March 2
JOHN 11
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.” – John 11:38-44
JOHN 11 RAISING THE DEAD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Before the Son of God came and became human
We were all dead in our sins and we were in bondage
If you believe in Christ, you will be raised from the dead
He will resurrect your spirit and you’ll be cleansed from sin
Jesus Christ is the light that leads mankind from darkness
Without him, we will not be free from God’s wrath and anger.
This is the greatest miracle Jesus performed while he was on earth. It is a foreshadowing of his coming victory over death. Notice how he wept before he raised Lazarus in verse 35 when he was deeply moved by Mary’s weeping and also the other Jews. The death of a loved one is one of the most painful events one can ever experience. He loved Lazarus so much and our Lord also experienced the pain of losing a loved one. There were a lot of people in Bethany who witnessed this miracle. They were all mourning for Lazarus’ death. This was the best time to raise Lazarus from the dead. He was already dead for four days and it would make people experience the power of God. This miracle was done so that many would believe and it would also predict Jesus’ coming death. This miracle will also anger the Jewish leaders and instigate their plot to kill him. This was the prelude to his arrest and death on the cross which will lead to his victory over death.
REFLECTION
• What has Jesus raised you from when you became a believer?
