JESUS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE JOHN 11:17-27

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried four days before. Bethany was less than three kilometers from Jerusalem, and many Judeans had come to see Martha and Mary to comfort them over their brother’s death.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”

“Your brother will rise to life.” Jesus told her. “I know” she replied, “that he will rise to life on the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die, and all those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord!” she answered, “I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Lord Jesus Christ,your name is Emmanuel. Sometimes in my challenges I fail to realize that you are ever near. You speak to me each moment giving me your words of assurance, most times I am deaf because I am engrossed in my trials. Quiet my Spirit, so that I may hear your voice clearly and be rooted in your comforting words.

THE MAN LAZARUS

LAZARUS JOHH 11:1-44

A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, was ill.  Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. (This Mary was the one who poured the perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair: it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.) The sisters sent Jesus a message. “Lord, your dear friend is ill.”

When Jesus heard it, he said, “The final result of this illness will not be the death of Lazarus, this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory.”

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he received the news that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was for two more days. Then he said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

“Teacher,”  the disciples answered, “just a short time ago the people there wanted to stone you, and are you planning to go back?”

Jesus said, “A day has twelve hours, hasn’t it? So whoever walks in broad daylight does not stumble, for they see the light of this world. But if they walk during the night they stumble, because they have no light. Jesus said this and then added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.”

The disciples answered, “If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well.”  Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep. So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe, Let us go to him.”

Thomas (called the Twin) said to his fellow disciples, “Let us go with the Teacher, so that we may die with him!”

Holy Spirit thank you for your guidance, I no longer have to rely on my effort. Through your guide and teaching I will understand the Father's will. I will understand Christ teaching. Through your power I will a life that pleases God.