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The fourth Sunday of Apip (John 11:1-45)

“If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:14)

Introduction:

1- Jesus’ miracles are countless as St. John said “Jesus did many other signs …, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:30) and “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one… the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

2- Jesus did all His miracles by His own Divine authority. However, this miracle was different, Jesus cried before with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth,” and lifted up His eyes and thanked God the Father. 

1. Jesus wanted to hide His Divinity from Satan because He will be crucified after a few days from this miracle.
2. Jesus wanted to teach us that we should ask for God in all situations.

3- All Jesus’ miracles - especially this miracle- teach us that Jesus is God as He said “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).

4- All of the resurrection miracles are associated with Jesus’ words. Jesus said that, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live” (John 5:25).

An Important question:

- Hearing His friend was ill, Jesus did not go immediately to the village of Bethany. He waited two days.

- If Jesus stayed two more days, how could Lazarus have been dead for 4 days? When Jesus received the message concerning Lazarus, He was beyond the Jordan River as we read in (John 10:40). He was 40 miles away from Bethany, the town of Lazarus. It most likely took Him at least two days to go to Bethany.

Lessons:

1- In this miracle, we are invited to see Jesus as God who gives life to the dead.

2- Jesus said “Our friend Lazarus,” so each of us is a friend of God.

3- Jesus told His disciples: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” But they did not understand. Then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus is dead,” so Jesus is teaching us that death is just a state of sleep.

4- Jesus delayed His return until Lazarus was dead, because there is a big difference between healing him and giving him a new life.

5- Jesus delayed His return for four days, because it would be greater if Lazarus had been dead for four days instead of two.

6- We must not worry if we are faced with any hard times because God is always with us.

7- Mary gave us a valuable lesson: She trusted Jesus more than her sister and she fell down at Jesus’ feet. It is better for us to worship God first before we ask for His assistance.

8- Jesus commanded for the stone to be removed, I think Jesus can do it by Himself easily, but Jesus asked them to remove it. So, Jesus is teaching us that we have to work together to bring about an action.

9- When Jesus commanded removing the stone in front of many of the family’s friends, Martha argued against it because after four days, the smell would have been terrible! But after the stone was removed, everything has been changed: no smell, no death but Lazarus came out of the tomb, having a new life.

10- Jesus has great love towards all mankind, although Jesus knew that this miracle was the “beginning of the Cross.” He did it. After this miracle, the Jewish leaders called a meeting of the Jewish religious council, the Sanhedrin, and they decided to kill Jesus and Lazarus.