Come Alive
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Introduction
Introduction
I want to welcome you again this morning.
First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.
I also want to welcome those who may be joining us in person for the first time today. I’m so glad you have joined us for our Easter service and I look forward to an opportunity to meet you in the near future.
I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that typically we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. And in doing so, our goal is to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
Over the past couple of years we’ve been doing that through the NT book of Acts. And we will continue to walk through Acts in the weeks to come, however today we are taking a break from Acts as we make Easter our focus today.
As I thought about our theme for Easter, “Come Alive”, and what I would share with you today, my thoughts went to a somewhat familiar story that isn’t often associated with Easter. However, it is a story that has more to do with Easter than you might think.
In fact, this particular story could be considered what you might call a prequel to the Easter story.
And when I say prequel I’m talking about a story or movie containing events that precede an existing work.
In other words, A prequel is a work that occurs before the original story. A narrative that forms the backstory of the original story.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.
In 1977 one of the most iconic movies of all time was released. A movie called Star Wars, a New Hope. A movie that introduced us to an old Jedi named OB1 Kanobi, a young hero name Luke Skywalker, and a villain named Darth Vader. How many of you remember that first Star Wars movie?
And then in 1980 another Star Wars movie came out called “The Empire Strikes Back”. A sequel to “A New Hope” that continued the story of the battle between good and evil.
But unlike “A New Hope”, by the end of the “Empires Strikes Back”, there didn’t seem to be any hope as Han Solo was frozen in carbonite, Luke Skywalker lost his hand in a light saber battle with Darth Vader, and we find out Darth Vader is Luke’s father.
And then finally in 1983 a third Star Wars movie was released called “Return of the Jedi”, another sequel, but a sequel where good finally overcomes evil as Luke Skywalker delivers Darth Vader from the Dark Side of the force, and the Evil emperor is finally taken out.
As you can probably tell, I’m kind of a Star Wars nerd.
But as great as those movies were, the movies left a lot of questions unanswered.
Questions about the Empire. Questions about Darth Vader. Questions that in a way left the Star War trilogy incomplete.
But then in 1999, all our questions were answered as a prequel to the orgional Star Wars trilogy was released. The prequel being the story before the orgional story.
It started with Star Wars Episode I, where we meet a young boy named Anakin, who would eventually become Darth Vader.
It continued in 2002 as Anikin becomes a Jedi and begins to be influenced by a Dark Jedi of the force
And then in 2005, the final prequel for the orgional Star Wars movies was released where Anikin fully gives himself to the Dark Side and becomes the villain we know as Darth Vader, thus setting the stage for the orgional Star Wars movies.
And what was so great about these prequels, was not only did they give us answers to unanswered questions, but they gave us a more complete context for the original Star Wars movies.
Which made the original Star Wars movies that much better. In fact, now that we have the Star Wars prequels, the original Star Wars movies have given Star Wars fans a deeper appreciation for the original story.
Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, that’s all great. I’m glad you’re a Star Wars nerd.
But I didn’t come to Easter service to hear about Star Wars movies. So, where are you going with this?”
Here’s where I’m going.
Just like the original Star Wars movie in 1977, Easter is our original story this morning.
Because if you’re a Christian, it’s the story that represents the foundation of your faith.
A story that represents a New Hope for mankind as Jesus comes on the scene.
A story that continues as Jesus is killed and the enemy strikes back.
But a story that ends in victory as death is defeated and Jesus rises and returns victorious.
And what an amazing story it is.
But what if I told you the story of Easter could get even better? What if I told you there is way to understand it better and gain a deeper appreciation.
You might ask, “How could that be possible?”
It’s possible because like Star Wars, there is a back story to Easter? A story that took place prior to Easter that answers some unanswered questions. A prequel so to speak, that when read and understood gives greater meaning and value to Easter.
So today, instead of looking directly at the Easter story today, we’re going to look at the Easter prequel, a story that I believe will give us a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation for Easter.
The story is found in the Gospel of John 11 and it takes place about a week before the arrest, death, and resurrection of Jesus. A story that actually sets the stage for everything that happens on Easter weekend. A story about a man named Lazarus.
And so as we approach this story in John 11 today, I have two goals:
First, we’re going to walk through the story and find out what happened to Lazarus.
