Sunday, April 14th, 2019 - AM - From "The Grave" to "a Cave" (Jn. 11:38-45)

Introduction:

John 11:38–45 KJV 1900

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

Discuss the sleep of death for the believer; illustrate with hibernation

Note the importance of a proper understanding of the hope of resurrection:

Paganism was and is without the resurrection hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13). Greek philosophy taught the immortality of the soul, the soul being considered divine; whereas for the body, being matter and therefore considered evil, there was no hope. Paul’s proclamation of the resurrection was ridiculed in Greece (Acts 17:32). Liberal theology, denying the infallibility of the Bible, generally reduces the resurrection hope to a modern version of the immortality of the soul; that is, man’s true “self” continues to exist in an immaterial, ghost-like spirit body. To Karl Barth, who also rejects the infallibility of the Bible in the traditional sense of the word, the end means “eternalization”; that is, after this life men and women will eternally exist in the mind of God, not in reality (Church Dogmatics [1964–82], 3/2:698ff.; 3/3:99ff.; 257ff.). According to Scripture the soul is not divine or as such immortal, nor is the body evil. Created in the image of God, the man and the woman were “very good” in every aspect of their being (Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:21) and were destined to eternal life in body and soul (Gen. 3:22). Even after the fall, we do not need deliverance from the body; we rather need that our body and soul be delivered from the power of sin and death, which Christ grants to believers (Jn. 6:40; 11:24–26; 1 Cor. 15:54–56). [ZEB Q-Z]

Main Thought: Through faith in Christ, we don’t decay forever in some terrifying grave, but merely slumber peacefully awaiting our awakening from a simple cave. Has Jesus turned your “grave” into a mere “cave?”

Sub-intro:

John records seven miracles before the crucifixion, and all are deeply significant. The raising of Lazarus is the last and greatest, for in this sign Jesus reveals Himself as the Destroyer of death, mankind’s last and greatest enemy. If miracles are enacted parables, then this one is a magnificent demonstration of Christ’s power to bring to life those who are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). [Stephen F. Olford, Institutes of Biblical Preaching, Volume Two (Memphis, TN: Olford Ministries International, 1981).]

Body:

I. Christ’s Confrontation of Death (John 11:1-16)

A. He Brings Light to Death’s Darkness (John 11:1-10)

John 11:1–10 KJV 1900

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

Note - Discuss insights gleaned on the geography of “Bethany” and where Jesus was when summoned.

Periphrastic Participle “was sick.”

A question relating to divine providence arises just here. A man who is an object of Jesus’ love lies sick. There are those who say with some vehemence that it is sinful for a child of God to be sick, and utterly contrary to His will. Unless the case of Lazarus is exceptional, this position cannot be substantiated. We will have to say that the case of many others is exceptional, such as Trophimus, Epaphroditus, Timothy, and even the apostle Paul. Those who assert that the Christian can claim healing for the body on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work must face the fact that death is obviously the will of God for His people, and death is brought on in multitudes of cases by illness. Is then the death according to God’s will but not the sickness which produces the death? Furthermore, why should we attempt to distinguish sickness from other forms of distress which make up the trials of life allotted to us? They are all part of our earthly pilgrimage and are designed to cast us the more completely upon God than we might be otherwise. Those whom the Lord loves most He chastens most severely. Abraham was called the friend of God, and he was tested most sorely. [BibSac V104]

What Lazarus’ name means.

Martha & Mary.

As an old Wesley hymn puts it, we need to have a balanced life:

Faithful to my Lord’s commands,

I still would choose the better part:

Serve with careful Martha’s hands

And loving Mary’s heart.

[Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 335.]

Sickness unto death.

Glory. Love. Delay.

Doom. Light.

