The Glory of God - True Love

John 11 – Lazarus’ Death (Why did it happen)

Is it possible for us to comprehend that Jesus allowed Lazarus to die because he loved him?

Read John 11:5-6 – Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

He loved them so he stayed? This miracle worker who healed the sick with his touch was given a warning by Lazarus’ sisters about his approaching death and because he loved him he stayed? How is this love?

The statement Jesus made by his choice to stay:

Lazarus, Mary and Martha. I love you. And because I love you, I'm not going to save you from death right away. Because I love you, I’m not going to spare you from the heartache of losing your brother. In fact, I'm going to arrange for you to experience his death twice, for a much greater purpose then you have the capacity to understand right now…And that purpose is, LOVE.

By his actions, Jesus is saying that even though you don’t understand it. The truth is that revealing my Glory (God's glory) to you is more loving then sparing your brother from death or you from the heartache of that death. In your mind, you have only one understanding of how I can show love in this situation; by saving Lazarus from death. But what you will soon understand is that it is more loving for me to show you the eternal blessing of God’s glory then it is to save you from the momentary pain and suffering of your brother’s death.

An application for our own lives:

With suffering, God says to us, I love you, and since I love you I will let really 'hard' things happen to you in your life, because through them you will see more of me and my glory then if I spared you from these hard things. Therefore love is the display of God's glory, not the escape from harm, pain, suffering or even death.

The God's Love Test:

If you want to test God's love for you in a biblical way, don't ask the question:

Is he keeping me out of harms way

Instead, ask these questions:

- Am I able to see more of His sustaining grace through this pain?

- Am I (like Paul) being weaned off the reliance’s of this world?


What a Mighty God we serve,


jason