IF YOU BELIEVED

Passage: John 11:38-44

Key verse: 40

NIV

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved,(A) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.(B) 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.”(C)

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,(D) you will see the glory of God?”(E)

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up(F) and said, “Father,(G) I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,(H) that they may believe that you sent me.”(I)

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”(J) 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,(K) and a cloth around his face.(L)

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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ESV

Jesus Raises Lazarus

38 Then Jesus, (A)deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was (B)a cave, and (C)a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for (D)he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, (E)“Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see (F)the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus (G)lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 (H)I knew that you always hear me, but I said this (I)on account of the people standing around, (J)that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 (K)The man who had died came out, (L)his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and (M)his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. See the glory of God (38-40)

Martha had made a confession of her faith (27). But when she stood with Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, her mind and heart were in the tomb with her dead brother. She thought about his decaying body, not about the almighty power of Jesus. Jesus taught her and us an important truth: We can see the glory of God if we only believe.

2. They took away the stone (41-44)

Jesus thanked his Father for giving life to Lazarus. He wanted all people to know that God, the giver of life, had sent him. The stone of unbelief was removed from the tomb and from their hearts; when Jesus called, 'Lazarus, come out,' he came out of the tomb with the grave clothes still wrapped around him. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. One who believes in Jesus will live, even though he dies; whoever lives and believes in him will never die. Jesus came to give life, and to give it abundantly.

Prayer: Lord, take the stone of unbelief from my heart so that I may see your glory even in tragic and painful events.

One Word: Take away the stone!