JOHN: 11: 1-4;
Now a certain man was sick named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.( It was that Mary, which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
“The sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”
JOHN: 11: 11;
“Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
JOHN: 11: 14-15;
“Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe;”
The village friends of Lazarus sought out Jesus in order to inform him that Jesus’ friend Lazarus was ill and near death. Jesus decides to spend two more days in the town where he was. After the two days had passed, the apostles convince Jesus to go to Bethany, to Lazarus and as they go, Jesus tells the apostles that Lazarus is sleeping, and that Jesus would awaken him.
When the apostles could not understand what Jesus was trying to tell them, he finally says straight out that Lazarus is dead but that He as the Son of God would demonstrate his power over death for them.
As Jesus and the apostles near Bethany and the home of Lazarus, Martha hears that Jesus is coming and runs to greet Jesus, and to ask him why he had not come sooner, believing that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus dying.
Jesus tells Martha that her brother will rise again, but Martha thinks that Jesus is referring to the “End Days” when all the dead will rise up.
Jesus then tells Martha: JOHN: 11: 25-26;
“I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
Jesus is actually referring to a “Spiritual death” whereby ones spirit is cut off from heaven and from God our Father.
Our Father cannot accept into heaven, any spirit that is still in the “Flesh” meaning living in sin.
This fact is made painfully obvious as Jesus hangs upon the cross, and cries out, “Father, Father, why have you forsaken me.”
Our Father turns his back to Jesus as man’s sins are being heaped upon him again and again as he hangs there.
What can we take from this story? The main point to be taken is that fleshly speaking we all must die, but spiritually we need not ever die, for if we truly believe in Christ Jesus and his Godly power over sin and death our spirit will live eternally with God.