We Go So that You May Believe

Lesson #177

We ended the last lesson with the disciples thinking that Lazarus was alive and having a restful sleep, but, “Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”” (John 11:14-15 ESV). There are some who question the death of Lazarus, but Jesus makes it very clear, “Lazarus has died” and his death was, I am sure, not an easy thing. Do you anticipate your death to be an easy thing, something you think will be a pleasant experience? Lazarus was sick and any sickness that snuffs our life is not something you would call pleasant. If Jesus loved this family so deeply, then why did he allow Lazarus to suffer unto death like this. How is this love to set Lazarus up to suffer and die and cause grief among family and friends?

Jesus also made it clear in his statement to his disciples, that he is glad that he was not there while Lazarus was sick, because if he was he would be expected to heal him. Jesus did not want to heal him, but wanted him dead because he wanted to demonstrate his power in physically raising Lazarus from the dead and use that as an illustration of his ability to raise all believers and provide them with perfect bodies in heaven. Jesus had planned this event to help his disciples, and others, believe. Now that we know that the death of Lazarus was planned for a purpose, we are ready to go visit the family of the deceased and learn from Jesus. But I am not so sure about the disciples: “So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”” (John 11:16 ESV). The disciples had no clue what Jesus was going to do. Their main concern was their safety. Think about their lack of faith. They were with Jesus in the boat in the midst of a mighty storm and witnessed his power in subduing the storm, so why couldn’t they believe he could protect them from an angry mob?

This brings us to the end of the first major section of chapter 11, defined by John 11:1 – 16. We will finish this lesson by starting the next major section of chapter 11, defined by John 11:17 – 27. In this section we find another I AM statement Jesus claims for himself. In John 11:25, Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life,” which is the fifth in a series of seven. For further information on the “I AM” statements of Jesus see Lesson #137.

Prayer

Lord, the thing that stood out in this lesson is how at times you allow us to go through suffering for various reasons. You may want to reveal something about what we are like, about how we are growing or maybe not growing; you may want to reveal to us something about yourself that we need to know; maybe you want to teach us something or grow our faith; maybe it is something else like what Job went through, but whatever it is, it will be for our benefit as we will see in coming lessons when you raise Lazarus from the dead.