Prelude to Easter

An Avoidable Death With a Purpose

Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick - John 11:1-3

John 11:1–3 NIV

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

Jesus addressed Lazarus’ immanent death with two puzzling responses: John 11:4-7

John 11:4–7 NIV

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

This will not end in death but this will end in God’s glory

Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters but waited two days to respond

Jesus announced His intention to raise Lazarus from the dead - John 11:11-15

John 11:11–15 NIV

After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Jesus Provides Hope and Comfort to Lazarus’ Family

Jesus comforted the family - John 11:17-22

John 11:17–22 NIV

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 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 introduced the hope of eternal life - John 11:23-26

John 11:23–26 NIV

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?”

Martha expressed her belief that Jesus was the Messiah - John 11:27

John 11:27 NIV

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Mary expressed her belief that Jesus could have prevented the death of Lazarus - John 11:32-34, 37

John 11:32–34 NIV

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.

John 11:37 NIV

But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus identified with the grief of His friends - John 11:35-36

John 11:35–36 NIV

Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

Jesus Demonstrated Power over Death

Lazarus was certainly dead - John 11:38-39

John 11:38–39 NIV

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.”

Lazarus had been dead for 4 days

Jesus ordered that the stone be rolled away

Jesus challenged Martha’s faith - John 11:39-40

John 11:39–40 NIV

“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?”

Although Martha had expressed belief in the resurrection (vs. 24, 27) she was certain that the tomb would stink because Lazarus was dead

We can’t see God’s glory if we aren’t willing to believe what we cannot understand

Jesus prayed to the Father - John 11:41-42

John 11:41–42 NIV

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.”

Jesus called Lazarus to come out and instructs the observers to free him from the grave clothes - John 11:43-44

John 11:43–44 NIV

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.”