00:00The Raising of Lazarus. My dear friends, today I want to take you on a journey through one of
00:04the most powerful and moving accounts recorded in the Bible, the Raising of Lazarus. This event is
00:10not just a story of sorrow turned into joy, but also a clear demonstration of Jehovah God's love,
00:15his power over life and death, and the promises that give us hope even today.
00:20When we open John chapter 11, we step into the little village of Bethany.
00:24It's a place filled with grief. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, has died. His sisters,
00:30Mary and Martha, are heartbroken. They had sent word to Jesus days earlier, asking him to come
00:35because their brother was gravely ill. But Jesus did not arrive immediately. By the time he came
00:41to Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. From the very start, this account
00:46teaches us something deep. Jehovah's timing is not always our timing. Mary and Martha must have felt
00:52confusion, even disappointment. They believed Jesus could heal their brother, yet he delayed.
00:58Why? Was it because he didn't care? No, Jesus deeply loved this family. But Jehovah had a greater
01:04purpose, to reveal something more glorious than a healing. He would demonstrate his power over
01:09death itself. Martha was the first to speak with Jesus when he arrived. With tears in her eyes,
01:14she said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Her words capture the pain of so
01:20many of us who have prayed desperately and felt as though the answer came too late. But listen
01:25carefully to what Jesus told her, your brother will rise. At first, Martha thought he was referring
01:31to the future resurrection, that great hope promised by Jehovah when he will raise the dead at the last
01:36day. And truly, that is a hope Christians hold dear. But Jesus clarified, I am the resurrection and the
01:43life. Whoever exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life. What an extraordinary
01:49statement. Jesus was pointing to his God-given authority from Jehovah. He wasn't just promising
01:54that resurrection would happen one day in the distant future. He was declaring that resurrection
01:59power was standing right there, embodied in him. And then, in one of the most emotional moments of the
02:05Gospels, we read that Jesus himself wept. Think about that. The Son of God, who knew he was about to
02:11bring Lazarus back, still shed tears at the pain of death. Why? Because death is an enemy. It tears apart
02:17families. It brings anguish. And it was never Jehovah's purpose for humans to die. Those tears
02:23of Jesus reflected Jehovah's own view, a deep hatred of death and a yearning to undo its effects.
02:29Then came the command, Lazarus, come out. And Lazarus walked out of the tomb, alive again,
02:34still wrapped in burial cloths. Imagine the gasp of the crowd. Imagine the joy of Mary and Martha
02:40embracing their brother once more. It was a preview of what Jehovah has promised for all faithful ones in
02:46the future. A time when the dead will hear his voice and come out. So, what can Christians learn
02:51from this powerful account? First, we learn about faith in Jehovah's timing. Mary and Martha struggle
02:57to understand why Jesus delayed, but the delay was not neglect. It was purposeful. In our own lives,
03:03we may cry out in prayer and feel that the answer doesn't come when we expect. But Jehovah sees beyond
03:09the moment. He knows when the time is right to act, and his provision is always perfect.
03:13Second, we learn about the depth of Jehovah's compassion. Jesus' tears remind us that Jehovah
03:19is not distant from our pain. He sees our grief when we lose loved ones. He feels the sting of
03:25death just as we do. And through Jesus, he gives us the assurance that death will not have the last
03:30word. Third, this account gives us a living proof of Jehovah's promises. When Jesus resurrected Lazarus,
03:37it was not an isolated miracle. It was a sign of the greater resurrection to come. The Bible assures
03:42us in Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 that Jehovah will wipe out every tear from our eyes, and death
03:48will be no more. What he demonstrated in Bethany was a small glimpse of what will one day be worldwide.
03:54But let's reflect more deeply. When Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life,
03:59he pointed to the hope Christians cherish, eternal life through faith in him. This is not just survival.
04:04It is true life, life in abundance, life as Jehovah intended from the very beginning,
04:10free from suffering, free from sin, free from death. Think also about the reaction of the people.
04:16Some believed in Jesus after witnessing this miracle. Others, sadly, became hardened and even
04:21plotted his death. That shows us something. Jehovah's provisions require faith. A miracle may be performed
04:27before our very eyes, but without a humble, believing heart, a person may still reject it.
04:32Christians today are reminded to cultivate faith, to see Jehovah's hand even when others cannot.
04:38And what about Lazarus himself? The Bible does not tell us what he experienced while dead,
04:43but when he came back, he was silent about any memory. That reminds us that death is like a deep
04:48sleep, exactly as Jesus described it earlier in the account. Lazarus wasn't in pain, he wasn't suffering.
