John 11:1-16

Relax, Read and Reflect
Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.

The Death of Lazarus

¹Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ²This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. ³So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

⁴When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." ⁵Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

⁷Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

⁸"But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"

⁹Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. ¹⁰It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light."

¹¹After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."

¹²His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." ¹³Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

¹⁴So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

¹⁶Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

The family of Lazarus was very close to Jesus and His disciples. When Jesus hears that Lazarus is ill, he lingers for a few days instead of rushing to the sick bed. Of course, the Jews in Judea were still upset with Jesus and may have killed him. His disciples wondered why Jesus would even think of going back.

His answer of the twelve hours of daylight and darkness mean that there are things in this world we can not change. If the Jews want to kill Jesus, they will. But it would be when God willed it- not His enemies. He is also using this as another way to show miracles for his followers and the people of Judea.

Questions:

1. Why did Jesus linger away when he heard his friend Lazarus was ill?

2.Why were the disciples scared if Jesus was not?

3. If Lazarus was dead, why did Thomas say "we will go die with him".

Prayer- Lord, help us remember that things happen on your time table. It is your will that we do here on earth, give us the strength to carry that out. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.