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STUDY ARTICLE 16

Your Brother Will Come Back to Life!

Your Brother Will Come Back to Life!

“Jesus said to [Martha]: ‘Your brother will rise.’”​—JOHN 11:23.

SONG 151 He Will Call

WETIN WE COMING LEARN? a

1. Wetin one small boy say to show that he was having hope in the resurrection?

 ONE boy name Matthew was having serious sickness that make him to take plenty operation. When he was seven year old, one time he and his family were watching the JW Broadcasting® program that can come every month. When the program was coming finish, they saw one music video about people welcoming their relatives and close friend them back to life. b After the program, Matthew went to his parents. Then he said: “Mama and Papa, even if I die, I will come back to life during the resurrection. So yor must not worry, the resurrection will happen.” Imagine how his parent them was happy to know that their son was having strong faith in the resurrection hope.

2-3. Why it good for us to sit down and think about the resurrection hope?

2 From time to time, it good for us to sit down and think about what the Bible say about the resurrection. (John 5:​28, 29) Why? Because we not know where time we will get seriously sick or where time somebody will just die from us like that. (Eccl. 9:11; Jas. 4:​13, 14) Our hope in the resurrection can help us to go through this problem them. (1 Thess. 4:13) The Bible make it clear that Jehovah know us good-good and he really love us. (Luke 12:7) Since Jehovah know us good-good that why he able to bring us back to life to be the same person we use to be. And he able to make us remember all the thing them we use to know. Jehovah really love us and he will make it possible for us to live forever! So even if we die, Jehovah will bring us back to life.

3 In this article, we will first talk about why we must believe in the resurrection hope. Then, we will talk about the Bible story our theme scripture coming from that can make our faith strong. It say: Your brother will come back to life. (John 11:23) We will also learn how we can make the resurrection hope more real to us.

WHY WE MUST BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE ABOUT THE RESURRECTION HOPE

4. Before we believe somebody who promise us, wetin we must be convince about? Give example.

4 To believe somebody who promise us, we must be convince that the person really want do it and they get the power or they able to do it. For example: Just imagine one heavy breeze come and spoil your house. One of your friend promise you that he will help you to build your house back. You can see that he talking the truth and you convince that he really want help you. If the man know how to build good-good and he get all the tools to do the work, you will know that he also able to do it. So you believe his promise. How about God promise about the resurrection hope? You think he really want do it and he get the power to do it?

5-6. Wetin make us sure that Jehovah want bring people back to life?

5 You think Jehovah want bring people who na die back to life? Yes, he really want do it. Jehovah make some Bible writers to write his promise about the resurrection hope. (Isa. 26:19; Hos. 13:14; Rev. 20:​11-13) And anytime Jehovah make promise, he can always do it. (Josh. 23:14) In fact Jehovah really want resurrect people who na die. Why we say this one?

6 Just think about what Job say. He was sure that even if he die, Jehovah will want bring him back to life. (Job 14:​14, 15, ftn.) That the same way Jehovah want bring all his servant them who na die back to life. He really want bring them back to life so that they can be alright in the body and be happy. How Jehovah feel about all the people who was not having the chance to learn about him before they die? Our God who love people really want bring them back to life too. (Acts 24:15) He want give them the chance so they can be his friends and live forever on the earth. (John 3:16) It clear that Jehovah really want bring people who na die back to life.

7-8. Why we can be sure that Jehovah able to bring people back to life?

7 You think Jehovah also get the power to bring people back to life? Yes! Nobody get power equal to him. (Rev. 1:8) So he get more power over all his enemy them, even death. (1 Cor. 15:26) When we know this one, it can comfort us and make us strong. Let talk about what happen to Sister Emma Arnold. During World War II, she and her family pass through some serious problem them that test their faith. Emma comfort her daughter because some of their people die in Nazi concentration camps. She say: “If people who na die will not come back to life, then it mean our enemy death strong more than God. But that one not true.” Nothing get power more than Jehovah! The almighty God who made life able to bring people back to life.

8 Another reason why we know God able to bring people back to life that because he can’t forget. He can even call each of the star them by name. (Isa. 40:26) He can also remember all the people who na die. (Job 14:13; Luke 20:​37, 38) So it will be easy for him to remember everything about the people he will resurrect. He will remember the way they was looking, the thing them they pass through in life and all the thing them they use to know.

