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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man [Lazarus] was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.'” (John 11.41-42; emphasis mine, jb).
You Always Hear Me
Jesus left no wiggle room in the circumstances that led up to the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Jesus' disciples knew what He had promised to do. He had declared the same intentions to Mary and Martha, Lazarus' sisters. Furthermore, the crowd of Jews who had come to mourn the death of one of their own had also heard Him speak of the fact that Lazarus would live again. But, now there could absolutely be no mistake about it; the stone had been rolled away and Lazarus lay sleeping the sleep of death!
When the stone was removed from the entrance to the tomb, there could be no going back. As his sister had said, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” (John 11.39). Scores, hundreds, or perhaps thousands of people had seen his body entombed there and knew that inside those confines lay the decomposing body of a mere human being. Now, just for a moment, place yourself inside the heads of one of the religious but misguided Jews who had come to comfort the dear sisters. Think with him as he witnesses the things going on around him; the drama has built from an ordinary scene of friendly greetings, then tears, and now this crescendo! Now, at long last, the credentials of this man who called Himself Jesus would be tested in a public forum from which there could be no escape!
We know the rest of the story because we are this side of the event and have read the record. However, for those who stood there that day, it must have been a time of extreme emotions! For Mary and Martha, it was a time in which what little hope they may have had would either be realized or be dashed upon the rocks of incredulity. For the disciples of Jesus, should this event turn sour, it meant that the long hours, days, months, and years of following Him were all for naught. For the disbelieving Jewish leaders it should have been a time for rejoicing inasmuch as there really was no wiggle room left; as we sometimes say in our vernacular, it was time to either “put up or shut up!” However, for those of honest heart who simply did not know who He was, this was an opportunity to demonstrate the fact that Jesus really was the person He claimed to be; that He was the Messiah promised of old. Either way and for everyone gathered there that day, it was a time of extreme and intense emotions!
Jesus spoke! His words were not spoken to the crowds; rather, they were directed as were His eyes, towards the heavens. His first word was “Father.” This was consistent with His claim. He was THE Son of God as well as the Son of Man. Then He said, “I thank You that You have heard Me.” The force of this statement is literally this: “I thank You that every request that I have made in the past has been granted!” No mere man could truthfully claim as much. Further, He said, “I know that You always hear Me.” This claim is in the present tense and not in the past. The time is now! Past deeds aside, the proof of His claims were in the present tense!
Without attempting to be overly dramatic, this short article has sought to set forth just exactly what was at stake on this day. It wasn't just about the fate of Lazarus, nor the feelings of his sisters; it wasn't about the Jews who came there. It was about showing that Jesus was Messiah; it was about the future of all humanity. It was about eternity! Either the Father really would hear Him, or...........!!!!
Questions:
1. For those who thought that Jesus was an impostor, what hope did they have at the grave of Lazarus?
2. For the family of Lazarus and the disciples of Jesus, what hope did they have at the grave of Lazarus?
3. What was proven that day at the grave of Lazarus?
4. Later, why would the chief priests want to put Lazarus to death? What effect did the raising of Lazarus have on the Jewish community around Jerusalem (see John 12.9-11)?
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