复活带来的安慰
约翰福音十一章17至27节，38至44节
17耶稣到了，就知道拉撒路在坟墓里已经四天了。
18伯大尼离耶路撒冷不远，约有六里路。
19有好些犹太人来看马大和马利亚，要为她们的兄弟安慰她们。
20马大听见耶稣来了，就出去迎接他；马利亚却仍然坐在家里。
21马大对耶稣说：“主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死！
22就是现在，我也知道，你无论向神求甚么，神也必赐给你。”
23耶稣说：“你兄弟必然复活。”
24马大说：“我知道在末日复活的时候，他必复活；”
25耶稣对她说：“复活在我，生命也在我！信我的人，虽然死了，也必复活。
26凡活着信我的人必永远不死。你信这话吗？”
27马大说：“主啊，是的，我信你是基督，是神的儿子，就是那要临到世界的。”
38耶稣又心里悲叹，来到坟墓前；那坟墓是个洞，有一块石头挡着。
39耶稣说：“你们把石头挪开！”那死人的姐姐马大对他说：“主啊，他现在必是臭了，因为他死了已经四天了。”
40耶稣说：“我不是对你说过，你若信，就必看见神的荣耀吗？”
41他们就把石头挪开。耶稣举目望天说：“父啊，我感谢你，因为你已经听我；
42我也知道你常听我。但我说这话，是为周围站着的众人，叫他们信是你差了我来。”
43说了这话，就大声呼叫说：“拉撒路出来！”
44那死人就出来了，手脚裹着布，脸上包着手巾。耶稣对他们说：“解开，叫他走！”
信息分享
接着，基督对马大说出圣经中一个最伟大的篇章，特别关乎死亡和永生的（25-26节）。马大的回应，再次重申她对基督的信心。
马利亚随后来到，说了同她姊姊一样的话。基督被她俩的哀伤深深感动，祂也哭了；但祂的哭更包含了对死亡的愤怒，它多年来给祂的朋友和很多人的伤害。祂向父神祈求的话，可意译如下：「噢，父神啊，我现在站在死亡的面前，求你帮助我，好向众人显明，唯独你才是掌管生命和复活的主。父神啊，求你听我，让站在这里的人，能看见并且相信。」这是生命与死亡之间的一次对抗。
接着，墓洞的石头被推开，耶稣大声呼叫说：「拉撒路，出来！回到你的身体，回到你的生命。」有趣的是，基督三次使死人复活都是祂出声发出命令，睚鲁的女儿、拿因城寡妇的儿子和拉撒路都是如次。将来，当基督再来的时候也是这样。「坟墓里的人都要听到祂的声音。」
但有一点是不同的。拉撒路还会再死一次，多久之后我们不知道。但那些在基督再来时复活的人，将永远不死，他们将要永远与主同活。今天，所有在世的信徒在基督里得到生命，所有在世的信徒在基督里得到自由。使拉撒路复活的耶稣，今天仍然时刻准备拯救人出死入生。祂的话是永不改变的：「那听我话，又信差我来者的，就有永生；不至于定罪，是已经出死入生了。」（约五24）
COMFORT THROUGH RESURRECTION
John 11:17-27 & 38-44
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.
19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.
21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”
43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Message
Then Christ gave Martha one of the greatest passages in the Bible, especially on death and everlasting life (vv. 25-26). In answer, Martha declared her personal faith in Christ.
Next, Mary came and repeated the same words as her sister. Christ was deeply moved by their grief but when He Himself wept, it was also with anger over what death had done to His two friends and many others through the years. He cried out to His Father in words like these, “Help me now God, here in the face of death, to show that life and resurrection are in your hands and no one else’s. Father, hear me, that these dear people standing here may see and believe.” It was a confrontation between life and death.
Then, after the stone had been rolled away, Jesus gave the command, “Lazarus, come out. Come back into your body and back to life.” It is interesting that all three persons whom Christ raised from the dead were brought back by His voice of command - Jairus’ daughter, the Widow of Nain’s son and now Lazarus. It will be the same when Christ returns, “They that are in the grave will hear His voice.”
But it will be different then. Lazarus died once more, how long afterwards we do not know. But those who are raised again at Christ’s coming will never die again and will live with Christ for all Eternity.
There is life in Christ today for all who believe. There is liberty and freedom in Christ for all who believe. The same Jesus who raised Lazarus stands ready to save and deliver now. His word is still true, “He who hears my word and believes, has everlasting life and has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)