John 11

Jesus’ miracles are messages of grace. When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, what is message? That Jesus is the answer to death.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live (John 11:25). 

New Life in Christ

Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14).

No matter how many things might have been right about Lazarus, there was one thing very wrong: he was dead. If you don’t know the Lord Jesus—if you are dead in sin—what do all your wonderful things matter?

And there are other people that we call dead, who are not dead at all. Their bodies may have ceased to function. But Jesus said, “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43).

So how do you raise a dead man spiritually? The same way Jesus did: by His Word.

Liberty in Christ

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44).

Lazarus has life at this point, but he doesn’t have liberty. He cannot walk, speak, or see. The stench of death is still on him—those grave clothes are relics of his old life. Our Lord says, “Take that off of him.”

That is the reason we need the Church. The ministry of the Church is 1) to call forth the dead, and 2) to unwrap the saints—to give them liberty.

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Love for Jesus

…Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and…Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him (John 12:1b-2).

No more grave clothes. Lazarus was face to face with Jesus.

Wouldn’t you love to have fellowship with Jesus? You can. That is what we have every time we come to the Lord’s Table—a meal with Jesus Christ.

Salvation is not a penalty you pay in order to get to Heaven. You should want to be a Christian even if there were no Heaven—just to know Jesus in this life, to be loved by Jesus and love Him back.

Loyalty to Jesus

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead (John 12:9).

Lazarus is a testimony for Jesus, at this point, dangerous to Satan’s kingdom.

But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus (John 12:10-11).

The Pharisees were saying, “We’ve got to do something about Lazarus. Shut him up. Kill him.”

Talk about a joke! Do you think death held any more terror for Lazarus? Satan is the minister of fear, and he keeps people in bondage through the fear of death. (See Hebrews 2:15.)

Lazarus is no longer afraid of death. He knows now that he has the Lord of Life. They may destroy his body, but all they will do is hasten him on to Heaven.

When we are no longer afraid to die, then we live as this man Lazarus lived—because of Christ our hope in life and death.


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