Second, as we walk through this story, we are going to answer two important questions:
Question #1 - What does this story have to do with Easter?
Question #2 - How does this story apply to you and I and our understanding of Easter?
So, with that as our basis, let’s jump into our Easter prequel as John introduces us to this story. Beginning in John 11, John writes:
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
John begins by introducing us to Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. And in doing so he gives us some important details concerning Lazarus’ condition and his relationship with Jesus.
First, he points out Lazarus’ current condition as he tells us that he’s ill with some kind of sickness.
Second, he tells us Lazarus’s sisters are so concerned about their brother that they send for Jesus.
So, a great question would be, “Why are those details important?”
They’re important because these details tell us the kind of relationship Jesus had with Lazarus. And apparently it’s a tight one. How do we know?
We know because John says when Lazarus becomes ill, his sisters send a messenger to find Jesus, and give Jesus this message, “Tell Jesus, Lord, he whom you love is ill”.
Now, I want you to think about that for a minute. In order to identify that it’s Lazarus who is sick, the sisters tell the messenger, “When you find Jesus, you don’t even need to use Lazarus’s name. Just tell Jesus, ‘The one whom you love is ill’”.
And apparently, after hearing that, Jesus would know the messenger was talking about Lazarus. You know what that means? It means Lazarus and Jesus were tight.
All that to say, this is a family that Jesus loves and is extremely close to.
So, what happens next? Let’s find out:
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.”
John says after Jesus finds out Lazarus is sick, He doesn’t seem to be concerned. In fact Jesus says, “This illness does not lead to death...”
So, as a result, John write:
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.
John says while Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, not being concerned with Lazarus’ condition, Jesus decides to stay where He is for 2 more days. Why 2 more days? We’re going to find out in a minute, but let’s see what happens next:
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
John says after two days have passed, Jesus now decides it’s time to go see Lazarus.
Which is what he means when He says, “Let us go to Judea again”, because that’s where Lazarus lives.
So, what’s going on here? Why all of a sudden has Jesus decided to go see Lazarus?
Great question, because his disciples were wondering the same thing. In fact look at what they said:
8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”
So, what are the disciples referring to here? What their referring to is their last trip to Judea in chapter 10 where Jesus was almost stoned to death.
And so as Jesus says, “Let’s go to Judea”. The disciples are like, “Jesus, are you nuts? Why would we want to go back to a place where people were trying to kill you? I mean if Lazarus is ok, then let’s stay away from Judea”.
But what they didn’t know is that Lazarus wasn’t ok. Which is why Jesus responds with two statements concerning the trip to Judea and Lazarus. First he says:
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
In this statement Jesus uses a metaphor that contrasts the person that walks by day versus the one that walks by night.
And by using this metaphor, what Jesus is implying is that he’s not going to let the fear of being killed detour him from the path that God has for Him. Because yes, danger lies ahead, but Jesus is guided by the light of God’s will, not by fear. And now that light is leading him back to Judea. So that’s where they are going.
This then leads to a second statement Jesus makes. Because Jesus has a reason for going to Judea that the disciples weren’t aware of. Because look at what Jesus goes on to say:
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”
Jesus says, “Listen guys, we’re going to Judea because Lazarus has fallen asleep and I’m going there to wake Him up”.
So, a great question at this point would be, “What does Jesus mean that Lazarus has fallen asleep?” Does he mean Lazarus is taking a nap? Is he implying that Lazarus is resting from his illness? Is he in a coma?”
Well, that’s how the disciples interpret it. Because after saying this, listen to how his disciples respond:
12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”
John says the disciples are like, “Well, of course he’s asleep Jesus. That’s what you do when you get Covid 19. You go to bed and you get some rest so that you can recover. Duh.”
But is that what Jesus really meant? Is Jesus actually referring to Lazarus’ resting in order to get better?
He’s not. How do we know? We because of what Jesus says next:
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 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.”
Jesus says, “Listen boys, I’m not talking about actual sleeping. The fact is, Lazarus has died and I’m going there to raise him back to life.”
He then goes on to say, “And I’m glad we weren’t there when it happened so that you may believe.”
