Living Words
"Living Words" is a weekly podcast that explores the transformative power of scripture across a diverse range of Biblical books, guided by insightful devotionals from the author's own works. Each episode seeks to deepen faith and understanding, connecting listeners with the enduring wisdom and relevance of the Bible in their daily lives.
Living Words
In His Footsteps Week 11: Raising Lazarus from the Dead
Welcome to the Living Words Podcast with your host, Charles Vance. This week marks the 11th installment of our series "In His Footsteps," focusing on the profound story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, as told in John 11:1-44.
Charles begins by reading the text, setting the scene in Bethany where Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, has died. Despite the urgency of the situation, Jesus delays his visit, emphasizing that this event will glorify God. When Jesus finally arrives, he encounters the sisters' grief and faith, leading to one of the most powerful declarations in the Bible: "I am the resurrection and the life."
In a moving moment, Jesus weeps with the mourners, showing his deep compassion. He then performs the miracle, calling Lazarus out of the tomb, which showcases his divine authority over life and death. This miracle not only strengthens the faith of many but also sets the stage for the growing opposition against Jesus, leading to the events of his own crucifixion and resurrection.
Charles reflects on the theological implications, highlighting Jesus' power over death, his empathetic nature, and the promise of eternal life. He discusses the importance of trusting God's timing, even when it doesn't align with our expectations, and the transformative power of faith in Jesus.
The episode concludes with prayers for hope, trust, and experiencing Jesus' transformative power, encouraging listeners to deepen their relationship with God and live out their faith boldly. Charles invites listeners to reflect on their understanding of Jesus as the resurrection and life, and how this shapes their trust in God's plan, especially in times of grief and waiting.
Join Charles next week as he continues to explore the impactful stories from the Book of John, providing spiritual insights and encouragement for your faith journey.
Get a copy of the In His Footsteps devotional here.
Good morning, shabbat Shalom. It's the 11th week. We're now moving on to Raising Lazarus from the Dead. I'm your host, charles Vance, and this is Living Words Podcast. Right now we're doing a series In His Footsteps from the Book of John. Again, we're in week 11, raising Lazarus from the Dead, and the text this week is going to be John 11, 1 through 144. And I just want to thank you for joining me. I appreciate it and hopefully this is going to be a blessing to your heart. The book can be found on Amazon. I'm going to put a link in the show notes for those of you that would like to have the devotional book to follow along in, and for those of you who don't, that's fine, no problem. Okay, we're going to begin by reading the text John 11, 1 through 44 from the King James.
Speaker 1:Now, a certain man was sick, lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary, and her sister, martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother, lazarus, was sick. Therefore, the sisters sent to him saying Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick. And when Jesus heard that, he said Now, jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was. And then, after this, he said to the disciples Let us go to Judea again. The disciples said to him Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone you. And are you going there again? 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, but if one walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him. These things, he said because the light is not in him. These things he said. And after he had said them, he said to them our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up. And then his disciples said Lord, if he sleeps, he's getting well. However, jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly Lazarus is dead and I'm glad for your sakes that I was not there. That you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him. And then Thomas, who is called the twin, said to his fellow disciples let us also go, that we may die with him. It was I think it was probably more like great. Let's all go die then More that's doubting Thomas. So when Jesus came, he found that he had already been in the tomb four days Now.
Speaker 1:Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away, and many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him. But Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, god will give you. And Jesus said to her your brother will rise again. Martha said to him I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. And Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? And she said to him yes, lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who is to, who come into the world. And when he, when she had said these things, she went away and secretly called Mary, her sister, saying the teacher has come and is calling for you. As soon as she heard that, she rose quickly and came to him.
