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“A Preview Of Things To Come"
• 10.27.19 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
Text
• John 11:1-3 : "Now a
certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
It was
that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her
hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, 'Lord, behold, he
whom You love is sick.'" :
John introduces us to Lazarus, a man that we meet in a time of illness.
- He is from Bethany, a suburb just
a few miles from Jerusalem. The city can be seen from the Mount of Olives,
though today it is occupied by the Arab people and unfriendly to tourists.
- Lazarus, whose name means
"whom God helps," lives with his two sisters Mary and Martha.
- John mentions that the town
belongs to Mary, but Luke says the house belonged to Martha. (Luke 10:38)
Both women loved Jesus, but were very different from one another.
- In this set of verses, Mary is
distinguished by her worship. John will spoil and tease us with a story we will
look at soon. This Mary poured an oil that cost a person a years wage over
Jesus!
- She dried the oil from His feet
with her own hair. (John 12:1-3) It was extravagent only to those that
did not understand the value of the person that she did this for.
- John's point in telling us this
is that these people are dear friends to the Lord Jesus. He is often a guest in
their home, the scriptures accounting for at least three visits.
- This relationship prompts the
sisters to call upon the Lord, to inform Him of their brother's condition. Note
that there isn't a request, just a statement of fact: "He whom you love is
sick."
- The word here is
"phileo" which speaks of brotherly love. Jesus loved Lazarus like a
brother. Can you imagine what that was like? He and Lazarus were close and
related together as siblings.
- Jesus would want to know of his
condition. His love would prompt His action. Verse 4.
• John 11:4-6 : "When Jesus heard that, He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the
glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister
and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was
sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was." : When the news came to the Lord's
ears, He recognized His Father's was at work.
- The messenger had been dispatched, but given
the chronology, had not known that Lazarus had already died. Jesus is aware of
this and says this in advance.
- "This sickness is not unto death but for
the glory of God." What a confusing message to send!
- Lazarus had died! His point is that death
would not have the final word in this case. Rather, this would be an occasion
for all to recognize the reality of God's presence!
- I wish we all had such insight into our news
cycle! I wish we could all better understand and see what God intends to do
through each and every circumstance.
- We can all say, "This will be for God's
glory" and "Jesus will be glorified through me in this!" May it
be so. For the Lord's part, His love for this family was indeed great.
- The word is written in a tense that indicated
a love that renewed itself often. He "kept" on loving them. This
makes the next phrase quite strange.
- "He loved them" so when He heard
the news He stayed two more days where He was! That doesn't seem to be the most
loving course of action! Why would
He wait?
- Each of us have been confronted with the same
question. One thing is sure: His delays are not because of a lack of love. He
does love His people.
- In this case, He delays because He would
rather bless a family with something superior to what they would settle for.
- Mary and Martha would have settled for a
healing. Jesus wants more for them! Verse 7.
• John 11:7-10 : "Then after this He said to the
disciples, 'Let us
go to Judea again.' The disciples said to Him, 'Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to
stone You, and are You going there again?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees
the light of this world. But if one
walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.'" : Jesus announces that it's time to
head back into Judea. It is the third day.
- The disciples can only think of the imminent
danger that Jesus was putting Himself in. The last time that they were in town,
the leaders thought to stone their Master. (John 10:31,39)
- Why would Jesus be worried about this? He
knows when His time will be up and until then, He has a mandate to perform His
Father's works! There are 12 hours in a day!
- Artificial light and technology today allow
us to stretch or choose our work schedules.
- In these days, there was no choice. You
worked while it was day. Jesus had this opportunity. The sun was proverbially
shining and He had to take advantage of the moment.
- We would be wise to remember these principles
ourselves. There is a time to work and despite potential threats, we must learn
to choose God's opportunities.
- Work while there is light because when you
do, you'll walk confidently. You won't stumble over encumbrances in the road.
That can't be said at night.
- A person who walks in the night is sure to lose
his footing at least once or twice.
- Light is not in Him. God is not leading.
There is no assurance where God does not lead!
- Jesus, nor His disciples ever need to fear
when God provides them with an opportunity to serve His interests. He will
light their path. Verse 11.
• John 11:11-16 : "These things He said, and after
that He said to them, 'Our
friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.' Then His disciples said, 'Lord, if
he sleeps he will get well.' However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was
speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus
is dead. And I am glad
for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us
go to him.' Then Thomas, who is called the
Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him.'" : When you read this section, it's a
further reminder of what the Lord had to work with. Jesus knew what was
happening. His disciples were at a loss.
- They figured sleep was good, but they didn't
realize that death had already taken Lazarus. Jesus tells them plainly that His
friend was dead so they'll understand that this isn't just a friendly visit.
- If Lazarus were merely ill, there would be no
point in running to needless danger. The fact that He was dead was actually
good for their sakes.
- They were about to see Jesus do a work that
would help them redefine the parameters of life itself! That's when cheery old
Thomas pipes up: "Let's all go die with Him!"
- At the very least, this is a bold, brave
proclamation from Thomas. He's willing to die for the Lord's cause if it was
necessary. However, this trip was not going to be about death, but life! V. 17.