Now, you can only imagine how confused the disciples must be at this point. Because didn’t Jesus say two days ago Lazarus was going to be ok? And now He’s saying he’s dead? So, what’s up with that?
And second, what does He mean when he says, “That we might believe?” Believe what?
And finally, why in the world would we even go there now. I mean if Lazarus is dead, is it really worth the danger Jesus is going to put himself in order to go there?
Talk about confusing. Which makes what the disciples say and do next so peculiar. Because after hearing Jesus say all of this, one of the disciples speaks up. John writes:
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
John says after telling the disciples that Lazarus is dead and that he’s going to Judea regardless, Thomas says, “Well boys, if Jesus is going to Judea to die for a dead man, we might as well go and die with him.”
Interesting statement, right? So, why would Thomas say that?
He says it because the disciples are convinced this is it. This is the end of the line. If Jesus goes back to Judea, he’s not coming back. That being the case, we might as well go die with him. Which as we all know, they weren’t ready to do.
Which means, in their minds, this is a suicide mission. Nothing good is going to come of this.
Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, this is all very interesting. But what does this have to do with Easter?”
I’m glad you asked, because here’s what it has to do with Easter.
Metaphorically speaking, the story of Lazarus is setting up everything we need to know about our problem, God’s response to it, and God’s solution for it.
Because what has happened to Lazarus, and what Jesus is about to do, represents the basis for Easter.
So, let’s start with what our problem is:
Our Problem - Like Lazarus, we are going to die.
Wow, that’s encouraging isn’t it? Aren’t you glad you came to Church today??
But that’s the reality of life for anyone and everyone that is born. The reality that one day each of us will face death. That someday something is going to take us out.
For some it will be an illness of some kind.
For others, some kind of unexpected accident.
And then for some, it will be old age as your body decays to the point it can’t sustain life. It’s just a fact of life. It’s a hopeless reality.
So, maybe a great question would be, “What’s caused this death problem?”
Believe it or not, it’s Covid 19. It’s actually something much worse. been caused by one thing. It’s a spiritual disease called “sin”.
A spiritual disease that entered the world back in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve decided to disobey God and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A decision that opened the door for sin to enter the world and death with it. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
Paul says sin came into the world through Adam, and then death followed sin, and now, like a spiritual virus, sin and death have spread to all.
And the fact is, sin has a 100% mortality rate. God Himself put it like this to Adam:
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
God says death is now inevitable for every human being that is born. Why? Because all sin and sin brings death to all.
But not only does sin bring physical death, it brings spiritual death as well. The prophet Isaiah puts it like this in Isaiah 59:
2 but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
The prophet says our sin has separated us from God.
Which for you and I is the real problem. Because what that means then is, when we die physically, we also die spiritually.
Meaning, when we die physically, we die spiritually as well outside of the presence of God. Which means we die separated from our creator.
We see the reality of this for Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 as they are driven out of God’s presence because of their sin:
24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
Because of sin, Adam and Eve no longer have access to the tree of life, to eternal life. And guess what, neither do we.
And so like Lazarus, there is going to be a day when we both physically and spiritually die outside of the presence of God. And go to a place where God is not present.
Pretty hopeless, right?
This now leads to God’s response. So, what is God’s response to sin and death?
God’s Response - Because we have a sin and death problem, God sent Jesus to save us.
We see this in the story of Lazarus as Jesus responds to Lazarus’s death. As He responds by going to Lazarus.
But not only does He respond by going, He responds even though it’s a suicide mission.
And isn’t that what Easter is all about? It’s about a God who loves us. A God who is aware of our sin and death problem. A God who knows that without His help we will die in our sins. A God that loves us so much, that He was willing to send His own Son on a suicide mission in order to save us.
This is what Lazarus death and God’s response represents.
And the truth is, you could substitute any name into this story. Because Jesus didn’t just come to save Lazarus, but to save all.
That’s why the story says, “Tell Jesus the one He loves is ill.” Because that one is us. That one is you.
All that to say, Lazarus’s illness and Jesus’s response is the foundation for Easter as Jesus responds to our sin and death problem by literally walking into a mine field.
Because Thomas is right, Jesus isn’t coming back. This trip too Judea will be His last. This is the beginning of Jesus’ journey to the cross. By going to raise Lazarus Jesus has just signed his death warrant.
