Humanity on Display

Humanity on Display

John 11:27-37

August 18, 2024

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I remember in middle school there was a unit of study where we were required to learn about the Greek and norse gods. Names like Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, etc were on the list. We had to do projects acting out what each was like. Then in history and government, we had to learn about Islam, Allah, Muhammad, and the pillars of Islam.

It was interesting but I still wonder if that was a good thing that I learned that junk or a bad thing. Although I would be hard-pressed to recite the details of each of these cheap imitations of the true God of heaven, I did learn something that stuck with me. What I learned from these ancient and recent fabrications of man’s imaginations is how disconnected they were from those who worshiped them.

Even when you study each you will learn how unrelatable they are. How ineffectual they are, how indifferent and at times diabolical they are towards the ones who pray to them. When you read about the Greek gods, you will see how manipulative, and downright evil they are towards the children of men. Absolutely NONE of them or of the “new” gods have walked my walk, felt my hurt, experienced my tears, or felt an ounce of my pain.

The religions of the world reflect the worlds values, Christianity on the other hand stands in stark contrast, it is based solely on grace, this is an offense to the dying world.

Before we get to our text, I want to take you on a journey of a title that we will use today. It is a preferred title of our LORD and so, we too will use it. Jump back to

Daniel 7:13-14

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. [1]

This is a remarkable passage. It’s subject “Son of Man” speaks of the deity and oneness with the God Head/Father and the uniqueness of being fully man yet fully God. He is The God-Man (John 1:14). This claim or description of being the Son of Man is why our God, our Savior, our Christ stands apart from fake or fairytale gods. Our Savior, because He is the Son of Man has experienced everything that we have and more and yet has remained 100% sin less. He has walked our walk, felt our hurts and experienced our loss and yet, is still sinless.

It is my goal today is to encourage each believer in this room and expand the passage of John 11 in your hearts and minds. We must read this passage in the context and language it was intended to be read in.

If you remember, Jesus was a day’s journey away from Bethany. Mary and Martha sent Him a message saying that “He whom you love is ill.” Jesus waits two more days and then comes to Bethany. Martha runs to Him and says, “if You would have been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus directs Her to who He is, “I am the Resurrection and the life.”

Today we see what happens that leads us to the greatest miracle recorded in the Word of God apart from His own resurrection after the cross. This interaction with Mary and the Jews shows us just how “man like” our Lord is. He demonstrates emotion, feeling, personal hurt and intimacy towards us.

1. The Son of man is intimate.

Vs 28 “28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31[2]

When we read this our imaginations race. Was Mary being obstante for not going with Martha? Was she angry with Jesus?

We need to read the context to get a good idea as to what really is happening. Let’s slow down and read this carefully. When She (Martha) had said this: the statement of faith that Christ is the Son of God, She went. Look down at vs 30. Jesus did NOT go with Martha. He stayed where He was.

Now in light of the coming conversation I feel like we are safe and on good ground to see that Jesus wants a one on one conversation with Mary away from the commotion of the Jews and mourners. There is a good chance that the “private” message for Mary was directed by Jesus. He wanted to talk with her privately so He stayed and sent Martha to get her.

Now, I know that I am taking liberty. But, hold on. The point is that Jesus and Mary had an intimate conversation. It was intended for her and now us as well. Nothing that happens is apart from the will of the Father. If the specific instruction to Martha was not given, it does not matter because God still intended that message for Mary’s ears, not the rest of the Jews.

We see this by the nature of how Martha calls Mary. Notice, Martha whispered in Mary’s ear, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” Not everyone, you. He is calling her specifically and in private for YOU Mary to come to the teacher while He is waiting for you to come. When she heard it, she rose quickly and went. Now, to be fair, there are stragglers that follow her. But the message was for her!

Please notice that she did not include others or lumber her way out dragging her feet. No, she rose quickly and went. This action along with what we see next kills the idea that she was being obstinate or pouty towards Jesus.

Please allow me to draw all of us into this story. His calling to you looks very similar. His calling, His drawing is this intimate to each of us, individually through the gate of salvation that is only wide enough for one pair of shoulders. He does not draw a crowd and does not intend for His meetings with His children to be like that of a fake Greek god. He is personally calling you by name to a meeting with the Son of Man. He wants to meet with you.