Speaker 1:Now, jesus had not yet come into the town but was in the place where Martha met him, then the Jews who were with her in the house and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying she is going to the tomb to weep there. And then, when Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet saying to him Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her weeping, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled and he said when have you laid him? And they said to him Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. And then the Jews said See how he loved him. And some of them said Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying? And then Jesus, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave and a stone lay against it and Jesus said Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. And Jesus said to her Did not? I say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God. And that they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said Father, I thank you that you have heard me and I know that you always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by, I said this that they may believe that you sent me. And now, when he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice Lazarus, come forth. And he who had died came out, bound, hand and foot, with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. And Jesus said to them loose him and let him go. Father, thank you for this word, thank you that you raised Lazarus from the dead for your glory. Thank you that when we come up from the grave and our grave clothes, that you say set us free.
Speaker 1:John 1, 11, 1-44 tells the profound story of the raising of Lazarus, one of Jesus' most dramatic and significant miracles. This narrative is rich with themes of faith, the revelation of Jesus' divine authority, the nature of life and death and the promise of resurrection. It's a pivotal moment in the Gospel of John, showcasing the power of Jesus over death and offering deep theological insight into his identity and mission. So, for context and overview, jesus has received the word that Lazarus, his friend in Bethany, is ill. Despite the urgency, he delays the return, saying this illness does not lead to death. It's for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.
Speaker 1:When Jesus arrived in Bethany, lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. He encountered Martha, mary, the sisters of Lazarus, who expressed a mixture of grief, faith and frustration. Martha affirmed her belief in the power of Jesus and the resurrection of the last day. Jesus responds with one of the most powerful declarations of his identity I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die yet, shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Jesus then asks Martha if she believes this, to which she professes her faith in him as the Christ. At the tomb, jesus displays deep emotion, weeping for Lazarus, which prompts a mixed reaction from the onlookers. He orders the stone rolled away and prays to the Father, thanking Him for hearing him highlighting the close relationship between the Father and the Son. Jesus then calls Lazarus out of the tomb, demonstrating His authority over death. This miracle leads many to believe in Him, although it also precipitates the plot to kill him, marking a turning point in his ministry.
Speaker 1:The theological significance is that Jesus is the resurrection and life. His declaration to Martha goes beyond promising an abstract future resurrection. He embodies that promise here and now. This statement reveals his authority over life and death and His role as a source of eternal life. It is faith in the face of death. The interactions with Martha and Mary highlight themes of faith and doubt. Their dialogue with Jesus explores the tension between believing in His power and grappling with grief and loss, offering a poignant look at the nature of faith. The glory of God revealed. The raising of Lazarus serves to reveal the glory of God and to glorify the Son. It's a manifestation of his divine identity and his intimate obedience to the Father's will, intended to lead observers to faith. The humanity and divinity of Jesus. Jesus. His emotional reaction at the tomb shows his genuine empathy and compassion, while his command to raise Lazarus underscores his divine authority. That duality is central to understanding his character and mission Life, death and resurrection. The miracle prefigures Jesus' own death and resurrection, offering a foretaste of the hope and victory to come. It challenges understandings of life and death, pointing to Jesus as the conqueror of death and the giver of eternal life.
Speaker 1:And before I move on to the lessons from this week, I wanted to talk a little bit about my own thoughts on why Jesus wept. Everybody's probably talked about it. There's probably a million theories why Jesus wept. Why would he weep? He knew he was going to be with Lazarus soon. He was fixing to experience his own death. He's God. Why is he weeping for Lazarus? Obviously the grief, the compassion, you know, just for the grief of Mary and Martha and her and others. But I think there's another story there. There's a deeper reason why he wept and it's this when he arose, they arose. So he marked the graves of the firstfruits at his resurrection. And the firstfruits are those saints that are offered before the Father as a firstfruit offering. And I think that Jesus, yeshua, he wanted Lazarus to be in that firstfruit group, but by being raised from the dead, he would no longer be dead and therefore would not rise when he rose. He wanted Lazarus to raise with him when he rose from the dead. That's my own theory on why Jesus wept, it wasn't for the fact that Lazarus was dead. It was the fact that Lazarus was going to miss out on being raised with Jesus.
