“When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see Him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.“—John 12: 9-11 (NLT)
There are no recorded words of Lazarus in the Gospels.
Yet, many people believed in Jesus because of him. They heard what had happened. Lazarus was dead for four days in the tomb and then he was alive because of Jesus.
Our witness of Jesus is not necessarily something we DO. Rather, we are to BE witnesses of His love, His healing power, and His ability to take spiritually dead lives and make them alive.
I think of the words credited to both Mother Teresa and Francis of Assisi: “Witness all the time and when necessary, use words.”
Well, you might say, Lazarus was raised from the dead. That’s a hard act to follow. I can talk about my faith, but I don’t have anything that dramatic to show for it.
But you do!
All of us were dead in our sins before Jesus became our savior.
Just as Lazarus was set free from the stinking grave clothes, we are set free from the stench of our sins and destructive behavior.
We all have a story to live and tell of Jesus and His love.
Lazarus was known as a friend of Jesus, even before his dramatic return from the dead. He was a respected member of his community—a nice person with a good reputation.
That’s important.
But what drew people to him and brought them to salvation was the witness of his changed life and his relationship with Jesus.
I’m sure Lazarus was eager to tell people about Jesus—it’s normal to talk about someone who has changed your life. The woman at the well, who also had a dramatic encounter with Jesus, couldn’t wait to tell everyone as she exclaimed, “Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?” (John 4: 29, NIV).
Whether our witness is verbal or through our actions, may it be laced with love and genuine caring for the other person, as a true reflection of God’s love for us.
“Lighthouses don’t fire guns or ring bells to call attention to their light, they just shine.” —Sherwood E. Wirt
