"Victory Over Death"

In John 11, we have the vivid reality of the greatness of our Lord. When Jesus heard the news that Lazarus is sick and the love Jesus had for Lazarus and his two sisters, it makes us wonder why He deliberately delayed in going (v.4-6). I realize we have the insight to His purpose but if we know of a dear loved one sick, we would do all we could to get to them. It made his two sisters wonder why He delayed (v. 21,32). Jesus speaks and even said He was glad He was not there while His friend was dying (v.15). In all this, Jesus was knew this whole incident would end up well and to the glory of God. Jesus knew that life would and will always triumph over death! Christ did not step as everyone had expected because Jesus intended it to work for greater blessings and God's glory.

What was really happening? That day when Jesus arrived, the sisters crying, the friends weeping, Jesus realized one thing...Lazarus was not the only dead one involved! He was standing in the midst of a huge graveyard. Read it and listen as Jesus revealed who He was yet they could not believe in what He was saying. He assured Martha that Lazarus would rise again. She could only live in the past or the future and did not believe in the present (v.21-27). Mary had the same problem. As the Lord of heaven of earth went to the tomb, looking at all the weeping, He wept (v.35). Not because of passing of Lazarus but because the death of the people around Him and not able to believe in what He was saying. It moved His heart deeply! He ended up telling Martha, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (v.40) Jesus could have raised them all but he choose to only raise Lazarus to God's glory.

What do we learn? We have the promise that death will be destroyed. We are assured that God will completely obliterate death. While Jesus lived in our world, He was trying to get man to see that it will happen. Those who were raised on this earth died again but Jesus was teaching something much greater. Paul reminds us in I Cor. 15:53-58 that death will be swallowed up in victory! What assurance, what blessings we have in Jesus. We read of these things but the REAL victory is headed our way. All the raising people from the dead are not for them but for us that we might believe and rejoice while spreading the gospel of His word. We have a message of hope: victory over death!!