ST. JOHN 11:1-4, 25 " DEATH FOR THE GLORY"

One of the things in this life that we try so hard to avoid is death, and it doesn't matter what kind of death it is, we don't want any parts of it.  One of the things about death that we don't like is its finality; it is the end of this life.  The world embraces this point of view: that death means life is over.

And it is true if you die without Christ in your life "IT'S OVER".  You will spend eternity separated from God in eternal fire and, "WHO WANTS TO EXPERIENCE THAT?" Our story in St. John tells us about the man Lazarus whom Jesus loves is sick; this situation was grave because Martha and Mary put emphasis on the fact that Jesus loved Lazarus.  Hurry and come and see your sick friend is told by the messenger. The response of Jesus is: it's not unto death, but for the glory of God!! 

Jesus stays where he is for two more days!  Have you ever had that experience?  You are waiting on the Lord and he doesn't come right away??!!  But wait... there is a greater good on the way.  The day Jesus got the message, Lazarus was already dead.  Could you imagine the response the messenger got when he told Mary and Martha what Jesus said: "this sickness is not unto death?”  The fact of the matter is if you die in Christ you will never die, and this is the message he told Martha, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Believeth thou this?"  (St. John 11:26)

Jesus heads to the grave of Lazarus to perform his greatest miracle – he resurrects Lazarus from the dead.  There are situations in your life that seem dead and there’s no life in them; year after year dealing with the same old dead situation.  But there is GOOD NEWS!  Jesus Christ who resurrects dead things is about to breathe on your situation and give it life. 

The death of some things is associated with his glory; he said “I let it die for the glory.”  I let it get good and dead like Lazarus; Lord by now he stinks!  In other words if I tried to bring it back to life I would just mess it up!  Let God do it. When he rises you up it will be for his GLORY. Maybe it's a business, a relationship, a healing, or a job, God will bring it back to life for his GLORY!!