Four Day Delays | John 11:17-45

Opening Remarks:

Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, was sick

Family that Jesus was particularly close to

Vs. 3 - “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”

Vs. 5 - “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.”

So everyone thought that Jesus would leave right away and make the 10 or 12 hour trip to go to Bethany and heal Lazarus, but He didn’t. He waited for two days before He left.

And by the time He decides to go, His disciples become concerned about going back near Jerusalem where all the religious leaders want Jesus dead.

But they choose to follow Jesus when He says, “Let’s go.” And even though Thomas is a bit of a fatalist when he says in vs. 16, “Let us also go, that we may die with him,” they were committed to Him. Thomas may have been dramatic, but he was committed.

But then we get to verse 17 after Jesus and the disciples get to Bethany.

READ vs. 17-45

TITLE Four Day Delays

INTRODUCTION

It is often said that good things come to those that wait. I suppose that’s true, but if you’ve flown on an airplane in the last few years, it certainly doesn’t feel true.

Delays are now part of the Air Travel experience. These days, you’re almost more guaranteed to wait than you are to land safely. And most of the time, delays rarely produce anything good, but for a man named Phil Stringer, it turned out to be especially true.

In July of 2023, Stringer was supposed to leave Oklahoma City and land a few hours later in his hometown of Charlotte. But then came the maintenance-related delay. He took it in stride and went to a Starbucks to wait it out.

But the delays started piling up. He ended up waiting all day with one problem after another piling up. He waited so long that the the airport Starbucks closed and had to kick him out.

So imagine his surprise when, toward the end of the day, he got a boarding alert.

He got to the gate and said, “I had thought that everyone had boarded and I was late, because no one was there. But [the gate agent] was like, 'No, honey, you're the only one left.'" See, everyone else got fed up with the delays and had booked other flight options.

But the airline couldn’t just cancel the flight because the crew and cargo had to get to Charlotte, so Phil Stringer got to do what few people ever will in their lifetime and flew on a commercial flight as the only passenger on board.

Two-and-a-half hours, just Phil and the crew.

Sometimes a delay turns out in your favor.

I’ve heard of delays that prevented someone from being in a major accident.

Or a delay that caused a person to meet someone that became their spouse.

We often look at delays like the end of the world, but there are times when God actually uses a delay to do something important for our faith.

That’s exactly what happened here in John 11.

But this wasn’t just a trivial delay, like hitting traffic.

This delay involved the death of someone very important to the people in the story.

And in their minds, if Jesus hadn’t delayed, He could have prevented Lazarus’ death.

But what we learn from Jesus’ actions here is this:

Sometimes We Need A Four Day Delay

I don’t just mean a literal four day delay. I mean a divine delay.

Sometimes God has a bigger plan than what we can see.

In this case, Jesus states up front that He is trying to do something besides just prevent Lazarus from dying.

He says, “I have a reason for this FDD.”

1. Vs. 4 - The Glory Of The Father

The amount of glory that God was going to receive would be impacted by this delay.

Which means this delay had an unexpected benefit. We’ll see how that plays out as we go.

2. The second reason for the delay was to build their faith

Vs. 14-15a - Jesus once again says, “There’s a benefit to this FDD. My glory is first. But your faith is second.”

There was something about this delay that would build the faith of the disciples. But Jesus was also thinking of the lost who had never believed and their faith was also at stake. We see that to be true later in the chapter.

So as we saw last week, Jesus says the benefit of this delay was “The glory of God and the good of those involved.”

It was for their good and His glory.

It’s hard to argue against those benefits. But let’s not pretend that delays are easy.

In this case, the delay had some difficult effects on the people involved:

Lazarus died because Jesus waited.

Both Martha and Mary tell Him that. If He had been there, Lazarus may have lived.

Delays mean we suffer longer.

They had to agonize for four days because Jesus waited.

Delays also mean we go longer without answers.

For four days they had to sit and think about the what ifs.

“What if Jesus had been here?”

“What if Jesus doesn’t love us like we thought?”

“What if the things we think about Jesus aren’t really true?”

They wanted to know “Why” right away. But they didn’t get any answers for four days.

Delays also increase the opportunities for doubt.

The longer we wait, the more we question. We questions God’s actions. We may even question His motives. Delays breed questions, and they’re not always helpful.

Let’s just be honest, nobody enjoys Four Day Delays.

Even when they’re God ordained.

No one likes to suffer longer.

No one enjoys not having answers.

No one likes having reasons to doubt.

