约翰福音1:1-45
愿恩惠、平安从神我们的父和主耶稣基督归于你们一心信靠他的人。阿们。
今天的福音经文是讲耶稣使拉撒路从死里复活的故事，我们都比较熟悉。这个伯大尼的拉撒路不是在财主门前讨饭并且死后躺在亚伯拉罕怀里的那位。我们先看这个大的背景：主耶稣和拉撒路一家人是朋友，他的姐姐们马大和马利亚，圣经中都有记载她们如何接待耶稣来家中做客（路加福音10章末尾）。拉撒路患病了，很严重，以至于两个姐姐赶紧差人去请耶稣来医治他。结果呢？耶稣听见之后，故意延迟了两天。经文说：“听见拉撒路病了，就在所居之地仍住了两天。”按照我们的意思，那肯定得“立刻、马上”，对不对？这不就是我们在祷告的时候，在平日生活遇到事情当中所期待主耶稣的回应吗？生病了，现在就让我好吧；没工作了，现在就要给我工作；经历痛苦或抑郁了，现在就让这些消失掉。但很多时候，事情并没有按照我们期待的那样进展，主有自己的时间和计划，而且都是为了我们的益处，并不是对付我们或者不管不顾。
主耶稣在今天的经文中不仅故意延迟，而且告诉门徒们目的是什么。约翰福音11:4“这病不至于死，乃是为神的荣耀，叫神的儿子因此得荣耀”；11:15“我没有在那里就欢喜，这是为你们的缘故，好叫你们相信。如今我们可以往他那里去吧。”我们先说这个荣耀，不是好像我们受苦了，然后神医治就归荣耀给他；不是好像神需要这样的荣耀。这是人的想法。主所说的荣耀，是要叫神在我们眼中为大，让我们看重神自己，荣耀这个词在希伯来文中是指“分量很重”，简单地说，就是让我们仰望他，倚靠他。也就是说，神要得荣耀，是为了他自己在我们中间显为大，为叫我们受益。也因此，这个荣耀跟信心有关，主耶稣刻意延迟两天，一定要等拉撒路死了，埋葬了，在坟墓中已经四天并且尸体发臭，就是为了让门徒们有真正的信心、让拉撒路的姐姐们，以及去安慰她们的犹太人都能看见了就信耶稣基督是上帝的儿子，是基督。
说到信心啊，我们来看今天经文当中所提及的人物以及他们的反应。拉撒路是带着信心经历致死的疾病，就是绝症，然后带着信心离世的。经文并没有透露他的信心细节问题，比如，他在病痛中有没有挣扎，甚至绝望、抱怨主为什么迟迟没有来等等，我们不知道。拉撒路在这个故事中的角色完全是被动的接受者。他的姐姐们带着信心去找主耶稣，来施恩与他，医治他；等他死了，姐姐们和街坊邻居来为他哭丧。主耶稣终于来了，在坟墓门口对着他的尸体大声呼叫说：“拉撒路出来。”（约11:43）因着主耶稣赐生命的话语和叫万物从无到有的命令，拉撒路就复活并且开始行走了。他完全是被动的接受者。其实，有时候，做一个完全领受恩惠和恩典的人，盼望等候复活的，也是如此有福。更可以说，就像保罗所讲，“我们坦然无惧，是更愿意离开身体与主同住”（林后5:8）；“情愿离世与基督同在，因为这是好得无比的。”（腓立比书1:23）人人都贪恋今生，希望能在地上长命百岁，甚至到永远，但基督徒并不以今生为骄傲，却是盼望永恒，与主永远同在的生命。从信心的角度来看，拉撒路死了，是有福的，因为他睡了，安息在主的怀抱，不需要再与情欲血气争战了。
我们再看其他几个人。马大和马利亚知道主的爱，不仅差人去请耶稣来救急，而且经文也告诉我们，她们相信耶稣是谁，并且能够成就大事。两位姐妹见到主耶稣都说：“主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死。”（约11:21，32）但是，她们的信心就像其他几个门徒一样，并不完全。当主耶稣说拉撒路必要复活的时候，马大甚至宣告说：“我知道在末日复活的时候，他必复活。”（11:24）但这还不够，主耶稣要我们明白，他不仅仅是活人的主，也是死人的主，他自己就是“复活和生命”。他自己就是创造生命的主，他要用自己的死亡和复活来恩赐我们生命。主耶稣使拉撒路死里复活，很显然要在两位姐妹身上得荣耀，因为她们的信心因此得到了完全和坚固。
我们再看门徒们的信心。当主耶稣延迟两天后准备带他们去拉撒路在伯大尼的家里，门徒们犹豫了，甚至想要拦阻耶稣前往，因为他们害怕犹太人。“拉比，犹太人近来要拿石头打你，你还往那里去吗？”（11:8）拉撒路所在的地方离耶路撒冷只有六里路，离犹太人的宗教领袖非常近，如果耶稣坚持前往，很显然会更加惹怒这些想要杀他的人。主耶稣因着爱，没有任何不敢去的地方。按照我们的想法，这是不智慧的。但这不就是神的智慧和大爱吗？爱总是带着风险，冒险去做事情。但这不就是耶稣来到地上的原因吗？他来到自己的地方，然而却不被欢迎和接纳；他是至高、圣洁的主上帝，却因着爱，甘愿来到充满罪人的人间；他是万能的主，却甘愿成为人，以致可以软弱到一个地步，被世人钉死在十字架上。门徒们信得迟钝，在爱心的实践上，也是犹犹豫豫的。
当主耶稣说拉撒路睡了，要去叫醒他的时候，是指着他的死说的。然而门徒们不明白，他们想到的仍然是普通、日常的睡觉。这是常识，对不对？如果患病的人能正常睡觉，并且像往常一样可以叫醒，那意味着很快就要好起来了。门徒们不明白，就像他们不明白主耶稣说起法利赛人的酵，要门徒们提防虚假道理的时候，他们以为耶稣说的是吃的饼。但是，主耶稣明明地给他们解释说拉撒路死了。多马的反应很不一样，他对其他门徒们说：“我们也去和他同死吧。”（11:16）看起来多马这个时候明白了，能够经历主叫我们从死里复活，是有福的，能够在主里面离世，也是有福的。这位多马就是那位非要看见主耶稣钉痕的手、用指头探入钉痕，又用手探入他的肋旁的（约翰福音20章）。多马就是这样，他总是想要经历信仰，就连拉撒路的死他也想去经历，当然这都是出于信心的渴望，去经历主的应许和大能。但是主耶稣不是对多马说：“你因看见了我才信；那没有看见就信的有福了。”（约20:29）这是指着今天的我们来说的，因为这福音书的记载都是为了让我们认识并且信主耶稣。神的荣耀在多马身上彰显出来，他的信心得了坚固。神的荣耀也要在我们身上彰显出来，因为我们听见就信了。
主耶稣说：“复活在我，生命也在我。信我的人虽然死了，也必复活；凡活着信我的人必永远不死。”（11:25）主耶稣就是复活和生命。他为了我们的罪死在十字架上，若我们凭着信心，也与他同死、同埋葬，就像多马想要跟拉撒路同死那样，我们也要与主耶稣一同复活，因为他已经复活了，胜过了罪恶、死亡，给我们带来公义和生命。正如保罗在罗马书中所说，我们 “受洗归入基督耶稣的人，是受洗归入他的死，和他一同埋葬，原是叫我们一举一动有新生的样式，像基督藉着父的荣耀从死里复活一样。”（罗马书6:2-4）
信徒离世，将来在末日必要身体复活，就像马大所认信的那样。当主再来时，仍然活在地上的信徒就不会经历死亡，而是霎时间被提，与主相遇。论到这事，保罗在帖撒罗尼迦前书4:16-18讲：
