Resurrecting Power

David

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Introduction

Love was the motive

There are so many times in our mind and in our life that we have this painted or drawn up picture of what God’s love should really look like. I mean if I could be honest with you for a moment I have tried to fit and formulate God’s love in my head a lot more times than I could count and on many occasions I have been frustrated. I have misunderstood. I have been confused. I have been down because of my self built view of the way that God loves me. Truly I feel that I am not alone in this. We believe that we often times know best for our life and when something isn’t going the way we want it to or the way we think it should then we get upset and essentially throw temper tantrums saying “God you don’t really love me”. “You don’t really want what is best for me?” “If you wanted what was best for me then this or that would have happened by now”.

I want us to notice something really interesting in this chapter as a whole. There are two different sections that I believe will give us a good view at what God’s love is really doing not only in this story but actually in our lives.

John 11:5–7 NIV

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

(I want us to focus on the so then when he heard that he was sick he stayed there.)

I mean we would think Jesus what the heck are you doing? I mean don’t you want your friend to be better? Don’t you love him enough? You have the power why would you wait?? This doesn’t make any sense? I think we quickly carry that same thinking into our lives personally.

Here is the interesting part. Some of your Bibles may not do it, but the ESV and the LEB split this into sections that I think are appropriate.

John 11:17–37 NIV

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then 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?”

Mary and Martha both said the exact same thing to Jesus, but Jesus gave them completely different responses why? Its because Jesus gives us exactly what we need not what we want. His love is a love that fills exactly what you need in your life. It isn’t a love that always fills our human expectations, but it is a love that will always leave us satisfied and wanting so much more. Our human expectations will leave us feeling so empty anyways!

Mary and Martha used the word Phileo for Jesus love but the love translated in vs 5 is Agape.

Glory was the purpose

I want to jump back a moment and read this verse.

John 11:4 NIV

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Reflecting the Glory of God is the most perfect place for any human being to be. Jesus knew that there was such a larger purpose here than the rapid healing of His friend whom He loved dearly. The purpose was to show God’s glory and not just God’s, but also that Jesus would be glorified. I want to get a little theological for a moment if you can bare with me.

God’s Glory was the very reason that man was created. It was our initial purpose in this universe. Because of our intimate loving relationship with the Father we strive and try in all of our being to bring Him all the Glory because only He is deserving. Only He is truly worthy. He is the author of life and the author of our very own lives.

Now get this. In the beginning God created all things with His Word and then Sin entered the world and brought death, destruction, and the grave. That perfect life and perfect creation was gone and ruined by Sin that had entered the life of humanity. Now God was going to create life again, but this time the Glory would be in the form of the cross that Jesus would suffer, bleed and die on.

This would have been so troubling to any person in that day and age because never would they believe that God would suffer and receive His Glory in death. Especially death on a cross.

This story is just a foreshadow of what Jesus is about to give to humanity. Through Lazarus death Jesus is showing the world that He is actually the true resurrection and life.

Just like Lazarus was raised from the dead so will all of you have life if you believe in me. Because I take the Glory of the Cross as my throne.

The glory of God was the major goal of Jesus’ life; all he accomplished was intended to reveal his Father’s glory (12:28; 14:13; 17:1, 4). The glory of God is always found in the mutual union between Father and Son (10:38; 14:10–11, 20; 17:21), which implies a reciprocity of glory. The raising of Lazarus would bring about the glory of the Father in the Son and would prepare for the greater glory of the dying and rising of Christ himself.

Through His death humanity has hope to step back into the original design for what God had always intended and that was the Glory of God.

Death was robbed

Jesus delegates his authority

Now I love what John does in his gospel. Up to this point we have seen Jesus heal the sick. We have seen Jesus have power over the elements. What I do find ineresting is demon exorcism is not mentioned in the Gospel of John because John’s focus wasn’t to talk about the Kingdom as much as the synoptics. To John Jesus hour was at hand to already hand the powers of evil their loss. But now John takes it up a notch. I mean no one would have seen this coming. Jesus actually had the power to raise the dead?? I mean cmon man!

Here is an interesting fact to add to the WOW factor of Jesus miracle. We often may wonder why on earth Jesus delayed for 4 days. Why not show up a day after Lazarus had died. The Jews actually believed that the soul stayed with the body for 3 days. Jesus was demonstrating full blown resurrection not just resuscitation.

I love always asking the question why does this matter for us? I mean why does it matter for us? How can we bring what John is trying to say into 2019.

Well it all stems back to this verse

John 11:25 NIV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

Jesus is the resurrection. If Jesus is the resurrection that means all things in Christ are constantly going towards life and resurrection and outside of Christ things are turning the opposite direction.

What do I mean by that? Do we have relationships that are hurting? If you were to take that marriage, that friendship, that parental or sibling relationship and have Christ be the center. Theologically we say in Christ. Then there is no possible way for that relationship to not experience resurrecting power. (Elaborate)