When most Christians think about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, they see it primarily as evidence that Jesus is the Messiah. It certainly is that. The miracle demonstrates Christ’s power over death and points toward the eternal life He offers all who believe in Him.
But I think many people miss another application that makes the story much more personal.
Most of us read the account of Lazarus and subconsciously place it in a category of miracles that have little connection to our daily lives. After all, most of us have never seen a man physically raised from the dead after four days in a tomb.
Yet I would argue that many of us have witnessed something remarkably similar.
The Apostle Paul tells us that “the wages of sin is death.” Beyond that, God’s law prescribed capital punishment for numerous sins. Looking only at the Ten Commandments, many people have committed acts that, under God’s theocracy, would have carried the death penalty if proven before judges.
That reality should humble us. We often think of ourselves as generally good people who occasionally make mistakes. Scripture paints a much more serious picture.
This is why Christ’s sacrifice matters.
Jesus did not merely die for people who needed a little help. He died for people who stood guilty. He took upon Himself the punishment we deserved so that we could receive mercy instead of judgment.
But there is another way the Lazarus account applies to us.
Consider the countless people trapped in addiction, alcoholism, pornography, destructive relationships, depression, or other forms of spiritual bondage. Many of these individuals reach a point where they see no path forward. They feel dead while still breathing.
Then something changes.
Through repentance, faith, God’s providence, and often the prayers of others, they are delivered from circumstances that once seemed impossible to escape. The old person dies and a new person emerges.
That resembles resurrection.
The account of Lazarus also reveals something profound about the character of Christ. Before Jesus raises Lazarus, He weeps. This is remarkable because He already knows what He is about to do.
Why weep if the miracle is moments away?
Because Christ has compassion.
He understands suffering. He sees the pain of Mary and Martha. He witnesses the grief caused by death. Hebrews tells us that we have a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses. Jesus is not distant from human suffering. He entered into it.
The same is true when we suffer today.
God may not remove our trials immediately. In fact, like Lazarus, we may spend what feels like four days in the tomb before deliverance comes. Sometimes suffering serves purposes we cannot yet see. It refines us, teaches us dependence on God, and ultimately glorifies Him.
When Jesus finally stood before the tomb, He cried out, “Lazarus, come forth.”
The dead man obeyed.
That same voice still calls people out of darkness. It still calls addicts to freedom, sinners to repentance, and spiritually dead people to life.
The raising of Lazarus is not merely an ancient miracle. It is a picture of what Christ continues to do.
He takes dead things and makes them live.
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