6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” ( F)Ĩ “But Rabbi,” ( G) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, ( H) and yet you are going back?”ĩ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. No, it is for God’s glory ( E) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ( B) 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) ( C) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love ( D) is sick.”Ĥ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. He was from Bethany, ( A) the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Wishing you a happy New Year 2020.11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. Jesus has won the battle of death over you and me. Those who love Jesus and you are born again, rejoice ever more. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed for man to die once after which is the judgment of God.”
Accept Jesus, the author of life and resurrection. My dear friend who is reading this article and you are not yet born-again, today is your day. Jesus himself rose from the dead because death could not hold Him being the author of life Himself. There has never been any person who showed power over death than Jesus. In my thoughts I said, like Martha, I wish Jesus was present He could raise him from this condition. He had just passed away by the time I arrived. Recently I attended the burial of a close family friend who had suddenly passed away. He came to destroy death – the greatest enemy of man.
To me this is the message why Jesus came. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet he shall he live” (John 11:25). Jesus made the greatest statement ever recorded in the history of mankind concerning death: “I am the resurrection and the life. Jesus comforted Martha by saying that her brother was going to live gain. He told them that He was going to wake him up out of sleep. Jesus confirmed to His disciples in John 11:14 that indeed Lazarus was dead. Jesus’ believers have potentially the same power that He has because He has passed it to them (Mathew 28, Mark 16). Thanks be to God that about 2000 years ago Jesus came and has given the same power to His believers. Who could do this? Because of this miracle, we can glorify God through His son Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We thank God that Jesus made a point by deliberately delaying to ensure the man had been buried and had started rotting. Others would cast a doubt about this miracle. If Jesus had resurrected Lazarus within one to three days, most people then and now would doubt this
Jesus arrived to the graveyard after four days of Lazarus’ burial.
I can imagine this is what went through their minds. Here you are with this man Jesus whom they had seen performing great miracles to other people and yet He could not attend to His own great friend. It was really a very sad story and a great discouragement for this family. This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the son of God might be glorified thereby” (John 11:4). This is what Jesus said when He got the news from the messenger. I have seen doctors being sued or terminated because of delaying to attend to a medical emergency. Medical emergencyĪs a medical doctor when one is called to attend to an emergency, one runs to attend If it was like our days, a telephone call or a WhatsApp message with the photo of Lazarus lying in his sick bed would have made Jesus to understand his friend’s serious condition.However, Jesus got the message very clearly and knew the severity of the case. The sisters, Martha and Mary, must have sent a marathon person to run very quickly or sent a man on a horse or donkey. Jesus received the news probably on the same day or in hours. Unfortunately, Jesus was far out preaching in another town – Jerusalem – almost 20 miles away from Bethany the town of Lazarus. Lazarus had suddenly fallen sick and when his sister saw his condition was getting worse, they looked for Jesus immediately. Jesus had been called for a medical emergency for His great family friend, Lazarus.