Learning to Trust

John 11:7-16

Praise and Prayer

If you brought your Bibles turn with me over to the gospel of John chapter 11. The gospel of John chapter 11 and in a moment we are going to read verses 7-16 of the gospel of John chapter 11.

What are some of the methods God uses to teach us to trust Him?

Financial crisis, health concerns, a hostile boss any difficulty we face.

I am reminded of Joseph and everything he went through; sold by his brothers into slavery, falsely accused of sexual assault by Potiphar’s wife. Thrown into jail and forgotten before he finally rose to prominence.

If I went through all of the things Joseph endured I think I would have given up. I think I would have a difficult time trusting God’s plan for my life!!

The Point of John chapter 11 is; Jesus uses of every opportunity to teach us to trust Him, but are we using every opportunity to learn?

John 11:7–16 NASB95

Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

Background and content

Who are the characters in this narrative?

Where are they at? Vs. 40 says, beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.

What are they doing? The are discussing a return to Judea Why? Because Lazarus is dead.

Jesus uses the death of Lazarus to teach the disciples to trust Him. He does the same thing in our life. The question is are we using those opportunities to learn.

I. The Announcement of His return Vs. 7-10.

Jesus makes the announcement He is going back to Judea, and this strikes fear into the hearts of the disciples.

Notice Vs 7, Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

The phrase, “Then after this” is referring to, the two days Jesus waited after receiving the news Lazarus was sick. Now Jesus knows the delay is over and it’s God’s time for Him to Go!

Notice He says, “let us go.” He includes the disciples because He knows they are going to follow Him wherever He goes.

The disciples returning with Jesus is part of God’s plan. This is one of God’s purposes in the death of Lazarus.

Jesus is going to use this as a teaching tool to develop faith in the disciples.

Also, notice He doesn’t say, Lets go to Bethany or to see Lazarus, but He says, “lets go to Judea!!” Why?

He knew that would be the word to challenge the disciples faith!! That would be the place that would strike fear in their heart. Going back to Judea means going back to the area around Jerusalem.

Notice Vs. 8, The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?”

Does anyone know what the word “Rabbi” means? It means teacher and is a sign of honor and respect. But what they are really saying here is; teacher are you sure you know what you are doing?

The disciples knew that going to Judea would be dangerous not only for Jesus but for them.

Notice Vs. 9, Jesus answers them in a powerful way, Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

There are layers of meaning in this metaphor from Jesus. Does anyone have an opinion about the point He is making here?

Is Jesus telling us there are not 24 hrs. in a day but only 12? 12 hrs. of daylight.

In one sense He is speaking of physically walking by day. In other words, were going to be careful. We are not going to take any an necessary chances.

In a spiritual sense. He is saying, we only have so much time to serve God and we need to make the most of every opportunity we are given. There is only so much time in the day

This applies to us today. We only have so much time to do what God has called us to do and to serve Him. We need to make the most of every opportunity we are given.

Notice the phrase, “ If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.”

Jesus is the light of the world and as long as they kept their eyes on Him and remained in His presence the disciples had nothing to fear.

Nothing was going to happen to Jesus until His time was fulfilled, and He knew that and He wanted the disciples to trust Him and believe it too. He wanted to give them confidence in their journey.

That same principle is true in our life also. If we are walking with Jesus we are walking with the light of the world. We are not going to stumble. Our witness will be strong and our convictions will be clear in the world around us.

Notice Vs. 10, “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

The contrasts to walking in the light is walking in the darkness. This speaking directly of living in sin. The word walking in the bible is referring to the way we live our life, and the metaphor of night or darkness always speaks of sin.

Jesus is saying, If a man walks at night (or in sin) he is going to stumble. He is going to fall. He is going to give in to temptation. Good works cannot be done at night (or in sin) without stumbling.

When we are living in sin we are blowing the opportunities God gives us to serve Him. We are being a poor witness to the world.

A lighthouse keepers job is not just to keep the light shining but to make sure the beam was focused and steady.

