John 11:1-16
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."
4 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."
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
8 The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"
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 one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."
12 Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."
13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."
16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."
The account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is perhaps the clearest statement in Scripture of the humanity and deity of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus Christ is truly Man and truly God, two natures in one person, never co-mingled or confused.
In 10:24 the Jews demanded that if Jesus is the Christ that He not keep them in doubt but to tell them plainly.
Of course He had already told them plainly but they were trying to excuse their unbelief by blaming their lack of faith on Jesus. Tell us plainly!
Jesus answered that He had told them but that even if they did not believe His words they should believe His works [signs], which proved that He was the One sent by God as the Good Shepherd. Believe the works!
And so in Chapter 11 we have the record of the final work or sign that Jesus gives and the final rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders as the Christ in the face of absolute proof that Jesus is the Christ. The Sanhedrin will pass a death sentence on Jesus.
Where are you this morning in your relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you know about Him or do you know Him? The more Scriptural question is, does Jesus know you? Are you one of His sheep? Are you following Him?
Is Jesus your only hope of eternal life? No religious crutches, no idols, none of your good works, none of your avoiding certain habits, no other mediator between you and God the Father: Only Jesus Christ. Is that your testimony?
The purpose of John’s Gospel is that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ with a good result: life.
John 20:30-31
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
When the Gospel is preached there are several genuine reactions that are possible and neither you nor I are in control of any of them. Any reaction we have that we are in control of is not genuine and will result in deception.
The reaction of someone who is already a believer in Jesus Christ will be encouragement and edification, assurance that your faith is correctly placed in Jesus the Christ as your sufficient Savior. You are content [blessed] that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is exactly and only what God accepts and you have no interest in adding or subtracting your good works to what Jesus did in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God the Father as the basis of being accepted by God.
Of course believers will produce good works, which God prepared beforehand that they should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:10]
A second possible reaction is that of someone who is yet an unbeliever. Hopefully they will be convicted of their actual guilt and condemnation and hear in this message that Jesus Christ alone has the power to redeem them and they will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. [Romans 10:13]
But another sad possibility is that like the Jewish leaders in this story someone may be hardened to the point of rejection of the truth of the Gospel and deny Jesus and put Him to death.
Of course no one can ever kill Jesus again, but if you live as though He has no claim on your life it amounts to your trying to kill Him. If you die in unbelief you will know all too well and too late how foolish you have been.
So there are at least these three genuine reactions to the Gospel and as I said we are not in control of any of them. The believer is moved by the Holy Spirit who dwells in them to rejoice in what Jesus has done for them.
The unbeliever who comes to faith will be moved from death to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And the one who continues to reject the Gospel invitation is helpless being dead in trespasses and sins. He is proving that he is not one of Jesus’ sheep.
And yet he is responsible for his unbelief.
In the chapter before us we have examples of each of these three reactions to the message of Christ.
There are four movements in Chapter 11.
1. The report of Lazarus being sick {1-16}.
2. The arrival of Jesus in Bethany {17-37}
3. The miracle itself {38-44}.
4 The reaction to the miracle {45-57}.
1. The report of Lazarus being sick {1-16}.
The raising of Lazarus from the dead is a “sign” [miracle] that points to Jesus as the Son of God specifically as “the resurrection and the life.” Just as the multiplication of the loaves of bread shows Him as the Bread of Life and His giving sight to the man born blind shows Him as the Light of the world.
If Jesus can raise to life a man who has been dead for four days then He surely can raise Himself from the grave after three days.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me though he may die, he shall live.”
V1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
V2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
Lazarus is derived from Eleazar and means “He who God helped” or “God help him.” This is all we know about this Lazarus and nothing of what he said is recorded.
Luke 10:38-42 tells us about the two sisters of Lazarus.
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
There are several Mary’s in the Gospel record and it is sometimes difficult to know which one the writer means. There is Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the wife of Cleophas, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the sister of Martha.
Matthew 26:6-13 & Mark 14:3-9 tell us about a woman who anoints the head of Jesus with very expensive oil but they do not tell us her name.
John is going to tell us more in 12:1-8 about the anointing of Jesus as the oil goes to His feet and she wipes His feet with her hair.
There are disputes over how many times Jesus was anointed. Some say three, others two, and others only one time. For what it is worth I believe that there was only one anointing told from different perspectives by the gospel writers. No contradictions but different aspects of the event are emphasized. There are difficulties with whatever position you may take.
V3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."