B. He Brings Reality to Death’s Presence (John 11:11-16)

John 11:11–16 KJV 1900

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Note - Sleep as death

And thus it was that scarcely had Lazarus sat down in his Father’s house: he had not got his harp of gold well into his hand: he had not got the Hallelujah that they were preparing against the Ascension of their Lord well into his mouth, when the angel Gabriel came up to where he sat, all rapture through and through, and said to him: ‘Hail! Lazarus: highly honoured among the glorified from among men. Thy Master calls up for thee. He has some service for thee still to do for Him on the earth.’ And the sound of many waters fell silent for a season as they saw one of the most shining of their number rise up, and lay aside his glory, and hang his harp on the wall, and pass out of their sight, and descend to where their heavenly Prince still tarried with His work unfinished. And Lazarus’s soul descended straightway into that grave, where for four days his former body had lain dead, and towards which our Lord was now on His way. And the first words that Lazarus heard were these, and the voice that spake was the voice of his former Friend—“Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always. Lazarus, come forth.” And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. And Jesus wept at the contrast between heaven and earth, and said, “Loose him, and let him go.” ~ Alexander Whyte

Christ “glad”

Thomas

“By His teaching, His miracles, and His own resurrection, Jesus clearly taught the resurrection of the human body. He has declared once for all that death is real, that there is life after death, and that the body will one day be raised by the power of God.” ~ Wiersbe

II. Christ’s Compassion in the Midst of Death (John 11:17-37)

A. He Gives Words of Comfort and Hope (John 11:17-27)

John 11:17–27 KJV 1900

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Note - Resurrection and the life

Faith

Messiah

But the main teaching of the miracle is enounced in the words of Jesus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” In this statement two truths are contained: (1) that resurrection and life are not future only, but present; and (2) that they become ours by union with Christ.” [EB]

B. He Grieves with the Feelings of Our Infirmities (John 11:28-37)

John 11:28–37 KJV 1900

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

Note on Burial Customs -

Mourning - During the time between primary and secondary burial, members of a Jewish family were in a state of mourning and abstained from full participation in the normal course of ordinary life. Rabbinic sources describe a series of mourning rituals that unfolded in three stages. For the first seven days after a death in a Jewish family, the nearest relatives of the deceased would remain at home, grieving and receiving the condolences of extended family and friends (Jn 11:19). During this time, relatives would usually leave home only to visit the tomb (Jn 11:31). After seven days of intense grieving, there followed a thirty-day period of less acute mourning, during which the immediate family was expected not to attend festive social gatherings or to leave town. After thirty days, most aspects of normal life resumed, except in the case of a parent’s death: when one’s parents died, mourning for them lasted until the day of secondary burial (Mt 8:21–22). [DNTB]

Note - on Jesus Groaning and Weeping, consider:

As He observes Mary and the Jews who are with her weeping, Jesus Himself is overcome with emotion. The word translated “groaned” (Greek embrimaomai, here and in v. 38) usually refers to anger and many believe that it does so here. They suggest that Jesus was angry with sin and Satan, the ultimate causes of death. However, this does not seem to fit the situation here. Jesus was not so much angry as sharing Mary’s deep sorrow.

This understanding of “groaned” is confirmed by the fact that it is paired with “was troubled” (Greek tarasso). Whenever John uses this word (in the derived sense with reference to the emotions) he always refers to a state of sorrow and perplexity, never to anger (see 12:27; 13:21; 14:1, 27). It is also confirmed by the fact that in v. 35 Jesus will burst into tears, an action much more appropriate to sorrow than anger. Furthermore, those who observed Him evaluated His mood as sorrow rather than anger (v. 36).

Some may suppose such emotion to be incompatible with Christ’s divine nature as well as with His settled purpose to raise Lazarus (vv. 4, 11, 15, 23, 25). Actually, it demonstrates Christ’s humanity. His human nature was overcome with the sorrow of the situation, even though He knew as God that He was about to eliminate the occasion for the sorrow. [RHBC]

III. Christ’s Conquest Over Death (John 11:38-45)

A. Christ’s Visitation to the Grave (John 11:38)

John 11:38 KJV 1900

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Note - the reason for the Title: what was before the dreaded grave where Lazarus lay dead is now merely the cave where Lazarus was taking his sleep

B. Christ’s Voice Gently Rebukes Unbelief (John 11:39-40)

John 11:39–40 KJV 1900

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Note - Discuss the significance found out on “four days...”

