THE LORD SHOWS HIS POWER OVER DEATH AND THE GRAVE

Proclamation:

“… Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You heard Me … for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent Me.’  When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’  The dead man came out, his hands and feet were wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.  Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’”  John 11:41-44 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here, John recorded the events around the seventh public miracle which Jesus, The Christ, performed, the raising of Lazarus from the dead.  Jesus got word that His good friend Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, was sick. (John 11:1-5)  However, Jesus did not go immediately to see about him.  He waited two days before beginning the journey back to Judea. (John 11:6-7)  When Jesus arrived there, He found that Lazarus had already been dead for four days. (John 11:17)  Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)  Jesus told her that her brother would rise again, and she said that he would rise again in the resurrection.  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:23-25)  After that they took Jesus to the place where Lazarus was buried.  He told them to take away the stone which sealed the entrance, and then He prayed. (John 11:41-42)  Then He called Lazarus from the grave and he came out.  After this, the Pharisees again plotted to kill Him. (John 11:47-50)

Application:

The miracles which Jesus, The Christ, performed caused some people to believe that He was The Son of God, but they caused some people to hate Him even more. (John 11:43-50)  The same is true today, some people who hear and learn about Jesus believe and love Him, while others refused to believe and deny or hate Him.  Once we have heard The Word of God, each of us must choose for ourselves where we stand with respect to belief in Jesus, The Christ.