For the Glory of God

Before we open up John 11 together, let’s take just a few moments to remember where we’ve been.

In John 10, Jesus gave us one of the most comforting and powerful revelations of who He is. He told us, “I am the Good Shepherd.” Not a hired hand. Not a cold-hearted manager. A shepherd who knows His sheep by name, calls them, leads them, and lays down His life for them.

Then the scene changed. The Jews picked up stones to kill Him because He claimed, unmistakably, to be God. Jesus responded not by softening His claim, but by anchoring it deeper—in the Scriptures, in His miracles, and in the unity He shares with the Father.

As hostility boiled over in Jerusalem, John tells us Jesus withdrew across the Jordan—back to where John the Baptist had once prepared the way. And while He was there, many came to believe in Him.

Now, as we turn the page into John 11, we come to what is arguably the climax of Jesus’ public ministry in John’s Gospel. The raising of Lazarus is the final, undeniable sign before the cross. It’s deeply personal, deeply theological, and beautifully pastoral. And it begins not with a miracle, but with a message: “Lord, he whom You love is ill.”

Let’s read the passage, John 11:1-6.

Pray

Our Gracious Father in Heaven,

We come before You this morning with grateful hearts, humbled that You would call us together as Your people, to hear Your Word and behold Your glory. We confess that our lives are often full of distractions and distress, fears and burdens, and we are tempted to question Your timing, Your presence, and even Your love when suffering comes.

But today, Lord, would You still our hearts and lift our eyes? Would You open our ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church? As we open Your Word in John 11, help us to see not just a story of sorrow and delay, but a testimony of divine love and glory.

Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, and the One who never leaves or forsakes His people. So as we hear of Your delay and Your purpose in pain, deepen our trust in Your perfect love and Your sovereign plan.

May we be comforted, convicted, and conformed more fully into the likeness of Christ through the preaching of Your Word this morning.

We ask this in the name of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ, Amen.

A 30,000-Foot Flyover of John 11

John 11 is a long chapter—57 verses—and it unfolds like a beautiful drama. Here’s the bird’s eye view of where we’re headed in the weeks to come:

Verses 1–6 show us the deliberate delay of Jesus, motivated not by neglect but by love.

Verses 7–16 reveal Jesus' determination to go to Judea, even though it means walking into danger.

Verses 17–27 bring us face-to-face with Martha’s grief and her profound confession of faith.

Verses 28–37 show Mary’s sorrow and Jesus’ deep emotional response—including that shortest and most tender verse: “Jesus wept.”

Verses 38–44 contain the great sign: the resurrection of Lazarus.

And finally, verses 45–57 record the fallout—the religious leaders plot to kill not only Jesus, but also Lazarus.

But for today, we only need the first six verses. Because they set the tone for everything that follows. They teach us that divine delays are not divine denials—and that God’s love and glory are not incompatible with suffering and death. In fact, they are often most clearly revealed through them.

First, though, let’s “meet the family.”

Meet the Family: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (vv.1–2)

We meet them in the first two verses. John 11:1

John 11:1 ESV

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

The way that John writes this is curious. He first mentions Lazarus, that he was from Bethany… and then, at least in First Century Jewish Society, John does something remarkable… he says that Bethany is the village of Mary and Martha. Why is this extraordinary? Because, In first-century Judaism:

Women were generally not regarded as legal witnesses in court.

They were rarely named in public records or honored in genealogies.

Property rights were typically male-held, and inheritance lines flowed through sons, not daughters.

Social and religious life was patriarchal, and the public roles of women were very limited.

A common rabbinic saying was: “It is better that the words of the Law be burned than be delivered to a woman.”

So for a Gospel writer to highlight women—not only by name, but by associating a village with them—is striking.

I also what to bring to light this point… The Gospel of John (and the other Gospels) consistently breaks with cultural norms in their treatment of women:

John 4: Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well—alone—and entrusts her with the first proclamation of His identity as Messiah.

John 11–12: Mary is honored not only for her deep grief and faith, but also for her act of costly worship, which Jesus says will be remembered wherever the Gospel is preached (cf. Matthew 26:13).

John 20: Mary Magdalene is the first witness of the risen Christ, and Jesus commissions her to tell the apostles.

Luke 8:1–3: Women are named as financial supporters of Jesus’ ministry—a shocking reversal of the usual male-dominated patronage model.

And so, here in John 11:1, John highlights Mary and Martha because they were not only loved by Jesus, but they played a pivotal theological and relational role in the unfolding narrative of resurrection faith and discipleship.

There are several possible reasons John identifies Bethany with Mary and Martha instead of Lazarus:

First…

Mary and Martha were already well known in the Christian community.

Verse 2 (verse up on the screen) indicates that Mary’s anointing of Jesus had become part of her legacy—even though it hadn’t happened yet in John’s narrative (it happens in chapter 12), it was widely known by the time the Gospel was written. So, John is anchoring the story in familiar people.

Secondly,

The story centers as much (or more) on the sisters’ faith as it does on Lazarus’ resurrection.

In verses 20–27, Martha confesses Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God”—one of the most theologically significant statements in the entire Gospel.

Mary’s weeping moves Jesus to tears (v.35), and her faith-filled grief mirrors the suffering of all who long for resurrection.

And third,

The women are active; Lazarus is passive.

Lazarus is ill, then dead, then raised. He never speaks. But Mary and Martha send the message, they speak with Jesus, they express theological convictions, and they respond in worship and faith.

The story unfolds largely through their interaction with Christ.

And here is the last point that I want to make here, before we move on...

The Bible—contrary to many modern accusations—does not demean women; rather, it elevates them far beyond their cultural station:

It was Eve who was promised the seed that would crush the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah are presented not as accessories to male faith but as essential players in God's redemptive plan.

