The Death of Lazarus
Submitted by J on February 16 2002 12:44:51
In reply to death submitted by frank on February 16 2002 01:23:16
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Dear frank, If I may, I'd like to share some Scripture that weaves together some of the responses that have already been posted as it regards Christians mourning the death of a fellow Christian. Near the end of His ministry, Jesus' friend Lazarus died: On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will live again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she stold him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." John 11:17-44 ***** Even though Martha knew that she would see her brother, Lazarus, again at the resurrection, she still mourned. Even though Jesus was about to bring Lazarus back to life, He still wept. He loved this man and his sisters, just as we love those who are close to us. When a loved one dies, we are sad for many reasons. They are no longer with us and we feel both the present and future loss of their companionship. There is usually, but not always, a sense of grief over not being able to spend as much time as we would have liked with our loved one before they died. Even though we believe they are in a better place, we still tend to grieve that they are not here to enjoy all the things this life had to offer them. Tears and mourning over the death of a loved one are rooted in the real and often long temporal separation that occurs. This separation is as real for the believer as it is for the non-believer, though as Christians we believe it to be temporary as opposed to final. And even though as Christians we believe Jesus is God, we also believe that He was human, just like we are and subject to all of our feelings and emotions. At the death of his good friend, Lazarus, He wept, just as we weep and mourn the death of a loved one. Hope this helps answers your question on the compatability of Christians mourning the death of a fellow Christian. Kind and loving regards, J |
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