Dead But Not Done

John 11:1-44 ESV

Ilness Does Not Lead to Death

Lazarus was sick

Martha and Marry were worried about Lazarus and sought Jesus for a healing

The Lord knew the family well and loved all three of them

Jesus allowed Lazarus to die for the glory of God that He would be glorified through it.

The miracle performed involving Lazarus’s death would lead many other to salvation thorugh Christ

Sometimes in our lives the Lord will allow us to experience loss or pain but it is not to punish us or to be cruel to us. Rather it is for us to play our role in the greater plans and purposes of God.

The loss or negative experiences we endure are temporary but our reward in heaven is eternal.

While we do not always understand the Lord’s plans and purposes we are to trust Him and consider it an honor to be counted worthy to be used to glorify God and lead others to Him.

Jesus Can Restore What is Truly Dead

Lazarus was truly dead and had been so for four days

Four days is significant because at that time Jews believed that the soul hovered over the body for three days hoping to reenter it but on the 4th day it moved on. Jesus delayed His arrival on purpose so there would be no question that Lazarus was truly dead.

We have a tendency at times to hang on to seasons much longer than we should. It can be easy for us to cling on to the past and not accept when something or some season is dead.

People react differently to seasons dying or coming to an end. Martha for example left the mounring party to meet Jesus the moment she heard that he was coming while Mary stayed in the house. This is not a judgment on Mary for each person grieves in their own way. Though I would suggest to you today that it is always better to pursue the Lord instead of focusing on your pain.

Martha tells Jesus that her brother would not have died if He had been there however she still trust that God hears His requests and will grant them.

Mary is setting a great example for us when she essentially says Lord I don’t understand this because I know you had the power to stop it from happening but even so I still trust you and believe you can do anything.

I have met several people who have had painful moments in thier life and instead of trusting the Lord they now have anger, bitterness or resentment towards Him. This should never be the case as the Lord tells us in this life we will have troubles but that we are to take comfort in knowing that He has overcome the wolrd and if we trust and put our faith in Him that we too can have victory in this life and in the life to come.

In verse 23, Jesus reminds Martha that her brother will rise again.

Martha states that she understands that on the last day the dead in Christ will rise.

Jesus declares to Martha that He is the resurrection and the life and that all people who put thier faith in Him will never die.

He asks her is she believes Him and she states that she does.

Romans 5:21 - 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Because Sin leads to death and Jesus defeated death we know that life is found in God’s righteousness. So righteousness is the Lord’s to communicate and maintain.

There may be some things the Lord allows to die for a season that while they are completely dead, over and gone all hope is not lost. Because Jesus can revive, resotre and make better than ever.

Trust God and follow His ways and though you may grieve for a season, He can turn things around in a moment just like that.

Your Heartache Matters to God

Verse 28 Martha tells Mary in private that the Lord is calling for her.

Mary rises quickly to meet Jesus.

This is a great example to us that when the Lord is calling we are to quickly to rise up and meet Him.

The mourning party followed Mary when she went to meet Jesus.

Mary falls on her knees before Jesus weeping and saying if You would have been here then Lazarus would not have died.

Jesus was moved by the weeping of Martha and Mary as well as the other Jews who were present and weeping.

Jesus asks where was the tomb and as they went to the tomb Jesus wept.

The fact that Jesus wept show us several things:

First is that our most tender personal relationships stem from our faith

Our devotion to God makes the ties of family and friendship stronger, it makes us more vulnerable, it makes deeper the love we have for one another.

Because we have experienced God’s love we can truly love others with a pure love.

This pure love is holy and devoid of any sin or corruption so therefore we will bind closer to the Lord and to one another.

Another thing we learn because Jesus wept is that it is entirely Christlike for us to sympathize with others in pain.

Romans 12:15 - Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep

Even though Jesus knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, He still had sympathy for the hurting people to the point where He Himself also wept.

A third thing we can see from the fact that Jesus wept is that sorrow at death is proper and biblical. In our humanity we need time to process significant changes in our lives such as the death of a loved one. And while as Chrisitans we have the promises of heaven and can take great comfort in that there will also be the times which we need to grieve, process and cope with the change and heartbreak of the changing of a season.

The Holy Spirit allows us to greive but also empowers us to not allow our circumstances to defeat us but rather to soften us to receive the hope, comfort and love of the Lord and our Christian family in a deeper way.

Your Restoration Will Glorify God and Lead Others to Christ

Verse 38 says that even while Jesus is still deeply moved He continues with the work He has to do be instructing them to remove the rock from the tomb of Lazarus

Some of you cannot see it but God is already using other people to remove your obstacles and prepare you for your blessing.

Maybe all the experts said there is no way things will get better. Maybe you have given up all hope yourself. Never ever give up hope because you never know who God is using to remove the barriers which are too large for you to handle on your own.

Martha is concerned because Lazarus has been dead for four days and there will be an odor.

Jesus reminds Martha and He also is reminding us to trust and believe in Him and don’t get caught up in natural obstacles but focus on the supernatrual power of God.

Jesus publicly prays for the benefit of the people there so that they would trust and believe in Him.

The Lord will bring the right people at the right place to witness His power and His glory.

Some people need to see to believe so it is very important that we are to publicly declare the goodness of God and all that He does for us so that He will be glorifed and others will be blessed.