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In John 3

The document discusses the biblical story of Lazarus and its lessons on grief, emphasizing the importance of taking time to mourn and the understanding of Jesus in our suffering. It highlights that God has a purpose in our tragedies and reassures believers that all things work together for good. Ultimately, it affirms that Jesus is the Lord of life and death, offering eternal life to those who believe in Him.

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jagnandananaya
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11 views

In John 3

The document discusses the biblical story of Lazarus and its lessons on grief, emphasizing the importance of taking time to mourn and the understanding of Jesus in our suffering. It highlights that God has a purpose in our tragedies and reassures believers that all things work together for good. Ultimately, it affirms that Jesus is the Lord of life and death, offering eternal life to those who believe in Him.

Uploaded by

jagnandananaya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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In John 3:16 the bible declares “For God so loved the world that He sent His

only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have
everlasting life.”

In John chapter 11, we read:

Jesus and his disciples heard that Lazarus, who lived in a town called
Bethany, was very sick. By the time that Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus
had been dead in his tomb for four days.

Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet,
saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also
weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said,
‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus
wept.

The story of Lazarus teaches us several important lessons for facing times of
grief.

First, the story of Lazarus reminds us that we need to take time to


grieve. Sometimes, we convince ourselves that what we need to do is “be
strong” and “press on” for the sake of those around us. But when Jesus came
to Bethany to comfort the family of Lazarus, he did not brace himself and
hold back his tears. He wept.

When we love someone very dearly, as Jesus loved Lazarus, it is natural to


cry. It is part of God’s plan that we go through a grieving process when we
experience loss. The Bible says, “There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecc. 3:4).
Holding back tears does not mean that we are strong, it means that we are
weak — scared to accept how we feel. Some people never allow themselves
to grieve properly, and it only hurts them in the long run. It’s okay to cry. It’s
important to grieve. It’s good to remember the precious times we have spent
with a loved one, even though it hurts.

We live in a demanding world that tries to push us along to the next activity.
But when tragedy strikes in our family, we need to pause.

You have many memories with your loved one, and they are very precious.
Take time to remember. Take time to grieve. It is okay to cry. Remember,
Jesus wept.

Second, the story of Lazarus reminds us that Jesus understands our


grief. In the dark times, we sometimes feel like God is very far away and
doesn’t understand how we feel. But Hebrews 4:15 - 15 For we have not an
high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was
in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. confirms that God is able
to sympathize with our weaknesses because he came to earth and lived as a
man named Jesus. He endured the worst kinds of sufferings, from grief over
his lost friend Lazarus, to a painful death on the cross. Whatever we are going
through, Jesus really does understand.

The Bible reassures us that when we pray to God in hard times, He hears us:
“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I
live” (Ps. 116:1-2).
Third, the story of Lazarus reminds us that God has a purpose. Both
Mary and Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, you could have healed
Lazarus from his sickness and prevented him from dying!” So, why didn’t
Jesus come earlier and heal Lazarus?

Jesus explained the reason to his disciples: “Lazarus became sick and died for
the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it…for your
sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.”

God saw the bigger picture. The eternal destinies of Lazarus’s family and the
crowds that gathered at the funeral were at stake.

When we experience a tragedy, we often ask, “Why?” Romans 8:28 is a


precious promise: “We know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” If you
love God, you can be confident that He will take the worst possible
circumstances and use them to accomplish something good. If you do not love
God, you can come to know him.

In the case of Lazarus, God’s purpose was to show that Jesus is the Son of
God so people would believe and be saved from their sins.

Jesus is Lord of Life and Death

Finally, the story of Lazarus reminds us that Jesus is the Lord of life and
death. Jesus proved to everyone that He was truly God by the incredible
miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead.

The Bible tells us that someday everyone will be raised from the dead, and we
will stand before God.
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life…everyone who lives
and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

What would your answer be? Would you say to Jesus, “Yes, Lord; I believe
that you are the Christ, the Son of God”?

Receive the Lord of Life

The Bible teaches that we have all sinned. We have all disobeyed God’s law.
We have all ignored God and lived our own way on our own terms. Romans
3:23 says that the penalty of sin is death.

But God is very loving. He showed His love for us in that while we were still
sinners, He sent His Son Jesus to pay the penalty for us. What should have
happened to us, happened to Jesus. Jesus died.

The wonderful news is that Jesus did not stay dead! On the third day, He rose
again! Just as Lazarus, God raised him from the dead.

Today, Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father in heaven praying for us.
He wants us all to be reunited with Him some day. He is not willing that
anyone should perish. He expects that we confess our sins, turn away from
our sins, and look to Him as our only hope for salvation.

Romans 10:9 promises that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved.”

Although death is a solemn reminder, it also points us to the most wonderful,


hope-filled message of all! Jesus is the Lord of life and death. Whoever
believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life!

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