Bible Lesson: Miracles Of Jesus: Jesus Raises Lazarus To Life.
Bible Location: Bethany.
Bible Text: John 11:1-46 KJV
1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where He was.
7 Then after that saith He to His disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11 These things said He: and after that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12 Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him.
17 Then when Jesus came, He found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto Him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him.
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard Me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent Me.
43 And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him.
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
John 11:1-6 KJV
1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where He was.
Jesus was at Perea, located on the east side of Jordan. Bethany was a small village two miles south east of Jerusalem. The home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, our Lord's dear friends, a home to which He often resorted.
When Lazarus became deathly sick, his sisters immediately sent word to Jesus to come, and they did that because they had full faith in what Jesus could do.
Jesus having received their communication replied “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” (Verse 4)
Even though Lazarus lay, in death throws, the Lord, made no attempt to leave, to be with them.
Did Jesus know that Lazarus indeed was dying?
Would Jesus allow someone He deeply loved, to be in pain, and die?
Would Jesus allow loved ones to be in deep grief and sorrow?
Yes.
So many times “we,” think that “we,” know better than God!
But the simple ego destroying truth is, “we do not!”
Again some might make the charge that our God is at best a stoic* God, and so He works.
*Stoicism: Indifference to pleasure or pain; impassivity.
(New World Dictionary)
But noting could be further from the truth!
An old saying and true, “God's delays are not necessarily His denials.”
And how true.
Isaiah 46:9,10 KJV
9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure:
Isaiah 55:8,9 KJV
8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Romans 11:33,34 KJV
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counselor?
Do these verses apply to 21st century man, yes, beyond any doubt.
Proverbs 16:18 KJV
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Does God, care?
Our Saviour, entered creation as a man to experience our life, and to show that He would be faithful to the Father.
Hebrews 4:15 NLT
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.
I Peter 5:7 KJV
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.
Our God's silence:
Is “not,” His inability to hear.
Is “not,” His inability to help.
Is “not,” His inability to be concerned for you.
Is “not,” His inability to answer.
In prayers, that are asked in accordance with God's word, we realize that God's answer may be, yes, no, or wait. And in the case of Mary and Martha, it was the latter.
Friends, you who for some time have read the BPL, and who have faithfully read the books this pastor has written, to you, there is a Bible verse in the front of your Bibles, turn to it every day. This is the most easy verse to memorize, and yet at times the hardest verse to realize.
Psalm 145:17 KJV
The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
The dear soul who has resigned himself in faith, to this belief, will “never,” be disappointed.
John 11:7-10 KJV
7 Then after that saith He to His disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
After two days had passed, of of our Lord's receiving Mary and Martha's message, He told His disciples “Let us go into Judaea again.” But Lord's disciples were quick to remind Him, that they had tried to stone Him there before (John 8:59/ 10:31).
Jesus replied in a brief parable, which by interpretation meant. While He was in the Fathers light, He would do the Father's work. His hour of sacrifice was not yet, and so He would go on.
A wonderful thought for every saint of God.
Matthew 8:26 KJV
And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Psalm 31:15 NLT
"My future is in your hands..."
John 11:11-16 KJV
11 These things said He: and after that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12 Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him.
Jesus plainly told His disciples, that Lazarus was dead.
What a beautiful picture of death, given by our Lord “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. (Verse 11)
In this regard the Apostle Paul, admonished the Corinthians, and Thessalonian believers …
I Corinthians 15:51-58 KJV
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The early church believed that saints who had died, their souls were at rest in paradise, and that their dead bodies were resting till the resurrection call.
How like humanity, Thomas' words “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” All they could think of, was their own personal safety.
John 11:17-22 KJV
17 Then when Jesus came, He found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
After two days journey, Jesus came to the house of Mary and Martha, where a large crowd of mourners had gathered.
There was no doubt by anyone, Lazarus was dead, and in his tomb.
The many mourners gathered, spoke well of the fact of their love for Lazarus, Mary and Martha.
Martha knew in her heart, that if Jesus had come sooner, her brother would not have died.
John 11:23-27 KJV
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
How many a faint heart has been given reassurance at the time of death of a loved one, from these precious words of the Lord Jesus.
I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. (Verses 25,26)
What was it Job of old said?
Job 19:26 KJV
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
As Christians, we believe in the resurrection.
John 11:28-32 KJV
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto Him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him.
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Mary, quickly went to the Lord.
It is the Lord, who can always help us!
Psalm 124:8 KJV
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Mary and Martha, had faith in the Lord.
Genesis 18:14 KJV (The Lord told Abraham.)
Is any thing too hard for the LORD?..."
Though they believed, yet their faith was limited to that of healing, while Lazarus had been alive.
John 11:33-37 KJV
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
Why did Jesus weep?
He wept because of the sorrow the King of Terrors had inflicted upon Mary and Martha and their friends by the enemy, death.
He wept because they did not after all this time, recognize that He, as He had told Martha was... “.. the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.”
He wept because of the spiritual blindness of His enemies, who were out to condemn Him, who would soon be lost forever.
Some believed that Jesus could have healed Lazarus when he was ill, but now of course, it was too late.
John 11:38-42 KJV
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard Me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent Me.
As was the custom of Jesus, He went to His Father in prayer.
John 5:19 KJV
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
41...And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard Me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent Me. (Verses 41,42)
John 11:43-46 KJV
43 And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him.
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Jesus had told His disciples... “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” (Verse 4)
Our Lord, has power over the enemy death!
1 Corinthians 15:26 KJV
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Revelation 1:18 KJV
I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
As Christians, we have a lively hope.
II Corinthians 5:8 KJV
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
I Peter 1:3,4 KJV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
I Corinthians 15:20-22 KJV
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
