by Leon

The name Lazarus, for many of us, we know the story behind that name. I’m sure some may not know the story, so, just in case, I will summarize it. Lazarus was a friend of Jesus and a follower. Although Lazarus wasn’t one of the twelve disciples, Jesus had attracted a large following because of His miracles and His teaching. Word was sent from one of Lazarus’ sisters to come quick, that Lazarus had taken ill and was near death. Lazarus passed away before Jesus arrived.

Many at the home questioned Jesus. They wondered why a man who saved others allowed his own friend to die. As the story ends, Jesus performs one of His most noteworthy miracles. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

“So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.^” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”- John 11:20-27

I felt a connection to this story because, in a sense, we are all Lazarus. We may have physical life but there was a time when we were dead spiritually. The Bible says like sheep we have all gone astray. We all are born with a rebellious nature that cuts us off from God and kills us spiritually. Jesus came to resurrect us who have died in spirit. He paid the price for us to restore our connection with God. We were once dead in our sins but through Christ, we can be made alive once more.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”- Ephesians 2:1-10

I am Lazarus. I was once dead but now I am alive again through Jesus Christ. You can be resurrected spiritually too. You don’t have to be cut off from God. He can forgive you – cleanse you – restore you.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”- Romans 5:5-11

He made the way to be made right.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6