Living as Lazarus: A Journey from Captivity to Resurrection
The story of Lazarus in the Gospel of John is not just a miraculous event—it is a profound revelation of how God calls us from death to life, from captivity to liberation. It is a powerful narrative that resonates with the existential struggle of humanity—caught between the shadows of death and the call to abundant life. This story, like much of Scripture, unveils the creative tension between divine sovereignty and human response, between spiritual captivity and the call to walk freely in the newness of life. Lazarus wasn’t just an abstract character in a biblical story—he was a friend of Jesus, a real person whose death elicited the tears of the Son of God. He wasn’t a stranger to Jesus but someone with whom He shared meals and conversations. The town of Bethany became a place where Jesus could rest from the demands of ministry, a refuge in the chaotic whirlwind of public life. In Lazarus, Mary, and Martha’s home, Jesus found community, hospitality, and friendship. This story begins i...