Facetime: Jesus meets Death
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Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 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.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 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.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 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. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 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.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
John 11:21-
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
John 11:38-
John 11:1-
PRAYER
There is so much packed in this text about who Jesus is and how he images God to us.
Where he takes the intangible character of God and plays it out for us.
You should know off the top that many do not believe that this event happened and the reason they do not believe that this event happened is because events like this do not happen!
to be clear....
As Christians, we do not argue that these kinds of events don’t happen. We argue that the reason this event is so amazing, is because these kinds of events don’t happen!
And that is why it stands out.
v. 6 seems odd in context. Why would Jesus, who evidently loves Lazarus wait 2 days?
That is why the resurrection of Jesus stands out and ought to grab our attention! They are not regular occurring events! They are signs; John says—point to Jesus as the chosen one of God.
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And through Jesus interaction and through this miracle we see a sign, a glimpse of how God often works in our lives.
And we see
We have a situation where in this story we have a family, a family that is close to Jesus; a family he was familiar with. A family that we know from other Gospel is a place where he could slip off his sandals and and relax, humanly speaking....be himself.
And now they are in need and reach out to him.
Lazarus is sick and needs healing.
When Jesus hears this, we read one of the most confusing texts in the NT.
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
John 11:
He goes about his business for two more days and then tells his disciples they are heading to Judea, where Bethany is.
They are not pumped and question if it is a good idea since the last time he was their the religious leaders tried to kill him. But we see throughout this text that Jesus is never surpized.
We witness a God in Control
I. GOD IN CONTROL (v.4, 9-11, 15, 23, 41-43)
I. GOD IN CONTROL (v.4, 9-11, 15, 23, 41-43)
when He hears of Lazarus’s death (v.4)
when His disciples question whether or not going to Judea is a good idea (vv.9-11)
when He hears that Lazarus has been dead for 4 days (v.23)
when He brings the situation before God in prayer (vv. 41-43)
But you get a sense that as uncertain as each situation seems, Jesus is in control; as chaotic as each chapter seems to the disciples, to Mary and Martha, that Jesus has read the book!
He has seen this story in it entirety.
If you’ve every broken the golden rule of watching ahead in a Netflix series, before your spouse, you know that tension, of you knowing the end, knowing how things pan out, while they riddle you with questions.
How many people watched the series Lost, when it was on?
or Stranger Things.
This is a question you and I ask often; isn’t it.
OK, there are two series that have you after every episode saying, what in the world is going on?
How can this possibly work out in any logical fashion. Right?
What is the upside down, why does 11 love eggos so much? all important questions to be answered!!
In reality....you and I are always the ones who have not seen the end of the story, have no idea what is going on.
And find peace and rest when we come to the author of the story, who was and is happy to enter into it even now.
And we might say, I have no idea what he is doing with my life!
I have no idea where he is taking me; it is scary and confusing.
Perfect candidate to be a part to this story.
The disciples NEVER knew what was going on?
The were always riddling Jesus with questions about why he was doing things a certain way.
Jesus, are we going to take Jerusalem now?
Jesus these teachings of your are strange; how can we possibly live them out?
Jesus there is no fish what are we going to do?
Jesus the storm, don’t you care?
It’s no wonder the gospels tell us that Jesus would often go off by himself to pray!!
If that is pop culture reference is lost on you, i apologize.
Like Mary and Martha we are continually looking to Jesus as the image of the invisible God and therefore the Author of all creation to tell us where this is going. Asking the whys and the hows?
In v. 21
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
Jesus, You delayed.
Why would you do that?
Wait, God loves me, then why is he delaying??
If we are honest with ourselves, that is not just a question for stories like these that happened along time ago, made by 2 dimensional characters that we cannot relate to.
This is a question you and I ask often; isn’t it?
Wait, God loves me, then why is he delaying?? I have been walking in this mess for a long time. Where is he?
I watched a loved one die?
I watched my marriage dissolved?
My parents divorce?
My father walk through alcoholism?
I didn’t promotion?
It is different for all of us. But we have that question with big and small stuff.
PAUSE
Here, we have a family that know their stuff. They have welcomed Jesus in to their home.
We have a family that know their stuff. They have welcomed Jesus in to their home.
They are theologically orthodox!
She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
So not only are they good friends, but this is a good home. These people love Jesus and recognize that He is the log awaited Messiah.
Aren’t these the kind of people Jesus helps? Why did you delay?
PAUSE
What I love bout this text is that it poses the question of where God was and why?
In 1981, the American Rabbi Harold Kushner published a book that attempted to deal with this problem.
The response of scripture would be that
If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world.
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People (the title of his book)
the title of his book
He proposed that God is either good and not all-powerful, or he is all powerful- but not good.
His answer to the philosophical problem was that
“God does his best and is with people in their suffering, but is not fully able to prevent it.”
Rabbi Kushner
He imagined, in light of the difficulties we face that we worship a God who likes us, wants what is best for us, but just can’t get to everything!!
Like Bruce Almighty trying to answer everybody but it is just impossible.