This now leads us to how Jesus will save us. Because John writes:
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.
John says as Jesus approaches Bethany, Lazarus has already been dead for four days.
So, why is that an important detail?
It’s important because unlike Wesley in the Princess Bride, Lazarus wasn’t mostly dead. Instead, he’s all dead. You all know what I’m talking about, right?
And guess what, that’s true for all of us. Because of sin, we’re not mostly spiritually dead, we’re all dead.
And the reality of Lazarus’ death is further confirmed as one of his grief stricken sisters, Martha, comes out to meet Jesus, because listen to what she said to Jesus as she approached Him.
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.”
John says as Martha approaches Jesus, she verifies Lazarus’s death by making two stunning statements:
First, she seems to scold Jesus for not getting there on time. She’s like, “If only you would have come earlier Jesus, her brother might still be alive.”
But then in the same breath she makes a second statement. She says, “But I know whatever you ask from God, God will give it to you.”
In other words, she believes Jesus possibly could bring her brother back to life.
And apparently Jesus confirms her hope. Because listen to how Jesus responds to her statements:
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.”
John says Jesus responds by affirming that Lazarus will rise again.
And again, Martha believes that. But what’s interesting is that she doesn’t believe it for the moment. Instead her belief is on a future day. What she refers to as the last day.
So, a great question would be, “What’s this last day she’s referring too?”
Well, according to 1st century Judaism, it’s a day that will occur when the promised Messiah comes, at which time the temple would be rebuilt and the bodies of the dead would be brought back to life.
And this is why Martha believes Jesus can bring Lazarus back to life. Because she believes Jesus is the promised Messiah, and because He’s come into the world, her brother’s resurrection may soon be at hand.
We know this based on how she responds to what Jesus says next.
Check this out:
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.”
John says Jesus’ response is corrective to some degree. Because as Martha looks to a resurrection day, Jesus says, “Martha, the resurrection isn’t a day. Martha, I am the resurrection. Martha, I am the one who brings resurrection life.”
And to be honest, that would have run contrary to her view of the Messiah. Which is why Jesus asks her, “Do you believe this?” To which she says, “Yes, Lord; I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the word.”
But does she really understand who Jesus is and what He’s come to do?
No. Because at this point she still views Jesus as somebody who’s come to earth to fix an immediate problem in her life. The immediate problem being the death of her brother Lazarus.
And we know that based on her initial response. A response of frustration that Jesus wasn’t there to fix the problem.
And she’s not alone on this. Because as Martha shares her woes and desires, her sister Mary soon joins in. Look at how John puts it:
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John says like Martha, Mary wonders where Jesus was as well. Because if only he had been here, Lazarus would still be alive.
And not only is Jesus’s timing being challenged, but his ability as well. Because after Martha and Mary share their frustration, the Jews standing around have something to say as well. John writes:
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
John says those standing around watching are now questioning whether Jesus could have saved Lazarus to begin with. They’re like, “I mean He opened blind eyes. You would have thought he could have kept Lazarus from dying. But maybe He couldn’t Maybe that’s why he choose to be late”.
So, why are they responding to Jesus like this? They’re responding like this because at this point Jesus is just a temporal fixer in their life.
Somebody who needs to fix their problems according to their wishes, desires, and timeline. Because if Jesus can’t do that, then maybe He’s not as present and powerful as we thought.
And the truth is, when it comes to how Jesus works in our life, that’s how we often treat Jesus. As a temporary fixer for our temporary problems. As a result, we only see Jesus as:
The solution to our cancer problem.
The solution to our marriage problem.
The solution to our financial problem.
The solution to our pandemic problem.
The solution to our pain problem.
The solution to whatever it is we are praying and asking Jesus to take from us.
Because as far as we’re concerned, if Jesus would just take care of our problem, if he would just do what we need him to do when we ask him, then everything would be ok, life would be good, and we could go back to life as normal.
But guess what. Jesus didn’t come to save us from temporary problems. He came to save us from our sin and death problem.
Now, does that mean He doesn’t care about our temporary problems? Of course not. He cares deeply.