• John 11:17-19 : "So when Jesus came, He found that
he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem,
about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and
Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother." : Lazarus has already been in the tomb
for 4 days. Generally, people in the middle east buried their dead on the day
of their death. Four days in a tomb.
- The middle eastern sun would not permeate the
rockface family tomb that his body laid in, so the body would decay at a slower
rate. Still, without going into great detail, this man was very dead!
- Besides the physiological realities, the Jews
also held to the belief that the spirit of a body hung around for three days
and then departed. They could believe for three days, but not four.
- The family is joined by quite a crowd,
including the religious leaders. The whole community was there to console these
sisters. They would be privy to all that Jesus is about to do. Verse 20.
• John 11:20-22 : "Then Martha, as soon as she heard
that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if
You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever
You ask of God, God will give You.'" : The moment Martha heard that Jesus was in range, she set out to
meet Him. Martha is parting the crowd, on a mission to get to Jesus.
- She begins correctly by addressing Jesus as
"Lord." He is the Master. But then, her grief sets in and she talks
to Him from a place of disappointment and perhaps even bitterness.
- "If you had been here, my brother would
not have died." How many have believed that same sentiment? If Jesus were
here, then my trial would not have begun.
- We're disappointed in His perceived inaction.
The reality is that death and other tragedies are a part of this life in a
fallen world. With regard to our deaths, God alone knows the time.
- We believe, because it is so painful for
those of us left behind, that the only God-like response is to spare us, to
keep us from ever living through these realities.
- If He spared us pain each and every time, how
would we grow in compassion for others? How would we learn of the comfort and
love of our brothers and sisters in Christ?
- There are necessary lessons for each of us to
learn in this life and some cannot be accessed without pain and suffering.
- The Lord may not have been there physically,
but He was intimately aware of what was happening and had the power to keep it
from happening. He did not. There is no contradiction.
- Jesus is powerful enough to keep us from
pains and is loving enough to guide us through!
- Martha, to her credit, immediately pivots
from her pain to her belief. This is exactly the sequence in our life with the
Lord. She speaks from her pain and then returns to her faith.
- "But even now, I know." Four days
in the tomb means nothing to God! If Jesus were to ask at this moment for
anything, God would grant His request. She believes in theory. Verse 23.
• John 11:23-27 : "Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to Him, 'I know that he
will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I am the
resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall
never die. Do you believe this?' She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ,
the Son of God, who is to come into the world.'" : The Lord doesn't bat an eye. This is
a statement of fact, not wish or hope. He looks right at Martha and tells her
that Lazarus will rise again.
- We cannot be sure of how this played in
Martha's mind, but I have a theory.
- If you have ever been at a funeral, you can see
in the eyes of the bereaved this look of acknowledgment, which says,
"Yeah, I know what your saying."
- The grieving person hears and agrees with
you, but wants to say, "That isn't what I need right now!" That's
what I see in Martha's response here. Her theology is correct, but is no
comfort to her.
- It's not present and that's why Jesus steps
in to say that HE is the resurrection and the life!
- It's not an abstract belief in the by and by.
It's a concrete person, who stands right beside her!
- For those that have not been with us in this
book, we have noted the four other times that Jesus used this designation
"I AM." With each use, He is claiming equality with the God of
Israel.
- Because He exists, life and death are
radically and forever redefined! In Jesus alone, there is power to raise from
death. He is the One that makes death a "next" and not a
"final" step.
- In Him is the reshaping and redefinition of
life. Life isn't about what you are or what you have. It is whether or not you
have fellowship with the Son, who imparts His own eternal life to His sheep!
- This is why there was hope for Martha and
Lazarus! The person that believes in Jesus might die, but they will ever live!
That person can never be fully and finally separated from their true life.
- Martha is listening and Jesus asks her point
blank: "Do you believe this!? Consider where she is standing. She is
standing near the tomb of her brother and face to face with Jesus.
- The reality of her brother's death cannot be
ignored, but while she doesn't understand it all, she looks at Jesus with as
much conviction of the truth and affirms her belief!
- She believes this and that He is the Messiah,
the Son of God that has come into the world!
- There is no better time to believe than right
now, but I will say this: Death tests our belief in ways that no other event on
earth can! Martha stood there and chose to trust Jesus' words! Verse 28.
• John 11:28-32 : "And when she had said these things,
she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, 'The Teacher has
come and is calling for you.' As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the
town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in
the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went
out, followed her, saying, 'She is going to the tomb to weep there.' Then, when Mary came where Jesus
was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, 'Lord, if You had
been here, my brother would not have died.'" : Martha left Jesus there and went to
call Mary secretly. She wasn't wanting to draw a crowd but didn't want her
sister to miss her opportunity to be near Jesus.
- Her effort was appreciated by her sister, but
the attempt failed miserably!
- Everyone that had been in the house followed
Mary out of it, assuming that she was going to continue her weeping at the tomb!
- Mary is a woman filled with great adoration
for Jesus. That doesn't exempt her from responding to the Lord with great pain.
- Like her sister, she rose to meet Jesus, but
she addressed Him at His feet. That is where Mary felt the most comfortable. She
says exactly what her sister said.