Speaker 1:Here's some lessons the sovereignty of Jesus over life and death, and His identity is the resurrection and the life. The power of Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead not only demonstrates His sovereignty over life and death, but also affirms His identity as the resurrection and the life. This reveals that Jesus holds authority over our ultimate destiny and assures us of the promise of eternal life for those who believe in Him. It is the reality of his compassion. The weeping at the tomb of Lazarus illustrates deep compassion and empathy for human suffering. It underscores the comforting truth that we worship a God who not only understands our sorrows but shares in them. He provides reassurance of his nearness in our times of grief. It is the power of belief in the role of testimony. It is the power of belief in the role of testimony. The events surrounding the resurrection of Lazarus highlight the transformative power of belief in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances and the importance of testimony in sharing the gospel. Martha and Mary's faith, along with the subsequent belief of many who witnessed the miracle, underscores that faith in Jesus can move mountains and that sharing our experiences of his work can lead others to faith.
Speaker 1:Here are some questions for reflection and discussion. Reflect on the statement I am the resurrection and the life. How does this shape your understanding of his power and the promise of eternal life? I am the resurrection and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. Who's going to raise you up at the last day when you're dead? It's Jesus. He is the resurrection. He will raise you from the dead on the last day.
Speaker 1:How does the timing of his actions in the story challenge or reinforce your trust in his timing and purpose, especially during times of suffering and waiting? You know there is something. You see, he didn't go right away. He waited for two days and you know they were all upset about that. Martha and Mary both said hey, if you, if you had been here, he would not have died. So what that means is he doesn't. It's his time. So what that means is it's his time. He acts in his time, not our time, but that shouldn't be a point of grief or sorrow, that he is waiting, tarrying, longer than we think he should, but that we should trust in him because he always will come forward and fulfill his promises. So, in what ways does the compassion of Jesus, in this narrative comfort, encourage you in your own experiences of grief or loss? Well, you know, we have a friend closer than a brother, the spirit of God within us, witnesses of the presence of Yeshua Jesus. Witnesses of the presence of Yeshua Jesus. It's not just an abstraction, it's not just a thought or a thing that cannot be attained. It is the power and presence of the Master in our heart, intimately connected with us in our innermost being.
Speaker 1:Martha's confession of faith before Lazarus is raised is a pivotal moment. What does that say for you? What does that say to you? She confessed Do you believe this? He asked her. When he told her he was the resurrection and the life. Do you believe me? Yes, I believe you. I believe that you will raise the dead. That should be our confession. If Jesus asks you, do you believe me? You can say yes, I believe that you will raise the dead. That should be our confession. If Jesus asks you, do you believe me? You can say yes, I believe you.
Speaker 1:And finally, moving on to prayers, here's a prayer for hope in difficult times Lord Jesus, resurrection and life. In times of loss and despair, we cling to you, the source of eternal hope. Remind us that the grave is not the end and in your presence there is life everlasting. Comfort those among us who grieve, enveloping them in your love and the promise of resurrection. Help us to see beyond our current struggles, trusting in your victory over death, which assures us of a future filled with joy and peace in your kingdom.
Speaker 1:Amen and a prayer for trust in God's perfect timing.
Speaker 1:Heavenly Father, in moments of impatience and uncertainty, grant us the grace to trust in your divine timing.
Speaker 1:Teach us to understand that your ways are higher than ours and that your timing is always aimed at revealing your glory when we are tempted to doubt or fear because of delays.
Speaker 1:In unanswered prayer and now, a prayer for experiencing the transformative power of Jesus. Holy Spirit, open our hearts to the transformative power of Jesus, who conquered the grave and promises us life in abundance. Help us to embody the truth that in Jesus we have overcome death and have been given the gift of eternal life. May this assurance change us from the inside out, enabling us to live with courage, joy and peace that transcends understanding. Empower us to be witnesses of his resurrection power, sharing that hope we have with a world in need of your light. Amen, and I hope this brief devotion has been a blessing to you. I encourage you to read the word, ponder it, think about it, reflect on it, develop that deeper relationship that your soul desires and your spirit needs, and what you focus on will grow. And may you grow in grace and strength this week, and I pray that in the name of Yeshua, amen.
