LAZARUS, COME OUT!
Literally, Lazarus, hither out!
The Seventh Miracle in John’s Gospel
The Glory of God
Before part 1 – Verses 1-15.
Jesus finds out Lazarus is sick in Bethany only a few miles from Jerusalem where he lived with his sisters Mary and Martha. Jesus states, 4 This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.
He tells His disciples; 11 Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.
His disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Before part 2 – Verses 17-37.
FIRST: 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
SECOND: 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
And then
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
THIRD: 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Before part 3 – Verses 38-40.
39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
The Glory of God – Verses 41-44.
Jesus prayed and then
43 Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Jesus fought death at Lazarus’ tomb, and plundered the grave. Jesus told death the He would soon completely conquer it. Lazarus was not resurrected but resuscitated. He arose bound in graveclothes; Jesus left His grave-clothes behind in His tomb, never again having need of them.