2019-06-16: John 11:38-44 - Good Father

The Good Father

** Jesus knew what he was going to do from verse 4. The illness was so that he might be glorified. Yet, when he arrived at the tomb he was met with both Martha and Mary saying that “If you had been here...” and missing that he WAS there then. His plan, it seems like for the whole time, was that Laz would come back to life so that he would be glorified. In order for him to be glorified, people would have to look deeper than the miracle to him and who he was. Who gives life?

For us: God is a good father. We were shrouded in death and he made a way that we could find life! Not just life, life abundant. This is the last miracle before Jesus’ death. It is the one that could reveal who Jesus was, if people would listen.

I. Me and We

Father’s Day

We are going to “back up” and take a fuller and more complete look at this account. We will see that he is a good, good Father. However, we tend to doubt his goodness and intentions toward us.

II. God

John 11:38 NRSV

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

​John 11:38 NLTJesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.

​John 11:38 NLTJesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.

John 11:39 NRSV

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”

​John 11:39 NRSVJesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”

It’s easy to get caught up with Laz. coming back to life and miss some of the other nuances of this passage. When we read through the passage, without really taking into account what has happened before and what might be driving things, it’s easy to miss.

As far as a disclaimer, I would say, I could be completley reading things into the passage. However, there are some things, that simply don’tmake sense when you fail to take a nuanced look.

Why is Jesus angry? We looked at why he might be touched

Facts:

1. Jesus delayed in coming.

2. Told disciples that it was for the glory of God

3. Laz diedJesus arrived four days after Laz Died

4. Martha says if Jesus would have been there....J

5. Jesus - Your brother will rise.

6. Martha - Yes, one day

7. Jesus - I AM the Reurrection and Life! TODAY. NOW.

8. Mary arrives If Only....

9. Jesus gets angry tells them to take the stone away

10. Martha - There will be a stench???

A Note of Doubt

A couple of weeks ago, Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again and that he was the resurreciton and the Life. She said she believed that but now he tells them to take away the stone she retreats saying that there would be stench. Why? Becuase Laz was dead and had been dead for four days. Faith is like that…yes, we believe, yet, practicallity tends to win the day. Remember that Jesus told her he was the resurrection and life and if she beleived that…there is what she said:

I can really identify with Martha. When Jesus arrived there was a sense of regret in her voice…if you had been here…my brother wouldn’t have died. Nevertheless, Jesus wasn’t there when she needed him. He wasn’t there when her brother needed him.

So, she finds hereself here in the midst of grief, longing for things to be different.

She knows that God will do whatever Jesus asks. He tells her, your brother will live but she assumes he is talking about sometime in the distant future. She answers, Yes, I know…one day he will rise...

However, I don’t think that Jesus was talkinga bout the distant future. He tells her, I AM the resurrection and life…then asked her, do you believe?

Yes! She says. Yes, I believe. You are the messiah. You are GOd’s son. You are the one coming into the world. She believes!

Yet, here…she hesitates. Jesus says, roll the stone away. YIKES she says. No. Please don’t! He will stink. He’s been dead. There’s no hope.

Martha! Martha! What about your believe? What about the one who said he IS Resurrection and He IS life. He wasn’t around before, but he is here RIGHT NOW and he is asking you to believe. Roll the Stone away!

A couple of weeks ago, Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again and that he was the resurreciton and the Life. She said she believed that but now he tells them to take away the stone she retreats saying that there would be stench. Why? Becuase Laz was dead and had been dead for four days. Faith is like that…yes, we believe, yet, practicallity tends to win the day. Remember that Jesus told her he was the resurrection and life and if she beleived that…there is what she said:

​John 11:27 NRSVShe said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

So, apparently her understanding was still that some day…some day…not today...

​ NRSVJesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

We know that Jesus told his disciples that Laz illness would bring glory to God.

Think back to chapter 9

John 9:1–2 NRSV

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Someone who was blind from birth…something must have gone wrong. Someone had to of sinned for this to happen. The disciples were conerned with why…who sinned…that he was born blind?

Jesus saw something deeper:

John 9:3–5 NRSV

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John 9:3-4

Notice how Jesus talks about Laz illness...

John 11:4 NRSV

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

John 11:9–10 NRSV

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.”

Think back even further. A crowd had gathered and listened to JEsus. They were hungry. He fed them bread.

Jesus is fairly consitant. Both situations…the man’s blindness…Laz illness/death…were to give glory to God.

Martha couldn’t see it because of the darkness of her brother’s death. Difficult times might cover the light but cannot extinguish it. Martha is afraid but Jesus knows God will be glorified.

11. Didn’t I tell you.... (could this be the key??? Perhaps NT is right…there isnt’ a stench. If Martha truly believed she wouldn’t have been worried about the stench.Jesus calls for the stone to be taken away.Thanks God for HEARING him!

12. Jesus once again, stressed that the glory of God owuld be revealed. He had made this explict with the disciples and apparently had told this to Martha as well. Jesus had told the disciples this.

