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Day 20 John 11 John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou love is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that said he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and go thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that he said unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus said unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believe thou this? 27 She said unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calls for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goes unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him, Lord, by this time he stinks: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus said unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou would believe, thou should see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. When do you believe what you hear and see? When does doubt flee? They say seeing is believing, and people want proof they can see, taste, touch, smell, and hear. People don’t want to believe what people tell them, but want to see the proof with their eyes. Lazarus was dead. When Jesus arrived in Bethany, a distance of two miles from where he was when someone told him about Lazarus, Martha came to him and accused him of not being there to prevent his death. Jesus told her he was the resurrection and the life and asked Martha if she believed him. Martha told him she did, and told him what she believed – her brother would rise on Judgment Day. As Christians, it is easy for you to believe what you read because you know the end of the story. You know Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. However, how many of you doubt, need proof, need to see with your eyes, what Jesus told you through his Word? We make many declarations as Martha did. We need to see Jesus work in our lives as he did with Lazarus. We need to see the numbers change in our favor on the medical reports. We need to hear good reports from those we love. We are doubters just as Martha was. We declare with our lips, but our heart and head are not in tune with what we say. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What he said, he will do. When Jesus saw Martha’s and Mary’s lack of faith, he groaned because of their lack of understanding. He wept for Lazarus as much as he wept for Martha and Mary and the people with them for their lack of faith. Do you need your hopes raised? Do you need to see your circumstances change? What will it take to raise what you know and understand from the dust of death to life? Let Jesus roll the stone away from your heart and fill you with understanding as he pours his love in you and raises you from the ash heap of doubt and despair and gives you renewed life, life that will never doubt again. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for showing me my doubt and fear. Help me trust and believe you will raise what is dead in me to life so I might be a better witness for you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 21 December 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay