John 11:17–27 Sermon

Sermon Text

John 11:17–27 ESV

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Introduction

Last week we began with talking about the timing of Jesus Christ.

We brought up timing because of how Jesus responded in verses 5 and 6 of John 11.

John 11:5–6 ESV

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

It might have seemed strange to those who were there with Jesus for Him to stay two days longer after hearing about Lazarus being ill. Especially because verse 5 tells us that He loved Lazarus.

But what we have been saying about John chapter 11 is that the anchor to this whole chapter is verse 4.

John 11:4 ESV

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 may have come off as not being loving, but in God’s timing it was a set up to glorify God through the Son and it would prove a truth when if believed, it would prove to be far more important than the actual miracle of raising someone physically from the dead.

Jesus had knowledge according to verse 4 of what God the Father wanted Him to do.

Jesus spoke of Lazarus’ death as sleep. And He did so because of the expectation and knowledge of God the Father wanting Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead.

It was common for Scripture to speak of death as sleep pertaining to those of faith who died.

One example in the Old Testament that we found was of David.

1 Kings 2:10 ESV

10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.

Then in the New Testament we read in 1 Corinthians 15:6,

1 Corinthians 15:6 ESV

6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

So the language used in Scripture when speaking of death for those of faith was that when one died they were sleeping. And this was done so that the expectation of those who “fell asleep” would be that they would awake one day.

Jesus used this here in this chapter because of the expectation of Lazarus being raised. It was natural that when one would fall asleep they would wake up.

Jesus had this knowledge of Lazarus and acted on the knowledge of the Father’s leading to raise Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus went to explain plainly to them that Lazarus had died in verse 14.

Jesus loved Lazarus and in verse 15 we see Jesus saying,

John 11:15 ESV

15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Jesus was glad that He wasn’t there. Which showed us that it is better that the result be that one comes to faith over Lazarus being healed immediately.

Jesus said, “for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.”

This helped us to see why Jesus was being patient.

He didn’t rush to heal Lazarus before He died. In fact, He was glad that He didn’t get there when Lazarus was alive.

Afterwards, Thomas in verse 16 said,

John 11:16 ESV

16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Thomas thought that since Jesus wanted to go to Judea again that they were going to die. Going back to verses 7 - 8,

John 11:7–8 ESV

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”

Jesus had left because of what happened in John 10 where they sought to stone for saying that He and the Father were one.

But Jesus was not concerned. He had knowledge and was perfectly led by the Father to do His will.

And the Father’s will here was to show that His Son was and is the Resurrection and the Life!

Outline

1. The consolation of Mary and Martha (v.17-19)

2. The faith of Martha (v.20-22)

3. The truth of Jesus (v.23-27)

1. The consolation of Mary and Martha (v.17-19)

Verse 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

It’s important to note that Jesus is about to perform His seventh and final sign in the gospel of John.

And this sign would be a precursor, I believe to two things.

First, it would be a sign pointing to Jesus as the resurrection and the life.

Second, it would be a sign pointing to how a believer is raised from being dead in sins and then made alive in Christ who is the resurrection and the life.

This is in line with the intent of this book.

John 20:31 ESV

31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Jesus knowing what the result would be and the purpose of Lazarus’ illness, He would be glad that He wasn’t where Lazarus was when he was ill.

John 11:14–15 ESV

14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

So Jesus then travels from where He was and goes to Bethany which was near Jerusalem. About two miles off according to verse 18.

Read Verse 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,

Read Verse 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

Mary and Martha needed consolation because of the passing of their brother Lazarus.

They had sorrow and were hurting over the loss of their brother whom Jesus loved.

Its important to note that when we have a loved one who passes that experiencing pain and loss is not a lack of faith.

Later on we will see Jesus experiencing the very same things. And it wasn’t because He had forgotten what was going to happen.

But as Christians we can maintain faith while experiencing loss and a need to mourn over that loss.

And by loss I mean that one is not presently with us. We feel like we are losing out on being with someone.

This is ok. And it does not mean you do not have faith. It just means that you have a heart.

Mary and Martha were feeling what anybody should feel when a loved one dies.

But thankfully for the Christian and those who pass that are of faith it doesn’t end there.

For Christians we sleep with the expectation of being glorified with Christ.

This something that was known but it was something that may have alluded people in our text because of a lack of faith in Jesus.

But Mary, I believe, showed her faith and trust in Jesus.

2. The faith of Martha (v.20-22)

Read Verse 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

Here we see Martha going to Jesus while Mary remained in the house.

Notice what she didn’t say. She didn’t say:

Why did you take this long? You don’t care.

Why didn’t you come sooner? Don’t you have feelings?

You should have been here. How can you say you love my brother?

What she says instead is:

Read Verse 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

If Jesus would have been where Lazarus was, Lazarus would not have died.