9. Why you believe Jehovah promise about the resurrection hope?

9 Jehovah really want bring people back to life and he get the power to do it. So, we can believe in his promise about the resurrection hope. Let another reason here for believing this promise: Jehovah na bring people back to life before. Way back, Jehovah gave Jesus and some faithful men them the power to bring people back to life. Now, yor let talk about one of the resurrection them that Jesus perform in John chapter 11.

JESUS CLOSE FRIEND DIE

10. Wetin happen when Jesus was preaching across the Jordan river and wetin he do? (John 11:​1-3)

10 Read John 11:​1-3. Just think about the thing that happen in Bethany to end of 32 C.E. Jesus close friend them was living in this village. That Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. (Luke 10:​38-42) But Lazarus got sick and his sister them was worrying bad way. So they send message to Jesus who was across the Jordan. That almost two-day walk. (John 10:40) Sad to say, by the time the message reach to Jesus, Lazarus was already finish dying. Even though Jesus know that his friend was finish dying, he wait for two days to pass before he start going to Bethany. After Lazarus die, four days pass before Jesus reach there. Jesus plan to do something that will benefit his friend them and make people to praise God.​—John 11:​4, 6, 11, 17.

11. What lesson we can learn about friendship from this story?

11 This story can teach us lesson about friendship. Just think about this one: When Mary and Martha sent the message to Jesus, they never ask him to come to Bethany. They just say that his close friend was sick. (John 11:3) The time Lazarus die, it was possible for Jesus to resurrect him even though he was far off. But Jesus still decided to go to Bethany to be with his friends, Mary and Martha. You get that kind na friend who can be there when you need help even if you not ask them? Then you know you can depend on them for help if you in problem. (Prov. 17:17) Let be like Jesus and be friend that people can depend on! Now, yor let go back to the story and see the next thing that happen.

12. Wetin Jesus promise Martha, and why she believe that promise? (John 11:​23-26)

12 Read John 11:​23-26. Martha hear that Jesus was near Bethany. She went outside quick to see him and she say: “Lord, if you was here, my brother was not coming to die.” (John 11:21) That true, he was able to heal Lazarus. But Jesus wanted to do something that was really wonderful. So he promise her say: Your brother will come back to life. He also give Martha another reason to believe this promise. He say: ‘That me the resurrection and the life.’ Yes, Jehovah gave Jesus the power to bring people back to life. Before this one happen, he brought one small girl back to life right after she die. He also brought one man back to life the same day he die. (Luke 7:​11-15; 8:​49-55) But you think he able to resurrect someone who na die for four days and their body getting rotten?

“LAZARUS, COME OUTSIDE!”

Jesus was really feeling sorry for his friend them that was grieving (See paragraphs 13-14)

13. According to John 11:​32-35, wetin Jesus do when he saw Mary and the other people them crying? (Also see the picture)

13 Read John 11:​32-35. Try to imagine the next thing that happen. Lazarus other sister, Mary, went outside to see Jesus. She say the same thing her sister say: “Lord, if you was here, my brother was not coming to die.” Mary and the other people was really feeling bad. When Jesus saw them crying, it made him to really feel bad. Because he was really feeling sorry for his friend them, he too started crying. He understand that it can hurt bad way when somebody you love die. We sure that he really wanted to move the thing that was making them to cry!

14. The way Jesus acted when he saw Mary crying, what it teach us about Jehovah?

14 The way Jesus acted when Mary was crying teach us that Jehovah can really feel sorry for people. Why we say that one? We learn in the article before this one that Jesus can follow his pa example in the way He think and feel. (John 12:45) Jesus cry because he was really feeling sorry for his friend them who was grieving. So we know that Jehovah can feel sorry for us too when he see us crying. (Ps. 56:8) This one must make you to want get close to our God who can feel sorry for people.

