If you were dead and brought back to life, would you keep quiet? Wouldn’t you tell everyone you possibly could about it?
The Gospel of John tells of a man named Lazarus,who lived in Bethany with his sisters—Mary and Martha. One day, Lazarus fell seriously ill and his sisters sent word to Jesus of Lazarus’ illness. We read in John 11:4 that Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
Two days later, Jesus and his disciples made the journey to Judea. Once they reached Judea, they found that Lazarus had died and been buried in the tomb for four days. After comforting Mary and Martha, Jesus visited the tomb of Lazarus and requested that it be opened. Despite Martha’s protests, we see in John 11:40 that Jesus proceeded and said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
The stone was removed from the tomb and Jesus spoke, calling Lazarus out of the grave. To everyone’s surprise, Lazarus came walking out of the tomb still wrapped in strips of linen! The story continues in John 11:44 when Jesus said, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Lazarus was not secretive or quiet about the amazing work Jesus had done and told everyone his story. John 12:9-11 says, “Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.”
Lives were being changed and people were being brought to Christ because of Lazarus’ story.
Similarly, in Ephesians 2:4-5 Paul said, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Additionally, we read in John 11:25 that Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” We were dead in our transgressions and have been brought back to life through Christ.
If we have given our lives to Christ and accepted him as our Lord and Savior, “having been buried with him in baptism, in which [we] were also raised with him through [our] faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,"” (Col. 2:12-13), then we have a story similar to that of Lazarus.
If you have accepted Christ into your life and chosen to follow him, you have been made new in him and brought back to life. So, I will ask again: If you were dead and brought back to life, wouldn’t you tell everyone you possibly could about it?
We, as believers, can all claim that as our story.
Brenna Cobbs, Communications Specialist