On the Road to Lazarus’ Tomb
Are you facing something right now that looks hopeless? To use a couple expressions of the day, are
things “dead in the water”, “dead as a doornail” or “dead and buried”? Perhaps it’s hope for a job, a
relationship, a ministry or a health report. It could be a number of things. Have you ever thought about
the fact, that all of us, as believers, are at one time, “On the road to Lazarus’s Tomb”? I have been on
that road before, and unfortunately, it has become all too familiar. What is the Road to Lazarus’ Tomb?
Just hearing the name Lazarus probably brings to your mind the often told story of Jesus raising Lazarus
from the dead. Let’s revisit that story briefly to see some remarkable truths about being on that road.
Here is the passage in a nutshell, at least the part I would like us to look at. “So the two sisters sent a
message to Jesus telling him, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’ But when Jesus heard about it, he said,
‘Lazarus sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God, so that the Son of God will
receive glory from this’. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard Lazarus was
sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’ ‘But
Rabbi’, they said, ‘a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back
there?’…Jesus went onto tell them…’Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that
you may believe.’…Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of
God’…After he said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus come out!’ The dead man came out…” I’d
like us to think for a moment what must have been going on in the minds of the disciples, as well as that
of Mary and Martha. Jesus and His men were on the other side (east side) of the Jordan River having an
unbelievable ministry. Many were coming to faith in Him (John 10:42) and He was working many
miracles and healing many people. This was life as it should be for the disciples; at least, that is what
they thought. Then startling news comes that one of Jesus’ closest friends is sick and dying. At first this
must have been troubling on different levels for the disciples. One, I am sure they too loved Lazarus,
but, secondly, they must have had some great concern – fear, that Bethany was near Jerusalem, and the
last time they were there, the Jews tried to kill Jesus (John 10:39).
Jesus at first alleviates their fears by saying; “Lazarus is asleep, I’m going to wake him.” That would have
sounded like wonderful news; however, the second part of the good news was that “Jesus was going
there to wake him. Thomas probably spoke for all of them, when he said, “Let us also go, that we may
die with him.” The “him” is really “Him”, speaking of Jesus dying. So off they went – on the road to
Lazarus’ Tomb. What a walk that must have been. Shrouded in darkness as well as bathed in light. On
the one hand hope because they were walking with Jesus and He had said He was going to “wake”
Lazarus, and on the other hand fear of what might happen at the hands of the Jews, and confusion over
Jesus’ words about “sleeping” and then “dead”. Then their arrival had to be upsetting and confusing,
seeing the crowd of mourners there, and then to possibly see and hear Martha and Mary’s hurt and
questions.
Friends, we are there, on that journey to Lazarus’ Tomb. We believe in Jesus, we have trusted His Word,
the Bible. It does say He hears and answers our prayers, and that everything will work out for good. But
this walk/journey sure can seem confusing, and at times, downright frightening. Are we heading to a
situation that ends in death (our current situation), it sure seems like it. But Jesus has said it will end in
God’s glory. Right now – before the resurrection of Lazarus, it doesn’t seem possible. But that “glory
moment” is coming for you, just like it did for the disciples and Mary and Martha. Here is an amazing
thought, this will be hard to embrace at first, but…Jesus, God, is more concerned with His glory than our
comfort. Stronger yet, God’s glory even trumps His love for us. I told you this would be a hard
statement. God loves us incredibly – He couldn’t love us more. But Jesus’ supreme desire was to bring
glory to His Father. And God’s own supreme thing, is that he receives glory above all things – all things. If
God were a man, that would be horribly egotistical, but He is not man, He is God, and His chief end is to
receive glory. So what does that mean? It means that you and I must walk that road to Lazarus’ Tomb.
The bad news is the road will oftentimes be fraught with doubts and confusions, and even fear. It may
seem we are heading to a tomb with a rotting corpse. But the good news is that Jesus walks it with us.
That He has promised it will have a “good ending”. And the even better news is that your situation will
end in His receiving glory. Your journey too will end with Jesus saying loudly; “Lazarus” (put your name
in there) “Come out!” Your road is not towards death – nor is your present situation. It is towards God
bringing life from death, and His receiving glory for it. It will happen.