John 11 (NLT)
40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
What really strikes me as authentic about this incident are a few things:
There is no flashy show when Jesus is about to perform what may be called perhaps the greatest single miracle He ever performs before witnesses! I really don't know what would top that, except His own Resurrection!
Jesus says a simple, powerful prayer and states exactly why He is saying what He is sayings. Then, without any show or hype, He just simple calls Lazarus from the grave as He said He would do :
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”
The voice of Jesus will raise all of the dead one day, but to the Resurrection - not simply the raising of a corruptible bod, but as 1 Corinthians 15 says:
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
In our reading later in John 12 we will see something totally logical if Lazarus was truly raised from the dead... the religious authorities have just plotted to kill Jesus after this incident and later we find:
The Plot to Kill Lazarus
9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus [4] was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
The Bible presents this in a very straightforward, logical manner, without any glowing freaky show like in the movies...
This most powerful incident is a crescendo to the past miracles of the wine, healing the boy, healing the lame man and the blind man... yet it is almost downplayed!
Very wise to just let it speak for itself
The Bible is an amazing and beautiful thing! Thank you Lord for Your precious written Word!
Peace
Jeff
