Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead

Date: May. 8, 2024

Passage

John 11:28-44 (ESV)

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 11:36

So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

Jesus arrived 4 days too late. Lazarus was already dead and buried. When Jesus saw Mary and the others weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and wept. Jesus not only empathized with those around him, but he was also sad for the death of someone he loved. He was also sad that the power of death existed in this fallen world. But Jesus came and went to the tomb where Lazarus lay and raised him from the dead.

As Christians, we believe that death is not the end. Still, we cannot but feel sad, a sense of loss, and maybe even guilt. We pray hard that God will heal and strengthen our weak and failing bodies. When a loved one dies, we wonder why God wasn’t there or didn’t hear our pleas for help. Did we not have enough faith, or was God punishing us for that thing we did a while back?

Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you will see the glory of God?” While Jesus doesn’t ignore the reality of death, he demonstrates that there is resurrection and life after death. God’s love still reigns over us. If we believe, we can experience the power of resurrection and victory over the power of death. Love overcomes death.

Prayer: Lord, we experience death, regret, and guilt. Pour out your love and mercy and give us new life.

One Word: See how he loves you!

David Defeats the Philistines

2 Samuel 5:17-25

Key Verse: 5:19

And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

Today's Question

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