⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." ⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" ⁴⁴The dead man came out."

Dear children of God,

Early this past week, there was a major news story that seemed to be talked about just about everywhere. A Italian lady who was a journalist for a newspaper in Italy was kidnapped in Iraq. She was held hostage by a group of terrorists. During this time she pleaded for the leaders in Italy to do anything to free her. As the story unfold, she was freed by her captors into the hands of a very special Italian intelligence officer named, Nicola Calipari. As they sped away to gain their freedom, their car came under fire from some US soldiers who thought they might be dangerous terrorists. Without thinking, Mr. Calipari threw himself over the lady journalist in an effort to keep her safe. In an instant he was shot and lost his life, but the lady journalist was alive and safe. In Italy, Mr. Calipari was celebrated as a hero who sacrificed his life to save the life of another. He had showed the ultimate act of courage.

As we look at our text for this morning, we need to back up to chapter 11:1 to see the whole picture. Lazarus and his two sisters -- Mary and Martha -- were good friends of Jesus. Lazarus had become sick. Mary sent for Jesus trusting that he would be able to help Lazarus. Jesus then spoke some very strong and unusual words to his disciples and followers, "This sickness will not end in death, No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s son may be glorified." I’m sure that the people wondered what Jesus meant by these words. As the story proceeds we learn that Jesus stayed in this place for two more days. Then he told his disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up." Once again these words were confusing. The disciples asked, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better. Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought that he meant natural sleep." This is a v! ery sad story. Here is a good friend of Jesus who has died, and Jesus doesn’t even seem to care. At first glance we might ask ourselves, What comfort can we find in this sad story?

This is where the words of our text start. He comes to bring comfort to Mary and Martha and to the many others who were very sad and might even have been a little bit angry as Martha said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary and Martha trusted in Jesus and that is why they had sent for Jesus to heal their brother who was sick. But Jesus didn’t seem to care as he took his time to arrive. Why would Jesus have waited so long before arriving?

As we live our lives on this earth, have there every been times like this in our lives. Times where you were going through a very tough time and you called out to Jesus for help, just like he tells us. But Jesus didn’t seem to offer any help. He didn’t send you the words or advice or help that you thought you needed. And under your breath and in your hearts you are saying to God, where are you God? Isn’t it easy to think that God is not paying attention or that God doesn’t always care about our lives and our troubles? But as we see in this wonderful story of our text, this is not the case. Jesus knows our problems and Jesus takes care of our problems

Listen to the words of Jesus to Martha, "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. Do you believe this?" It is these words that we are going to use to fill our hearts with the assurance that God is control. God even controls one of the worst things we will ever face, which is death itself. But what does he mean by these words? We are going to concentrate on two words – resurrection and life.

What do you think is the toughest thing or thing that brings us the most grief and sadness while we live on this earth? I think that most of us would say that facing death or the loss of a loved one to death ranks at the top of this list or very near to the top. Death seems to be one of those moments in this sinful world that affects us quite a bit. Just about everyone here has faced death in one way or another. Whether we have lost someone we love or we have gone to the funeral of someone we know or love. As I sat down to write this sermon, I soon began to realize that death changes things in so many ways. Death seems to draw out some of the greatest range of emotions in a person. But at the same time, death opens up so many opportunities to study and witness God’s grace at its greatest.

For instance, you attend the wake of someone you know who has died. You stand in the line to pay your last respects and offer words of encouragement to the family members. As you stand in the line, I bet there are many of us who get this funny feeling in our stomachs as we try and figure out what should we say. At times we are afraid to speak our faith and our trust in God. Why not remind that person what death is and why we don’t need to fear death. Why not let God’s Word fill our lips as we speak words such as are found in our text, because when we lose someone we love so dearly, we many times need to be reminded again and again what it means that death is only a sleep and that heaven is our home.

Our text is so full of comfort for situations like this, and believe me every one of us will be facing death at sometime. So why not let Jesus give us the assurance that he is the resurrection and the life. First of all the words that Jesus speaks reminds us that Jesus conquered death on the cross. In a way this text is a great lead in to the comforting words we will hear in a couple of weeks on Easter morning. This text reminds us that Lazarus as well as everyone sitting here is a lost and condemned sinner who deserve to die forever. That is why Jesus had to give his life in the first place – to pay for our sins. But death is also the greatest reminder that we are full of sin. We can’t deny sin as we look at the casket of the one we love and realize that death is most certainly a consequence of the sin that is in us and this world.

While death itself is one of the saddest time we will ever face, it also gives us one of the greatest opportunities to see our faith in action. Just as Mary and Martha waited eagerly for Jesus to come and help their brother Lazarus, there are many of us who realize that Jesus is our only hope in the death of someone we love. Let me ask you a question. What happens to our bodies when we die? Sure our bodies are laid to rest in the ground or Mausoleum and will eventually decay. But what does Jesus’ death remind us of? It reminds us that Jesus has conquered the enemies of Death and the Devil. Jesus defeated death and the devil on the cross and showed it was true as he rose from the grace on that first Easter morning. Death cannot and will not hold us hostage. Death has no power over us. Death is just a temporary sleep. Heaven is our real home where we will awake from death to see all of its splendor and glory forever

This is the second thing that we can learn from Lazarus and his being raised from the dead by Jesus. Jesus raised Lazarus so that he could enjoy more of his earthly time on this earth. For that I’m sure that Mary, Martha and Lazarus were very happy. In this miracle, Jesus gives the people just a glimpse of his power as he defeated the death that held Lazarus and brought him back to life. But Jesus wanted Mary and Martha and all of those present to know what kind of life he really came to bring. Let me ask you another question. What kind of life was Jesus talking about? I will give you a hint. It was not earthly life. It was a spiritual life.

This life is ours through the faith that the Holy Spirit has worked in our hearts. This life is the life that has been won for us on the cross of Calvary. This life is the one that we need to remember when someone we love has been lost to the sorrows of physical death. Jesus’ blood has promised me and you that no matter what happens to us we will have eternal life with our Lord and Savior in heaven.

The story of Lazarus is a wonderful story for us as God’s children. It let’s us see the power that Jesus the very Son of God has. He even has the power to control death. This story is also a great reminder that Jesus has accomplished something that has defeated death itself. What do you think Mary and Martha’s emotions were like as they waited for Jesus to arrive? I’m sure that I’m safe in saying that they were sad. There were most likely many tears shed as the lost their brother to death.? But Jesus knew exactly why Lazarus had died and he knew that Lazarus would be raised to life. He used this terrible moment to teach the comfort of the cross of Calvary. This is just a glimpse of what Jesus would accomplish in a short while as he gave his life on the cross to free all of us from physical death and to give us eternal life.

As we draw ever closer to Good Friday and Easter the words of our text stand so boldly before us. Jesus is truly our resurrection and our life. The faith that has been given to us as a gift by the Holy Spirit holds on to this promise. The faith that has been given to us leads us to trust that we will live even though our earthly bodies die. We will truly never die, but will live forever at Jesus’ side. Jesus defeated death forever and has replaced it with a life that will never end. We know and confess, "Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life." Amen