And we know that based on what happens next. Because as everybody comes to Jesus and displays their frustration, grief, and doubt, look at how John says Jesus responded:
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
John says as the sisters weep and question where He’s been, Jesus looks around and sees their grief, and it results in two emotions coming out of Jesus.
The first emotion is empathy as Jesus identifies with their pain. A pain that leads Jesus to have an emotional response, because John says as Jesus identifies with their pain:
35 Jesus wept.
So, does Jesus care about your pain? You bet He does.
But along with His empathy, John says there’s a second response. That as he saw them weeping, He was greatly troubled.
In the Greek the idea here is that Jesus was angered. Why was He angered?
He’s angry because He hates what sin and death have done. He hates it so much that He’s eventually going to give his life for it.
Which then leads Jesus to do what He does next. Because John says as the sisters questioned where Jesus had been and as the Jews questioned His ability, Jesus decides its time for them to see who He really is. John writes:
34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”
So, why does Jesus ask them that question? John tell us:
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
John says Jesus asked where Lazarus was buried for one reason. Why? So He could do two things.
First, to ease their pain by providing a solution to their temporary problem
And second to show them who He is. Which at this point they are still struggling to see. Because why would Jesus open the tomb of a man who has been dead for 4 days. What is He thinking.
Which is why Jesus prays:
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
You see, Jesus wants them to see Him for who He really is. And it’s at this point Jesus cries out. John puts it like this:
43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
John says Jesus cries out and commands Lazarus to come out of the tomb. And no sooner had Jesus said it, the man who was all dead came stumbling out of the tomb in the death garments they had buried him in. And now the man who was dead, has come alive.
How was Jesus able to do that. He was able to do it because He’s the resurrection and the life.
Which leads us to God’s solution for our sin and death problem.
God’s Solution - God’s solution is Easter.
God’s solution is Jesus on a cross. God’ solution is Jesus giving His life. God’s solution is Jesus paying the price of our sin. God’s solution is for Jesus to end the separation by providing a way for you and I to overcome death as we put our hope and faith in Jesus.
Let me put it like this. God’s solution was to take your and I’s place in the tomb.
Because that’s what he did for Lazarus. He said, “Lazarus you come out, and I’ll go in.”
And it’s imperative that we understand that. Because if Jesus is just only a temporary fix for temporary problems, then we are in trouble.
Here’s why.
The fact is, while Lazarus had come alive again, and Mary and Martha’s grief could be temporarily comforted, Lazarus will physically die again.
You might say, “Well that’s dark pastor. Way to kill the celebration. Why would you say that?”
I say it based on three observances:
Observance #1 - When Lazarus came out of the tomb, he came out in the same body he went into the tomb with. Which means, even though he’s alive now, his physical body will die again. In other words, Jesus raising Lazarus wasn’t a permanent fix.
Observance #2 - When Lazarus comes out of the tomb, he’s still wearing his death clothes. Which is symbolic. Symbolic in that while he’s come alive, death was still wrapped around him.
Observance #3 - As you can imagine, following his resurrection, there was quite a stir as news spread that Lazarus had come from death to life.
And it so bothered Jesus’s enemies, that they decided there was only one solution to the Lazarus come alive problem. Because following the resurrection of Lazarus, look at what John says happened:
9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
John says that along with the plot to kill Jesus, there’s now a plot to kill Lazarus as well. And so while we don’t have any scriptural or historical evidence of when Lazarus died for the second time, the evidence suggests that he may have died the same weekend Jesus was crucified. Because as far as the Jews were concerned, Lazarus was a liability.
All that to say, Lazarus’s resurrection was temporary.
Which means, if we just see Jesus as is a temporary fix, than that’s all He’s going to be for us. And let’s just be honest, there’s no lasting hope in that.
But the fact is, He wants to be more than that in your life. Which brings us back to God’s solution for our sin and death problem. A solution called Easter.
Because in order for our sin and death problem to be taken care of, Jesus needed to do more than just raise Lazarus from the dead. In order to truly take care of the sin and death problem, Jesus would have to take his place.
Because in order to beat death, it’s going to take somebody who doesn’t have a sin and death problem.
It’s going to take somebody who hasn’t been stained by sin.
Somebody who death has no hold over.
It’s going to take somebody like Jesus.
