John 11:38-44 - If you believe

11:38

Jesus was “deeply moved again” and went to the tomb. Now, why is He deeply moved now? He knows the awfulness of the present human condition. Death was never meant to be part of our experience, but because we sinned against God we became subject to death. Death is an awful thing, even when we lose someone who lives to ripe old age there is a deep sorrow at their departing. Jesus understands the awfulness of death, but He also knew that He was going to conquer death, and the raising of Lazarus was a sign of that victory.

11:39,40

Jesus ordered them to take the stone away. The people were appalled at this idea, knowing that the body would have begun to decompose, having been there for four days. Jesus tells Martha not to worry. So we see a perfectly reasonable objection to what Jesus is saying, an objection that is consistent with hundreds of years of experience and all common sense, but it counts for nothing. God is going to do something radically different.

We need to recognise the proper place of common sense in Christianity. Common sense can be an obstacle to faith, an obstacle to obeying Jesus. At the same time we must not go to the other extreme, especially the nuttier the idea the more likely it is to be from God way of thinking. The Bible, especially in Proverbs, is full of Godly common sense.

11:41-44

Martha listened to Jesus and they took away the stone. Jesus then prayed to His Father. He prayed aloud so that everyone would hear and would know that what was about to happen was the result of God’s work. Notice what Jesus is praying. he does not actually pray that the Father will raise Lazarus, instead His prayer is about people recognising who He is. Then Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out. He did this in a loud voice.

Lazarus came out, still bound in his grave clothes. This is sometimes seen as a picture of how someone is saved. We are dead in our sins, unable to respond to God, but God commands us to come to life. In his state of deadness Lazarus would have been unable to do anything, so God must have given life back to him, restarting his heart, blood flow etc.