The Shepherd Chapter 13

Chapter 13

          It was the morning of the fourth day since Lazarus had died. If I was disappointed in Jesus, Mary and Martha were really disappointed in Jesus. But none of us spoke his name. The ladies were devastated and could barely function. They depended on Lazarus, and now he was gone. Ladies from Bethany and from Jerusalem were taking turns staying the night with them. Mary and Martha were entertaining guests off and on all day. It was wearing on them, but kept their mind off their pain.

          Later in the morning, word came that Jesus had just arrived in Bethany. Someone had brought word that he had just been seen outside of town on his way to see them. Martha jumped up and hurried greet him, but poor Mary just couldn’t bear to see him. Mother and I stayed with Mary.

          When Martha met Jesus, they hugged each other for the longest time. Martha was crying bitter tears. Jesus had such a pained look on his face. After a moment Martha pushed back and blurted out, “If you would have been here, my brother would not have died!”

          Jesus reached out reassuring her, “Your brother will rise again.”

          Martha pushed him away and responded, “Oh I know that he will rise again in the resurrection, but I want him here now!” And she began to sob again.

          But Jesus went on, “Martha, you have to believe in me. I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me shall never die.” Jesus waited for his words to sink in.

          Martha knew that Jesus was right. She wanted to believe, but her brother’s death was just too real. It was too hard for her to have faith in Jesus when her brother was dead. She went to get Mary.

          In a few moments, Martha came into the house and said, “Mary, Jesus is asking for you.” Mary began to cry and stood to go out and see Jesus, who was still outside of town where he had met Martha. I went with the two of them. When they got to Jesus both Mary and Martha were sobbing. Jesus hugged them both. I could see his eyes were welling up too. I thought, “If he really loved Mary and Martha, why didn’t he come quicker? Couldn’t he have helped before Lazarus had died?”

          Jesus asked to see the place where Lazarus was buried. We all walked a few hundred yards to a nearby cave. Their family used it as their burying place. Jesus walked with his arms around the two ladies all the way there. But when they arrived at the burial place, Jesus asked a strange question. He asked them to roll away the stone that sealed the entrance.

          The ladies exchanged shocked glances and replied, “We really shouldn’t remove the stone, because Lazarus has been dead for four days and his body has begun to rot. He will be stinking.”

          Jesus said, “When you came out to meet me, did I not say to you to believe in me and you would see the glory of God?”

          Mary and Martha looked pained, but asked the caretaker to remove the stone. I looked at Jesus and he was crying. I knew at that moment that Jesus truly loved Mary and Martha.

          The caretaker rolled the stone away. And then something amazing happened. Jesus went to the mouth of the opened cave and said, with a commanding voice, “Lazarus! Come forth!”

          And moments later a body came out of the grave all wrapped up. I have no idea how it came out - whether it floated or hopped or what, I was in shock! But I saw with my own eyes a body come out of that cave!

          Then Jesus said, “Loose him and let him go!”

          And they did! Someone began to unwind the burial wrappings. Another removed the cloth napkin from around the head, and do you know what?! It was Lazarus! Alive and well. He had been dead for four days, but he looked as if he had just been sleeping. Lazarus was alive and well because of the words of Jesus!

          The sobs of suffering were changed into cries of joy! The mourning party was changed into a happy reunion! And after Mary and Martha hugged Lazarus, all three of them hugged Jesus. The mourners from Bethany and Jerusalem were amazed! The family was amazed! And I was amazed!

          Later I thought about the entire event. I realized that Jesus wanted to perform a mighty miracle there in Bethany. I realized that, in order for Jesus to raise a dead man, someone first had to be dead! Lazarus had to die so that Jesus could raise him from the dead! Pure and simple. Our mourning was changed into gladness, and I never doubted Jesus again. That day, I believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God!