We know what that looked like for Mary. It was most likely a meeting outside of town on a dirt road to Bethany. But for you, what does that look like? For some, it means you submit yourself to the salvation of the word, Jesus and trust that He is the Son of God.

For believers, it looks like a quiet time in His Word before your day starts. It looks like quality prayer times that we should never rush through. It looks like a life that is characterized by repentance, obedience and longing for time with the Teacher. This is how we have our intimate conversations with Jesus now and it is demonstrated here in our text.

I find it very important to note, Jesus did NOT come into the village until this meeting with Mary happened. I can’t over state this. NOTHING happens outside of God’s timing. There is no rushing the order of the plan. He is waiting for that one sheep that needs a personal meeting. He is waiting for that perfect time for an intimate conversation.

Vs 32 “Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if you would been here…”

Dr. Lawson comments on this passage as saying, “better to be at His feet then to be standing anywhere else.” Would you characterize your intimacy like this? I hear non-believers and immature Christians say, “when I get to heaven there better be mountains, rivers, dirt bike riding or fill in the blank. No, if you are at all maturing in Christ you would say, I only want to be at His feet.

If that is not you, look closely at your relationship with Him! I would argue that if this is not your posture, then you may be a bystander in this story and not Mary and or Martha. He must be enough! He must be the heaven that you await for. If your posture is anything other than that of Mary’s, you need to take your spiritual pulse now!

May I be so bold as to ask, how many of you would honestly say, you have fallen at His feet like Mary? Do you have that level of relationship or are you standing still? Do you treat Him as boss or savior? A boss we stand for, a savior we fall for.

2. The Son of Man is sensitive.

I know I just lost half the crowd (dudes). We don’t’ like the idea that our savior is sensitive. Gentlemen, have you ever made the rookie mistake of asking your wife when she is upset, “why are you being so sensitive?” Look, I’ll tell you as a man married for 27 years, don’t’ do that!

Ladies, have you ever watched the explosion of your husband when you ask him, why are you being so sensitive right now? Look, it’s not a good move.

When we use that word today there is a negative connotation with it because us humans always have sin attached to our sensitivity. We like to self-protect. But look at our Lord. He is sensitive but not in a sissy sort of way.

Vs 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.”

Okay, now this gets confusing. This is where the English can’t get where this passage is taking us. Some disclaimers, Jesus was NOT crying over the loss of Lazarus like the Jews think in verse 36. He knew what He was going to do! So what was He so “moved” for and “greatly troubled for.”

“was deeply moved” - this is NOT what you think! Turn over to Mark 14:5

5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.[3]

Deeply moved here is: synerchomai (see no ka ma) and means to scold, sternly warn, or to feel strongly. If you drill down into the Greek, it is used to describe a horse who is frustrated under a load, they snort in frustration. Any horse people in here when you hear a horse snort in effort?

It is used here to express Jesus’s true emotions as he was responding to Mary’s grief. He responds the same way to ours! We don’t get this type of luxury often when reading. English makes Jesus out to being moved by the death of Lazarus. But hold on. That is not really what is happening. There is more going on here.

He was “greatly troubled.” tarassō): stir up 2. cause great distress, trouble, disturb 3. cause a riot[4]

He was scolding and stirred up to an internal riot. Jesus was greatly moved in His Spirit and not in a way that we have looked at this. He was angry about something that He was seeing and was scolding it. There are two ways to interrupt this:

a. It was grievous because the group was acting like pagans and were acting like they did not believe that He was the resurrection and life. (some smart people think this)

b. Jesus may have also been angered at death and the human suffering it brings with it. (Some smart people think this and I agree because of the context of the passage) Here is why, look at this next verse:

Vs 34: “Where have you laid him?”

We read this mechanically because to inflict emotion is dangerous. But, does Jesus need directions? Did He already know where Lazarus was? Absolutely! So why did John record this question? Look at the next verse:

Vs 35 “Jesus wept.”

Through tears on His face or tears He was keeping back, Jesus asked, “where have you laid him.” This was a moving scene. If we read this mechanically, we are losing the context of the passage. This was a deeply tender moment. As Jesus is walking, tears are cascading down His cheeks. Was He angry with Mary or Martha’s doubt? I do not believe so.

Many years ago my old pastor had all of us pastors do a sermon on “where God has us.” I had just lost my dad in 2016. I was angry and my emotions were off the charts. I was angry at the fact that I could not get the sermon without losing it. I was angry and eventually had to use that anger to even get through the message. I was GREATLY moved and greatly troubled.

