Jesus did something that nobody else has ever been able to do. He raised the dead! Through the story of Lazarus, I hope that your heart is filled with wonder and awe as we consider the fact today together, that Jesus Christ raised the dead. If you feel bound up by doubt today, if you are doubting His love for you because of the circumstances of your life, unwrap yourself from those grave clothes. Receive the love of Jesus today. Let me tell you more.
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Transcription:
Jesus did something that nobody else has ever been able to do. He raised the dead. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica, your host, as we continue our series on What Did Jesus DO? Yes, there’s a bracelet that you see lots of times that people wear, WWJD, what would Jesus do? Great question, by the way, but this one is so powerful. We’re talking about all the things that Jesus DID, and out of all the miracles, the one we’re going to unpack today is probably my favorite. You and I are about to meet a man who died twice. Join me now in John chapter 11, beginning in verse one,
A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.[a] Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
Now, I want to pitch a small tent here today because maybe there was a time in your life where you were waiting on God to move, and you felt nothing. You assumed that he did nothing, and you began to question his love for you. That is a very human reaction, a natural reaction. And believe me, I understand because I have been there. I’ve watched my son suffer with a cruel disease called ulcerative colitis. He’s thriving now, but there were days I would just go, God, please make it stop. I know you can. You can do it right now, and the answer was, wait, I’m here. So, I want you to just camp on this one word that we just read together. Although, Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, he stayed. He asked them to wait. There was a greater purpose, and you know we’re about to read it because we know the end of the story. Mary and Martha and Lazarus didn’t at the time, okay, verse eight now.
But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.” 16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”
Interesting note here, that’s the same Thomas who became known as the doubting Thomas, because he was the only one of the disciples who wasn’t in the room when Jesus appeared after he rose from the dead. And that’s amazing to me because look at his faith here. He’s like, let’s go and die with Jesus. It’s amazing. Okay, verse 17.
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him. 30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept.
Probably the most beautiful verse in the Bible, right?
The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” 38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
Wow. I hope that your heart is filled with wonder and awe as we consider the fact today together, that Jesus Christ raised the dead. If you feel bound up by doubt today, if you are doubting his love for you because of the circumstances of your life, unwrap yourself from those grave clothes. Receive the love of Jesus today. For you are very loved.
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