The doctors had done everything they knew to do! Lazarus only grew worse! Mary and Martha sent a message for Jesus saying, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. “ Lazarus and Jesus had formed a close friendship. The messenger said he found Jesus only a couple days travel away. If Jesus hurried and traveled all night He would get there even today.
The day went by, But Jesus did not come. Lazarus breathed his last.
ACT: Jesus with his disciples comes to Bethany and Martha goes out to meet Him.
When Jesus did come, Lazarus had lain in the grave four days already. Martha hurried to meet Jesus. Jesus comforted Martha with the promise that Lazarus would rise again. Martha, in return, expressed her faith in Jesus and the resurrection morning and the promise of eternal life and she assured Jesus that she believed in His power to raise the dead!
ACT: Martha goes to get Mary, whispering in her ear that Jesus is waiting for her.
After that, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
ACT: Mary leaves the house to go to Jesus. The mourners follow her.
John 11:29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
ACT: when Mary sees Jesus she falls at His feet.
John 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Mary had witnessed countless miracles of Jesus and she knew that to be in His presence was to have life and to have it more abundantly! Her words had a strange effect on Jesus.
ACT: Mary weeps. Jesus weeps. Jesus asks where they have laid Lazarus. Mary and Martha lead Him there and everyone follows.
33 When Jesus …saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Look how he loved him! …
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
ACT: Jesus tells them to take away the stone. And Martha protests.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
ACT: Mary and Martha and everyone help to take away the stone.
Mary had also followed Jesus to the grave. Now she looked at her sister. Neither took long to act. Both hurried to roll away the stone and others came to help.
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.
ACT: Jesus lifts His eyes toward heaven and prays. Then He calls Lazarus from the grave. Lazarus rises.
And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
But Mary later heard that
46 ….some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them about Lazarus being raised from the dead.
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and decided Jesus must die to save the nation from being taken away by Rome. So they councilors to put Him to death.
Then it was Mary remembered how Jesus had said, “Though one were risen from the dead, they still would not believe.”
Author: Sharon Oxentenko