And that’s exactly what Jesus chose to do as he raised Lazarus knowing it would mean His death. Because John writes:
53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
John says plans to kill Jesus are now in motion. Plans that would lead to His arrest and His crucifixion.
To a moment where like every human being that has ever lived, Jesus would face death.
But for the first time in human existence, death would face something it had never faced. Death would face the resurrection and the life. Death would face the perfect sinless Son of God. And in an epic battle called calvary, death would be defeated. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul says death has been defeated.
You might say, “Ok pastor, but where’s the proof? How do we know Jesus beat death?”
The proof is in what we find and don’t find in the tomb.
You see, unlike Lazarus, Jesus didn’t walk out of the tomb still wearing his death garments. No. In fact, he left them in the tomb. We know this because when the disciples discover Jesus’s tomb is empty, look at what John says they did find in there:
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
John says Jesus’s death clothes were left in the tomb. Why? Because the resurrection and the life isn’t bound by death.
Not only that, but Jesus didn’t walk out of the tomb in His old body. No. He came out in a new body, a resurrected body.
Again, we know this because later on when the resurrected Jesus visits the disciples, John writes:
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
John says Jesus suddenly appears in a room with locked doors. How did he do that? He’s able to do it because Jesus is no longer bound by an earthly body. He now has a heavenly body. A body no longer bound by sin. A body that death has no hold over.
And the good news is, this is what He now offers us. He offers not just a temporary fix, but an eternal fix to our sin and death problem. He offers us life beyond this life. He offers us the ability to truly come alive, not just temporarily, but eternally.
And the fact is, when put our faith in Jesus, Jesus comes alive in us, and He changes our temporary circumstances as we begin to live with a new hope. A hope that goes beyond this life.
Why? Because now we are living with a new perspective. A new mindset. As our focus turns to the eternal. As we begin to realize we aren’t living for this life, but the life to come.
I love how the Apostle Paul puts it:
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Paul says when the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead enters us, it brings new life to the here a now. A new life that begins our journey towards eternal life.
The Apostle John puts it in 1 John:
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
John says when you put your hope and faith in Jesus, in that moment you become a child of God. And that while you can’t see the full reality of that yet, there is a day coming when you will. A day when Jesus will return or you’ll die and go to Him, and in that moment we will see him for who He is and in that moment we will be like Him.
That’s what Easter offers. That’s God’s solution for our sin and death problem. That’s what He’s offering all of us today. That’s why he left heaven for the “one He loves”. For you.
The question is, will you accept what He offers. Will you accept that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
For those standing around watching Lazarus walk out of the tomb, that’s a decision they would have to make. And according to John, there were 3 different groups and 3 different decisions that day.
Group 1 - Those who believed in Jesus
Of this group John writes:
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,
John says there were some there who started to see Jesus for who He was. Who at that point put their hope and faith in Him. Who saw Jesus as the resurrection and the life.
Group 2 - Those who were indifferent to Jesus.
This was the group that was on the fence. Of this group John writes:
46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
John says while this group didn’t put their faith in Jesus, they told others about what had happened. For them, they could take or leave Jesus. They had other fish to fry. Other things they were more concerned with. For them, life is about the temporal.
Group 3 - Those who hated Jesus
This is the group that wanted Jesus silenced. For this group Jesus was a threat. Of them John writes:
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
They’re like, how do we stop this guy. Because if we don’t, people are going to start believing in Him and we’re going to lose our precious way of life. We’re going to lose power. We’re going to lose control.
We see this spirit in the world today. We see it in our culture. We see it in our movies and tv shows. We see it coming out of Washington. The Bible calls it the spirit of the antichrist. And it’s a spirit that wants to kill Jesus. That’s why of this group John writes:
53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
So, those are the groups. So, let me ask you this, “Which group do you fall into?”
Because here’s the reality. Easter forces you to choose one of the three. Because at the end of the day, you’re either going to embrace Jesus, ignore Jesus, or reject Jesus. But only on of those decisions leads to life. Only one can solve your sin problem. Only one can bring true hope. Only one has the power to let you live beyond the temporal. And His name is Jesus.
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?”
The question is, “Do you believe this?”
Let’s Pray
In order for Jesus to be glorified, it must be shown who He is.