Scripture Reading:

John 11

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1. What are your overall thoughts about the chapter?

2. What part of this chapter did you most resonate with?

3. What is your prayer to God brought on by this chapter?

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Chapter Notables:

1. Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, dies - verses 1-16

2. Jesus comforts the sisters of Lazarus - verses 17-37

3. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead - verses 38-44

4. The Sanhedrin plans to kill Jesus - verses 45-57

Back To Life | Lemuel Ayudtud

Seeing somebody who you love and care for die is probably one of the more difficult things in the world. Among the experiences we can experience in this life, death of a loved one can takes its toll both mentally and physically. Death is so final and crushing that even if we expected the death, the passing still is gripping. (I can only imagine what it does to the loved ones of those who die unexpectedly.)

Life is so short. Even at our strength, 80 years is but a blink of time compared to eternity. When someone who is up in age and sickly passes, our minds can understand it but more often than not our heart’s still struggle.

Death is one of those things where we understand that it’s part of living. It’s not the end of life, it is a part of life. A man born of a woman will face the ups and downs of life and ultimately close out the chapters of his life by his passing. Whether rich or poor, tall or short, black or white or what have you, man or woman, death is fair. Everyone will experience it. Paul writes: “It’s appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment.” Death is an appointment and though we suffer for the loss of life, the potential for deeper connections and relationships, death is in the hands of God. He allows it, He sees it, and is there for the broken hearted. So whether it’s a death of an elderly parent or the untimely passing of a young person, God sees and takes notice.

Did you know that the Bible calls death an enemy? Yes, death is in the plan of God now, but it wasn’t in His will before. Though death has been a part of mankind since almost the beginning, it was not so intended by God when He created Adam and Eve. How, one may ask, is that not part of the will of God? Because God is eternal; He knew no death until Adam sinned. Everything He created was intended to be like Him—eternal.

So death is the enemy of God, why? Because anything that ends or destroys a loved one becomes your enemy. When death entered the world through Adam’s sin, this was something God did not want. Death became the enemy because God wanted us for eternity.

For those of us who may have lost somebody to death, know that God hates death as much if not more than you do. And, we can most likely say, that God knows exactly how we feel when we lose or have lost a loved one. God probably mourned the loss of Adam and the subsequent generational curse that came along with sin which was death for all man kind. For those of us suffering the pain caused by death, be comforted in the knowledge that God was with you when you cried and when your heart was heavy.

We are told in John chapter 11 the story of Lazarus‘s death. Lazarus and his sisters were very dear to Jesus. Mary had been the one who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair. They were supporters and disciples of Jesus. So when Lazarus died because of sickness, Jesus came to their town.

Understandably, when Martha, the other sister of Lazarus, met Jesus on his way to seeing them she told Jesus that He could’ve healed Lazarus if He had been there. We know from the telling of John that Jesus had waited a few more days where He was when He heard Lazarus was sick unto death. (And Jesus finally came when Lazarus was already 4 days in the grave.) why did Jesus wait so long before coming or why did he not come while Lazarus was just sick? Because God had a greater plan. Healing Lazarus was not going to be enough. The declaration of who He was, the Resurrection and Life, was more important.

Martha being told by Jesus that her brother was going to rise again, declare the hope of the resurrection at the end of time, but Jesus had something else in mind. Finding His way to the tomb of Lazarus, the Bible tells us that Jesus wept by the tomb. Those that saw Him there commented that Jesus must’ve loved Lazarus. There’s nothing in the Bible that really tells us why He cried, but most scholars believe it was because of the lack of faith among the people.

But maybe it’s because it reminded Him of the death of Adam. Maybe this is a bit of a reach, but maybe while standing there by the tomb Jesus had a vision of God’s enemy: death. And standing there when He declared to Martha who He was, the resurrection and the life, Jesus was going to give all of us a glimpse of His victory over the enemy of man. The same enemy that ended the life of Adam.

It’s a fact that Christianity pivots its hope on the idea that we will experience a resurrection. That hope is anchored in the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of a resurrection for believers at the end. But the resurrection is not an event, it’s a Person. Jesus is our resurrection. It is the hope of every believer that when we have Jesus in our lives, resurrection is already in us. Death has already met it’s match. When this body decays in death, life will continue on for the believer. Because in him and her lies the resurrection, the power of Jesus over death.

This is the reason why the promise of a resurrection is so powerful. Not just because we will get to see our loved ones, those who have passed on before us, again; but the fact of the matter is, the resurrection is the signal of God’s championship over the enemy called death.

God‘s victory over death signals the final blow against sin. The Bible tells us that when lust is conceived it brings forth sin and when sin is complete it brings for death. So in the resurrection of the believer, God wins over the destroyer of the one He loved: Adam (and his offsprings). And then that final day when the trumpet of the Lord will sound and those that have died and Him will hear it, the power of the resurrected Christ will bring even their/our bodies back to life. And the declaration will resound: Oh, death where is your sting? Oh, grave where is your victory?

Lord, I receive You as my resurrection. In my life I know that even if I do not stand to hear the trumpet sound, dying before that time, You are the resurrection in life. When You are in me the power to rise again unto life is there. Eternal life is in me. The hope for eternity with You is in me, because You dwell in me by Your spirit. Teach me to hope in You. Help me to leave my worries and my burdens down at Your feet. Help me not to fear death. Help me to know and understand that You have championed over death, and I am one of Your victors. In You name Jesus, I pray, amen.