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John 11 1 448/18/2023 ![]() Who would step across into belief and who would remain entrenched in their refusal to listen? We will answer that question tomorrow. Jesus was drawing the line ever clearer for those who were willing to listen. NO ONE could have done these works without God’s seal of approval. The man blind from birth receiving his sight and Lazarus’ resurrection were done specifically as a highly public display of Jesus’ connection to the Father. This was another impossible to miss miracle. The work that Jesus did that day was NEVER done before. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness” (Psalm 30:11). Their mourning was turned into joy that day. I expect Mary and Martha were two of the first ones to rush to that task. But there is NO doubt in anyone’s mind that this is indeed the very same man who they buried.Įveryone is frozen in surprise. His hands and feet are still bound up in the grave clothes and the cloth still covers his face. I bet every eye in that place popped and every jaw dropped! Here comes Lazarus walking out of his tomb where those watching had placed him a couple days ago. “He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’ The man who had died came out” (verse 43-44a). Some are said in anticipation and some in skepticism. I can almost feel the electricity of anticipation in the air! Whispers of “What do you think is going to happen” float throughout the crowd. The excitement and anticipation has been building with each passing moment. Jesus had been preparing those around Him for this moment from the time He said, let’s go wake up Lazarus. So when He asked for something from the Father, He KNEW it would be done. ![]() A lot of my reason is because I don’t know for certain which of my prayers line up with God’s will. I know God hears my prayers but I wonder which ones He is going to answer in the way I want. He merely states that He know God is listening and ready to do whatever He asks. He doesn’t even tell God in this prayer what He wants Him to do. He never had any doubt that God didn’t hear His prayers, but He is doing it for the benefit of the others in attendance. The very first thing He does is thank God for listening to Him. When Jesus prays this time He does so with the intention of connecting the dots for those looking on. With all eyes turned to Him, Jesus does something that He doesn’t do publicly very often He prays publically. They have learned that lesson quite well over the years so the stone is rolled away. No need to argue, just do as He commands. She is probably wondering what He could have in mind. ![]() But He didn’t specify what that “glory” would look like. “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (verse 40). Jesus quietly reminds her of their earlier conversation. For he has been dead for four days” (verse 39). ![]() “Lord, by this time there will be an odor. She plainly tells him that she thinks it’s a bad idea. If You would have come earlier we could probably have managed to let You say Your good-byes in person. I imagine she is thinking something like this: Surely You don’t want to go in there to view his body! He has been dead long enough to start smelling. He says that He wants the stone rolled away from the tomb’s entrance. Jesus makes the most absurd statement, or at least Martha thinks so. It’s time to get to work and end His friend’s suffering. John tells us Jesus was “deeply moved again” (verse 38). We pick up again with Him standing before the tomb. Jesus had just asked to see the place where they buried Lazarus when we halted yesterday. We are to the exciting part today! God’s amazing power is about to be displayed for all to see. We rejoin Jesus in Bethany at the tomb of Lazarus.
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