And after the resurrection of Lazarus from death by Jesus of Nazareth, there was something different about Lazarus. From the moment Jesus said, Loose him, and let him go, everything was different about Lazarus!
Lazarus was not the same person they had buried. No longer was he sick. No longer did he have leprosy. His body was different. All of his internal organs and bones were new. His brain and blood were restored. He had new skin. He walked and talked differently. His life had an entirely new and different meaning. He had believed in Jesus before dying, and he believed in Jesus after the Lord resurrected him from death. And Lazarus wanted to be near Jesus from that day forward, in Bethany as well as in Jerusalem, for he knew that Jesus was his Redeemer.
On the day when Lazarus was resurrected, it is written:
Then many of the Jews that came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. (John 11: 45)
And again, six days before the Passover at the home of Lazarus in Bethany,
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus's sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. (John 12: 9)
Still, there were others who did not believe on Jesus even though they knew that Lazarus was alive again, for their hearts were still cold:
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many went away, and believed on Jesus. (John 12: 10-11)
For now, not only did they seek to kill Jesus, but they also wanted to kill Lazarus!
Martha and Mary, however, were the first persons to believe that Jesus could raise up Lazarus from death, for Martha said: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
To which Jesus responded: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
And Martha replied: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come unto the world.
Over the past 2000 years, millions of people have come to believe as Martha and Mary believed before Jesus raised their brother from death.
Over the past 2000 years, millions of people have come to believe by the same faith that Lazarus believed before his death.
Over the past 2000 years, millions of people have come to believe in everything that Lazarus believed after his own resurrection by Jesus.
For we have come to believe by faith that Jesus is the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
Therefore, just as we believe that Jesus raised up Lazarus from death, we also believe that Christ will raise us up after death in the resurrection of the last days; for if we did not believe in the resurrection of Christ, neither would we believe in the resurrection of Lazarus, and neither would we believe that there will be a resurrection of the dead.
As it is written in the Word of the Lord:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20: 30-31)
And again,
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. (John 21: 25)
And in the words of Jesus to Martha,
Believest thou this?
Lazarus was not the same person they had buried. No longer was he sick. No longer did he have leprosy. His body was different. All of his internal organs and bones were new. His brain and blood were restored. He had new skin. He walked and talked differently. His life had an entirely new and different meaning. He had believed in Jesus before dying, and he believed in Jesus after the Lord resurrected him from death. And Lazarus wanted to be near Jesus from that day forward, in Bethany as well as in Jerusalem, for he knew that Jesus was his Redeemer.
On the day when Lazarus was resurrected, it is written:
Then many of the Jews that came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. (John 11: 45)
And again, six days before the Passover at the home of Lazarus in Bethany,
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus's sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. (John 12: 9)
Still, there were others who did not believe on Jesus even though they knew that Lazarus was alive again, for their hearts were still cold:
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many went away, and believed on Jesus. (John 12: 10-11)
For now, not only did they seek to kill Jesus, but they also wanted to kill Lazarus!
Martha and Mary, however, were the first persons to believe that Jesus could raise up Lazarus from death, for Martha said: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
To which Jesus responded: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
And Martha replied: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come unto the world.
Over the past 2000 years, millions of people have come to believe as Martha and Mary believed before Jesus raised their brother from death.
Over the past 2000 years, millions of people have come to believe by the same faith that Lazarus believed before his death.
Over the past 2000 years, millions of people have come to believe in everything that Lazarus believed after his own resurrection by Jesus.
For we have come to believe by faith that Jesus is the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
Therefore, just as we believe that Jesus raised up Lazarus from death, we also believe that Christ will raise us up after death in the resurrection of the last days; for if we did not believe in the resurrection of Christ, neither would we believe in the resurrection of Lazarus, and neither would we believe that there will be a resurrection of the dead.
As it is written in the Word of the Lord:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20: 30-31)
And again,
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. (John 21: 25)
And in the words of Jesus to Martha,
Believest thou this?
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