Sunday 17 September, 2017

[ursen]

John 11:6-16 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
6 So after he heard Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7 And then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short time ago the Jews there tried to kill you with stones. Are you still going back?”

9 Jesus answered, “Aren’t there 12 hours of daylight? Anyone who walks during the day won’t trip and fall. They can see because of this world’s light. 10 But when they walk at night, they’ll trip and fall. They have no light.”

11 After he said this, Jesus went on speaking to them. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,” he said. “But I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking about the death of Lazarus. But his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your benefit, I am glad I was not there. Now you will believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas, who was also called Didymus, spoke to the rest of the disciples. “Let us go also,” he said. “Then we can die with Jesus.”

Most of us are familiar with the raising of Lazarus, but there are two little gems hidden in the bigger story. One is here in verse sixteen. Thomas makes the first complete statement of devotion and love from any of the disciples. "Let us go also", he said. "Then we can die with Jesus". Huh? What? This is doubting Thomas? Can we at least surprise ourselves at the depth of our love and devotion to Jesus? Can we say that we devote our whole lives to Him?