Dear Christian friends:

Our lesson today presents and answers a very old question, a question which almost everyone asks. Perhaps you, too, have asked this question.

One of Jesus' dear friends was sick and dying, Lazarus of Bethany. His sisters, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." But Jesus does not go quickly to heal Him, but waits two days until Lazarus dies. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany Martha ran to meet Him and said, "Lord, if you had been here my brother wouldn't have died." Also some of the Jews asked, "He gave sight to the blind couldn't He have kept this man from dying?

Yes, Jesus, the almighty Son of God had power to heal Lazarus. But He let him remain sick and die. Why? We Christians today know that Jesus has power to prevent sickness and to heal us when we do become ill. Like Lazarus we are Jesus' dear friends. We know that He loves us, but why does He often let His friends lie sick and suffer for a long time to grow worse and finally die? Has He forgotten us?

I'm sure that in times of trouble or sickness you, too, have wondered and asked that question. Perhaps you even became angry with God, or afraid. So this morning let us attend to our text and see if we can answer that old and important question:

I. Through sickness God tests and strengthens our faith in His word and promises. In the Bible many times God says He is our wise, almighty heavenly Father and that we are His dear children. Like a father loves, feeds, clothes and protects his children, so God promises to watch over us. We read in the Gospel lesson how God watches the birds and feeds them. Jesus asks "Are you not of more value than they?"

Do we believe His words and promises to us? It is easy to believe during good times and when we have good health, but do we also trust His words and promises in bad times and sickness? Also in His Word God promises that He forgives all our sins because Jesus died on the cross for us and rose again. He swears that He loves us and forgives us. It is not hard for us to believe this when we have good health and good times. But do we still believe in him in times of trouble, sickness and death? Mary and Martha did. When Lazarus became ill and seemed to be dying they sent a man to tell Jesus. They said, "Lord the one you love is sick." They didn't try to tell Jesus how He should help or what He should do about it. They only wanted Him to know. Jesus did not help in the way they expected. He did not come quickly and heal Lazarus, but stayed two more days until Lazarus died. But even after Lazarus had died when Jesus finally came they continued to trust in Him. By this sickness their faith and trust in Jesus was made stronger.

So also God must give you and I days of trouble and sickness, times when we can trust in no earthly friend or thing only in His words and promises that He is our God, our Father, our Savior. Also through sickness He wants to give glory and honor to His Son Jesus, the Savior of the world.

II. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick He said, "The purpose of this sickness isn't death, but to show God's glory; it is to glorify God's Son." (v. 4) Then Jesus waited two days until Lazarus died. After that He said to His disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has gone to sleep, but I'm going to wake him up." (v. 11)

Jesus calls the death of His friends a "sleep." By calling death a sleep, Jesus wants to impress upon us that we should not be afraid of death. It is only temporary. We shall awake from the sleep of death to a higher and better life. We are not afraid to go to sleep at night because we know its only a short time and we shall awake in the morning renewed and strong.

Jesus says, "Our friend Lazarus has gone to sleep; but I'm going to wake him up." (v. 11) Later Jesus did awaken Lazarus. By that all people knew that He was the Son of God and Savior of the world. So Lazarus' sickness and death gave Jesus a chance (opportunity) to show His wonderful power to save.

We, too, can give praise and glory to Jesus when we are sick and when we are are dying. If we accept our sickness and death with quietness without complaint or bitterness, but with courage, faith, hope and joy in Jesus our Savior. Our family, and friends, the doctors and nurses other patients will see that we have hope that we plan to graduate from this life on earth to a better one in the future. They will see that we have a wonderful faith and a wonderful God. They, too, may give praise and glory to God.

General Stonewall Jackson was wounded in the Battle of Bull Run. Captain Imboden asked, "General how can you keep so cool and not worry about danger as shells and bullets exploded around you when your hand was hit?" "Captain," answered Jackson, "my faith teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has decided the time for my death. I do not worry about that, but I try to be ready always when it may happen. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave."

So you and I if we believe in Jesus by our quiet hope, and brave endurance in sickness, danger or death can give great glory to Jesus, our God and Savior.

God give us such a faith.

Amen.