Jesus raised Lazarus not only to demonstrate his power over death, but also to lead those who witnessed the miracle from unbelief to faith. At Christ’s command, Lazarus emerged from the darkness of the tomb into light and life, showing that death is not final for those who believe. Although the religious leaders tried to silence Jesus, they could not extinguish the transforming power of faith. Jesus teaches that God’s essential work is to believe in the One he sent. We are therefore called to leave behind darkness, death and disbelief and enter true life through faith in Christ.
Jesus prayed aloud, not because he needed help performing the miracle, but so that the people around him would hear and believe that God had sent him. Then Jesus spoke the word: “Come out!” At his command, Lazarus moved from the death and darkness of the cave into the light of day and the presence of Christ—the One who is Life.
The Word of God raised Lazarus from death to life. Lazarus had been listening for just one word: “Come.” One word gave him life.
It reminds me of playing laser tag. At the beginning of the game, you wait in darkness for someone to say, “Go!” At that word, everything comes alive. During a game, I may “die” and rise again two hundred times! Of course, that is only a game, but Lazarus’s story points to a far greater truth: death is not final.
Many of the people who witnessed this miracle were themselves living in a kind of cave—a place of darkness, death and unbelief. As Jesus called Lazarus into life, he also called them out of unbelief and into faith. Lazarus moved from death to life, and many who saw what happened moved from unbelief to belief.
This is the promise of Jesus: whoever believes in him will live, even though they die. Faith in Jesus Christ cannot be crushed—not even by death itself.
Yet the religious leaders wanted to destroy both Jesus and Lazarus. Why? Were they afraid that Jesus would simply build a better religion? No. They were not afraid of Christian piety or outward religious activity. They were afraid of faith—living faith in Jesus Christ. They understood that such faith has the power to move people from darkness into light and from death into life. It is a power that cannot be controlled or silenced.
In John 6:28–29, the people asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Could it really be that simple? Don’t we have to prove ourselves by living the right kind of life? Jesus brings us back to the beginning: believe. Faith in Jesus Christ is both the purpose of his teaching and the beginning of true life. The transformed life follows from trusting the One whom God has sent.
Let us, then, crawl out of the cave of darkness, death and disbelief. Let us hear the voice of Jesus calling, “Come out!” Through faith, let us step into the light and enter true life through the One who died and rose again so that we all might live.