04:55He simply slept in death until Jehovah, through Jesus, called him back.
04:58What peace that gives us when we lose someone dear, they are not tormented, they are simply
05:04sleeping, awaiting Jehovah's call. Now, let's turn to Jehovah's promises. Through the resurrection
05:10of Lazarus, Jehovah gives us assurance that he has both the power and the desire to undo death.
05:16Jesus said in John chapter 5 verses 28, 29, The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial
05:22tombs will hear his voice and come out. That is Jehovah's promise, and he cannot lie.
05:27Imagine the day when cemeteries are empty, when families are reunited, when joy replaces
05:32mourning. But the promise goes further. Jehovah not only assures resurrection, but also a world
05:38where death will be permanently destroyed. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 26 calls death,
05:44the last enemy. And Jehovah, through his kingdom, will put an end to it forever. That means no more
05:50funerals, no more goodbyes, no more standing at a graveside with tears. Instead, endless life in a
05:56paradise earth. So how does this account shape the way Christians live now? It teaches us to hold
06:01fast to faith even when we don't understand Jehovah's timing. It teaches us to trust his
06:06promises, knowing that he has already given us proof by resurrecting Lazarus and, more importantly,
06:12by resurrecting his own son, Jesus Christ. And it teaches us to comfort others with the same
06:17comfort we receive, the assurance that Jehovah's purpose is life, not death. When we face trials,
06:23when we experience loss, we can remember Jesus' words, I am the resurrection and the life.
06:28That statement anchors us. It reminds us that life itself flows from Jehovah through his son.
06:34It strengthens us to endure sorrow, because we know joy is coming. And so, as we reflect on
06:39Bethany's miracle, let us take it personally. Mary and Martha's tears are our tears. Their confusion
06:45is our confusion. But their joy, the joy of receiving their brother back, is also a preview of our joy.
06:51Jehovah's promise is sure. Just as Lazarus came out of his tomb, so will millions of others,
06:57in Jehovah's due time. Until that day, Christians walk by faith. We trust Jehovah's timing. We cling
07:04to his promises. We look forward to the resurrection and everlasting life in a world without death.
07:09And we encourage one another with these words, strengthening each other's hope. Because this
07:14is not just an ancient story. This is Jehovah God's guarantee. And if he could bring Lazarus back after
07:20four days, he can certainly bring back our loved ones, and he will. So let us live with confidence,
07:26let us share this hope with others, and let us keep our eyes fixed on Jehovah's provision through
07:30Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life. And so, my friends, as we step back from this
07:36remarkable account of Lazarus, we realize that it is far more than just a story written on the pages of
07:42Scripture. It is a testimony, a living reminder of Jehovah God's love, power, and purpose. This event
07:50was not recorded simply to move our hearts for a moment, but to anchor our faith for a lifetime.
07:55When Mary and Martha wept, Jehovah saw their tears. When the people questioned why Jesus delayed,
08:02Jehovah understood their confusion. And when Jesus himself stood outside that tomb and cried,
08:08it showed us that Jehovah feels every sting of death just as we do. But what followed was not
08:14despair. It was triumph. With a loud command, Jesus said, Lazarus, come out. And Lazarus did. Life
08:23returned. Hope was restored. And the crowd stood in awe. This miracle was more than comfort for one
08:30grieving family. It was a preview of what Jehovah promises for all mankind. Lazarus' resurrection
08:36reminds us that death is not final. That Jehovah has the power and the desire to bring back our loved
08:42ones. And that through his Son, Jesus Christ, life will conquer the grave. Jesus said, I am the
08:50resurrection and the life. Those words are not distant poetry. They are a promise. Just as surely as
08:57Lazarus walked out of his tomb, Jehovah assures us that one day, all who rest in death will hear the
09:03voice of his Son and rise again. That is the hope Christians cling to, a resurrection, not to
09:09sickness or sorrow, but to everlasting life in a world where death will be no more. So as we conclude
09:16this account, let us not leave it behind as something that happened only in Bethany long ago.
09:22Let us carry it into our own lives. Let us remember that Jehovah's timing is always perfect,
09:27that his compassion never fails, and that his promises are certain. When grief weighs on us,
09:34we can recall the tears of Jesus and know that Jehovah understands. When doubt creeps in,
09:39we can look to Lazarus stepping out of that tomb and be reminded that Jehovah's word always comes true.
09:45The raising of Lazarus is not only a moment in history. It is a glimpse of the future Jehovah has
09:51prepared for all who put faith in him. May we live each day with that hope in our hearts,
09:56encourage others with it, and never lose sight of the promise that life, not death, will have the final word.
Comments