And sometimes all we can see is how the FDD’s impact us.

But I want to come at this from the opposite angle this morning. Rather than focusing on what was hard due to this delay, I’d like to focus on what they would have missed without it:

I. They Would Have Missed How Much They Were Loved - Vs. 19

I’ve seen it time and time again both personally and in dealing with other people.

People often don’t know how much they’re loved until they face a great trial.

We might never know how much we’re loved if we never experienced difficulty.

Many people in this room have experienced the love of others in their darkest moments.

Without those darkest moments, we might never know how much we mean to someone.

“Many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary.”

I’ve said it often, but I don’t know how those without a church family endure the Four Day Delays.

Life can be heavy. The burdens can feel impossible to bear.

We need each other. And it’s easy to go about our business and get busy.

But a Four Day Delay can be a rallying moment when you get to experience God’s love through the people around you.

You might never know how much you’re loved without a FDD.

I’ve heard some of you say that. While the trial was tough, there’s blessing in experiencing the love of others in the middle of it.

Without a FDD, Mary & Martha might have never known how much they were loved.

Without A FDD:

II. They Would Have Had No Cause To Seek Jesus - Vs. 20

Martha went to Jesus to meet Him.

Before Jesus even got to the house, Martha went to find Him.

This situation forced her to go to the only One that had any answers.

Martha had seen Jesus’ power. She knew what He was capable of.

Seeking Jesus will naturally lead to communication with Him.

We need communion with the Lord in our darkest moments.

We need to go to Him when we don’t understand the Four Day Delays.

Some people shut themselves off. Martha was a “talk it out” kind of people.

There are typically two kinds of people, and very often they end up married.

You have the “Talk it out” kind of person who, when they’re experiencing an emotion, want to communicate all about it.

But then you also have the “Don’t want to talk about it” person who’d rather just be quiet.

It’s funny how God often brings those two opposite personalities together.

Martha was more the “talk it out” person. Mary was more the self-reflective type.

But in this story, the FDD forced both sisters to seek Jesus out.

(Vs. 20-21) “Lord, if you had been here, this could have been avoided.”

(Vs. 22) – I appreciate Martha’s level of faith. She knows Christ can. She just doesn’t know if He will.

So there’s this conflict in her heart. She almost blames Him for not coming sooner, but she is also aware that He can do something about it if He chooses to.

(Vs. 23) – Jesus says, “Lazarus will rise again.”

(Vs. 24) – “I know he will. We’ll all rise in the resurrection at the last day.” She expresses great faith in Christ’s abilities. She believes that Christ has power over death. But her faith is limited. She knows Christ will have power over death one day. Not recognizing that He has power over death today.

(Vs. 25) - Jesus makes His fifth “I Am” statement in the book of John. He is the resurrection and the life.

Which means that anyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior has eternal life, even if they die physically. Being a believer means we will never die spiritually. If you know Jesus Christ, you presently have eternal life. Death is the end of physical life, but it is really only sleep until the resurrection unto life. When a person dies, their soul goes to be with the Lord.

So, for the believer, there is no death. Only a transition from life on earth to life in Heaven with God for eternity.

This is a great truth. And Martha believes it. And she gives a wonderful confession of faith here:

#1 - You are the Messiah

#2 - You are the Son of God

#3 - You are the One promised to come into the world

Now, I don’t believe she has any idea that Jesus is about to raise her brother from the dead, but she would have never had this conversation with Jesus without a FDD.

Then Mary seeks Jesus out. Vs. 28-32

What was true of Martha is true of Mary - this encounter would have not taken place without a FDD.

And she says what her sister said, “If you had been here, Lazarus wouldn’t have died.”

So both of these sisters, as sincere as they are, have limited faith.

All they can see right now is that Jesus could have avoided this disaster if He had come earlier.

But what they should be focusing on is the fact that Jesus still has the power to do something about it.

FDD delays cause us to seek Jesus and have conversations with Him.

And in doing so, they reveal the weaknesses of our faith.

So when a FDD delay comes, don’t retreat. Don’t withdraw from Jesus.

Seek Him out. Search His Word. Spend time in prayer. Don’t shut down.

Because a FDD is often allowed into our lives to reveal something about us that must be changed.

Mary and Martha might not have ever known their faith in Christ’s power needed to be built up.

Without the delay, these important conversations might never have taken place.

Without a FDD, they would have missed how much they were loved, they would have missed a reason to seek Jesus out, and…

III. They Would Have Missed Who Jesus Really Is - Vs. 25

Who Is He?

