I am one among believing Christians everywhere who loves the Biblical story of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. You remember the captivating account:
“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. Therefore his sisters sent unto [the Lord], saying, ‘Lord, behold He whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby’…Then when Jesus came, he found that [Lazarus] had lain in the grave four days already…they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. [Jesus] cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with gravesclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’ ” (Selected verses from John, chapter 11)
Concerning this story, a friend once shared with me her pondered musings. She wrote:
“I had a new perspective on Jesus’ friend, Lazarus…His miracle – being raised from the dead – was amazing and of course, personal. However, it probably came with a responsibility. His miracle probably made him a sort of celebrity. His very life was a testimony of Jesus, and he couldn’t hide it or keep it to himself. Some miracles or trials come with a responsibility to share our experience with others to encourage or testify to them…When [Lazarus] was blessed with the miracle, it became [his] responsibility to declare the divinity of Jesus. It wasn’t about Lazarus. It was about the Son of God for the rest of [Lazarus’] life and beyond.” (Personal correspondence: Twyla Harrison)
Don’t I have a super insightful, divinely inspired friend? Her words – weighed and pondered – have incredibly taught and edified me. Especially meaningful and worthy of increased meditation for me have been the words and phrases in bold.
Personal: True, our trials as well as our received miracles are personal. While sound judgement is necessary to not “cast pearls before swine,” there simply are times when we should open our mouths and bear testimony of truths etched in our souls from what God has allowed us to experience and what we have allowed Him to write on our hearts. We should we be willing to respond to the impressions of the Spirit when He bids us to share. In my experience whenever the Spirit prompts, it has always been appropriate to share.
Responsibility: Discipleship has always been about action, about discipline that moves one to action. I loved my friend’s insight that Lazarus being raised from the dead “probably came with a responsibility.” As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we know we are under divine responsibility to first honor our covenants by keeping them and then invite others to learn of such covenants so they, too, can be blessed by them. This is for sure a responsibility but golly, what a sacred privilege, too!
Very life: How true it is that our very lives are a witness for or against Christ and his doctrine. Considering the magnitude of this reality can feel very sobering! It seems to most haunt me when, in retrospect, I realize I acted in a way that harmed the cause of Christ, I spoke less kindly than I should have, I made a too hasty judgement, I chose self over service, I missed the chance to heart connect with another being undergoing the human experience.
Professing Christianity – and binding ourselves to it through the covenant of baptism – definitely is the real deal.
While serving a full-time mission, one of my sisters had an interesting experience. She and her companion stood at a door and knocked. A young child answered the door and looked up at my sister and her companion. The mother’s voice called from the background, “Who is it?” The son then gave this reply to his mother: “Mom, it’s Jesus Christ!” Taking note of and being able to read the enlarged name of Jesus Christ on the tags of the missionaries, the young boy – in an innocent, child-like way – had called out to his mother that someone, something to do with Jesus Christ stood at their front door.
Yes, our very lives are inescapable witnesses of Christ and His cause. We who have covenanted to follow Christ and advance His cause – full time missionary or full time member – are under an unavoidable charge to let our very lives be our witness.
Couldn’t: Being raised from the dead did make it so that Lazarus “couldn’t hide it or keep it to himself.” Although he couldn’t, I believe Lazarus possessed the spiritual integrity and resolve so that he wouldn’t.
After witnessing Lazarus being raised from the dead, the account states: “Then many of the Jews which…had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him” (John 11:45). These Jews chose belief after witnessing a miraculous event, but what of that initial seed of planted belief? It had to be watered if it was to grow. Who would have helped water it? Could it be a reasonable guess that it would have been Lazarus and his sisters?
Encourage or testify: I have been encouraged in my spiritual journey by so many people sent from God: my good parents, youth teachers, other family members, peers, etc.
Even today at church, I was so edified by the couple that spoke – each of whom shared a personal story that strengthened my faith in Sabbath observance and meaningful prayer.
I love that I belong to a church that gives me public occasion to stand and testify once/month. I need to know that I know, and I need to hear myself say such. Father ought to hear it from our mouths as well as observe it in our actions.
And so it is yet again another of our great privileges: to encourage one another along and to testify to one another. I love how it is worded in Hebrews 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…but exhorting one another…” What a sweet covenant pleasure to encourage and testify to one another. And to what end? “For the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified…” (John 11: 4)
Declare the divinity of Jesus: As noted by my friend, the miracle that brought Lazarus back to life came with a hallowed responsibility, and I love that it did. Miracles do not produce faith; rather, they reward it. The faith and personal righteousness of Lazarus and his sisters was such that a miracle was given them. What could they offer as beginning thanks? How could they not “declare the divinity of Jesus?”
What of us? For beginning thanks for all we have that is good and right in our lives, can we not also use our voice to declare the divinity of the Son of God? The pure in heart in the world needs such witnesses!
It wasn’t about Lazarus. This is a treasured insight from my friend! It’s our journey in the wilderness for sure, and it’s our choice to believe or forsake, but let us not forget that the most important figure in the Plan of Salvation is our Savior, Jesus Christ. The plan centers on Him.
Even in our own stories, it’s not so much about any one of us. It’s about Jesus, the Christ, the one who made our salvation possible. Our victories are possible because of Him. Our return to the Father we left is because of Him. The raising of Lazarus was to point people to Christ. And so it is for us. Our miracles are gifts no doubts, but they are meant to glorify God in the sacred name of Jesus.
Elder Rasband taught, “Many of you have witnessed miracles, more than you realize. They may seem small in comparison to Jesus raising the dead. But the magnitude does not distinguish a miracle, only that it came from God…Miracles are wrought by divine power by Him who is “mighty to save.” (Doctrine and Covenants 133:47)
Miracles are extensions of God’s eternal plan; miracles are a lifeline from heaven to earth.” (Rasband, R. “Behold! I Am A God of Miracles,” April 2021 General Conference)
It was about the Son of God for the rest of [Lazarus’] life and beyond. Once we’ve had an encounter with the Divine that changes us, it’s about being changed. It’s about the One who wrought the change. It’s about His grace. It’s about His power. It’s about knowing. It’s about sharing. It’s about telling. It’s about Him. Not us. For the rest of our lives. And beyond.
Unto all the world: May we ever more declare the divinity of Jesus Christ!