And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
—(John 11:43-46).
I. THE raising of dead Lazarus.
1. The time: “When he thus had spoken.” When Jesus first heard that Lazarus was sick, he abode two days in the place where he was. Slowly and calmly he moved toward Bethany, so that when he arrived beneath its fig-trees, the passing villager told him that Lazarus had lain in the grave four days already. Still Jesus did not hurry, but waited till he had drawn forth the unbelief of Martha and Mary— waited till he had manifested his own tender, compassionate heart—waited till he had given public thanks to the Father, to show that he was sent of God. “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”
His time is the right time. So in giving life to Israel. Israel, like Lazarus, have been lying in their graves eighteen hundred years. Their bones are dry, and very many. Since he spake against them, he earnestly remembers them still; and there is a day coming when he will pour the Spirit of life upon them, and make them come forth, and be life to the dead world. But this in his own time. Jesus does not hurry. He waits till he has drawn out the unbelief of men, and manifested his own tender heart. Then when his time is come, he will cry, Israel, come forth. So in the deliverance of the Church so in the deliverance of individual believers; “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”
2. The work: “He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes.” What a strange scene was here! It was a retired part of the narrow ravine in which Bethany lies, and the crowd were standing beside the newly-opened sepulchre of Lazarus. It was a cave cut in the rock, and the huge stone that had been rolled to the door was now rolled back. The Jews stood around, wondering what he would do. The hardy peasants of Bethany leaned over the newly-moved stone, and gazed into the dark cave. Martha and Mary fixed their eyes on Jesus, and a deep silence hung upon the group. Opposite the cavern’s mouth stood the Saviour—his tears not yet dried—his eye looking up towards his Father. “He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth!” The hollow cave rang with the solemn sound. The ear of Lazarus was dead and cold, the limbs stiff and motionless, the eyelids closely sealed, and the cold damp of death lay on his forehead; the grave-clothes were round him, and his face bound with a napkin, when the sudden cry, “Lazarus, come forth,” awoke the dead. It pierced down into the deep cave, and through the close damp napkin into the dead ear. The heart began suddenly to beat, and the warm current of life to flow through the dead man’s veins. The vital heat and the sense of hearing came back. It was a well-known voice. “The voice of my Beloved,” he would say; “he calls my name.” So he arose: “And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot, with grave-clothes.” How simple, and yet how glorious! Jehovah speaks, and it is done. “The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty; the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars, yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.” Now were the words of Christ fulfilled: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby.” Christ manifested forth his glory as the resurrection and the life.
1. The resurrection. This is the way in which Christ will raise all that have died in the Lord. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28, 29). There is a day near at hand, in which every dead ear shall hear the same voice crying, Come forth! Come forth!
Learn not to sorrow over departed believers as those who have no hope: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” The dust of Lazarus was dear to Jesus; he would not leave it in the rocky tomb. So is the dust of every Lazarus dear in his sight. He will not lose so much as one of them. Wherever they lie, it matters not—beneath the green sward, or beneath the deep blue sea, or on some distant battle-field, or consumed in flame and smoke—the Lord Jesus will yet collect their scattered dust, and make them like his own glorious body.
Learn not to fear the grave. There is nothing that we naturally shrink back from more than the grave. Ah! it is a fearful thing to leave the company of living men, and lie down in the narrow house, with a shroud for our only clothing, a coffin for our couch, and the worm for our companion. It is humiliating—it is loathsome. But if you are one of Christ’s, here is the victory: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor.15:52-55). Fix your eye on Jesus at the grave of Lazarus; so will he stand over the grave of a sleeping world, and cry, “Come forth!”
O Christless man! you too will hear that voice—your soul will hear it in hell—your body will hear it in the grave; and death and hell will give up the dead which are in them. You will not hear his voice now, but you must hear it then. You w ill come forth, like Lazarus, and stand before God. Perhaps you would like to lie still in the grave. Oh! let the rocks fall on me, and the mountains cover me. Perhaps you will cling to the sides of the grave, and clasp your frail coffin in your arms. Perhaps your soul would wish to lie still in hell. Oh! let me alone—let the burning wave go over me for ever—let the worm gnaw and never die. But you must come forth to the resurrection of damnation—you must rise to shame amid everlasting contempt.
