Dying for Glory Grace Christian Fellowship John 11:1-44 Introduction If you have your Bible I would ask you to go ahead and turn with me to John chapter 11 as we will be looking at verses 1-44. Let us pray This morning we are going to be talking a lot about a dead man. And in many ways, I think we have a lot in common with Lazarous. Ephesians 2:1 tells us, that “you were dead in trespasses and sin”. So while we talk about this physical death and physical resurrection here in John chapter 11, I also want us to be thinking of our own spiritual death. The Bible teaches that before we come to faith we are Spiritually dead. We have no means to come to life except that Jesus intervenes. Just how dead are we? We are very very dead. Francis Chan puts it this way. Imagine this morning that we wheel a casket to the front of the church. And during the service it is our job as the worship team, as the preacher, as the congregation to bring this dead body to life. So we sing our hearts out. We say wonderful things. We read Scripture. The preacher preaches the most compelling service that has ever been preached. And at the end of the service we all gather around the body and look down and find what. The person is still dead. This is our condition before we come to know the Lord. There is only one way that this body can be resurrected. Jesus will teach in this text today that he is the only resurrection. And Jesus calls out to this dead man, and instantly he lives. 2 Location and Characters [Jhn 11:1-3 ESV] 1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." We are introduced to Lazarus. This is not the Lazarus from the Luke who Jesus told about in a parable. This is a close friend. Lazarus is the brother of Mary and Martha. This is a family that Jesus knew well. We remember the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus visited the house, it was Mary who poured the expensive oil on Jesus feet and washed his feet with her hair. It is Martha who was not happy about the situation, who confronted Jesus about her sister’s unwillingness to make a fuss around the house. And remember Jesus told Martha he was not going to tell Mary to do that because Mary had chosen something greater. The personalities that we learned about Mary and Martha play out even in Johns account of this text. We will se it. Martha, the high strung one. The one who is busy and quick to speak her mind. Mary, the one who is reserved and quite. This is the family. In Chapter 10 Jesus has fled Jerusalem since chapter 10 because the Pharisees had just tried to stone him to death. While Mary, Martha, and Lazarus situations unfolds just East of Jerusalem in a village called Bethany. [3] So the sisters send word to Jesus who is probably at least a day’s travel away that Lazarus is sick. So What? We all have faced, and likely are facing difficult trials in our lives. And wouldn’t it be nice sometimes if God just came out and said, “well the reason that I’m having you go thru this is because...”. Well this is exactly what he does in verse 4. 3 [4] Word reaches Jesus and the disciples and he tells them exactly what this ordeal is all about. We can underline in verse 4 where it says “It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be gloried through it”. These are believers, who are suffering, but God has a greater purpose for their suffering. It goes directly to the thesis of the entire book of John, that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing in him, we can have eternal life. [6] It is very interesting what happens in verse 6. Jesus doesn’t say, quick guys pack your bags we are heading back to Jerusalem. What does he do? “He stayed two days longer”. And over the course of these two days what would happen. The suffering would intensify. In fact in would go from panic to despair and even to hopelessness. The old country preacher said it this way, “there is no hole so deep that God is not deeper.” Jesus was preparing a deep hole. Jesus Returns to Jerusalem Lazarus must have died the day that the messenger was sent to Jesus. We have 1 day for the messenger to get to Jesus. Jesus delays for 2 days. And then it takes him 1 day to return. That comes to 4 days. [7] In verse 7 Jesus breaks the news to his disciples that they are going to return to the place where they were nearly killed. Verse 8. [8] The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answers this concern with a simple proverb that is very interesting. 9 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. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." God is in control. How easy it is for his disciples, even having witnessed Jesus power on so many occasions, how easy it is to forget who is in control! Are you walking in the light? Are you walking with God? Then there is not one thing to be afraid of. How easy is it for us to do the same thing? 4 Jesus says men, we walk in the power and the promise of God, and no man, no sickness, no stone, has the power to stop that! Jesus Breaks It Down for the Disciples [11]-[13] There is this interesting exchange where Jesus uses some figurative language that Lazarus is asleep. Alluding to the fact that his death situation is temporary like a nap. The disciples completely miss it. Listen, I struggle in high school literature when we were studying poetry so I’m not going to make fun of these guys. So just like my English teacher, Jesus spells it out plainly, [14] he is dead. Don’t miss [15] for your sake, I am glad that I was not there! Why? [15] So that you may believe. I must break this down a little. Notice the reasons that Jesus does not give. • He doesn’t say so that he can spend time with Lazarus again • He doesn’t say so that the Pharasees or non-believers will see this miracle and believe • He doesn’t say so that other people will see this miracle and become my follower, although that may be true too Jesus says the reason is, so you guys who already believe in me, will believe. How many of us in this room believe, but today we need to really believe. Mark 9:24, Lord I believe help my unbelief. If you think you believe now, just wait to see how much your about to believe. Mary, Martha, family friends, other disciples are about to believe on a whole knew level. My prayer this morning is that we all have that same reaction to this powerful story. 