In my opinion, I think Jesus was scolding, and stirred up at the price of sin and that is the death of a loved one. He is angry and what sin causes, doubt and eventual death of Lazarus. He is sensitive to the fact that it causes great hurt to those whom He calls by name. He feels the hurt and sting of sin, doubt and eventual death. Remember, this is not how he created it. He created us to enjoy life with Him eternally without death. Look what sin has caused, the very enemy He came to conquer, death.

Jesus is expressing His anger while maintaining His sensitive awareness of the hurt His children experience. He is not distant or unengaged. Rather, His Spirit is Even experiencing exactly what Mary and Martha was feeling even to a greater degree. Maybe you are here today and you need to hear that Jesus is moved by your hurt. Not caught off guard but moved by the fact that you are experiencing great hurt.

If that is you, please know that your hurt is felt and He is walking you through it and weeps as you weep.

3. The Son of Man is relational.

Pat and I struggled with the word “relational” during sermon prep time. He said something very profound, how can we use words of the world to describe something out of this world?” You see, relational is just not quite strong enough to describe the type of relationship our Lord has with His children.

The very best way to describe this is in the imagery of a true friend. A true friend literally hurts when you hurt, cries when you cry, laughs when you laugh, feels as if your skin is on them and vice versa. If you have yet to have such a friend, you can today.

Some of you may say, I have never had such a friend. Well, I will tell you to find one is one of the truest blessings by the hand of God. I can honestly say I have two in my life that when I tell of my pain, they feel as I feel. But as much as I love them, there is another who knows my pain even more then I do.

Isaiah 53:3-5

3 He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed. [5]

Why is it when we read these verses we can’t personally put ourselves into the reason for His sorrow? Why do we read this and disconnect from what cause such sorrow?

Listen closely and realize that you are the reason for him to be despised, rejected by men. You and I are the reason He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. You and I are the reason why men cover their face in His presence as He bore your griefs and carried your sorrow!

Through those sufferings, peace was brought about to those He calls by name privately. What friend does this? Only the one who is more intune to your needs then even yourself. I love my Earthly friends, but they can’t feel, truly feel, my pain like the one who took on that pain already!

Now do you know why we struggled to come up with another word besides relational? He is so much more then relational! He literally walked your walk, carried your load, bled your cuts all with your name in mind. That is a relationship that should drop us to our face in front of His feet.

To say He doesn’t know my sorrow is to be completely ignorant of who He is. His is THE man of sorrow in vs 5. Did Jesus laugh while on earth? We assume He did because He was 100% human. But, interesting, His laughter is at no time recorded in the Word is it? What is?

Vs 35 “Jesus wept.”

4. Be encouraged, He personally knows you.

This knowledge of His intimacy, sensitivity and relational connection with His children should encourage you! This entire message was designed to get to this statement. Be encouraged, He personally knows you.

For years I have struggled with a God that loves everyone the same and no one is uniquely invited to a meeting with the Son of Man. Oh please hear me, your salvation is individual with your name attached. The Spirit of God is acting like Martha. He is whispering in your ear and saying, “The Teacher is calling you.”

Your salvation is not the result of a group discount. Mary, Martha, you and me have a PERSONAL invite to the feet of the Son of Man.

Please do not cheapen this experience with the idea that you are part of group sale. He is personally intimate with your situation and name. He is sensitive to your hurts, needs and sorrows. He is connected to you in more than a cerebral knowledge of your name. He is a relational God who feels as you feel and so much more.

The application is simply this, be encouraged! We do not need to worry about jobs, the state of the country, failed leadership, failed human promises. We need to live confidently that He is above those hurts and frustrations. There is absolutely nothing that you can experience that is above His ability. When we suffer, we suffer with the greatest advocate known to man, the Son of Man.

Unbeliever aside:

Maybe you are wanting this type of relationship. Look, Christ came so that you can have this type of relationship. He came so that the relationship with the Father in heaven can be secured through Him. Apart from His work on the cross, there is no relationship with the Father except judgment. But, God, being merciful sent Christ to pay for that sin you have amassed in your life. He takes the very worst of you and places on Christ. He takes the very best of Christ and places that on you.

How is that for being a relational God? BE ENCOURAGED, HE KNOWS YOU!