of God, the same power that spoke our world into existence, and the same power that at the end of the age will call the dead back to life in the resurrection.
By raising Lazarus, Jesus proved that He had the power to defeat death, which, for beings like us, who inevitably die — what greater manifestation of God’s glory could there be?
Read John 11:25-26. In one line Jesus talks about believers dying, and in the next He talks about believers never dying. What is Jesus teaching us here, and why is the understanding that death is an unconscious sleep so crucial in understanding Christ’s words? And why do His words offer us, as beings destined to the grave, so much hope?
(0)The post Thursday: Lazarus first appeared on Sabbath School Net.
The post Thursday: Lazarus appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