“因为主必亲自从天降临，有呼叫的声音和天使长的声音，又有神的号吹响；那在基督里死了的人必先复活。以后我们这活着还存留的人必和他们一同被提到云里，在空中与主相遇。这样，我们就要和主永远同在。所以，你们当用这些话彼此劝慰。”
是的，弟兄姐妹们，我们要用主的这些话语彼此劝勉、安慰，因为我们的盼望是在天上，不是在今生和地上。如果我们仍然沉溺于今生和属世的需要，仍然活在对人和事物的恐惧当中，我们就会像死里复活的拉撒路那样，虽然活过来了，但仍然“手脚裹着布，脸上包着手巾”，不能行走，不能做主的工作。主耶稣要释放我们，解开我们，让我们自由地行走。主说：“人在白日走路，就不致跌倒，因为看见这世上的光。”（11:9）奉耶稣基督的名。阿们。
John 11:1-45
Grace and peace to you who trust in Him with all your heart, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today’s Gospel text tells the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, a narrative familiar to us all. This Lazarus of Bethany is not the same man who begged at the rich man’s gate and later rested in Abraham’s bosom. Let us first consider the context: the Lord Jesus was a friend to Lazarus and his family. His sisters, Martha and Mary, are recorded in Scripture as those who welcomed Jesus into their home (at the end of Luke 10). When Lazarus fell seriously ill, his sisters quickly sent word for Jesus to come and heal him. And the result? Upon hearing the news, Jesus intentionally delayed for two days. The text says: "So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was" (John 11:6). By our human standards, we would expect him to come "immediately, right now," wouldn't we? Is this not exactly how we expect the Lord Jesus to respond to our prayers in daily life? If we are sick, we want to be well now; if we lose a job, we want a new one now; if we experience pain or depression, we want it to vanish instantly. Yet, often, things do not proceed according to our expectations. The Lord has His own timing and plan, and it is always for our benefit—not to punish us or ignore us.
In today’s text, the Lord Jesus not only delays intentionally but also tells His disciples the purpose. John 11:4 says, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." And 11:15: "And for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." Let us first speak of this "glory." It is not as if we must suffer so that God can heal us just to get credit; God does not "need" glory in that sense. That is a human way of thinking. The glory the Lord speaks of is meant to make God great in our eyes, to lead us to cherish God Himself. The word "glory" in Hebrew implies "weight" or "heaviness." Simply put, it means to look up to Him and rely on Him. That is to say, God is glorified so that He may be revealed as magnificent among us, for our own benefit. Therefore, this glory is tied to faith. The Lord Jesus deliberately delayed for two days, waiting until Lazarus had died, been buried, and remained in the tomb for four days until the body smelled. This was so that the disciples might have true faith, and so that Lazarus’s sisters and the Jews who came to comfort them might see and believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Christ.
