In Bethany, a small village near Jerusalem, lived three very special siblings: Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. They were dear friends of Jesus.

Whenever Jesus passed through Bethany, He visited that house. Martha prepared delicious food. Mary sat at Jesus' feet to hear Him teach. Lazarus talked with Jesus as a close friend.

Jesus loved that family. Their house was a place of rest and joy for Him.

But one day, something terrible happened. Lazarus became very sick!

Martha and Mary cared for him lovingly, but he got worse. They were very worried. They needed help!

They sent a message to Jesus: "Lord, he whom you love is ill."

It was a simple message but full of faith. They didn't say "come quickly!" They just informed that His friend was sick. They trusted that Jesus would know what to do.

When Jesus heard this, He said:

Jesus knew what was going to happen. He had a greater plan!

But then Jesus did something strange: He stayed two more days in the place where He was! He didn't go immediately to Bethany!

Why did Jesus wait? He loved Lazarus! Why didn't He rush to help him?

Jesus waited because God had a greater plan than just healing Lazarus. Jesus was going to do something extraordinary that would show His power over death itself!

After two days, Jesus said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

The disciples were worried. "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"

But Jesus was determined. Then He said plainly, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him."

The disciples thought He was speaking about natural sleep. "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."

Jesus then told them plainly:

Lazarus was dead! Jesus was glad? That sounds strange! But Jesus was glad because He knew He was going to show His power in an extraordinary way, and this would strengthen the disciples' faith.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

Many Jews had come from Jerusalem to console Martha and Mary about their brother's death. The house was full of mourning people.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him. Mary remained sitting in the house.

Martha said to Jesus:

Even in sadness, Martha had faith! She believed Jesus could still do something!

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha answered, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."

She was thinking of the final resurrection, at the end of time. But Jesus meant something much greater!

Jesus then said to her very important words:

Jesus was saying: "I AM the resurrection! I AM the life! In Me there is power over death!"

Martha answered with a beautiful confession of faith:

Martha went to call Mary, saying quietly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."

Mary got up quickly and went to Jesus. When she saw Him, she fell at His feet saying the same words as Martha: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!"

She was weeping. All who were with her were weeping.

When Jesus saw Mary weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.

The shortest verse in the Bible, but so powerful! Jesus wept!

Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus. He knew that in a few minutes there would be joy. But even so, He wept with His friends. He shared their sorrow.

This shows us the compassionate heart of Jesus. He cares about our pain!

Jesus said, "Where have you laid him?"

They said, "Lord, come and see."

They went to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid against it.

Jesus said, "Take away the stone!"

Martha, always practical, said, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days!"

In Jewish culture, it was believed that the soul stayed near the body for three days. After four days, there was no doubt: the person was really dead. The body was already decomposing.

Jesus said to her:

They took away the stone. Jesus lifted up His eyes and said:

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me."

Jesus prayed aloud so that everyone would know He did this by the power of God the Father.

And then, with a loud voice, Jesus cried out:

Everyone was quiet, waiting. What would happen?

And then... movement! Someone was coming out of the tomb!

Lazarus came out! He was alive!

His hands and feet were still bound with burial cloths. His face was wrapped with a cloth. But he was ALIVE! He was walking!

Jesus said, "Unbind him, and let him go."

Imagine the scene! Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, was now there, alive, breathing, walking!

The sisters must have run to hug him! Tears of sadness turned to tears of joy!

Weeping turned to celebration! Death was conquered by life!

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in Him. How could they not believe after witnessing such a miracle?

Jesus had shown that He has power over death! He is truly "the resurrection and the life"!

This miracle pointed to something even greater that would happen: Jesus' own resurrection!

Jesus raised Lazarus, but eventually Lazarus would die again. But when Jesus rose from the dead, He rose never to die again! He conquered death forever!

And because Jesus conquered death, all who believe in Him will also be raised one day. Death is not the end for those who belong to Jesus!

When Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life," He was telling the truth. He proved it by raising Lazarus. And He proved it even more when He Himself rose!

The raising of Lazarus gives us hope. Jesus has power over death. Nothing is impossible for Him!