John- The Ultimate Sign
Orient John 11:1-57
Today’s narrative highlights Jesus healing of a dear friend, not a stranger. What makes this story unique is that Jesus intentionally allows His friend Lazarus to die so He could show His resurrection power. Previous in John, Jesus has stated that some suffering is allowed to glorify God, which seems to be the case here. Themes from chapter nine emerge again using day as a symbol of the opportunity to do the work of God and the looming threat of death as Jesus returns to Jerusalem. Highlighted in this section is the emotion and intention of God regarding His intervention in the events in our lives as well as the response of the people we see to this great miracle of resurrection. At the end, we read about a prophecy from the high priest regarding the sufficiency of the pending sacrifice of Jesus for His people. This chapter ends the first major section of John, where signs are used to validate the claims of Jesus.
Introduction
What would it take for you to believe that Jesus is God? It’s something all people must personally answer at some point. Most people may say that to believe a human man’s claim to be God He would have to raise from the dead. Thomas asked for this proof in John chapter 20 and Jesus gladly offered it. Sharing the historical evidence of the resurrection is not something I can cover in this post (though a plethora of evidence does exist, please comment below for recommended resources). Instead, the thing I’d like us to focus on is that through the book of John, today’s miracle answers the greatest sceptic’s question. Jesus is God because He is the resurrection and the life. He has the power and victory over death and can do things only a divine being can do. In the same way He raises Lazarus from the dead, He can raise us if we believe He is who He says.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, we do not stumble because we see You, the Light of the world. Though we may suffer, all things in our life lead to Your Glory and our allowed to grow our faith in You as our Savior, the One who calls us from death to life. You are the Resurrection and the Life. Through this meditation of your word today, grow my faith so like Martha I can proclaim “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ the Son of God who is coming [again] into the world.” Use this time to prepare me for Your return. May the life you have given me renew and recharge as I read about Your great power and care of my life. Amen
Meditation
Read and reread the following passage, taking God’s word in deeply. As you do be sensitive to a phrase or verse the Holy Spirit emphasizes to you personally.
11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
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.”
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
Paraphrase
Rewrite the phrase or verse that the Holy Spirit highlighted during meditation. What is your take away?
Reflect
1. In verse 3, the sisters appeal to the love of Jesus for them when they ask for help. How often do you think of God’s love when you pray? Would it change how you pray to consider this?
2. Jesus allowed the death of Lazarus to show He was the resurrection and allowed suffering because of His love for all people, not just His friend—that many would come to believe in Him. Do you believe God is still good when you sense a delay in His help? 2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance.” God seems to take the long view that the ultimate good is salvation and joy for all eternity, not earthy comfort which is only temporary.
3. Something that strikes me in this passage is that Jesus never asks us to do something He hasn’t suffered. He as our High Priest made the ultimate sacrifice and can sympathize with every trial[1]. How can remembering that help you when you are suffering?
4. Thomas, who later doubts Jesus was even resurrected, says that He is willing to die for Jesus if they return to Jerusalem. Sometimes as disciples, we make sweeping statements that we intend to uphold but don’t. Yet later on in chapter 20 Jesus is gracious to Thomas. He is faithful when we are faithless[2]. When have you overcommitted to Jesus and He forgave you when you didn’t live up to your intention?
5. Jesus knew the outcome of the death of Lazarus days before yet is still moved by the pain of His people. When you think over your life, what pain of yours has moved Jesus. Reflecting on the empathy of Jesus can personalize this story for you.
6. Jesus makes his relationship with the Father plain as He prays in verse 42 for the benefit of others. How can you do the same?
Closing Prayer
Jesus, Your love for me is great, which is why I can ask You for help anytime. You want to help me! Let me remember that in my suffering, You care deeply about what I’m going through and if you’ve allowed it, it’s ultimately for my good and Your glory. You never delay but come at the right time. You want everlasting joy for me and the heritage of eternal love, life, and peace awaits me someday. Everything I’ve gone through, You have also suffered so You understand exactly what it’s like. Even in my broken intentions You love me and rescue me. You are moved by my pain and intercede for me. Let me show others our connection so they can have You in their lives and receive the care that You give me.
Continue praying personally to the Lord with what He showed you during mediation and reflection.
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