John 11:41 NRSV

So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me.

When they took the stone away, Jesus prayed…but notice he prayed AS IF he had prayed in the past. He was thanking God because God had heard him and answered. N. T Wright mentions that Jesus may have been praying while he delayed in coming to Laz side. During that time, could he have been praying that God would bring him back? Could it be that this delay was instrumental in Laz. recessitation? That’s why, when they rolled the stone away, there doesn’t seem to be a stench. Laz. return had already been in process.Ever since Jesus heard about Laz. illness, he knew God would use it to reveal his glory.All of this was so that God’s glory would be revealed. Remember verse 4?

When they took the stone away, Jesus prayed…but notice he prayed AS IF he had prayed in the past. He was thanking God because God had heard him and answered. N. T Wright mentions that Jesus may have been praying while he delayed in coming to Laz side. During that time, could he have been praying that God would bring him back? Could it be that this delay was instrumental in Laz. recessitation? That’s why, when they rolled the stone away, there doesn’t seem to be a stench. Laz. return had already been in process.Ever since Jesus heard about Laz. illness, he knew God would use it to reveal his glory.All of this was so that God’s glory would be revealed. Remember verse 4?

John doesn’t always focus on chronology, so it might not be good to use him for a timeline but, given what John says it could have played out like this:

Someone leaves to tell Jesus that Laz. is ill. Laz dies soon after they leave. One day to get let Jesus knows. Laz dead - 1 day. Jesus delays 2 days. (Laz dead 3 days). Jesus makes the trip to BEthany in 1 day. Laz 4th day in the tomb.

So, what was Jesus doing while he delayed? N. T. WRight believes Jesus was praying. That God would restore Laz to life.

Why wasn’t there a stench? Because Martha was right (Even Now, God will givce you whatever you ask him) and God did. When did life become restoring Laz? It’s hard knowing but he did because Jesus thanks God for having heard him…past tense.

​John 11:4 NRSVBut when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

​John 11:41–42 NRSVSo they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.”

N. T. Wright mentions that there must not have been a stench. Also, notice, Jesus doesn’t pray, “Thank you for hearing me” but that God HAS heard me. At least one commentator believes that Jesus prayed before he came to Bethany. And God had already heard and answered Jesus’ prayer. Thus, the decomposition was reversed…thus no stench. NEvertheless, Jesus does pray as if God has already answered his prayer. Now, he hope the crowd might believe…NOT in the Miracle (Sign) but that, ONCE AGAIN they believe God had sent him. This is also pretty close, perahps a few days, before he enters into Jerusalem…a week before he dies. This is the final act.

​John 11:43–44 NRSVWhen he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Notice…the man comes out but is still bound up.

​John 11:44 NRSVThe dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Jesus had others unbind the man. I may be reading too much into this but perahps we are called to help unbind those who have found life in Jesus. Thus, our discipleship pathway…thus discipleship coaches…those who can help others find freedom, not only from sin, but in life. III. You and Us UNBOUNDED!! Given Life…but still bound up. He releases us!! What does it mean for us to be unbound? What does it mean for us to unbind others? Can we get Stuck? Maybe not with grave wrappings....stuck in a moment…stuck i a relationship stuck in a place?

Communion:I. Me and WeSo, what is your pet peeve? I did some research. It’s amazing what you can find on the internet. One common pet peeve is people chewing too loudly or people who look at the food on your plate, or food you like, and say “eww....” There are others. There are lists of 10, 50, 100, I could go on. Seems like we don’t have much trouble finding things to be anoid over. What about this… going into a fast food restaurant and having to stand waiting for someone to finally come over to the counter to take your order. I know what you’re doing…I see the kiosk. However, I want to pay with cash and it doesn’t make any sense for me to use the kiosk only to have towalk over to the counter and THEN wait to pay.What’s something that bothers you? The Scripture for today has a surprise and it has to do with Jesus’ reaction to the scene at Laz. tomb. II. God

​John 11:28–29 NRSVWhen she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him.

Martha has just told Jesus that she believed that whomever believed in him would live and never die. Then, she heads to get Mary. John doesn’t record Jesus’ specific request but he doesn’t really need to. Martha goes and gets Mary. When Mary hears that Jesus is calling her, she doesnt’ hesitate. She goes out to meet him. * This is just framing the account. Mary was at home. Martha went out to meet Jesus. Then Martha came back to get Mary.

​John 11:30–31 NRSVNow Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

Jesus, for some reason, didn’t go to the house with Mary. Instead, he stood at a distance and sent Martha. Those in the house assumed Mary was heading to the tomb and so they followed. This was the normal “way” they would serve as mourners.