Some have seen this as a criticism but what I see is faith.

Because she believed that Jesus could have healed Lazarus. She believed in what Jesus could have done if He was there.

It shows that she believed Jesus in what He was able to do.

She believed in the miracle working power of Christ. But what she didn’t know was what Jesus said in verse 4.

The Messianic role of Jesus Christ was to do the signs that were spoken of in Scripture.

Martha believed that Jesus could have prevented the death of her brother.

But even with her telling Jesus that He could have prevented the death of her brother Lazarus she says in verse 22,

Read Verse 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

Remember John 3:1–2.

John 3:1–2 ESV

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

The signs that Jesus did proved that He was from God. But what many did not believe and know was that Jesus was the Son of God sent by the Father. Which was the reason and intent in all that Jesus did.

This is what is eternally more important than just believing that Jesus was of God.

There are other beliefs that would accept that Jesus was from God.

But that is not the main message of the gospel of John.

John 20:31 ESV

31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

There is no comfort in believing Jesus to be a good teacher without the truth of Jesus being one with the Father. Jesus being God the Son sent by the Father.

A rejection of this truth is to reject life.

Jesus made it very clear who He was.

“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35)

“I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)

“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9)

“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5)

Jesus clearly spoke of Himself as the object of faith which can only be God Himself.

So Martha needed more than an acknowledgment of the miracle working power of Jesus, she needed the truth of who Jesus was and is.

Because that is the only truth that can actually bring comfort to those who are in need of consolation.

Jesus would bring this truth to her in verses 23-27.

Martha said, But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

The truth of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and belief in this is far better than any miracle done here on earth.

This is the comforting truth of Jesus Christ!

3. The truth of Jesus (v.23-27)

Read Verse 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Question: Was this the most comforting message that Jesus could give Martha?

Jesus told her that her brother would rise again.

And not that she wouldn’t be encouraged and thankful for it. But there was much, much more to this than Lazarus being raised.

In the Old Testament we do see that it spoke of a Resurrection.

Daniel 12:2, spoke of those who would awake. Some to everlasting life and others to everlasting shame and contempt.

Isaiah also spoke of those who were dead but their bodies would rise. They would awake and sing for joy. We see this in Isaiah 26:19.

In Ezekiel 37, the valley of dry bones. We see again the idea of the dead being raised even though here it was used to speak of the people of Israel that would be taken out of captivity.

So it was something that people knew about and believed. Particularly in Daniel it mentioned everyone who would be delivered and how their names would be found in the book and how everyone would be raised and then judged. Which would have been on the last day.

Martha spoke of this as what she thought Jesus to mean in verse 23.

John 11:23 ESV

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

And Martha responds in verse 24,

Read Verse 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

But Jesus was not meaning what she had thought.

She thought of a future event that was spoken of old.

But Jesus was talking about Himself as what would be the cause to her brother being raised!

Read Verse 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Remember verse 4.

John 11:4 ESV

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.”

In this final act of revealing Himself as the Resurrection and the life, Jesus announces the truth about Himself.

The resurrection was not just an event that the people of God were waiting for.

It was not mainly about the dead being raised.

But it was about a person who was and is the resurrection and the life.

He was the very cause to us being raised. And He is the reason for us being raised.

We are raised to be with Him and it was by Him that we are raised!

Martha looked to an event that would happen when she should have looked right in front of her.

Her hope and ours should be that Jesus is Himself the resurrection and life. Jesus is the cause and reason for the dead being raised.

Jesus is God. And God was always the One in the Old Testament who was attributed with giving the dead life. And Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Ego Eimi means "I am" or “I have always been.” This is Jesus who came in the flesh sent by the Father.

This is the central message of all of Scripture.

That Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Jesus said,

“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35)

“I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)

“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9)

“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5)

“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

A belief in a future resurrection is not what is essential.

Jesus said, whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

Belief in Jesus is where life comes from. Instead of an event, Jesus is pointing to Himself as the object and cause to our being alive.

Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

Then He continues in verse 26,

Read Verse 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

That is the question I give to you today!

Do you believe:

that Jesus is the resurrection and the life

Do you believe in Christ?

Do you believe that though you die, you shall live

Do you believe that everyone who lives and believes in Christ shall never die?

This is far more than believing Jesus for a miracle.

In fact, its not what Jesus with concerned with here in our text.

He is concerned with whether she believes in Him or not. Not whether she believes in His ability to do the miracle.

Question: Do you believe in Him?

Martha believed. And notice that she believed prior to Lazarus being raised!

Read Verse 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

This is the truth that comforts! Its not in getting her brother back but its in the truth of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God.

Matthew 5:4 ESV

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

And the greatest comfort for us is to know Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and because we have been given saving faith we will have life in His name. Eternal life which means that we shall never see death.