Lazarus loved life. Jesus loved Lazarus. But Lazarus was sick, and Jesus was out of town. The One who gave sight to the blind, the One who made the lame walk, the One who could heal Lazarus was currently “unavailable.”
It appeared the great “I Am” was not.
And yet Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word, “The one You love is sick.”
But Jesus did not come right away. In fact He waited a couple of days before even starting their way. He simply looked around at His disciples and said, “Let’s go to Judea again.” They were not excited. The last time they were there some of the Jews were gleefully anticipating stoning Jesus, so the disciples did not look forward to that particular reunion (John 11:8). Jesus attempts to clarify His reason for going — “Our friend Lazarus is asleep.”
Thinking that meant Lazarus was getting better and the trip wasn’t needed anymore, the disciples said, “Hooray. The nasty confrontation we all fear is averted.”
Going anyway
Jesus clarifies His clarification, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad so that you may believe. Let us go to him.”
Jaw-dropping, wide-eyed news — Lazarus is dead and they are going anyway. In the back of the disciples’ minds the question had to be shouting, “And how soon before we join him?” Thomas looks around and speaks for all of them: “Come on men, we will die with him.”
When Jesus and His disciples arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. The time for a miracle had passed. Jerry Clower would term Lazarus “graveyard dead,” which meant he was dead and there was nothing anyone could do to bring him back. Yes miracles happen, but the popular belief that the spirit hovered around the body for three days had expired. Jesus was one day too late.
Close at hand was Martha (Luke 10:38–42). She had run out to meet Jesus and to ask the question all were thinking, “Where were You? We sent word. Why didn’t You come sooner?” But it comes out as, “Lord, if You had only been here.” So much is said in so few words. You can feel the pain, the brokenness, the disappointment, the grief. But even now, you can feel the hope (John 11:21–22).
Jesus’ answer was not quite what she expected or, at the very least, what she was able to hear. “Your brother will rise again.”
Her mind reels, “Really? That is all the comfort You have, all the excuse for Your delay?”
But Martha wants desperately to believe. So she falls back on her foundation, she falls back upon her faith. Her words reflect her belief in God and her faith in His eternity, but it is hard to hope and trust. It is hard to believe when her brother is dead.
So Jesus speaks the words, the hope her soul so hungers to hear. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25–26).
More to the story
Martha paused, it was only a heartbeat, but in that heartbeat her heart said, “Yes. I believe. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God. The One we have been looking for, the One we have been praying for, the One who has been promised, and the One who is coming into the world. I believe.”
But there is more to the story. Mary did not rush out to meet Jesus. Faithful, loving, insightful, spiritual Mary has to be told of Jesus’ presence and His looking for her. As she rushes from the room, those who have gathered to comfort her follow. When she gets to Jesus the accusation repeats itself, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Looking at her, seeing her tears and the tears of those who had come with her, Jesus is moved to the depths of his soul. “Where have you laid him?”
Mary answers, “Lord, come and see” (John 11:34).
Perhaps it was her voice or the tears of those who gathered with her. Perhaps it was the journey or the pain of unbelief. It could have been many things but the very heart of Jesus is moved. His is honest sorrow. He feels the pain of suffering and death. He is the great I Am that sees and knows and loves.
Lazarus rises
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.
Even in the sacredness of this moment, there are those who whisper, “See how He loved him” and “If only He had been here this scene could have been different.”
The whispers are silenced. The sacredness is magnified by the voice of Jesus, “Take away the stone.”
“Now? It is too late. Lord, he is decaying. There will be an odor. He has been dead four days, and we all know it is too late. Are You sure?”
Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
So they took away the stone.
A stillness followed that would not be broken by anything other than a movement from God. Everyone is quiet. Everyone is watching. Everyone is looking at Jesus, and Jesus is looking to His Father. His prayer is simple, His plea direct, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I know that You always hear Me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent Me.”
Then Jesus speaks, “Lazarus, come forth.” And he does.
God, the great I Am, is here. He has the power over life and death. He is the Resurrection and the Life. He is Lord of life and Lord of death. And you can trust Him in both.
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Roland Brown is pastor of Golden Springs Baptist Church, Anniston. He is a graduate of Jacksonville State University, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He and his wife, Tracy, have two children.
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