Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life

Intro:

John 11:1–8 CSB

1 Now a man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3 So the sisters sent a message to him: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was. 7 Then after that, he said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.” 8 “Rabbi,” the disciples told him, “just now the Jews tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?”

Point #1: Lazarus is Critically Ill and Jesus Does Something Curious…He Waits Two Days!

John gives us some context about Lazarus...

He was Mary’s sister…you know…the one that anointed Jesus with perfume and wiped it with her hair. (John 12:1-10)

This event hadn’t taken place yet, she anointed him for his death and burial...

John tells us so that when we know the scriptures and know that story we go…oh ya…Mary, Martha’s sister…Lazarus’ sister.

When Lazarus gets sick the sisters send word to Jesus...

We get insight by the description… “The one you love is sick...”

I bet Lazarus and Jesus had a pretty good relationship...

Jesus tips his hand...

He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 11:4

This statement is ironic. Jesus’ power and obedience to the Father were displayed, but this event led to His death (cf. 11:50–53), which was His true glory (17:1).

Verse 18 tells us Bethany was 2 miles from where he was…and Jesus waits two more days...

Lazarus had been dead 2 days by the time that He heard that Lazarus was sick.

Jesus finally says, “let’s go to Judea...”

His disciples remind him that the last time He was there the people wanted to stone him...

John 11:9–16 CSB

9 “Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?” Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.” 11 He said this, and then he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on my way to wake him up.” 12 Then the disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.” 13 Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought he was speaking about natural sleep. 14 So Jesus then told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15 I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (called “Twin”) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go too so that we may die with him.”

Point #2: Lazarus Dies, Then Jesus Chooses to Go to Him!

Jesus starts with with a cryptic message...

There’s 12 hours in a day…if anyone walks during the day he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

If anyone walks during night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him...

WHAT COULD JESUS MEAN BY THIS?

aaa

2. Jesus says Lazarus has fallen asleep…and that he is going to go wake him up...

a. They think it real sleep and that it will bring him healing...

3. Jesus tells them Lazarus died...

a. Again, Jesus says something cryptic, “I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe...

Jesus didn’t go to Lazarus initially so that God’s glory might be revealed through his death...

Jesus did this so that His disciples might believe!

TS: Continuing in John 11:17

John 11:17–27 CSB

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem (less than two miles away). 19 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20 As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her. 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”

Point #3: Jesus says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. The One Who Believe in Me, Even if He Dies, Will Live.”

Jesus shows up...

We have to understand the scene. Martha and Mary are heartbroken… the community is rallying around them mourning…crying and wailing...

Martha goes to Jesus, Mary is at home...

Martha acknowledges that if Jesus had been there Lazarus wouldn’t of died...

Then she says something that rings with faith… “yet even now what ever you ask from God, God will give you...”

Did she believe that Jesus could raise him?

Jesus said, “your brother will rise again...”

Martha gives a Sunday school answer...

“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day...”

Remember those who asked Jesus to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah?

Jesus says, ““I am the Resurrection and the Life. The One Who Believe in Me, Even if He Dies, Will Live.”

Then Jesus said, “Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die!” Do you believe this?

The Bible Knowledge Commentary E. The Great Sign at Bethany (11:1–44)

This climactic miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead was Jesus’ public evidence of the truth of His great claim, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Death is the great horror which sin has produced (Rom. 5:12; James 1:15). Physical death is the divine object lesson of what sin does in the spiritual realm. As physical death ends life and separates people, so spiritual death is the separation of people from God and the loss of life which is in God (John 1:4). Jesus has come so that people may live full lives (10:10). Rejecting Jesus means that one will not see life (3:36) and that his final destiny is “the second death,” the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14–15).

3. Peter is credited with a saying called the Great Confession...

Matthew 16:13–16 CSB

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Martha gives a pretty great confession!

a. Martha says yes she believes then says, “

John 11:27 CSB

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”

Continuing in John 11:28

John 11:28–37 CSB

28 Having said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to cry there. 32 As soon as Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and told him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died!” 33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked. “Lord,” they told him, “come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Couldn’t he who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying?”

Point #4: Martha Goes and Gets Mary!

The teacher is calling for you...

She runs to Jesus...

She said to Jesus, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died...”

Jesus asks, “Where have you put him...”

Jesus weeps...

2. We get two comments from the crowd...

a. See how he loved him...

b. Couldn’t the one who opened the eyes of a blind man kept this man from dying...

TS: Continuing in John 11:38

John 11:38–44 CSB

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 “Remove the stone,” Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.” 43 After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”

Point #5: Who is This Can Make the Dead Live? Can He Do It Again?

They get to Lazarus’ tomb...

Jesus tells those standing by to remove the stone...

Martha objects…it’s been 4 days, there will be a stench...

2. Jesus responds, “Didn’t I tell you, “If you believe you will see the glory of God.”

3. Then Jesus talks to the Father...

a. I know you always hear me...

b. But because the crowd standing here I said this that they may believe you sent me...

4. Jesus shouts, “Lazarus Come Out!” and Lazarus comes out...

a. Jesus them says, “Unwrap him and let him go...”