He asked those present to roll away Lazarus’ tombstone. He asked Lazarus to rise up. He asked people to take Lazarus’ grave clothes off. Why didn’t He just do everything Himself?

Lazarus’s sisters are beside themselves and angry with Jesus for not coming sooner. Lazarus has already been wrapped in grave clothes and buried in the family tomb, sealed by the stone entrance.

In May I got a new appreciation for the Bible story of Lazarus (John 11: 43-44). Jesus called in a loud voice, ... Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go. ...

Jesus acts. Stone and stench cannot deter him, or keep Lazarus a prisoner in the cave of death. “Come out of that dark cave,” Jesus says, and out Lazarus comes, trailing his grave clothes behind him.

We are studying how Jesus dealt with his own losses in life and the losses of his community as well (John 11: 1-44). Might there be some insights here for ...

Lazarus’s sisters are beside themselves and angry with Jesus for not coming sooner. Lazarus has already been wrapped in grave clothes and buried in the family tomb, sealed by the stone entrance.