To neglect any maintenance on the light would mean ships could crash against the rocky shore.

Similarly, Christians are called to maintain their spiritual light, to ensure their witness is unwavering.

Just as that lighthouse guides lost ships in the dark, our faith and deeds is supposed to point others to Christ, and keep them from becoming a spiritual shipwreck.

II. The Explanation of His return Vs. 11-14.

In these verses Jesus makes it clear what He is going to do. However, the disciples misunderstood what Jesus was saying.

Notice Vs. 11, This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

Notice Jesus calls Lazarus “our friend” He was dead but yet he is still our friend. There are two important truths here.

1. This speaks of the after life. This is pointing to the fact that Lazarus was dead but alive in another world. Even though he had died, according to Jesus he was among the living.

2. It speaks of fellowship. Jesus had strong feelings for Lazarus. He calls Him friend. That is important for us because all believers are considered to be His friend. And every believer is to be a friend of all other believers. We are to share a special fellowship with each other.

Notice also, Jesus predicted Lazarus would rise from the dead. Jesus said, “I go that I may wake him up.”

This is a picture of the resurrection of every believer. look at Vs. 23-26.

Notice Vs. 12-13, The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.”

The disciples didn’t get it. They didn’t understand Lazarus was dead.

This is not the only place in scripture where it speaks of the death of a believer as sleep.

For example, Mat. 9:24 Jesus said that Jairus’ daughter was asleep.

Acts 7:60 When Stephen was martyred he is said to have fallen asleep

1 Cor. 15:6 Paul tells us there were over five hundred witnesses of Christ’s ascension that some of them have fallen asleep.

1 Thes. 4:13 Believers who are already in heaven are said to be asleep in Jesus.

What is the difference in the way the world views death and the way we view it as believers?

The worlds view of death is annihilation or ceasing to exist. As an end. But as believers we see death as a beginning. We continue to exist and think of death as a time of rest.

Resting in the presence of God and His comfort.

Resting from the labor and work of the world.

2 Corinthians 5:8 “ to be absent from the body is to be in the presence of the Lord.”

Notice Vs. 14, So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,

How does Jesus know Lazarus is dead? He was only told he was sick in Vs. 1.

We can’t be to hard on the disciples for their lack of understanding. We are given the privilege of having all of the information and knowing the bigger picture.

How can we trust the Lord not knowing what the future holds? (We rely on His Word, we believe in His promises. we learn from our experiences He is faithful.)

There are many things about God I wish He would just tell me plainly. Things we will not have the privilege of knowing until we go home to be with the Lord.

III. The Results of His return Vs. 15-16.

Notice Vs. 15, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”

Here we learn that one of the reasons for Lazarus death was to strengthen the disciples faith, and He rejoiced over that but the results were so much more.

Because this story strengthens the faith of every believer to ever live. Because it speaks of the power of Jesus to give life and raise the dead. And just like Jesus was glad He was not there for the disciples, He rejoices over us, because it strengthens our faith today.

Notice Vs. 16, Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

Does anyone know why Thomas would be called Didymus? ( twin), so obviously Thomas had a twin.

Notice what Thomas says to the other disciples. “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.” He is talking about dying with Jesus not with Lazarus!

What do you admire about the attitude of Thomas and what is wrong about it?

He showed great courage and loyalty to Christ and is an example for every believer. He understood it was better to die for Christ than to live without Him.

On the other hand it was also very prideful to boast about being ready to die for Christ. (Peter’s denials) (John and James asking for places of honor in the kingdom of God)

Conclusion

The Point; Jesus uses of every opportunity to teach us to trust Him, but are we using every opportunity to learn?

Are we growing in our faith and trust in Him, are we learning from our experiences in life that God is faithful?

Are we practicing His presence when we go through trials and temptations, leaning on His promises, believing what He says in His Word is true. Holding on to the hope of the resurrection, that there will come a day when we will rest in His presence from all our labor in this world. And are we maintaining our witness so we can be used by God?

Jesus uses every opportunity to teach us to trust Him are we using every opportunity to grow?