Death Could Not Hold Him Down

Welcome to Easter Sunday, folks! There’s an old church tradition that I find kind of fun that I want us to do this morning. This is probably new to some of you, others, you already know what I’m talking about before I’ve even said it!

I’m going to say, “He is risen!” And you will say: _______. Alright, you had some folks help you out there, so here we go for real this time: “He is risen!” __________

We say that because we believe Jesus Christ was literally resurrected. We believe He was dead, actually dead, and that He came back to life!

If you’re new with us this morning, welcome. We have been looking at 7 things Jesus said about His own identity… Who He is, and what He came to do!

Today, appropriately, on Easter, we look at Jesus telling us that He is the resurrection and the life.

You see, the people in Jesus’ day lived in great anticipation. You ever anticipated anything before? I’ll bet you have.

They anticipated a great and coming day when all of the people of God would have true life, once and for all with God the Father. They believed in a coming resurrection of the faithful. And they anticipated it. Like a child yearning for Christmas day, or a bride awaiting her wedding day. Or a conspiracy theorist awaiting a day of political reckoning. Whoa. You listening?

And see, in this time, the Bible tells us that the whole world was seeking the Savior! If Jesus had come silently He tells the people around him that the rocks would cry out. (Lk 19:40)

It’s in this anticipation that Jesus comes with a message. That He is the resurrection that these people have been seeking for ages and generations. That people have wept and prayed over day after day throughout Judea.

He puts it all on display in this story of Him, and His friends: Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.

Let’s look in.

Like Lazarus, We are Dead

Vv. 1-4

We come onto the scene, and Lazarus, the brother of Jesus’ good friend, Mary and Martha, is sick. Not just any kind of sick. Deathly sick. Mary and Martha know what to do. They have to send for Jesus.

Jesus’ response is kind of shocking. “This illness does not lead to death...” Well, it’s a deathly illness, Jesus, we’re going to see as much here in a moment!

Perhaps that’s not how He meant it… Perhaps, He meant it more like… “This particular case of illness will not end with death.” This would explain why He follows up what He says with… (End of v. 4)

Vv. 11-15

Jesus speaks in euphemism about Lazarus’ death. “He has fallen asleep.” Clearly goes over the disciples’ heads, because they’re taking it literally!

“I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” Lazarus’ death served a greater purpose than a sad loss of life.

Believer, let this be a comfort to you: That even in death, God can use you for His purposes. Have you ever undergone something and just asked, “Why?” or “Why me?” “God, I don’t understand what I’ve done to deserve this!” Perhaps we’re asking the wrong question in those moments. Perhaps our response should be, “Okay, God, I’m ready to see how you’ll use this in my life for my good and Your glory.”

Lazarus died so that because of what Christ was about to do for him, others would believe and have eternal life! That’s what Jesus is saying here.

And the truth of the matter is that we are all like Lazarus. The Bible says that we are dead in our sins.

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Not just sick with sin. Not just limping along because we’ve had a debilitating bout with sin. No, the Bible describes us as dead in our trespasses and sins. This understanding makes a world of difference when you begin to understand just how deep our problem with sin is. It doesn’t just kill us. It’s already killed us!!!

Just like Lazarus. We’ve been dead four days. Our bodies are already decomposing. We stink with sin. And Jesus shows up onto the scene and...

Vv. 17-32

See, the problem is…

Like Martha, We Doubt

V. 21 Too many times, we want God to intervene on our timeline, and we FORGET that He can resurrect ANYTHING. We claim 21 and forget v. 22.

Believer, doesn’t this describe us so many times? In our prayers, “Yeah, God, we know but.........” And no real belief that He can do what He says He’s going to do.

We like to say, “Yeah, I believe Jesus but…” It’s like those shirts that say “I love Jesus but I cuss a little.” Yeah, we love Jesus but we withhold control of our tongues from Him, don’t we? Oh, and listen, some of you thought, “Yeah, you get those cussers, Pastor!” But you probably told some juicy gossip this past week, didn’t you? No one wants to wear the shirt that says, “I love Jesus, but I gossip a lot,” do they? “I love Jesus, but I cheat on my taxes every year.” “I love Jesus, but I look at stuff on the internet that would shame my spouse or future spouse.”

This is the kind of stuff that results in the Gallup report released last week that showed that less than half of America is member of any religious institution.

Can we just leave it at “I love Jesus?” Or let’s take it a step in the next direction: “I love Jesus and?”

We live in doubt many times because our faith and our lifestyles don’t match up. Or our love for Jesus competes with our love for the world. Now listen, I have a lot of compassion for the doubtful, and so does the Lord, but sometimes we doubt because we lead double lives. We’ll take the part of resurrection that’s branded “eternal life in the end,” and leave behind “eternal life now.”

Like Jesus, We will be Resurrected

Vv. 23-24 - When Jesus says he will rise again, he really means it. He’s not just pointing to the future, trying to ignore or belittle her pain! No, Jesus is telling her, he’s about to get up out of that grave!!!

Vv. 25-26 - Jesus, in light of that statement by Martha, reveals something that the Jews have longed for for ages and generations. They sought the resurrection that God promised. Jesus tells them, “If you seek the resurrection, look no further. I AM that resurrection!”

He is the only One Who can bring us back to life from the death the sin has brought on us. Without Him, we are the walking dead. Before Jesus, we are dead to God and alive to the world. With Jesus, we are alive to God and dead to the world.

Some of my Christians in the room need to hear that.

I said it earlier, some of us look for resurrection at the end, but don’t give a rip about resurrection right now.

But the truth of the matter is that resurrection doesn’t happen without death. Right now, if you don’t have Christ, your spirit, your soul is dead. Your flesh is very much alive.

But look what Jesus did:

John 11:28-44

Jesus didn’t go to the tomb and say, “Lazarus, come out later!” “Lazarus, come out when you feel like it!” “Lazarus, come out after you’ve had your fun!” “Lazarus, come out when you get married and have kids!”

NO

Jesus said, “Lazarus, COME OUT!!!”

And that’s just what Lazarus did!

Christian, listen to the words of Jesus to Lazarus, and realize that He is calling you out of the world, out of death, and into life TODAY! Not just some TBD later! My life was radically altered when I realized that my eternity doesn’t just exist in the far-off, it exists right here, right now, and I have everything to be grateful for here and now as well as there and later.

Maybe you’re a Christian this morning… Maybe you’ve never considered what it means to live in eternity now. Would you let Jesus have all of you? Resurrect those dead parts in you that you’ve withheld from Him? Lazarus rose from the grave to glorify God, and so do you. So why do you live your life in order to glorify the world, glorify yourself? Give it to God.

Maybe you’re new to this. Or you’ve walked away for a while. And you’re interested in the resurrected life Jesus offers. Listen, I’m right here.

Will you rise up and walk with him into new life? Or do you want to sit in that grave of death? That’s the invitation this Easter. To come and know Him. KNOW Him!