Today I will be talking about Lazarus BUT I need to take you back a few chapters to show you what was happening before he deals with Lazarus.
In
John 9, Jesus heals a man blind from birth, the man ends up getting kicked out by the Jewish leaders because he doesn't agree with them regarding their views of Jesus...Ck. John 9:34
John 11
1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest 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 might be glorified thereby.
Mary and Martha send news to Jesus to tell him that their brother, Lazarus is sick (like bad). When Jesus hears of it, he tells his disciples that this sickness is not unto death (as an ultimate end) but that God(?) might be glorified or should I say the Son?
V.4 reminds of me of John 9:3-7 where we saw that the works of God were healing and deliverance, now we are going to see it to even a greater degree (physically speaking).
John 11 cont.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
V. 5 brings to mind I John 3:18 and Jesus is about to show that he doesn't love in just words but in deed and in truth (and what a deed!).
Jesus stayed where he was for another 2 days to make sure that they KNOW that Lazarus is good and dead, (you know, cold turkey).
John 11 cont.
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Jesus tells his disciples that they are going back to Judea. You can tell that the disciples are leery about this by their question.
I John 4:18 says,
"18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
No fear in Jesus cause he always moved in perfect love.
COMMENT on v.8: Sure they sought to stone Jesus but they couldn't, neither could they take him before his time. (Cf. Mark 14:48,49; John 10:39, 8:59, 5:15,16 [Heb. 9:27, Phil. 1:23-26]). He was the light of the world and he was walking in the light (John 8:12, Matt. 5:16).
We are not going until it is our time to go if we are walking in the Spirit. So it is very important to always be open and sensitive to the Spirit of God.
John 11 cont.
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Raising Lazarus from the dead is no big deal to Jesus, it is like waking someone from sleep.
John 11 cont.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
The disciples let Jesus know that if he is just asleep then he will wake up. But Jesus was talking about his death so he plainly said, "Lazarus is dead." Jesus goes on to say, "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe;"
WHY??? Because healing was a part of salvation and Jesus desires it for all who believe and Lazarus was a believer in Jesus and his power.
John 11 cont.
17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
Sometimes we need Jesus so bad, we run to him and forget to bring others with us who need him just as bad and then when he soothes us, he reminds us of the others and tells us to bring them to him. And when the other or others hear it, they come a-running too!(Ck. vs. 28,29)
APPLICATION: Based on James 5:16-- Don't be self-centered, be Christ-centered and when you are Christ-centered, you'll be people-centered, concerned with their needs, wants, desires, problems, etc. (Ck. Luke 9:23).
John 11 cont.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Jesus was pumping word into Martha and that causes faith (Ck. Rom. 10:17; Heb. 11:6), and there was a time coming that she was going to need it.
John 11 cont.
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
V. 30 really speaks to me, Jesus is always at the same place waiting on us, the throne of grace (Ck Heb. 4:16) that is in our hearts 'cause he doesn't want us to waste a bunch of needed time looking for him. He is always there.
John 11 cont.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
A THOUGHT: I agree with Martha in v. 21 and with Mary in v. 32. if Jesus was with them, Lazarus wouldn't have died but then again, I agree with Jesus in v.25 when he said, "I am the resurrection, and the life:"
The things that Jesus did because of his compassion, his love for us- after all the things that he has been doing, all the miracles, not only was he hurting cause he saw Mary, Martha, and the Jews hurting but because they still didn't realize the power, the authority that he has because of who he is. I am sure Lazarus' death wasn't bugging him near as much as the spiritual blindness, the unbelief that he saw and felt around him. How that must have hurt.
And how much more does it today???
John 11 cont.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
As we do what God tells us to do, we'll see God's glory. Jesus is telling us 'to take away the stone' that is keeping others dead (in sin). Stones like apathy, doublemindedness, luke-warmness, etc.; Let's move these stones out of the way in OUR life... AND in their life, stones like unbelief, blindness, confusion, etc. so others can see the life of God, the power of God in us.
The world has been dead much longer than 4 days and I guarantee you that it is a stench to God's nostrils. So let's start moving away stones and speaking God's word to this dead world and watch Jesus start raising people all around us. P.H.!
Rom. 15:4 says,
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
John 11 cont.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
From these verses carrying it back to the natural course of events-people will be getting saved from seeing God's word backed up with works..or..they'll try their best to shut you down.
NOW dealing with these verses from a DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, I want to talk about the power of gospel going forth out of our mouth and our life.
Check Rom. 1:16
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
A few things that the explosive (dunamis) power of God will do to those around us. Blow their tongue out and they can't debate it, or reply against it. Cause them to get mad and retaliate, fight back usually with fists, cussing or whatever. Or make them fall down and repent.
John 11 cont.
54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him.
Since Satan is the so-called god of this world system. Just as he did all that he could to try and stop Jesus, drive him out, hunt him down and seek to destroy him anyway that he could, he desires to do the same to you, if you belong to Jesus. (Check II Tim. 3:12). Also remember v.8 that we discussed earlier, we have the victory as we walk in his life and light.