Lazarus
John 11:11-15 & 38-44
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Who is Lazarus?
Lazarus was one of three people that Jesus raised from the dead in his early ministry. Lazarus was a close friend to Jesus, who listened to the gospel and accepted Jesus as Messiah. He is thus acknowledged by name and it is even written that Jesus ‘loved’ him, showing how special Lazarus, and his sisters, were in the role of hospitality for Christ
Elijah was God’s prophet during the reigns of Israeli kings Ahab and Ahaziah. Lazarus was the brother of Mary (famous for pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet) and Martha. He was gravely ill and the sisters sought out Jesus’ help. He stayed with them for three days and then left the house. Upon him leaving, Lazarus passed away. But Jesus told his disciples plainly that Lazarus had ‘fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him,’ (John 11:11). Jesus used this opportunity to bring someone else back from beyond the grave and show the disciples yet another incredible miracle. When he arrived back in Judea, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days and there were many mourners. Jesus comforted Mary and Martha and told them to move away the stone before Lazarus’ tomb. He then commanded the dead man to ‘Come out!’ (John 11:43) and Lazarus was brought back to life.
What can we learn from Elijah?
Lazarus and his sisters had been God-fearing and avid worshipers of Christ, and some of Jesus’ closest friends. They listened to his word and had faith that Jesus could help them in the time of Lazarus’ illness. The story of Lazarus’ resurrection is that through faith anything is possible in Jesus' name and that there is a difference between our timing and God’s timing. By waiting for God’s timing, Lazarus was
resurrected rather than merely healed. Amidst funeral proceedings and mourning, for this miracle there was a larger crowd who were impressed by this miracle and began to trust in Christ. Sometimes God takes a while to answer our prayers and requests, but with Lazarus’ story, we are reassured that everything will be done in God’s perfect timing, equally giving him the most glory.