Lessons From Lazarus

We're going to take a look at the account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus in the New Testament, and the lessons which we can learn from it. I think we'll find that we have more in common with Lazarus than we thought. The name "Lazarus" comes from the Greek, and means "God is my help", and we will see that God was indeed of great help to Lazarus, as He is to each of us. We read in John 11:1-44...

"Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 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. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that Lazarus was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 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. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 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. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe: nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus said unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, 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. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 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. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 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. 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. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 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? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 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. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 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. 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. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."

Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, and friend of Jesus, had become sick, and was near death when his sisters sent word to Jesus of his condition. The relationship between Lazarus and Jesus was such that his sisters sent word that "he whom thou lovest is sick." This shows us the great love that Jesus had for Lazarus, as well as for all of us. Many parallels can be drawn in this account between the love that Jesus showed for Lazarus and his sisters and the empathy and compassion which He has for each of us. Upon hearing of the condition of Lazarus, Jesus tells His disciples that "this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." So we see that there was a Higher purpose behind the sufferings of Lazarus, just as there is always a reason behind our hardships. Jesus chooses to delay coming to Lazarus for two more days, because He knows that Lazarus must first die in order for the glorious miracle to occur. This is a beautiful parallel of the way in which we must first die, to ourself and to our desires, before we can be saved by Jesus. 

The disciples were concerned, and rightly so, about traveling back into Judaea, because the Jews had sought to stone Jesus on his most recent visit there. However, Jesus takes no thought as to His own safety, and He does not ask His disciples to go anywhere that He is not willing to walk with them. "Let us go...", He tells them. The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God will not protect you. 

With verse 11, Jesus informs His disciples of the death of Lazarus, telling them that..."Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep." Though Lazarus had died, he was still considered a friend to Jesus, and his death was referred to as a sleep, because he was soon to be awakened from it. In Mark 5:39, Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus from the dead, telling the people that "...the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." For those who are a friend to Jesus, death is naught but sleep, a rest from one's labors, and a mere waiting period until the day of resurrection, after which, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:17..."so shall we ever be with the Lord."

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, He is met by Martha, who tells Him..."Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." Such a beautiful statement not only of faith, but of hope, as well, as we can see in the words of Martha a glimmer of the expectation of good. Jesus tells her plainly..."Thy brother shall rise again." Martha responds..."I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." This knowledge alone brings her comfort, and she seems unsure as to whether or not to hope for anything more. Jesus proceeds to expound to Martha the very basis of salvation, to which Martha responds with a stirring confirmation and confession of her faith..."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. Believest thou this?" "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."

With this, Martha departs, and goes to bid her sister to come and meet Jesus. Mary rushes to meet with Jesus, so much so that the Jews who comforted her followed, thinking that she was gone to weep at the grave of her brother. She meets Jesus, and, falling down at His feet, exclaims, just as Martha did..."Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." However, Mary's exclamation of grief was much more submissive in nature, heartfelt, and tearfully delivered. Martha, it would seem, was much more guarded in her emotions, and Mary more transparent in her devotion. We are told in verse 2 that it was this Mary who anointed the Lord with oil, and wiped His feet with her hair as found in John 12:3. The difference between Mary and Martha is even more apparent in Luke chapter 10:38-42..."Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Martha was apparently the older sister, she was the owner of the house, and Mary was living with her. It seems as if Martha and Mary were very different in their thinking, and perhaps simply at different places in their lives.

The raw emotion of Mary over the loss of her brother, along with the sadness of the Jews who followed her, had a profound effect on Jesus. He asks them, "Where have ye laid him?", and as they bring Him to the grave, Jesus weeps openly. What a beautiful picture of the empathy and compassion of our Lord, as He weeps alongside the mourners approaching the graveside of His dear friend Lazarus! So touching was the scene, that even the Jews, who just weeks earlier had sought to kill him, spoke of Jesus, "Behold how he loved him!" Our High Priest is indeed touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

As they reach the grave, Jesus commands that the stone be rolled away. Martha, ever the analytical thinker, tells Jesus, "Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." Jesus reminds her of their earlier conversation as He tells her..."Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"

With that, they roll away the stone, and Jesus lifts up His eyes to heaven in prayer..."Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people that stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." Not just family members of Lazarus, but also many members of the Jewish community stood by, and bare witness to the miracle which was about to occur. This was not by accident, as God wanted the news of this miracle to spread, and irrefutable proof of the Sovereign Power of Jesus to be made known among the Jews.

Jesus then cries with a loud voice..."Lazarus, come forth." And Lazarus did come forth, still bound hand and foot in the graveclothes in which he was buried, his face covered with a napkin. Jesus then tells those standing nearby to..."Loose him, and let him go." 

We are all a Lazarus in the making. Jesus is calling each of us to die to our own will, to die to our lusts and desires, that He may come and resurrect us. He weeps for us in our lost condition, and groans in His spirit until we surrender our will, and die to sin, that we may be raised with Him. He calls us to "come forth", to be raised to walk in newness of life, to become the new creature which He created us to be. He intercedes on our behalf, fighting the battles which we ourselves are not strong enough to wage, all the while rebuking Satan, and saying, "Loose him, and let him go." 

Lazarus had a true friend in Jesus, and so do we. He is our closest ally, the friend that sticks closer than a brother. He will never leave us nor forsake us, He gave His all in order to save us, and He is preparing a home in heaven for us where we will be with Him forever. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Amen.