March 22, 2013 (Friday)
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life”
Jesus established Bethany, near Jerusalem, as his “home base” during Holy Week. He lodged in the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead only weeks earlier, and his sisters, Mary and Martha.
Lazarus died while Jesus was on the other side of the Jordan, in Perea, conducting a three-month long ministry, preparing for his entry into Jerusalem and the momentous events of what is now known as Holy Week or Passion Week. When Jesus received word of Lazarus’ illness, he did not go to him at once, as requested by his sisters, but purposely waited until he died and was buried. When he arrived, he performed a miracle. He raised his friend from the grave after his having been dead for four days. (The miracle of raising Lazarus foreshadowed Jesus’ own resurrection from the dead.) Word spread like wildfire. Many people believed in Jesus because of this, but others reported the event to the religious leaders. Those leaders immediately began planning to kill Jesus, and, because so many people were believing in Jesus as a result of Lazarus being raised to life, they planned to kill him also. But Jesus was nowhere to be found. They were going to have to wait until he came to them in Jerusalem.
In their request to Jesus to come and heal Lazarus, his sisters told Jesus, “he whom you love is sick.” This man– this family–was beloved by Jesus. They were his friends. On a personal level, raising Lazarus strengthened the bonds of friendship between that family and Jesus. It was natural that they all would want to be near each other in those heart-rending and difficult days leading to his crucifixion. It is probable that the crowd that met Jesus as he entered Jerusalem included many people who were hoping to see Lazarus also.
It is still true today that the world wants to know more about a person whose life demonstrates the power of Christ