Apr 5 - Jesus Provides an Example

Read John 11:38-45

Context:Lazarus has died, and his sisters are mourning. There is a sense of disappointment, maybe even resentment, that Jesus did not come in time to heal his friend like he had healed so many others.

Text:
38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39"Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.(NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Being able to look back is so much easier than being in the midst of something, isn't it? Jesus told his disciples about returning from the grave, but they really didn't get what he was saying. Now he's showing them the possibility and they aren't able to put the two events together. We don't know exactly what the timing was for this miracle, but it occurs in the text right before Jesus is anointed at Bethany the day before he makes is final Triumphal entry into Jerusalem.