October 5, 2023

John 11:38-44 (HCSB)
The Seventh Sign: Raising Lazarus from the Dead
38 Then Jesus, angry in Himself again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 “Remove the stone,” Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, told Him, “Lord, he’s already decaying. It’s been four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. 42 I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me.” 43 After He said this, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him and let him go.”

Nathan Putty
So, we finally reach the moment of truth in this passage of scripture. I love how Jesus silences any potential doubt by making absolutely certain everyone hears the words, and that they understand precisely what’s going on. Then Jesus does what He does. He performs a miracle! By raising Lazarus from an evidently odorous 4-day death, Jesus shows us a physical representation of what He has done for us. We were lost in darkness. We were dead in our sin. We have now been raised into the light. We are born again in our faith for Jesus Christ!