SCRIPTURE: John (NIV) 11:11 After 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.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
OBSERVATION: Jesus was glad that Lazarus was dead! Yet only 20 verses later (verse 35) we read that Jesus wept. And the Jews who witnessed His grief commented on His love for Lazarus.
What was it that something so painful for Jesus would make Him glad? Jesus said, “…for your sake I am glad.” The disciples were about to learn that life does not stop at the grave, and neither should their faith!
The disciples need to see the bigger picture! He had told them that He Himself would be killed but on the third day He would be raised back to life. (Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, 9:31, Luke 9:22) I wonder if they considered Lazarus during the dark days that Jesus was in the grave.
APPLICATIOAN: Tuesday Sharon and I will head to Hawaii to a funeral of a dear friend, Pastor Sualua Tauala. But I go knowing I will see him again as surely as Mary and Martha saw their brother again. The disciples would see that in Jesus they had a faith that reaches beyond the grave!
I wonder how many times Jesus has said, “Leon is going through a tough time, and for his sake, I am glad. He will need this lesson for later.”
PRAYER: Lord, I am learning to trust you in the hard times. I know you see the big picture. My faith reaches past the grave. My faith will carry me through death into Your throne room. What a day–glorious day that will be! Amen
Pastor Leon
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