(John 11:38–44)
38Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39“Take away the stone,” Jesus said.
“Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
40Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
43After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth.
“Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.
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Resurrection in the Bible is not new… there are 10 recorded incidents about someone being dead and was raised from it.
3 of them in Old Testament and
7 in the New Testament
Jesus did 4 of those and 2 by apostles and
The highest of all – is Jesus resurrecting on the 3rd day.
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Wigglesworth – and his wife…
Old Testament Instances
--- Elisha prayed, for double portion ---
New Testament Instances (Jesus)
New Testament Instances (Apostles)
Major Resurrection
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V39 -- “Take away the stone.” Jesus said.
Before resurrection power was released, human obedience was required. The stone was heavy, the situation smelled hopeless, and four days felt final. But Jesus required participation before manifestation.
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What was the immediate response?
“Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
Unless God has access to the areas of our life – with open heart surgery, we will not have a restoration.
What is easy for Jesus – raising the dead (or) go through the cleanup process?
Principle: God performs miracles, but He often waits for us to move the stone.
#2. Believe to See the Glory — Faith Before Sight
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
Jesus reverses human logic. We want to see first, then believe. But Scripture consistently teaches the opposite.
Four days dead did not intimidate heaven. Delay does not cancel destiny.
Principle: Faith unlocks glory in situations that look too far gone.
“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.”
Jesus prayed with assurance, not anxiety. He thanked before Lazarus walked out. That confidence came from intimacy.
<< Charlotte – Hotel >>
Public authority is rooted in private communion.
Principle: When you know the Father hears you, you pray with bold expectation.
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“Lazarus, come out!”
“Unwrap him and let him go.”
The voice that once said “Let there be light” now called a dead man by name. Resurrection obeyed.
But Lazarus came out still bound. Life was restored instantly; freedom required help. The same God who brings us out also uses community to remove grave clothes — habits, shame, mindsets, and residue of death.
Principle: God brings you out — but He also brings people around you to help you walk free.
Closing Summary
This passage reveals a divine pattern:
The God of Jericho, Carmel, the Valley of Dry Bones, and the fiery furnace is the same God standing at Lazarus’ tomb.
And He is still calling names.
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*** Wrap up -- Call to Action – We have to go Tell the world…
We need to Transform the next Generation – with what we believe.
We have shown weaker version of Jesus to the next Generation.
John 11:45: “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.”
The raising of Lazarus leads many to believe in Jesus, showcasing how His miraculous works serve as powerful signs that inspire faith and reveal His divine nature.
These verses can serve as foundational reminders of Jesus’ authority, compassion, and the assurance of eternal life through faith in Him.
