Lazarus—Get Up

The scene is a grave where a loved one has been dead four days, and Jesus shows up.

When Jesus shows up, things change.

Everyone is Perplexed

John 11:37 And some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?”

Everyone is confused, even those who don’t like Jesus: ‘We saw Him heal a blind man! Why didn’t He come sooner, He loved Lazarus—it does not make sense.’

We are the same way. When something bad happens, we often respond with, “God, why did You let it go this far?”

We need to learn to:

Trust God’s will

Trust God’s power

Trust God’s timing

Everyone Sees the Problem as Hopeless

John11:39b, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

Martha said, ‘Just leave it alone, it is hopeless; he already stinks. Nothing can be done at this point, you are to late, you can’t do anything now.’

Jesus Reminds Them of the Promise

John 11:40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

This statement must therefore be taken as a summary of what was promised in vv. 23–26.

Jesus the Messiah even in the face of death is to be trusted.

Jesus is not saying, ‘If you believe, I’ll do the miracle.’ No, the sovereign act of Christ in raising Lazarus would have happened whether Martha believed or not. However, for her to see the glory of God in the miracle, she had to have her faith in Christ. She has been fighting a battle of faith and doubt, The glory of God is the revelation of all of His excellencies … all of His attributes, in this case, the ability to give life.

As Christians, we are supposed to keep our eyes on Jesus, not the problem.

Jesus Prays a Thanksgiving Prayer

John 11:41b Jesus lifted up His eyes above and said, “Father, I give thanks to you that you hear me. 42 And I know that you always hear me, but for the sake of the crowd standing around I said it, so that they may believe that you sent me.”

His prayer seeks to draw His hearers into the intimacy of Jesus’ own relationship with the Father; it demonstrates the truth of 5:19, that Jesus does nothing by Himself, but is totally dependent on and obedient to His Father’s will. Jesus is hoping that some of his hearers will in consequence believe that He has been sent by God Himself.

The Power is Displayed

John 11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” 43b He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

Jesus has everyone prepared, He said all He wants to say. Everyone is in the right frame of reference and standing there in sheer terror. “He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”

John 11:44 The one who had died came out, his feet and his hands bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped with a facecloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Lazarus needed more than life. He needed freedom, and that is what God does, He frees us. We cannot personally regenerate people; no human can. But we can help the life they receive to be freed from the hang ups of the past.

We can teach others the Word that frees. We can show them fellowship and encourage them. We can help remove the things that bind them. We can help them through problems when the life that Jesus gives is there.

Those who hear Jesus’ shout on the last day will participate in His resurrection, the true lasting resurrection. The raising of Lazarus was only a pale anticipation of what was yet to come for those who commit their life to Jesus.

Lazarus later died again. In the last resurrection, there will be no dying again.

Through the power of Jesus we will live never to die again, spiritually or physically.

Let’s make a decision to take Jesus at His word and believe, and receive true life now and for ever. ~Amen