He is the Resurrection And The Life.

He has power over death. Not just in the future, but right now.

When we place our faith in Him, He forgives us of our sins and gives us eternal life.

They needed to hear that truth and a FDD helped them to.

Who Is He?

2. He is a personal God who cares about people.

33-35 – Jesus is stricken with grief.

There’s debate about His reason for groaning.

He could be grieving because He sees their condition and it touches His heart.

We know at a different time that Jesus was moved when He saw the people like sheep having no shepherd.

But I also believe there’s a part of Him that is grieved that they don’t have more faith in Him. They’re so focused on the delay that they’ve lost sight of His power over death.

36 – But I think they’re only getting part of the picture. Yes, Jesus loved Lazarus, but Jesus is more concerned about His glory and the building of their faith. He has Lazarus handled. But His love wants them to be transformed.

And this FDD allowed the people to see that Jesus personally cares for them.

He’s not just an all-powerful God. He is a personal God.

And sometimes it takes a delay to realize it.

We need the element of time to get to know each other.

There is nothing like a relationship with the God of Heaven who stoops down to us in a personal way when we face great suffering.

The problem with this is if we see the personal side of Jesus but we don’t understand His sovereignty.

That’s a problem in modern Christianity. There’s such an emphasis on Him being personal that we fail to acknowledge His sovereignty and power. He’s not just a friend. He’s also our Master.

37-38 – Jesus is grieved. Again, everyone else is focused on is the delay. “If He had been here, this could have been avoided.” They’re not seeing the fact that Jesus has power to do something about it.

Vs 39-40 – Martha still doesn’t get, so Jesus gently rebukes her. “If I’m the resurrection and the life, do you really not think I can handle what’s going on behind that gravestone?”

Vs. 41-45 – Jesus prays to His Father in their presence so they know His identity. His prayer is a reminder to them that He truly came from God.

He cries with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” And Lazarus looking like a mummy all wrapped up in graveclothes.

So Jesus says, “Unwrap Him. Loose him and let him go.”

As if to prove it really was Lazarus and he was no longer bound by the cords of death.

And we’ll perhaps look more at this next week, but suffice it to say:

Without this divine FDD, no one standing there would have had the opportunity to see Christ demonstrate His identity as the Resurrection and the Life.

They knew it in their heads. But this gave them the opportunity to see it with their eyes.

And many believed. Which accomplished Christ’s purpose.

Folks, without this FDD delay, they would not have fully understood who Jesus was.

Think about it: If Jesus had run to Lazarus, it would have convinced the people that He was strong enough to heal disease. But by allowing Lazarus to die, He convinced them He was strong enough to defeat death.

Power to heal disease is a wonderful part of Christ’s identity. But they had already seen that.

So raising Lazarus revealed Christ’s identity as the Resurrection and the Life. And friend, if He has power over death, there is nothing in life that He can’t handle.

God is love. But according to this passage, the ultimate expression of love is not to prevent hardship. Love wants what’s best. What’s best is not always what’s easiest. Or what’s quickest. Or what’s less painful.

And what was best for them was to be convinced that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

And this FDD allowed them to see it.

CONCLUSION

Could it be that you’re experiencing a Divine Four Day Delay?

You’re waiting on an answer that just won’t come.

You’re facing a trial that won’t seem to end.

God has either not answered your prayer or answered it differently than you hoped.

You’re in a season of life that you want something to happen and it just isn’t.

My encouragement this morning is this.

As hard as they are, the benefit of a FDD comes when our focus turns from what could have been avoided to what God is trying to teach me.

Your FDD might be so that you can draw closer to the people around you.

Your FDD might be so that you’ll draw closer to Jesus because you need Him desperately.

Your FDD might be so that your faith is strengthened when you watch God work in ways you can’t explain.

I can’t tell you what your FDD means, but I can tell you it means something.

God is working, even when we’re waiting. And who knows what blessing is waiting if you’ll accept the delay by faith?

You might get an airplane all to yourself.

Or even better, discover who that you’re loved more than you realized.

Or that your relationship with Jesus needed to be strengthened.

Or that you’d lost sight of the personal and powerful God that you call Father.

Or, that you need to place your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. And God sent a delay to help you see it.

Don’t resent the FDD. We don’t know what it means. But we know it means something.

Hudson Taylor said,

“If we are kept waiting, the spiritual blessing that is the outcome is far more precious than exemption from the trial.”

Believe that. And recognize that going through the delay might be exactly what God wanted to teach you something you’d have never learned otherwise.