God's Word: John 11:1-54

Tomorrow I'll get back to my musings from John 10, but today I really felt in the mood to re read the story about Lazarus.

1-3 A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick."

4 When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son."

5-7 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."

8 They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you're going back?"

9-10 Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going."

11 He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up."

12-13 The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine." Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.

14-15 Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him."

16 That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him."

17-20 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.

21-22 Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."

23 Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."

24 Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."

25-26 "You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"

27 "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."

28 After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."

29-32 The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33-34 When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"

34-35 "Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.

36 The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."

37 Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."

38-39 Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone."

The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!"

40 Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

41-42 Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone."

They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me."

43-44 Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.

Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."

45-48 That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."

49-52 Then one of them—it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year—spoke up, "Don't you know anything? Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?" He didn't say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.

53-54 From that day on, they plotted to kill him. So Jesus no longer went out in public among the Jews. He withdrew into the country bordering the desert to a town called Ephraim and secluded himself there with his disciples.

What an awesome story! My heart quickens within me as I read it.

If I had to use one word to describe all the various things that stand out to me in this scripture it would be - relationships. Jesus is in the business of relationships. Having them, healing them, challenging people with them.

I think today I'll just go through and focus on whatever strikes me and let God use His word to instruct my heart:

14-15 Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him."

16 That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him."

God's so good. We're already in this relationship with Him by faith and yet He's always giving us new things to increase our faith. He always wants us to grow. Look at Jesus here talking about how His disciples are going to be given new grounds for believing when they see Him bring back Lazarus from dead.

Father, help me not miss any opportunities for building my faith today. Help me stay open and available to You. May I not become so focused on the ordinary that I miss seeing Your greatness displayed today.

I laughed when I read verse 16 - this is a guy like me - sarcastic little comments. He'll follow Jesus, there's not a doubt in His mind. But he knows that the religious leaders are out to get Jesus and figures they'll just end up dieing with Him.

27 "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."

The first thing that struck me here is that Jesus is talking here to Martha, not to Mary. If you remember, Martha was the one who'd been too busy with the dinner that one time and Jesus had said not to worry about such but to sit at His feet for that short time while He is on earth. I like that Martha so easily believed Jesus here. A few verses above she'd told her servants to do whatever Jesus said to do - she had total faith in Jesus. Isn't it great that we can mess up in life, have an encounter with Jesus and be changed, and do better the next time?!

Oh Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy! Thank You for your forgiveness! May all that You've forgiven me not be wasted. May I remember and learn from it and do better today!

33-34 When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"

34-35 "Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.

I think Jesus felt angry because He hates the ravages of sin and the fallen world. He hates that people suffer and die. He cried because He was moved with compassion. I'm so grateful that I have a savior Who is compassionate.

I'd always thought the religious leaders didn't like Jesus because they wanted prestige, power and a way of life. Here I see that they are scared. They are a people who are under another group of people's rule and are allowed a minimum of self rule. They are afraid they will lose what little they have if Jesus keeps being so radical.

I'm thinking that sometimes we're in captivity of another kind in this life. Captivity to some sin or depravity - alcohol, drugs, sex, spending, gamboling, food. Or maybe some lifestyle - needing to look like a certain type to those around us (whatever that type may be - successful and powerful, Bohemian, female rights activist, etc.). Sometimes this sin or lifestyle that we've gotten into bondage over makes us too scared to follow Jesus. We're afraid following Him totally will make things even worse. We can get into this things-aren't-how-I-want-them-but-they-could-get-so-much-worse-because-I know-that-life-sucks-and-good-doesn't-come-my-way-so-I've-got-to-do-what-I-can-this-way kind of attitude. I see that so clearly in my mom. Once you get this kind of attitude it shuts out God and His ability to work in Your life.

Oh Father, may I always trust in Your goodness. May I always be open to You. Help me live in Your presence this day. Open my eyes to see You and may I be aware and not shut You and Your work out of my life due to my limited thinking.