According to the Gospel of John, Jesus and Lazarus of Bethany were close friends. So, when Lazarus got sick, his sisters, Mary and Martha appealed to Jesus to help him.
But Jesus did not initially respond because he said, he wanted to reveal God’s glory.
By the time, Jesus did arrive, Lazarus had been dead for four days, and in his tomb. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died, " a heartbroken Martha told Jesus.
Calm and collected, Jesus replied with a booming voice for everyone to hear, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live even though they die.“
It was in that moment, as the crowd watched, the famous miracle, The Raising of Lazarus occurred:
Jesus commanded, “Lazarus, come out!“ And Lazarus came out of his tomb, still wrapped in his burial clothes.
From this miracle, Jesus‘s fame grew dramatically, and he was widely celebrated, but as a result, he was eventually condemned to die by those in authority.
We know what happened to Jesus. But what became of Lazarus?
According to our Fable:
When word spread about Lazarus’s resurrection, a stunning event ensued.
Realizing he was no longer dead, from everywhere, his creditors converged on him, demanding payment for past due bills.
Lazarus owed money on an oxen cart, on his home mortgage, on his grocery bill and to his accountant. He also owed back taxes, and the Roman tax collector arrived demanding immediate payment, or prison!
Worse yet, he was deeply in debt to his bookie Saul the Shark, a notoriously fierce money collector.
Lazarus fled to Bethlehem, changed his name to Larry and made good money as a sheep herder. But the news was always bad, with endless wars, political and religious corruption, rampant diseases, taxes and crucifixions.
Lazarus could not take it anymore. He swore off miracles, and climbed back into the tomb, where he lived the rest of his life, grateful for the peace and quiet from all the craziness of society.
With Love To All - Dick
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