That They May Believe

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:41-44

Jesus wanted the people to believe that He was the Christ, the Son of God. He prayed a prayer out loud just before He raised Lazarus from the dead. He said in His prayer that He prayed those words out loud for the benefit of the people who were listening. Jesus knew that He and God the Father were one and that God the Father was always listening to His prayers while He was here on this earth; but Jesus wanted the people to know that He had that confidence in His relationship with God the Father. He wanted the people to believe that He was the Messiah. Some said that Lazarus had died because Jesus did not come and heal him as soon as He heard that Lazarus was sick. We can see in the prayer that Jesus prayed that it was definitely a part of His plan for Lazarus to die so that Jesus could raise him from the dead. This great miracle is powerful evidence of the deity of Christ. Jesus wanted the people there that day to believe in Him, but He also wants us to believe Him.