Lazarus Is Dead

Scripture: John 11:7-14  (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” 8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” (John 11:7–14 NLT)

Two days after getting news of Lazarus’ illness, Jesus said, “Let’s go back to Judea!” “Not a good idea, boss!” his disciples responded. “A few days ago they were trying to kill you (and us) in Jerusalem!” Light and dark, day and night, seeing or stumbling in the dark. Through the eyes of the Spirit (“I do the works I see my Father do”), Jesus saw the Father’s purpose in returning to Bethany to resurrect Lazarus. That purpose was more important than avoiding danger, even though avoiding danger had been the right thing to do a few days earlier. Jesus said, “Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up!” “But wait, boss!!! If he’s sleeping he’ll get better! And going back to Judea right now could be hazardous to your health! And ours!” So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead!”

Here’s an opportunity to think about how limiting it can be to use Bible verses as “proof-texts” and to demand “intellectual certainty” about every spiritual truth and reality. Here Jesus says,“…Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”  Then, when they commented that it would be better for Lazarus’ health (as well as theirs) to let him sleep, Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead!” Yet in Luke’s Gospel, when he speaks to the repentant thief dying with him on the cross, he says, “…I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43 NLT). Trying to know what happens to our souls when we die based on one or the other of these statements of Jesus is not good theological process!

Prayer:

Father, Please help us to learn to see with the eyes of the Spirit so we won’t stumble around in the dark. Help us to evaluate the wisdom of a possible course of action not merely on the basis of risk of danger or probability of success, but on our best perception of your will, your purpose, and what will glorify you most. Amen.