Story of Lazarus - Dedicated to my cousins, Mary & Martha Talsky

Tomorrows Bible Reading, it is a tough one on me. Mary & Martha you know my thoughts and prayers are with you both. I miss each of you and your Mom, but know that a part of each of you live on within me. Mary - yes I am a liver pate addict and Martha yes we got lost going to Michael's funeral. To your Mom I love you Aunt Agnes, what I wouldn't give to go to one more Brewers game with you. Mary this picture was in your living room, you sent it to me shortly before you passed with those doggone foil stars that fell all over my floor. I love each of you!

Scripture Reference:

John 11:1-45

Story Summary:

Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were friends of Jesus. When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When Jesus heard the news, he waited two more days before going to Lazarus' hometown of Bethany. Jesus knew that he would do a great miracle for God's glory and, therefore, he was not in a hurry.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. When Martha discovered that Jesus was on his way, she went out to meet him. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Jesus told Martha, "Your brother will rise again." But Martha thought he was talking about the final resurrection of the dead.

Then Jesus said these important words: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

Martha then went and told Mary that Jesus wanted to see her. Jesus had not yet entered the village, most likely to avoid stirring up the crowd and calling attention to himself. The town of Bethany was not far from Jerusalem where the Jewish leaders were plotting against Jesus.

When Mary met Jesus she was grieving with strong emotion over her brother's death. The Jews with her were also weeping and mourning. Deeply moved by their grief, Jesus wept with them.

Jesus then went to the tomb of Lazarus with Mary, Martha and the rest of the mourners. There he asked them to remove the stone that covered the hillside burial place. Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed to his Father, closing with these words: "Lazarus, come out!" When Lazarus came out of the tomb, Jesus told the people to remove his grave clothes.

As a result of this incredible miracle, many people put their faith in Jesus.

John 11:1-45 (King James Version)

John 11

 1Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

 2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

 3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

 4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

 5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

 6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

 7Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

 8His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

 9Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

 10But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

 11These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

 12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

 13Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

 14Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

 15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

 16Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

 17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

 18Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

 19And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

 20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

 21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

 22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

 23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

 24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

 25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

 27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

 28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

 30Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

 31The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

 32Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

 33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

 34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

 35Jesus wept.

 36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

 37And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

 38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

 39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

 40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

 41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

 42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

 43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

 45Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

.

.

.

J
E
S
U
S
CHRIST LOVES YOU

 

The Only Official Certified & Verified Ordinations
or Degree's Website With the Trust-Guard Seal

 

Universal Life Church
803 Tallahassee Street
Carrabelle FL 32322-3220
Tel No: (850)720-1061

Official Universal Life Church Website - http://www.ulcnetwork.com
Official Universal Life Church Community: - http://www.ulccommunity.org
THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE EXTENDS TO THE CORNERS OF THE GLOBE

 

        
©2011 Universal Life Church and Christian Academy, USA