Written by the Rev. Derek Davenport SYI '97 / '05, director of enrollment and co-director of SYI, and brought to you by the Miller Summer Youth Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

John 11:1-27

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” 11 After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” 13 Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

Devotional

This passage is fascinating. We usually focus on the end of the chapter, but there is something shocking in this first part.

Jesus let Lazarus die.

Jesus is told what will happen, and refuses to rush to help. Elsewhere we’ve seen Jesus heal from a distance—but not this time.

Jesus let Lazarus die.

Awful things happen. We get the news we dread. We lose those closest to us.

Jesus let Lazarus die.

Ultimately, whether we feel it or not, this is good news—not because bad things happen, but because Christ doesn’t just temporarily slow pain or alleviate suffering. Jesus does not simply postpone death.
Jesus reverses death.

We worship a God of resurrection. As we head to Good Friday, we know that Jesus even refused to postpone his own death. The good news of the gospel is that he rose.

Prayer

Lord, we thank you that you are a God of resurrection. Weep with us in our sorrow, and assure us of your promise of joy and life. Amen.

Written by the Rev. Derek Davenport SYI '97 / '05, director of enrollment and co-director of SYI, and brought to you by the Miller Summer Youth Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

John 11:1-27

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” 11 After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” 13 Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

Devotional

This passage is fascinating. We usually focus on the end of the chapter, but there is something shocking in this first part.

Jesus let Lazarus die.

Jesus is told what will happen, and refuses to rush to help. Elsewhere we’ve seen Jesus heal from a distance—but not this time.

Jesus let Lazarus die.

Awful things happen. We get the news we dread. We lose those closest to us.

Jesus let Lazarus die.

Ultimately, whether we feel it or not, this is good news—not because bad things happen, but because Christ doesn’t just temporarily slow pain or alleviate suffering. Jesus does not simply postpone death.
Jesus reverses death.

We worship a God of resurrection. As we head to Good Friday, we know that Jesus even refused to postpone his own death. The good news of the gospel is that he rose.

Prayer

Lord, we thank you that you are a God of resurrection. Weep with us in our sorrow, and assure us of your promise of joy and life. Amen.