5 [16] Now Thomas, he gets a bad rap. But I want to talk about him in a positive light here. "Let us also go, that we may die with him." They know it’s a death wish to return to Jerusalem, but it is Thomas who says, he guys let’s go. At least we die with him. In some ways it is a picture of what we as the church are called today. We are called to what “pick up our cross, and follow Jesus”. That is exactly what Thomas proposes here. We are called to follow, and we are promised suffering. Who is willing to go? Thomas is. I was reminded of a book I read a long time ago on one of the first missionaries, Adoniram Judson who served his entire life in Burma. He met his wife, in the states, and when he wanted to ask her father for his daughters hand in marriage he wrote this. “I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world ? Whether you can consent to her departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left His heavenly home and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall resound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?” Who is willing to follow Jesus into that kind of storm? Thomas was. 6 Ann had 3 pregnancies while in Burma. The first ended in miscarriage, the second died at 8 months, and the third only lived 6 moths. In fact Adoniram would even lose his wife Ann to small pox. His trials continue even beyond that. Why would anyone do that? Today there are 2.5 million evangelical Christians in Burma who can trace roots back to Judson. Jesus Returns to Bethany (Funeral Scene) In verses 17-20 we again see that Lazarus is dead and has been dead for 4 days. Lazarus is very dead. And remember what I said about the personalities of Mary and Martha showing up in the story? One of the sisters, can’t even wait for Jesus to arrive at the house before she unloads her disappointment on him. Which one do you think it was? That’s right Martha. [20] So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. It was Martha who tends toward anxiousness (from the other story). She can’t even wait for Jesus to arrive because it says she goes to meet him. And Mary, the more calm and reserved sister waits at the house. The Disappointment In Jesus Let’s look at what Martha says: [21-22] 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Have you ever been disappointed in God like this. I think what we see here is it is okay to approach God and be REAL. We don’t have to put on a front. I remember when I was a kid and I would hear people at my church start to pray (talk to God) and all of the sudden they would start speaking in King James. I thought that is how you had to pray. And maybe sometimes we don’t do much better because we don’t pray our heart. We don’t express ourselves, we don’t pour out our emotions to God the way that Martha did here. It’s okay to be real with God. He already knows how we feel anyway. Take a look at Psalm 13. Sometime you might feel like praying this Psalm in a situation in your life. It’s okay to do that. 7 [Psa 13:1-6 ESV] 1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me. We give credit to Martha she still has a glimmer of hope in vs 22. She says even now I know you can do anything. Martha’s Theology Jesus says something interesting in vs [23] as he says “Your brother will rise again”. And Martha says I know Lord, 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Now remember, this is obviously before the cross. Jesus has not been resurrected yet. The NT has not been written. But Martha knows all about the resurrection because it is in the OT. But like Jesus does, he is about to take her resurrection understanding to a new level. Don’t’ miss this... [25] “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” This is one of the seven I am statements. Why is Jesus the resurrection and the life? Because he is the source of both. By him and thru him all things were made. And the power for our resurrection comes through Jesus’ resurrection. To be a disciple of Jesus, ou must believe these two things, Jesus is life, Jesus is the resurrection. Martha believed it 27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." 8 Mary’s Reaction So Jesus calls for Mary to come now. We still see Mary’s personality play out in these passages. The reserved one. The one who was probably equally disappointed in Jesus, but maybe less eager to share her disappointment. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary is a true worshiper. It is Mary who washed Jesus feet with her hair. She falls at the feet of the Lord. But she echoes exactly what Martha said. They probably had conversations about this together. I’m sure the regret was so great in the family that all of this was unnecessary and if only Jesus wouldn’t have left it wouldn’t have happened. Jesus Reacts [33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. Jesus is greatly troubled. [33]. The verb here is to groan with outrage. He is troubled I think because they are acting like there is no hope. It’s kind of like a funeral of non-believers who believe death is the final chapter. Not like believers who have hope in a resurrection. It points to the motivation of why this miracle needed to be done. Not so that Lazarus could live, or so they stop grieving that is not the issue. The issue is that their faith needs to be strengthen so that they can see beyond this life into the next. After arriving at the tomb we get to verse 35. Jesus Wept. 9 There is something very unique about Jesus, 100% man, 100% God. In his humanness he is able to relate to us. He is the man of sorrows. Because he knows what it is to experience hurt, abandonment, disappointment. 2. Hebrews 2:17–18 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. I think Jesus has more than Lazarus in mind when be begins to burst out into tears. Listen, death is not a natural thing. It was never supposed to be that way. If we go back to the Garden of Eden in the beginning there was no death. But then sin entered into the world and so did death. I think Jesus has all of creation in his mind. Not just this death, but all the death. And the pain that sin has brought into the world and he is overcome with emotion. The Resurrection [Jhn 11:38-44 ESV] 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days." The KJV says that the body would “stinketh”. I am not making that up, you can look it up! The point here in the delay, in the four day waiting period was a matter of degree. Listen Jesus has already raised people from the dead. But in those other cases it was soon after the death had occurred. In this case the body is severely decomposing. It physically and visibly beyond repair. Jesus is in the business of resurrections, and he is up for the hard cases. Some of us if we are honest our lives kind of stinketh. And we even think somewhere down deep that sure Jesus can help so folks, but not me. I’m just too far gone. Jesus takes joy in the hard cases. And I have no doubt whatever your situation if you call on 10 Jesus he will answer. And he will regenerate you into something new. And you will live forever with him. 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me." 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out." 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." Can you imagine this scene? Lazarus comes out of that grave looking like a mummy. Completely healed, but I bet still in need of a shower. Now scripture doesn’t say, but what do you think you would have seen if you looked around at what everyone else was doing. I’ll bet you there was a great great and new understanding. For those who didn’t believe, perhaps they now believe. But mainly for those who already believe, I think they believe unlike they have ever done before. May this story have the same effect on us. It is good to reminded of the power of the Lord that we serve. I think in our struggles, in our grief, we often turn to worry. And the reason is not because we stop believing in Jesus, but because we need to believe more. Let’s pray for God to increase our beliefe in this same way.