Jesus' Love has the Power to Strengthen our Faith
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. -Philippians 4:13
In John
11:1-45 we read about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Just as Jesus did this to strengthen the faith of His disciples as well as Mary and Martha, so Jesus' love can strengthen our faith as well.
Lazarus,
the brother of Mary and Martha was sick. Mary was the woman who had poured
perfume on the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair. They were from Bethany.
The sisters sent word to Jesus that the one He loved was sick.
When
Jesus heard the news, He said that Lazarus’ sickness would not end in death;
but would be for God’s glory and so the Son of Man could be glorified through
it. Lazarus likely died shortly after the messengers left Bethany. Jesus
already knew of Lazarus’ death so He was predicting the raising of Lazarus.
Jesus would be glorified through the raising of Lazarus because the miracle
would display God’s glory in Jesus and because it would initiate events that
would lead to Jesus dying on the cross.[1] Jesus loved the sisters
and Lazarus, but He sent the messenger back and remained where He was for two
more days. Jesus followed the direction of the Father, not of the people around
Him.[2] Jesus wanted the sisters
“to believe His word no matter how discouraging the circumstances might
appear.”[3]
Then
Jesus told the disciples that they would be going back to Judea. The disciples
were concerned about going back because the last time they had been there, the
Jews had tried to stone Jesus. The Jews had claimed that Jesus was committing
blasphemy by claiming to be God.[4] There was real danger in
returning.[5]
Jesus
replied that there was time for what must be done, but not time to waste. He
went on to tell them that Lazarus had fallen asleep, but He was going to wake
him up. The disciples thought Jesus was speaking of natural sleep and that
Lazarus would get better on his own. But Jesus was speaking of Lazarus’ death.
Jesus told them plainly that Lazarus was dead and that He was glad for the
disciples’ sakes. Jesus consistently sought for ways to increase the faith of
His disciples. He knew that He would leave them one day and they would be given
the responsibility of carrying on His ministry. They needed a strong faith in
order to carry on a strong work.[6] Jesus said it was time to
go to Lazarus. Thomas agreed the disciples should go with Jesus so that they
could die with Him.
By
the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, which was less than two miles away,[7] Lazarus had been in the
tomb for four days. “Many Jews believed that the soul remained near the body
for three days after death in the hope of returning to it.” Because of this,
those in mourning may have believed it
was too late for Lazarus; that all hope was lost.[8] Many Jews had come to
comfort the sisters over the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that
Jesus was coming, she ran out to meet Him, but Mary remained at home.
Then
Martha went and told Mary that Jesus was there. Mary got up quickly and went to
Jesus. Those who were mourning with her followed. When Mary reached Jesus, she
fell at his feet and repeated what Martha had said, that if He had been there
her brother wouldn’t have died. When Jesus saw Mary and those who had followed
her weeping, Jesus was deeply moved and troubled in spirit and He wept. Those
who were with the sisters saw how Jesus loved Lazarus. Some wondered why Jesus
had not kept Lazarus from death when they knew He was capable of healing the
blind.
Jesus
asked where Lazarus had been laid and they took Him to the tomb. Jesus asked
for the stone of the tomb to be taken away. Martha was concerned there would be
a great odor because Lazarus had been in there for four days. Jesus reminded
her that He had told her if she believed she would see the glory of God. The
stone was removed. Jesus looked up to heaven and spoke to the Father saying, “I
thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said
this for the benefit of the people standing here that they may believe that you
sent me.” Jesus wanted the people to know that God had sent Him.[11] Then Jesus called out in
a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus came out with his hands and feet
wrapped in strips of linen and a cloth around his face. Jesus asked that the
grave clothes be taken off him. Many of those who had come to comfort Mary and
Martha and saw what Jesus did put their faith in Him.
God’s
love for us is a perfecting love. Just because we love Him and He loves us,
doesn’t mean we will be saved from facing trials in life. God loved Jesus, but
still allowed Him to face the pain and shame of the cross. Jesus could have
prevented Lazarus’ sickness, but chose not to so that God
the Father could be glorified. “When we find ourselves confronted by disease,
disappointment, delay, and even death, our only encouragement is the Word of
God. We must live by faith and not by sight.” Even though the situation seemed
hopeless, the disciples and the sisters knew that Jesus was in control. “Each
experience of suffering and trial ought to increase our faith.”[12]
[1]
Zondervan, The NIV Study Bible, study note on John 11:4.
[2]
Zondervan, John 11:6.
[3]
Warren Wiersbe, “John 11”, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, The Complete New
Testament, (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2007), pg. 267.
[4]
John 10:31
[5]
Zondervan, John 11:8.
[6]
Wiersbe, p. 267.
[7]
Zondervan, John 11:18.
[8]
Zondervan, John 11:7.
[9]
Zondervan, John 11:25.
[10]
Wiersbe, p. 269.
[11]
Wiersbe, p. 270.
[12]
Wiersbe, p. 268.
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