Remove the Stone!

Do you know anyone named Lazarus?

I certainly don't. I couldn't even find anyone in the Twin Cities on Facebook named Lazarus. There are many names in the Bible that people still use today - consider even Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha. Why is nobody named Lazarus? The dude was raised from the dead! Isn't it kind of a cool name?

(SIDE NOTE: There is a guy on Facebook named Barry Lazarus, which sounds like the name of an awesome alto-sax jazz musician from the 60s)

We are all familiar with the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead by calling him out of the tomb. I was reading the story again today in John 11. What struck me most of all today, is that when Jesus found out that Lazarus was dead, he waited two days to go heal him! All in all, by the time Jesus got to the tomb, Lazarus had been inside for four days! (John 11:

[5] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [6] So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. (John 11:5-6 ESV)

Jesus waited two days longer to go heal Lazarus because he loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus? That doesn't make any sense! What is Jesus' reasoning for waiting to go to the tomb and raise Lazarus from the dead. We gain some insight from verses 4 and 15:

[4] But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4 ESV)

[15] and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” (John 11:15 ESV)

Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Therefore, he waited so that he would be glorified. In raising Lazarus from the tomb, Jesus would be glorified as the Son of God. He would be glorified so that the witnesses would believe.

Jesus waited to heal Lazarus so that the people would see that he had received authority and power from God. Jesus waited to heal Lazarus so that people would believe he is the Christ. Those four days of Lazarus being in the tomb must have seemed like an eternity to those who loved him! And yet Jesus knew best, Jesus knew to wait to work his miracle, so that those who saw would believe and give glory to God.

In those days that Jesus waited to heal Lazarus, it probably seemed like Jesus didn't care at all! Martha even says to Jesus, "If you would have been here, my brother would not have died." (v. 21) But Martha learns more about God through those difficult days of waiting for the Lord. Immediately she says, "But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." (v. 22) We see that her waiting grew her faith and trust in the Lord! Martha was not discouraged by the time period of waiting on the Lord, but encouraged by God's goodness!

Sometimes in our lives when we are struggling with a health issue, or having financial difficulty, or experiencing deep suffering or anguish, it seems like God isn't present. We are praying and praying and crying out to the Lord for the answer. Our problem seems like a giant obstacle in our path! We grow weary of waiting!

Do we trust that God knows best in those times?

What results from Martha's waiting, as well as our own, is that we learn to trust God. We learn of His goodness and wisdom. Our faith is strengthened, because we learn more deeply that God truly knows best. We learn to rely more on Jesus in those difficult times, and we learn more to trust in his life-giving power.

[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” [27] She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11:17-27 ESV)

But consider even further how Jesus loves us in those difficult times.

[32] Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. [34] And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” [35] Jesus wept. [36] So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:32-36 ESV)

Mary cries out in anguish to the Lord, falling at his feet. "If you had only been here!" Jesus sees her and those who loved Lazarus weeping, and he is deeply moved and greatly troubled. When he sees the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus himself weeps!

Jesus knew that Lazarus was to be raised! He knew the future to come! And yet in his great compassion and love, Jesus himself weeps for the pain of Mary and Martha. Jesus himself weeps over Lazarus' tomb!

This is our amazing Savior and King, the Lord Jesus Christ! Even in our times of anguish and pain, where it seems like Jesus is anywhere but near, he is with us. He is compassionate and loving! He does not leave us or forsake us, but he hears our cries. Truly Jesus is worthy of worship and praise! What kind of love is this, to do what is best for us always, and to feel our pain alongside us!

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)

Our pain and suffering help us to grow in faith and trust. Our pain and suffering help us to glorify God, to see the surpassing and infinite worth of the Lord Jesus Christ! Praise God that our suffering has purpose and meaning! Praise God for the way He loves us!

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, always knows best. Do we trust this?

No matter what we are going through, no matter how difficult or frustrating or seemingly hopeless, God is using it for our good and His glory! Consider what the Apostle Paul learns when he is crying out to God from a place of suffering and anguish:

But he [God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV)

Consider the cross. Most movies have an "all is lost moment." There is a point in most movies where it seems like all is hopeless, like there is no way that things are going to work out! The days after Jesus is crucified, his disciples are feeling like all is lost. There is no hope for them, Jesus was their hope and now he is dead, and they don't know what to do. When all was hopeless, God knew best. Jesus was raised from the dead! The sadness of the disciples turned to giddiness and joy because their Lord had risen indeed! The ugliness of the cross now produces hope for all, that salvation comes from Jesus Christ!

Believing in Jesus Christ means trusting in the power of God. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. 

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” (John 11:38-43 ESV)

In our lives we must come to trust that God's grace is sufficient. Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. Even in the most hopeless and ugly of situations, we know that God's glory will shine through! Whether or not our suffering ceases, we know that because of the finished work on the cross, Jesus will one day remove the stone! We will be with him, raised from the dead, to sing his praises in ever-increasing eternal joy!

Do you believe this?