Ruth and Esther have entire books named after them.

In the New Testament, Elizabeth, Mary (mother of Jesus), and Mary Magdalene are central to the coming and resurrection of the Messiah.

The early church honored women like Phoebe, Priscilla, Lydia, and others for their faith and service.

By naming Bethany as the village of Mary and Martha, John is bearing witness to the fact that:

Jesus dignifies women.

The kingdom of God is not male-exclusive.

Faith, not gender, determines your standing in the kingdom.

Now this is not the first time we meet Mary and Martha in the Scriptures. If you remember, Luke 10 tells us about a moment in their home when Martha was bustling about serving and Mary was sitting quietly at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teaching. Martha was anxious, distracted—Mary was still, listening, receiving.

They were sisters, and Lazarus was their brother. And Jesus loved them deeply.

Now, about the village of Bethany. We need to talk about this because there can be some confusion when talking about towns with the name of Bethany. Bethany was a small town about two miles east of Jerusalem, just over the Mount of Olives. Not to be confused with “Bethany beyond the Jordan,” that we learned about back in chapter 10. That Bethany was across the river, where John the Baptist had ministered. This Bethany was closer to Jerusalem—and that makes what Jesus is about to do all the more dangerous. He is heading straight toward the lion’s den.

But this isn’t just about geography—it’s about friendship. These were people Jesus knew and loved. He had eaten in their home. He had taught them. He had wept with them. And soon, He would raise one of them from the grave.

Verse 2 ends with… “...whose brother Lazarus was ill.”

John 11:2 ESV

2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.

Because of this, a message was sent.

The Message Sent (v.3)

Verse 3.

John 11:3 ESV

3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

Notice that they don’t tell Jesus what to do. They don’t demand healing. They simply inform Him. They make an informative, albeit veiled, request: “Lord, the one You love is sick.”

Notice how they appeal to His love. They simply point to His affection: “The one You love is ill.”

Isn’t that how we should make requests of the Lord? “Lord, You love us. You know what we’re going through. We’re not demanding—we’re just crying out.”

However, once we’ve made the request… we usually expect a certain answer. And here is where we often get crossways with the Lord. Jesus’ response is not what we expect...

The Statement of Purpose (v.4)

Let’s read the next verse. Verse 4...

John 11:4 ESV

4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

This is a crucial verse. You see, Jesus isn’t saying Lazarus that won’t die. He is just saying that death won’t have the final word.

You see, Jesus sees beyond the grave. He sees resurrection, not just in Lazarus, but in Himself. This is not merely about healing. This is about glory—God’s glory revealed in the Son.

And here’s what’s astonishing:

Jesus is declaring this before Lazarus dies, before anyone else understands. He is setting the stage—not only for a miracle, but for a revelation.

And with this declaration we see something that puzzles us… because it doesn’t fit our definition of love.

Love That Waits (vv.5–6)

Verses 5-6.

John 11:5–6 ESV

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

This is one of the most profound and, might I say, one of the most perplexing statements in the Gospel.

Jesus loved them. So He stayed where he was LONGER! He didn’t rush. He didn’t run. He delayed.

Now, that seems like the opposite of love and the concern for someone that comes with loving them. Doesn’t it. I mean, isn’t that our reaction when we hear news of someone we love… we go to them, immediately?

Why does Jesus do the opposite? So strange… that “when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”

Here’s why Jesus’ love looks different than yours or mine...

Because Jesus’ love is not sentimental—it’s sovereign. His timing is not dictated by panic, but by purpose. He is not motivated by convenience, but by glory. And that glory is always wrapped in love.

This means something for us, beloved.

It means that when God delays, when healing doesn’t come, when the answer seems withheld, it does not mean He doesn’t love us. It means He loves us more than we know.

Why does it mean this? Because...

Jesus is not absent. He is working. He is waiting—not out of indifference, but out of intention.

Applications for the Church

Let’s draw out a few key truths from this passage as we close:

1. God’s delays are never careless.

You may feel forgotten—but He is orchestrating something bigger than you can imagine. He is never late. He is never distracted. He is purposeful.

2. Love does not always look like immediate relief.

Jesus didn’t heal Lazarus from afar like He had with others. Why? Because He was planning to do something deeper. His love may lead us into pain before it brings us to joy.

3. God’s glory is often revealed through suffering.

This illness, this death, this grief—it was all for the glory of God. Suffering is not outside God’s plan. It is part of how He makes His glory known.

One slide

Conclusion: The Glory of God in the Graveyard

Brothers and sisters, as we begin this journey through John 11, we’re being invited into a story that mirrors so many of our own.

A cry for help. A silence that feels like delay. A pain that seems unanswered. And yet, through it all, a Savior who is working—loving—glorifying God in a way we cannot yet see.

So no matter where or in what trial or difficulty you find yourself today, hold fast. The One who waits is also the One who raises. And it is all for the glory of God.

Let’s pray!

Father in Heaven,

We thank You for Your Word, which is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, and full of grace and truth. We thank You that in Your love, You do not always give us what we ask for in the moment—but You always give us what glorifies You and sanctifies us for eternity.

Help us now to carry the truths we’ve heard into the sorrows we bear. Teach us to trust You in the delays, to see Your hand even in the waiting, and to worship You not only when the tomb is empty, but when the stone still lies in place.

May the name of Jesus be lifted high in our lives, our homes, and our church. And may we, like Mary and Martha, learn to rest not in our understanding, but in Your unfailing love.

Let everything we do now in response—our songs, our prayers, our partaking of the Table—be done for Your glory, and with thankful hearts.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.