2. He manifested himself as the Life. This is the way in which Christ gives life to dead souls. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” John v.25. The soul of the unconverted among you is as dead to divine things as the body of Lazarus was to common things. There is a total death in every unconverted bosom. It is not a mere figure of speech.. It is not figurative death, but real—as real as that of Lazarus. Your eye does not see divine things—your ear does not hear them—your heart does not feel them. It is the voice of Christ that wakens the dead soul. Jesus speaks through the Bible—through ministers—through providence’s. His voice can reach the dead. He quickeneth whom he will. They that hear live.
Learn that it is right in ministers and godly friends to give warnings, and calls, and invitations to those that are spiritually dead. It appears strange to some that we should believe men to be spiritually dead, and yet warn them, and call them, and invite them to repent and believe the Gospel. But this is the very way Jesus did to a dead Lazarus; and the way he does still to dead souls. It is through these very warnings, and calls, and invitations, that Jesus speaks to your dead hearts All that have been saved in this place heard the voice of Christ when they were dead. Godly persons among you should continue these calls and warnings, even though your friends appear as dead as Lazarus was.
Learn where to look for spiritual life. It was not the voice of Mary, nor the voice of Martha, nor the voice of the Jews, that raised dead Lazarus. They could roll away the stone, but they could do no more. They could not raise the dead. It was the voice of Immanuel—of him who is the life of all that live. So it is still, dear friends. It is his voice alone that can awaken you. It is not my voice, nor that of your loving Martha’s and Mary’s—it must be the voice of Jesus, or you will sleep on and die in your sins; and where Christ has gone you will never come. Many a time the voice of ministers has rung through this house, and through your ears, and you have lived on in sin. But when the voice of Christ speaks through the word, then you will arise, and leave all, and follow him.
II. The effect on the bystanders.
1. Many believed on him. It was a happy day in Bethany. He turneth the shadow of death into the morning. Martha and Mary had their bitter grief turned into a song of praise. Their buried brother was once more restored to their arms safe and sound; and I can imagine the feelings with which they sang that evening at their family worship: “Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord had dealt bountifully with thee.”
Another joy was this: all their unbelief was now cleared away; Christ was like a morning without clouds. His tarrying, his promise, his trial of them—all was now explained; and as Mary sat at his feet that evening and heard his words, she felt more than ever that it was impossible for Christ to lie. But a greater joy still remained:—“Many of the Jews believed on him.” It was a birth-night for eternity. The Shepherd found some lost sheep that night. The voice that called Lazarus forth pierced many a heart. The cottage at Bethany would be like a little heaven that night. Observe what made them believe: “When they saw the things that Jesus did.” It was not the sight of one thing, but of all that Jesus did; just as the dying thief believed on Christ, not from seeing one thing but all that Jesus did. When he saw his holy person, his calmness, his love, his pity, he could not but feel that this was the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world. So with these Jews. They saw the amazing love of Jesus to Lazarus, and Martha and Mary—they saw his tears—they heard his groans—they saw him thank and praise his Father; and they could not but believe on him. Two things especially they saw—divine power, and divine love to sinners. It is the same thing which persuades sinners now to believe on him. It is seeing such love in him that he is willing to save; arid such power that he is able. And O how happy it would make us if many of you believed on him!—if you were constrained this day to lay hold on him as your surety, elder brother, and friend!
2. Some went and told the Pharisees. Some were saved and some were hardened.
(1.) Their companions were saved, yet they were not. They left Jerusalem together, strangers to God and to conversion. Some were taken, and some were left. So it is ever. I have often thought when sinners have been stricken and saved in this place, surely their neighbours will be saved also. Often it is the very reverse. Are there not many of you that have been hardened, while others have been saved by your side?
(2.) They loved Martha and Mary, and yet were not saved, but hated Christ. They were friends of Martha and Mary; they seem even to have loved Mary best—and yet they did not love Christ. So it is now. Some among you love our Martha’s and Mary’s, and yet do not love Christ. Ah! those whom you love will soon be eternally separated from you.
(3.) Their objections were answered, and yet they were not saved. “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?” They objected that his love was not true, or he would not have suffered Lazarus to drop into the grave. Here their objection is taken away. Lazarus is raised, so that it is proved to them that Jesus loved him. Their mouth is shut. Still they do not turn. Alas! it is the same still. Many say, If I knew that Christ were willing to receive me, I would come. Remove the objection, still they do not come. If I had clothes, if I were free from family cares, I would begin to care about my soul. Still, remove the objection, and they are careless as ever.
(4.) They hated Christ, the more they saw of him. Not only did they not believe on him, but they went and told his deadly enemies—went and plotted his destruction. Ah! this is almost incredible. What a diabolical heart is a natural heart! Not only do you refuse to be saved by Christ, but you hate his name and cause. “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”