- She believes that the Lord's absence was
responsible for her brother's death. Verse 33.
• John 11:33-37 : "Therefore, when Jesus saw her
weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and
was troubled. And
He said, 'Where
have you laid him?' They
said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus
wept. Then the Jews said, 'See how He loved
him!' And some of them said, 'Could not this
Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?'" : All around the Lord are weeping
people. Mary, the Jews. It was an emotional scene.
- Jesus was not unaffected. He is touched by
their suffering, even though He knows what He is about to do. John tells us
that He "groaned" in the spirit and was "troubled."
- To "groan" meant to "snort
with anger" or to be "indignant." The NLT translates the phrase,
"a deep anger welled up within Him." John mentions also that
He was agitated.
- Why was He weeping? Is this not the result of
sin on this planet? Death, disease and tragedy are natural outcomes of a planet
in a fallen condition and rebellion toward God!
- No doubt Jesus was unnerved by how sin had
brought this community that He loved to such depths of despair. On the other
hand, perhaps this was much more personal.
- He had been with them and was the answer to
their grief. Yet, He walked among them in their grief and none felt assured by
His presence!
- Many believe the right things but are just as
devastated as their non-believing counterparts when tragedy strikes!
- Don't you believe that He wished they would allowed
their belief in Him to rule their spirits? -
At that moment, Jesus also wept for the loss of His friend. It was a tangible
expression of love, but with it came a question of His ability to have kept
Lazarus alive?
- Couldn't He have kept Him from dying? That
seems to be the growing sentiment. Verse 38.
• John 11:38-42 : "Then Jesus, again groaning in
Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of him who was
dead, said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead
four days.' Jesus
said to her, 'Did I
not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?' Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man
was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they
may believe that You sent Me.'" : Jesus, still groaning within Himself, came to the tomb, which
was a hollowed out cave. This was quite a popular burial option in Israel.
- In fact, just last year in June, a burial
site was discovered in Tiberias, when a 65 foot foundation hole began to lose
concrete. It seeped into a burial cave![i]
- This particular cave had three or four
distinct rooms and held the remains of a father and son.
- In each case, just as they would today,
something would be made to cover the cave which matched the outer decor. Very
large stones would be cut to roll into grooves in front of the caves.
- As Jesus stood outside the cave, He called
them to take away the stone. At this point, Martha is looking around and sizing
up the Lord's intentions. "Jesus, he's not going to be smelling very
good!"
- She can't have understood what the Lord was
about to do. She might have believed that He wanted to get a look at her
brother for the last time.
- Jesus tells her that this is moment when she
will see what He means! She wil have the chance to see the glory, the true
reality of God's presence among them!
- It was a truly uncomfortable moment. The men
rolled away the stone and there was a dark hole in the side of rockface. Nobody
wants to look in there. Nobody wants to go in there.
- Jesus looks to heaven and thanks the Lord for
hearing Him, especially now as there is such a great opportunity for people to
believe in Him! Verse 43.
• John 11:43,44 : "Now when He had said these things,
He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with
graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'" : Consider the sounds that were
occurring at this time. Sobbing, crying, perhaps even shrieking. As soon as
Jesus looked back toward the tomb, His voice thundered!
- Can you imagine all the other sounds simply
stopping? Right there in front of everyone, Jesus commanded Lazarus to
"Come out!"
- This is not a quiet, soft request, but a
stern, authoritative command. This is exactly what Jesus predicted that He
would do. Turn back a few pages to John 5.
• John 5:24-29 : "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has
everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is,
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God;
and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to
have life in Himself, and has given
Him authority to execute judgment also, because
He is the Son of Man. Do not
marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come
forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have
done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." Jesus promised that He would do this on
that final day. Here, at the tomb of Lazarus, He gives the watching world a
preview!
- What do you think everyone was looking at?
They had to be looking at Jesus, standing there in front of the tomb.
- With every passing second, the awe would turn
to skepticism, but when a figure appeared at the entrance of the Tomb from
within the Tomb, every eye was fixed upon the shocking sight!
- Out of the shadows of this cave came movement
and then, the figure that had been wrapped from head to toe. Notice the
description: Bound hand and foot with graveclothes, face wrapped.
- There was no question that this person was
Lazarus, raised from the dead! It was he who had died, who stood before the
entire crowd, alive!
- Whatever processes that the body goes through
physiologically after death, were reversed by the Lord's command!
- The Lord's word brought a life that
overwhelmed and conquered the processes of death!
- He looked at the crowd and told them to help
Lazarus by getting those clothes off of him, so he could go away from that
tomb!
Conclusion
- Jesus is the resurrection an the life! He has
the power to raise and the power to give life. Like Lazarus who was physically
dead, you were spiritually dead in your sins and trespasses.
- He called you to believe upon Him, the One
who surrendered His life to pay for your sin and when you did, His life
overcame your dead condition and brought you out of your proverbial grave.
- Your spiritual resurrection is a benefit of
His own. One day, your final resurrection will be when He claims you as His
own!
- Only one question remains: "Do you
believe this?" May He give you the grace to answer well.
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