Too many emails....too many tragedy’s. What’s a God to do?
Well we see in this text that there is a 3rd option.
What some scholar’s refer to as....
DIVINE delay
We see Jesus, God in human flesh revel a God of divine delay
II. GOD OF DIVINE DELAY
II. GOD OF DIVINE DELAY
God’s schedule is not our schedule.
When I was growing up, I was told that God ALWAYS answered pray.
That he says yes, no, or not yet.
But why would he ever say not yet!
A. WHY DOES GOD DELAY?
A. WHY DOES GOD DELAY?
Well, when we look at all we know of God’s character, we know that the answer cannot be that
1. It cannot be that He does not care
about us.
We can remove that as an answer.
Why do I say that?
Well, we see it in this story, we see it in the larger story.
we see it in the larger story
First, when we look at this story, we know that Jesus is not unmoved by the circumstance; he is not just floating around a foot off the ground, blue sash and perfectly trimmed beard, distributing blessings here and there! unmoved:
John as he report this story makes sure we catch it:
So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
John
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. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.
He loves Lazarus
v. 35 says he was “deeply moved’ - trembling in sadness
it literally means “trying but failing to control ones body as it responds to distress”
He weeps at the tomb (he is broken by all that this family is going through)
So this story makes it clear that when Jesus, when God, delays, the reason cannot be because he is unmoved.
Second, the larger story shows us as well.
We look to the cross!
When we look at the cross we know…we know that the reason he may delay to step into our own lives cannot because he doesn’t care.
On the cross, he gave his life. Drained his blood, Gasped his last breathe........ in order to bring you and I closer to him and the Father.
As Kushner argues, maybe God is loving enough, maybe he isn’t powerful enough. Sure he is loving, but if he isn’t doing anything, than maybe he isn’t all-powerful.
But we know that cannot be the answer either.
2. It cannot be because He is not powerful enough!
Rabbi Kushner, would not have had within his framework, the work of Jesus, but much of the Hebrew Scriptures or what we call the OT would have to be ignored if we were going to say, God delays because a lack of power.
Now if we hold to God’s description of himself, he says:
‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Jeremiah 32:17
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
Now as a Jewish Rabbi, Kushner had no use for NT texts, but we read in :
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Power is not the issue here!
We will see this soon in the story and we see this in the resurrection of Jesus!
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Worship writer, Matt Maher says this this way:
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
He has the power!! To raise himself and to cry out to us like he did Lazarus..come forth, come awake.
If that is the case, then why this Divine Delay:
Jesus gives two reasons:
Jesus gives two reasons:
B. TWO REASONS FOR GOD’S DELAY:
B. TWO REASONS FOR GOD’S DELAY:
So that the glory of God might be displayed and we might believe.
A. God’s Glory might be displayed
1. God’s Glory might be displayed (v. 4)
1. God’s Glory might be displayed (v. 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 happening so that all eyes may be on me, and God would ve glorified.
And that we may believe
Secondly, Jesus said that one of the reasons for delaying, was so that we may believe:
2. We may believe (vv.14-15)
2. We may believe (vv.14-15)
vv.14-15
Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Why does delay mean that God will be glorified or that His disciples would believe?
It was believed that until the fourth day after death, the spirit of the person who had died....... “hung out”. Hovered!
And the reason this belief came up was because there were several occasions where someone everyone believed had passed away, were only “mostly dead” but “not positively, absolutely undeniably and reliably... Dead.”
That people who had been placed in tombs, started knocking on the tomb door from the inside.
When Jesus went willingly to the cross, when he walked across the threshold of death..he did for us what no one else could do and gave us something no one else could.
This actually wasn’t uncommon even up until the 19th century.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
New Testament scholar D.A. Carson in his book Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, writes of a time when he was speaking on this topic in England, afterward a woman approached him and said:
He put himself in our place. So that our entire collection of sin could be placed on his shoulders as a representative of humanity; he was a proxy. He had authority as the creator of all things to do it.
And his righteousness (his connection, his healthy relationship with God the father) is now ours if we accept it. Say yes to this glorious exchange and say my life is yours.
“As you gave up your life for me, I give up mine for yours!!”
“That is exactly what happened to my grandfather. We were actually carrying him on our shoulders to the church burial plot when we heard a knock from inside the casket.”
How do we know he had authority to do it?
Jesus wants there to be know question of what has taken place.
So that God might be glorified, and that we might believe.
How do we know there was any significance in his dearth?
Because it ended with resurrection. He showed his power over our sin and the grave.
So that God might be glorified, and that we might believe.
One of the important words John uses in his account of Jesus life is the word “signs”. He likes to use that word instead of the word miracles.
And what he wants to make sure you and I understand is that Jesus did not just perform miracles for the sake of performing miracles. He wasn’t just out to give a show!
They were like sign posts all pointing to him as the saviour. All pointing to him as the long awaited chosen one of God.
And as
As each new sign points to Jesus, His glory increases and belief is made more concrete.
And this story specifically point toward the great climax of these signs!!
