The Death of Lazarus

HOOK

Yesterday right here at “The Message” we completed Chapter 10 of the Gospel of John with the narrative of the escalated conflict between— from it we learned the following principles:

I MUST NOT PICK AND CHOOSE ONLY THE WORDS I LIKE FROM THE SCRIPTURES

I SHALL WITNESS ABOUT THE WORKS THAT JESUS DID IN MY LIFE

Today let’s begin chapter 11, and the first story in this chapter is the death of Lazarus

Who is Lazarus? What do we know about him?

The brother of Mary and Martha— A beggar— His name appeared only in the NT, here in John and a short parable of Jesus in Luke 16

Let’s altogether see what happened to him and what Jesus did about it— Open your Bible to JOHN 11— once you go there you know what to do— type Amen!

CHARACTER, COMMAND, PROMISES, CONVICTIONS, EXAMPLES, CHALLENGES AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Read JOHN 11:1-16

BOOK

John 11:1–16 NIV

1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 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.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

WHERE: Bethany in Judea, northeast of Jerusalem [SHOW MAP]

WHO: Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Jesus and his disciples— “Doubting Thomas” made another scene here

WHEN: Shortly before the triumphal entry to Jerusalem

WHY: Lazarus was sick

WHAT: Healing, Timing, Teaching, Doubting

LOOK

THE SISTERS SENT WORD TO JESUS, LORD, THE ONE YOU LOVE IS SICK

James the brother of Jesus said these about what to do when someone is sick [JAMES 5:14-15]

Now there’s a very important doctrine that you need to learn about the operations of our spiritual gifts, healing and miracles

CESSATIONISM VS. CONTINUATIONISM

Dispute as to whether spiritual gifts remain available to the church, or whether their operation ceased with the Apostolic Age of the church

Cessationism is a Protestant doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing ceased with the Apostolic Age. Reformers such as John Calvin originated this view.

Continuationism is a Christian theological belief that the spiritual gifts have continued to the present age

Historically, the Catholic, Methodist, Moravian, and Pentecostal traditions of Christianity have preached continuationism while the Continental Reformed and Presbyterian traditions have been cessationist.

I believe in Continuationism.

HE STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS

Jesus was not in a hurry— God’s timing is perfect for him to be glorified

ANYONE WHO WALKS IN THE DAYTIME WILL NOT STUMBLE

Jesus teaches at every opportunity— this is again a metaphor that when you walk with the light you will not stumble

Jesus is the light of this world— [JOHN 8:12]

LET US ALSO GO THAT WE MAY DIE WITH HIM

Here, “Doubting” Thomas made another scene— listen to the tone of his words

So, four things out of this story— healing, timing, teaching and doubting

TOOK

I WILL CALL THE ELDERS TO PRAY OVER THOSE WHO ARE SICK

GOD RESPONDS TO MY PRAYERS IN HIS TIME

DOUBTING MAY LEAD TO NEGATIVE WORDS