"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life, he who bes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
Of the twelve disciples, John is known as the beloved disciple. He gave himself this name "The disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 20:2) to indicate his close relationship with the Lord. When you read his gospel, you grasp how much John loved Jesus. That tells me that there was no way that John could have lied about the raising of Lazarus.
Why did he tell his readers about it? It was not just because it was one of the most powerful miracles Jesus performed. No, there was a greater purpose in his revelation of this miracle. John wanted his readers to believe that Jesus was the Son of God, "and that in believing, we could find life in His name. (John 20:30-31)
Jesus told Martha, that He was..."the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (And the question that Jesus asked Martha, He asks us today) "Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
Here are some things I believe! Yes, Jesus loved John, just as He loved the world. He allowed Lazarus to die so that He could raise Him up. Was this an event just for Lazarus's family to see? Or just for those who were present at the time this miracle happened? No, this was for the world to see.
John came to understand what Jesus' purpose was. He came to save the world, and to demonstrate through resurrection power that we can have eternal hope in Him. What do we have to do to have this hope? We are to do as Martha was asked to do. BELIEVE! Will you believe on the name of Jesus Christ today, and obtain the hope of eternal life?
This is the Lazarus Lesson! Just as Lazarus was raised back to life, and just as Jesus arose from the grave on the third day; we will rise as well, to live eternally with our heavenly Father. Jesus is more than just a man, He is the Son of God! And believing in Him, we can have this precious hope! GP
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