The Gospel is the the good news that God has come to earth in human flesh and taken care of any sin stains we might have. Brought on by ourselves or
When Jesus went willingly to the cross, when he walked across the threshold of death..he did for us what no one else could do and gave us something no one else could.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
He put himself in our place. So that our entire collection of sin could be placed on his shoulders as a representative of humanity; he was a proxy. He had authority as the creator of all things to do it.
And his righteousness (his connection, his healthy relationship with God the father) is now ours if we accept it. Say yes to this glorious exchange and say my life is yours.
“As you gave up your life for me, I give up mine for yours!!”
How do we know he had authority to do it?
How do we know there was any significance in his death?
Because it ended with resurrection. He showed his power over our sin and the grave.
He has promised that one day all will be made right as a result.
So.....what is the delay?!!?
If it is done, then why are we all still in this mess.
What is your plan?
Why don’t you make the “Upside Down” Rightside up!
And there are hints in scripture about the patience of God, not wanting any to perish, and a desire for the Gospel to go to every corner of the earth before his return to make all things right, but we are left with questions of why the delay.
Rabbi Kushner definitely got one thing right; that is that God is with us in our suffering.
We see throughtout this story and the entire story.
Stay with me.
That He enters our pain. In Jesus we witness the ......
III. GOD OF SORROWS
as I mentioned earlier the divine delay cannot mean Jesus is indifferent.
Throughout Jesus life there is a brokenness when he sees the suffering of the world that rejects him.
When he sees the helplessness of his created when they do not come to him, asking for help.
When he approaches Jerusalem, we see him weeping as well,
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Jesus weeps over our imposed distance from him at times.
but we need to remember that he is not simply outside, looking in. Hurt by our anguish or our dismissal of himself.
Part of stepping into his creation, was to experience the same temptations, the same pains, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
It was more than sympathy of even empathy, it was to literally step into our situation
in the garden of Gethsemane, minutes before being taken into custody; Jesus had probably his most human experience of fear.
saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,
saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
Luke 22:
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
Going just outside the city if Jerusalem, with his disciples, all of them, unaware of what the next chapter was to be.
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
If possible, come now. Don’t delay.
But if not, I trust the story! I know that by your delay. By leaving me at this point in the story, you will be glorified and many will come to belief!!!
PAUSE
When Jesus looked at the tomb of Lazarus, he cried. Even thought he knew the story.
It was believed that until the fourth day after death, the spirit of the person who had died.......hung out. Hovered!
And the reason this belief came up was because there were several occasions where someone everyone believed had passed away, were only “mostly dead” but not positively, absolutely undeniably and reliably... Dead.
That people who had been placed in tombs, started knocking on the tomb door from the inside.
That people who had been placed in tombs, started knocking on the tomb door from the inside.
This actually wasn’t uncommon even up until the 19th century.
New Testament scholar D.A. Carson in his book Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, writes of a time when he was speaking on this topic in England, afterward a woman approached him and said:
“That is exactly what happened to my grandfather. We were actually carrying him on our shoulders to the church burial plot when we heard a knock from inside the casket.”
Even thought he knew that seconds later, Lazarus would come forward to everyones amazement.
Because he knew that the divine delay of God wold mean that there would be more deaths. That although he healed many from horrible deseasess and brought some back fro mthe dead, they would die again. These were signs pointing to him as God, but they were temporary until He puts everything right, at his return.
And until that time:
When you watch a loved one die - Jesus wept
When you were i pain, because your marriage dissolved? - Jesus wept
When your parents divorce? - Jesus wept
When your father walked through alcoholism? - Jesus wept
We do not serve or worship a God who stands off.
Even as he stands as the author of the full story he walks with us, breaks with us.
CONCLUSION:
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
And sometimes God demonstrates his love in his delay!
C.A. Carson, writing on this passage
“In short, by his delay Jesus demonstrates his love by guaranteeing that when he arrives there, not only is Lazarus dead (which he would not have been if Jesus set out immediately), but that he has been dead such a long time that when he performs the miracle, it is deeply significant. While they are waiting for Jesus arrival, of course, Mary did not know that, and Martha did not know that. But God works in surprising ways, and sometimes he demonstrates his love by delay."
And it is impossible to read this story and not look ahead to his own death and resurrection
Why does Jesus weep when he knows where this story is going?
He is God. He knows what is about to happen!
When he sees the helplessness of his created when they do not come to him, asking for help.
When he approaches Jerusalem, we see him weeping as well,
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Luke 13:
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
I Timothy
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING?
NOTICE Jesus doesn’t belittle Mary and Martha when they question Jesus and question why?
He lets the story play out.
Last week we learned about a blind man, living in the divine delay until Jesus healed him and he became a great voice for God’s glory and the a witness to his salvation.
He is not done yet.
He has not abandoned you, and he weeps with you and, desiring to sustain you through to the end.
And so the invitation this morning is to welcome him into your questions. To let him sit and weep with you, but at the same time to look to him who has already displayed power over death, the power to forgive, to remember that in him all things hold together and it is only in his story that