Key Passage

Then Jesus said to his followers, "We should go back to Judea." The followers answered, "But teacher, those Jews in Judea tried to kill you with stones. That was only a short time ago. Now you want to go back there?" Jesus answered, "There are twelve hours of light in the day. Right? If a person walks in the day, then he will not stumble and fall. Why? Because he can see with the light of this world. But when a person walks at night he stumbles. Why? Because there is no light to help him see." After Jesus said these things, he said, "Our friend Lazarus is now sleeping. But I am going there to wake him." The followers answered, "But Lord, if he can sleep, he will be well." Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead. But Jesus' followers thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was really sleeping. So then Jesus said clearly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad that I was not there. I am happy for you, because now you will believe {in me}. We will go to him now."

— John 11:7-15 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Jesus will awaken each of us that belong to him. While death does not sever our relationship with the Lord, he will return one day and summon each of us from our graves. His victory over death at the empty tomb and his triumph over death for Lazarus in this story remind us that at its worst, death is just a restful sleep. He will call us from its clutches and bring us unto himself in glory and victory. We will hear his wake up call and rise for death does not claim us. We died with Christ in baptism so that sin and death no longer have a claim over us. We await the full realization of his resurrection in our lives, but know it will come. We have a wake up call!

Prayer

Father, thank you for a hope that cannot be destroyed by death. Stir the urgency and passion in my heart to live victoriously because of that hope. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

I tell you the truth. An {important} time is coming. That time is already here. People that are dead {in sin} will hear the voice of the Son of God. And the people that {accept the things they} hear {from the Son} will have life {forever}. Life comes from the Father (God) himself. So the Father has also allowed the Son (Jesus) to give life. And the Father has given the Son the power to judge all people. Why? Because that Son is the Son of Man. Don't be surprised at this. A time is coming when all people that are dead and in their graves will hear his voice. Then they will come out of their graves. The people that did good in this life will rise and have life forever. But the people that did evil will rise to be judged guilty.
— John 5:25-29

Every person must die once. After a person dies, he is judged. So Christ was offered as a sacrifice one time to take away the sins of many people. And Christ will come a second time, but not for people's sin. Christ will come the second time to bring salvation to those people who are waiting for him.
— Hebrews 9:27-28

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those people who have died. We don't want you to be sad like other people--people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died. But we believe that Jesus rose again. So, because of Jesus, God will raise to be with Jesus those people who have died.
— 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14