“In Jewish thought, death is a divine punishment for sin, and the decomposition of a human corpse highlights human sinfulness by destroying, in a most gruesome manner, the body of flesh that was used to commit sin.” [JETS]

C. Christ’s Voice Prays for Faith (John 11:41-42)

John 11:41–42 KJV 1900

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

1 Kings 18:37 KJV 1900

Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

Psalm 118:21 KJV 1900

I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, And art become my salvation.

Note - Consider the Gospel as presented in 1 Cor. 15:1-5 in light of other NT sermons-

1 Corinthians 15:1–5 KJV 1900

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

“...three sermons—recorded in Acts 2, Acts 10, and Acts 13 respectively—follow the four-affirmation pattern of the kerygmatic formula (viz. Christ died, was buried, was raised, appeared to witnesses).” [JETS]

“True faith relies on God’s promises and thereby releases God’s power.” ~ Wiersbe

D. Christ’s Voice Pierces Death’s Darkness (John 11:43-45)

John 11:43–45 KJV 1900

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

“When Jesus “shouts,” it is for the purpose of giving life; when the Jews “shout,” it is for the purpose of taking life.” [ZECNT]

“Augustine once remarked that if Jesus had not said Lazarus’ name all would have come out from the graves.” [BKC]

Note - Discuss today’s infatuation with OBE and Afterlife stories and how that relates to this passage

Apparently the idea of the other poet is the wiser when he says:—

“ ‘Where wert thou, brother, those four days?’

There lives no record of reply,

Which, telling what it is to die,

Had surely added praise to praise.

“From every house the neighbours met,

The streets were fill’d with joyful sound,

A solemn gladness even crown’d

The purple brows of Olivet.

“Behold a man raised up by Christ!’

The rest remaineth unrevealed;

He told it not; or something seal’d

The lips of that Evangelist.”

The probability is, he had nothing to reveal. As Jesus said, He came “to awake him out of sleep.” Had he learned anything of the spirit world, it must have oozed out. The burden of a secret which all men craved to know, and which the scribes and lawyers from Jerusalem would do all in their power to elicit from him, would have damaged his mind and oppressed his life. His rising would be as the awaking of a man from deep sleep, scarcely knowing what he was doing, tripping and stumbling in the grave-clothes and wondering at the crowd. What Mary and Martha would prize would be the unchanged love that shone in his face as he recognised them, the same familiar tones and endearments,—all that showed how little change death brings, how little rupture of affection or of any good thing, how truly he was their own brother still. [EB]

Note - Dr. Mcgee’s insights

Notice that for Lazarus, life was restored to the old body. He came out still wrapped in all the graveclothes. When our Lord rose from the dead, He left all the graveclothes in place just as they had been wrapped around His body, including the napkin which had been wrapped around His head. He came right out of them. Why? Because He came out in a glorified body. They didn’t need to roll away the stone for Jesus to come out. It was rolled away so the people on the outside could look in and see that the tomb was empty. His glorified body could leave the sealed grave and it could also enter a room with all the doors locked.

There is a beautiful picture of salvation in this. We were dead in trespasses and sins, dead to God, and are now made alive to God in Christ Jesus. But, friend, each of us is being held back by those graveclothes. Paul could say, “… For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I…. O wretched man that I am! …” (Rom. 7:15, 24). This was not an unsaved man talking; this was a believer. Jesus wants us to be free from those graveclothes. He says, “Loose him, and let him go.” [McGee]

Conclusion:

Throughout the centuries the words ring out: “They that hear the voice of the Son of God shall live” (John 5:25). Will you respond to that voice now? [Olford]

“Jesus is the resurrection and the life, the one who has defeated death and who uses the sufferings of sin for his good purposes and glory. God demonstrates his love in this in that while the world was dying to sin, Christ gave it life.” [ZECNT]

John 5:25 KJV 1900

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.