Urgency! Lord, Behold! The sisters of Lazarus do not tell Jesus what to do nor ask Him to come, only that “he whom You love is sick.” They do not base their plea on the brother’s love for Jesus or on their love for the Lord, but the Lord’s love for their brother. "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."
V4 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."
“Death will not be the final outcome of this illness, but the glory of God...” Lazarus had not yet died, but Jesus knew exactly what would happen.
V5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
Often too much is made about the different Greek words translated “love”.
Phileo in verse 3 is that brotherly love of affection.
Agape in verse 5 is that unconditional love that is given freely.
But there is often a mixture of the meanings and the differences are not absolute. At least that is what I understand.
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
Lit. “Was holding in loving esteem,”
V6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
Have you noticed that Jesus is never frustrated or confused? He is always deliberate and sure. Jesus was in no hurry to go to Lazarus and the disciples must have concluded that Lazarus would not die.
V7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
This verse explains the “so” or “therefore” in verse 6.
But it says He loved them “so” or “therefore” He delayed?
What is the ultimate goal of this event? The glory of God. What brings more glory to God; the healing of a sick man or the raising of a dead man?
An aside: God’s children are not exempt from trials, sickness, and death. Sickness does not mean God’s displeasure.
Jesus loved Lazarus and allowed him to become sick and die.
God’s ways are not our ways: God’s love permits pain. Affliction should drive us to the Savior, not cause us to accuse Him of mismanagement of our life.
God’s love is sure in His own time.
V8 The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"
V9 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.
V10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
Two days later; let us go to Judea again, Cf. 10:39.
The disciples probably thought Lazarus is now recovered, so why go back to where they just tried to stone Him?
Jesus uses an illustration to teach a truth. A Jewish day has twelve hours. If you walk in the day you will see the obstacles and not stumble. But at night you will stumble. Meaning?
The time allotted to fulfill My earthly ministry is fixed, just as there are twelve hours in a day. It cannot be lengthened by anything you my disciples do, nor shortened by my enemies.
This is not fatalism, it is simple trust in God’s good providence.
John 9:4-5
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
If we walk in the true light we cannot fail.
1 John 1:5
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
V11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."
V12 Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."
V13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
These things...: 4, 7, 9.
John 11:4
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."
John 11:7
Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
John 11:9
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.
Then Jesus said: John 11:11
"Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."
The Old and New Testament use “sleep” as a metaphor for death.
1 Corinthians 15:20
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Jesus’ view of Lazarus was that he was asleep.
The disciple’s view of Lazarus was he is dead and gone.
Why is death for a believer in Christ compared to “sleeping?”
Arthur Pink came up with seven examples. Arthur Pink can always find seven points, seven being the number of perfection.
1.
Sleep is harmless and so death is not to be feared.
2.Sleep is relief from the toil of the day; death removes us from sin.
3.In sleep we lie down to rise again.
Daniel 12:2
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
4.Sleep is a time of rest.
Revelation 14:13
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'"
"Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."
5. Sleep shuts out the sorrows of life.
In death the believer has no more tears nor pain nor regrets.
6.Sleep indicates the ease with which the Lord will raise us.
7.Sleep fits the body for tomorrow.
Let me say that death is not what some have called “soul sleep” i.e., an unconscious repose. When we are dead our souls will still be alive either with Christ in paradise or apart from Christ in hell.
Luke 16:19-31
19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
27 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,
28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'
29 Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"
Both the rich man and Lazarus were fully conscious and they were dead.
2 Corinthians 5:8
8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
V14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.
V15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."
“Lazarus is dead!” And Jesus is glad?
Jesus waited and allowed Lazarus to die for the greater manifestation of the glory of God.
Lazarus would not have died had He been there. Why?
There is no record of death in His presence.
A funeral procession and He raises the widow’s son to life.
A little girl dies and Jesus goes to her room:
Mark 5:41
"Little girl, I say to you, arise."
Even on the cross He died before the two thieves could die.
Lazarus is the picture of spiritual death.
No ability to respond, the Word brings life.
V16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."
Thomas “the twin.” We know nothing of Thomas’ twin brother/sister?
Thomas is remembered as “doubting” but he is ready to die with Jesus; brave like Peter, then they all forsook Him. (Matthew 26:35)
This is probably not a good place to suspend this study.
There is:
2. The arrival of Jesus in Bethany {17-37}
3. The miracle itself {38-44}.
These events are so closely involved with the story that we should go on but hold your place and God willing we will continue next time.
We have seen the deliberate action of Jesus and the way Jesus views death.
We will see next His promise of resurrection and life beyond the grave.
Amen