Speaking of faith, let’s look at the people mentioned in the text and their reactions. Lazarus experienced a terminal illness and departed this life in faith. The text does not reveal the details of his internal faith—for instance, whether he struggled with pain, felt despair, or complained about why the Lord was late. Lazarus’s role in this story is that of a completely passive recipient. His sisters sought the Lord Jesus in faith, asking for His grace and healing; after he died, the sisters and neighbors mourned him. Finally, Jesus arrived, and at the entrance of the tomb, He cried out with a loud voice: "Lazarus, come out" (John 11:43). By the life-giving Word of the Lord Jesus and His command that calls things into existence from nothing, Lazarus was resurrected and began to walk. He was a completely passive recipient. In truth, there is great blessing in being a total recipient of favor and grace, waiting in hope for the resurrection. As Paul says, "We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8), and "My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better" (Philippians 1:23). Everyone clings to this life, hoping for longevity or even immortality on earth, but Christians do not take pride in this life; rather, we hope for eternity and a life forever with the Lord. From the perspective of faith, Lazarus's death was a blessing, for he fell asleep and rested in the arms of the Lord, no longer needing to battle against the flesh and its desires.
Consider the others. Martha and Mary knew the Lord’s love; they not only sent for Jesus in their emergency, but the text tells us they believed in who Jesus was and what He could accomplish. Both sisters said to Him: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21, 32). However, their faith, like that of the disciples, was incomplete. When Jesus said Lazarus would rise again, Martha declared: "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day" (11:24). But this was not enough. The Lord Jesus wanted them to understand that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead; He Himself is "the resurrection and the life." He is the Creator of life, and He uses His own death and resurrection to gift us life. In raising Lazarus, the Lord Jesus was clearly glorified in these two sisters, for their faith was thereby perfected and strengthened.
Look at the faith of the disciples. When Jesus prepared to lead them to Lazarus’s home in Bethany after the two-day delay, the disciples hesitated. They even tried to stop Him because they feared the Jews: "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" (11:8). Bethany was only about two miles from Jerusalem, very close to the religious leaders. If Jesus insisted on going, it would clearly further incense those seeking to kill Him. Yet, because of love, there was nowhere the Lord Jesus was afraid to go. By our logic, this was unwise. But is this not the wisdom and great love of God? Love always carries risk; it ventures out. Is this not why Jesus came to earth? He came to His own, yet He was not welcomed or received. He is the Most High, the Holy Lord God, yet out of love, He willingly came into a world full of sinners. He is the Almighty Lord, yet He willingly became man, becoming so weak that He could be crucified by the world. The disciples were slow to believe and hesitant in the practice of love.
When the Lord Jesus said Lazarus had fallen asleep and He was going to awaken him, He was speaking of his death. The disciples, however, did not understand; they thought of ordinary, daily sleep. This is common sense, right? If a sick person can sleep normally and be awakened as usual, it means they will soon recover. The disciples failed to understand, just as they misunderstood when the Lord spoke of the leaven of the Pharisees, thinking He meant physical bread when He was warning against false doctrine. So, Jesus told them plainly that Lazarus was dead. Thomas’s reaction was distinct; he said to the other disciples: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (11:16). It seems Thomas understood at this point that there is a blessing in experiencing the Lord calling us from death to life, and a blessing in departing while in the Lord. This is the same Thomas who later insisted on seeing the print of the nails in the Lord’s hands and placing his hand into His side (John 20). Thomas was always like this—he wanted to experience faith personally. He even wanted to experience Lazarus’s death, rooted in a faithful longing to experience the Lord’s promise and power. But did the Lord not say to him: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29)? This refers to us today, for the records of this Gospel are written so that we might know and believe in the Lord Jesus. God’s glory was manifested in Thomas as his faith was strengthened. God’s glory is also to be manifested in us, for we have heard and believed.
The Lord Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die" (11:25-26). Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He died on the cross for our sins. If by faith we are united with Him in death and burial—just as Thomas desired to die with Lazarus—we shall also be resurrected with the Lord Jesus. For He has already risen, conquering sin and death, bringing us righteousness and life. As Paul says in Romans: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4).
When believers depart, their bodies will be resurrected on the last day, just as Martha confessed. When the Lord returns, believers still living on earth will not experience death but will be caught up in a moment to meet the Lord. Concerning this, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:
"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words."
Yes, brothers and sisters, we should exhort and comfort one another with these words of the Lord, for our hope is in heaven, not in this life or on this earth. If we remain immersed in this life and worldly needs, living in fear of people and circumstances, we will be like the resurrected Lazarus—alive, yet still "bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth," unable to walk or do the Lord’s work. The Lord Jesus wants to release us and unbind us, so that we may walk freely. The Lord said: "If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world" (11:9). In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.