Lodge Service March 16/2023

Never too late!

Today, I’d like to talk to you about a story of a family that was affected by loss.

It’s a story that many of you have probably heard many times. It’s a story that songs have been written about, and it’s found in John 11.

Jesus and His disciples are probably up in Galilee where Jesus did much of His ministry.

Word gets to Him that a close friend of His is really sick. They didn’t have email. They didn’t have the Judean postal service. They didn’t have phones that they could call or text to send messages. Either you needed to walk or ride on your donkey. It was a long journey, but the message got through to Jesus.

Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha sent word that the one Jesus loved was sick.

Jesus knew that how sick Lazarus was, but He stayed where He was a couple days, and then He told the disciples that He had to go and wake Lazarus up.

Sleeping had two different meanings in ancient times: either you were sleeping or you were dead. Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but the disciples couldn’t read between the lines, so He said it plainly, “Lazarus is dead.”

So they start the trek to Bethany which was close to Jerusalem.

Let’s read the story from when Jesus is getting close to the village of Bethany.

John 11:20–44 NIV

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Today, I want to pull out a few observations from this story.

1. Everyone suffers hurts and disappointments

Mary and Martha had sent word out so that Jesus could come to Bethany before their brother Lazarus would die.

When tragedy strikes our hopes can be dashed. Lazarus was no longer sick but they placed his body in a tomb, a cave in the side of a hill. It was final. They wouldn’t see Lazarus again until he would be raised from the dead when we must all stand before God.

We all suffer loss and disappointments. Things don’t always and sometimes it seems that they don’t often end they way that we would like.

Both Mary and Martha said, “Lord if you had only been here...”

Have you ever wondered why Jesus just didn’t seem to be there at the right time. In there opinion, Jesus was at least four days late. Lazarus had been dead for four days.

2. Jesus gives hope

John 11:25–26 NIV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

There is nothing too hard for God. As Christians we believe that God answers prayer. Today we have an example where Jesus prayed and God the Father answered. He even raised the dead.

3. Jesus cares...

When Jesus saw Mary, when He saw all the people that had gathered and were mourning, He felt their suffering.

Jesus had lost a close friend that He loved too.

John 11:35 NIV

Jesus wept.

He standing by the tomb. He knows what He going to do, and yet He mourns with those that are suffering.

Hebrews 4:15–16 NIV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

4. Never too late!

Even when it seemed that all hope was goine, even when they may have wondered if Jesus could do anything, Jesus said, “Roll away the stone!”

He talked to the Father, and said that He knew that God the Father always heard HIm, but for the sake of the people, He said it.

He cried in a loud voice, “Lazarus, Come out!”

and Lazarus came out and he was tied up in his grave clothes.

John 11:44 NKJV

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.”

When Jesus works in our lives, He finishes what He starts. He didn’t leave Lazarus tied up but He had him set free.

Even when it seems that it’s too late, even when it seems that all hope is gone, God is still for us, and He cares for us, and He will answer.

I want to leave you with this verse in closing,

Psalm 42:11 NIV

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.