​John 11:32 NRSVWhen Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Last week we looked at time machines and regrets. If only…so to speak. Mary has her own “if onlys” Lord, if only you had been here....my brother would not have died.” She’s right. This is tough. Mary knows Jesus heals. She knows the power that he has and believes if Jesus would have come earlier, she knows he would have healed Laz. Instead, Jesus wasn’t around and Laz died.Perahps we’ve been standing where Mary stands. We look up to the heavens and wonder why…or perhaps we think, “if only.” We don’t understand. Our heart breaks and all we can think is, “if only Jesus...” (fill in the blank).For some, it’s too much to bear. Disappointed by life events they may give up faith all together thinking “it doesn’t work.” Others may blame a lack of faith. In the end, it doesn’t matter because what we hoped would happen didn’t or our worse nightmares came true. What if God has a purpose in all of these events? Mary didn’t know. Martha didn’t know. I’m not sure the disciples knew even though Jesus had told them. Do you remember the scripture from a couple of weeks ago?:

​John 11:4 NRSVBut when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

What if God can breathe purpose into even our biggest disappointments? I say this knowing that some things that happen are bad. What if God could use those events as well? Instead of “If only Jesus...” perhaps we could ask, “Where is your glory in this?” Things may not turn around as quickly as they did for Martha, Mary, and Laz., but faith keeps us moving forward with Jesus rather than giving up.

​John 11:33 NRSVWhen Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.

A lot of English translations will have something about Jesus being distured and moved. That’s not the full story however. The NLT actually gets closer to what the Greek is communicating

​John 11:33 NLTWhen Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.

Pause here. Focus here. Jesus was angry. At what? who knows. Perhaps this is by design. Could it be that some things aren’t clearly explained so that we might reflect deeper and find more than one thing to be ‘angry’ about? Perhaps we should become angry..at sin that leads to death…at not believing that Jesus brings life…etc. Scholars agree that Jesus was angry here which brings up a long discussion on what he may have been angry at. There are several possibilities: 1) The professional mourners, 2) death, 3) sin which ushered death into the world, 4) lack of faith? Perhaps John is unclear on purpose. Instead of telling us, it means we have to reflect even deeper. Perhaps asking, what should I be angry at here?For me, sin leading to death is in the lead, although I don’t discount the other options. Remember, God’s original design didn’t seem to include death. Sin is what ushered death into the world. Sin is what keeps us from God’s best and abundant life. Sin is what keeps us from believing that God can do more than we could ever hope or imagine even with our IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS.

​John 11:34–35 NRSVHe said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep.

Come to see…connect with other “come and see” from Jesus? Jesus wept. I took my lead from the Jews who believed this was a sign of his love and sadness over Laz death. However, Jesus knew he was going to raise laz from the dead. He knew what he was going to do…so it never made perfect sense that he would cry because of sadness over laz.Perahps Jesus was weeping over the whole situation. Perhaps the journey to Laz. tomb is a foreshaddowing of Jesus’ journey to his own tomb.

​John 11:36–37 NRSVSo the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

The Jews assumed Jesus’ tears were because of his love. Yes, he did love Laz. Yet, he knew Laz would live…and live again. Jesus’ perspective is different from our own. Perhaps his tears are more about the lack of long-term future faith than his sadness. We will continue following this passage as we approach Laz tomb. The Jews fall into the same mindset that we might...”Could not the one who loves perfectly, fix this mess I’m in?” Could not the one who healed the eyes of the blind, come through for me in this situation.What we learn from John is that those Jews misread the situation. There’s a purpose here. No one can see the purpose, at least, not at first. Jesus tells them the purpose is so the God’s glory would be revealed. III. You and Us “God breathe purpose into this…I may not be able to see it…but I believe.” What if that becomes our prayer? In the midst of impossible situations, we pray, “God, may your purpose shine through.” Or, “God, may you be revealed though this.” What is happening is not Good but, in faith, I believe you can reveal some of yourself through it. Yes, Lord, reveal yourself, through this. Getting Angry about sin that keeps us from Life and brings death instead. This is such a rich passage. How does it speak to you?Angry over death…what about sin that ushered death into our world? What about the sin you may allow to slowing draw you into death rather than the life that Jesus offers?Does it cause you to reflect on your own faith and impossible situation? What if things don’t work out the way you want? What if Jesus delays? Do you still believe that God has a purpose? Do yo ustill trust that God can be glorified?What do you weep over? Sin? pain? Does it drive you to prayer? Does it drive you to your knees?Where do you find Jesus in this passage? What is your next step? What is God calling you to do? To be? To let go of? to stop? To begin? Impossible Situations

John 11:25–26 NRSV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

The question we all must answer…do we believe this? What? That Jesus IS life NOW. hat we don’t have to die before we can life! That he IS life and what the world offers may look like life, but in the end, it is not. Jesus life, in the end, is more life!

** I’ve said it before but I think it is easy to miss…the miracles of Jesus were meant to be signs pointing to something deeper. Throughout John we see people focusing on Jesus’ miracles resulting in a fairly weak faith. The miracles were to point to him.

We too can focus so much on what Jesus can do for us, whether it is his love, or grace, but if we miss him we miss everything.