Jesus show that he get the power to bring people back to life (See paragraphs 15-16)

15. According to John 11:​41-44, wetin happen when Jesus reach to Lazarus tomb? (Also see the picture.)

15 Read John 11:​41-44. When Jesus reach to Lazarus tomb, he told the people to open it. Martha say they must not take the rock from there because the body will already be smelling. Then Jesus tell her say: ‘I not tell you before that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ (John 11:​39, 40) Jesus look up to heaven and pray in front of everybody. He do it because he wanted to give the glory to Jehovah for the thing he was coming do. Then Jesus call his name and say: ‘Lazarus, come outside!’ Then Lazarus start coming from inside the tomb! Jesus did something that people was thinking that it can’t happen.​—See the study note on John 11:17.

16. How the story in John chapter 11 really make our faith strong in the resurrection hope?

16 The story in John chapter 11 really make our faith strong in the resurrection hope. How? Remember the promise Jesus made to Martha: ‘Your brother will come back to life’ (John 11:23) Like his pa, Jesus really want do what he promise and he get the power to do it. The way Jesus cry show that he really want bring people back to life and stop all the bad feeling that death can bring. And when Lazarus came from the tomb, Jesus show again that he get power to bring people back to life. Also, think about what Jesus told Martha: ‘I not tell you before that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ (John 11:40) We get good reason to believe that God will do what he promise about bringing people back to life. Wetin we can do for this hope to be more real to us?

WETIN WE CAN DO FOR THIS HOPE TO BE MORE REAL TO US

17. Wetin we must think on when we reading about the resurrection them in the Bible?

17 Read and think about resurrection them that happen way back. The Bible talk about eight people that was resurrected to life on earth. c Take your own time to study this story them good-good. When you doing it, you must remember that the people in this story them was real people. Try to look for some good-good thing them you can learn. Think about how each of this example them show that God want bring people back to life and he get the power to do it. Take your time to think on Jesus resurrection because it important pass all the other resurrection them that happen on earth. Remember that plenty people saw Jesus when he came back to life. And his resurrection give us good reason to get strong faith in the resurrection hope.​—1 Cor. 15:​3-6, 20-22.

18. Wetin you must do to benefit good-good from our song them that talking about the resurrection? (See also footnote.)

18 Think about song them that talk about the resurrection hope. d (Eph. 5:19) This song them can make the resurrection hope more real to us and it can make our faith strong in that hope. Listen to them and practice them. Then during yor family worship, yor can talk about what the song really mean. Memorize the word them in the song and think good-good about them so it can touch your heart and make your faith strong. Then if you going through serious problem or somebody die from you, Jehovah spirit will help you to remember this song them. And they will comfort you and make your faith strong.

19. What some of the thing them we can imagine about the resurrection? (See the box “ What Kind Na Question You Will Ask Them?”)

19 Try to imagine. Jehovah made us to be able to imagine ourselves in the new world. One sister say: “I can spent plenty time imagining about myself in the new world. It can be looking just like I even smelling the flower them in paradise.” Imagine yourself getting to know faithful people that the Bible talk about. That which one of them you really want see? What kind na question them you will ask that person? Also, imagine yourself together with your people them when they come back to life. Think about the first thing you will say to them, how you will hug them and the way you will be happy to see them.

20. Wetin we must fight hard to do?

20 We really thankful to Jehovah for the promise he made about the resurrection! We sure that this promise will come true, because Jehovah really want do it and he get the power to do it. So yor let fight hard to continue making our faith strong in this wonderful hope. When we do it, we will get more close to God who made this promise to each of us, ‘Your people will come back to life!’

SONG 147 Life Everlasting Is Promised

a If somebody na die from you before, we sure that the resurrection hope can comfort you. But how you will explain to someone why you believe in the resurrection hope? And how you can make your faith more strong in the resurrection hope? This article will help all of us to make our faith more strong in the resurrection hope.

b The music video get the title Just Around the Corner and it was in the November 2016 broadcast.

c See the box “The Eight Resurrections the Bible Talk About” in the August 1, 2015 Watchtower, p. 4.

d See some of the song them that in “Sing Out Joyfully” to Jehovah:See Yourself When All Is New” (Song 139), “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!” (Song 144), and “He Will Call” (Song 151). Also see some of the original song them that on jw.org “Just Around the Corner,” “The New World to Come,” and “You Will See.”