Freedom from Death

John 11:1-44

When you see sin in a blatant form it is easy to react. We can become sad, angry, confused, and display a variety of emotions. Deep down, we know that sin is wrong. Whether it’s injustice, another crime on the news, or our own vices, we are grieved by sin and evil.

Jesus promises that “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). The painting Jesus Wept, by James Tissot, portrays Jesus weeping after his friend Lazarus had died. After this time of mourning, Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead (John 11:35–44). Before the hope of resurrection, Jesus mourned the pain and suffering from the death of his friend. When we mourn, we open a door for change and restoration.

Sin entombs you. Takes away your freedom. Sin should cause us to weep. Sin should cause us to mourn. What injustice, sin, or evil in this world causes you to mourn? And are you broken by it to the point of saying enough is enough roll this stone away, I want to walk in freedom that comes from living with Christ and for Christ.

Let us pray –

We do not always understand what God is saying or what he is doing. And the most critical point of misunderstanding centers in what God has to say about life and death. Yet this very point separates Christianity from all other religions and exalts God above every pretender. If we miss his truth about life and death, we miss everything.

1. JESUS IS OUR FRIEND– vv. 1-16

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.” 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.”

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. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 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.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 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.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

I. THE SITUATION —vv. 1–4

A. People—vv. 1–2. Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha were his sisters. They were good friends of Jesus. (This was not the same Lazarus as the one mentioned in Luke 16:19–31.) Mary had ministered to Jesus.

B. Plea—v. 3. They sent a message asking Jesus to come and heal Lazarus.

Death is not natural – God created us eternal

Sin brought in death

C. Purpose—v. 4. Christ explained that this sickness was for the glory of God. Compare with Romans 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, (God works all things together for good, or God works in all things for the good) for those who are called according to his purpose.

II. THE STALL—vv. 5–16

A. Postponement—vv. 5–6. Though Jesus knew that Lazarus was sick, He did not leave immediately. He remained in the same place two days. Lazarus probably died before the messenger reached Him.

After 2 days – He planned His return – divine revelation telling Him Lazarus was dead and entombed.

B. Plan—vv. 7–8. Jesus planned to return to Bethany. He knew the Jews were ready to persecute – God’s plan always trumps man’s

C. Protection—vv. 9–10. As long as Christ walked in the light of God’s will He would be safe.

He knew His Father’s Plan – when we walk closely with God we can know His plan and have His confidence

12 hrs of daylight – man worked – when night came – worked stopped – as long as Jesus was here – it was work – ministry time before darkness came and He would be called home

D. Prediction—vv. 11–14. Christ said Lazarus was asleep, ekoimethe – koy mah-o – the root word for English cemetery

The disciples did not understand – the messenger said ill

Sleep did not mean Jesus should risk his life

We don’t always understand God’s plan

We don’t see the bigger picture

We don’t see how it ends before it begins

We have to just trust

E. Power—vv. 15–16. Christ was glad He had not been there to heal Lazarus. Now that he was dead He had the opportunity to show His greater power.

We see Thomas here bold but unaware – in contrast to timid, unbelief after the crucifixion

Like we see so many times with Peter, Thomas speaks without knowing the consequences – but spiritual truth as well

We must die to be free – must die to self, die to sin, die to pleasure and selfishness to experience the freedom that comes from walking with Christ.

With the Son of God, death never has the final word. Along with Lazarus’s family, the Twelve learned that Jesus was more than their friend; he was their life.

2. JESUS IS OUR LIFE – vv. 17-27 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. 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.” 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.” 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.”

III. THE PROMISE—vv. 17–27

A. Problem—vv. 17–19. Lazarus had been buried for several days. The Jews buried the day death occurred. The Jewish leaders came to pay respects.

Prominent Family

Lazarus – male – wage earner – deep grief

Jesus waited 2 days –

Jesus traveled 2 days –

Lazarus at least 4 days entombed – no doubt he was dead

B. Plea—vv. 20–21. Martha told Jesus that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died.

Martha – the more active sister goes to meet Jesus

Her faith – if you had been here – he would have been healed yet, but

She did not waiver in her faith – Yes Jesus could have but even now her faith is still on Him

C. Promise—vv. 22–24. Jesus promised to bring Lazarus back to life. She thought Jesus meant Lazarus would rise in the resurrection day.

This is why Jesus was glad He was not there

After 2 days – possibly just in shock and recovered

After 4 days – only a miracle of God

D. Promise—vv. 25–27

1. Giver of life—v. 25.

2. Gift of life—v. 26.

3. Martha believed Christ to be the Messiah – but did not understand v. 27

IV. THE PERSONALITY—vv. 28–37 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 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.” 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. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

A. Response—vv. 28–29. Martha called Mary. She came immediately. Mary not only came to Christ, “If you were here, Lazarus would not have died.”

Both sisters had the same response –

Martha – private – acknowledged Jesus

Mary – public – just fell to His feet and mourned

Jesus troubled – why? Over what?

Over sin that brought death into the world and separates us from God

Sin – not just our sin but sin in the world – sin running rampant in society should trouble us, grieve us and bring us to action.

We cannot just sit and grieve like these mourners

We must go and do – follow Jesus’ example

B. Reasoning—vv. 33–37

1. Compassion—v. 35. Jesus wept.

This family was close to Jesus and Jesus close to them

These people were His disciples

Emotions are ok –

2. Conversation—vv. 35–37. He healed the blind man, but let Lazarus die. Why?

Still emotionally tense, the Lord came to this cave-like tomb with a stone across the entrance. He was their Friend and they knew He had to be their Life. Now He was about to display his authority, and everyone would see it publicly and dramatically.

3. JESUS IS OUR POWER—vv. 38–44 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.” 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.”

A. Command—vv. 38–39. He commanded them to remove the stone from the tomb.

We must do our part – God is not going to do all the work

Jesus like a Jedi master could have moved the rock – but if we are followers of Christ, we must do our part

A few minutes ago, Martha confessed Christ as the Messiah – Now she questions Him

Her misunderstanding of her conversation with Jesus, the disciples’ confusion about what Jesus had told them and what actually happened – we can almost hear the climatic music playing

All of this could have played into troubling His spirit – but also understandable

B. Christ—v. 40. If you believe, you shall see God’s power.

Jesus like the sisters and disciples calls for us to have faith first and then see

C. Confirmation—vv. 41–42. Confirmed that God had already heard Him.

Jesus needed to remind them – He was doing God’s will not His own will

This was to help solidify Jesus’ statements about His connection with the Father

This is to bring unbelievers to believe that the Father sent Him – and He is who He says He is.

D. Complete—vv. 43–44. Lazarus, who was dead and bound, came forth.

Are you all in for God or just until He tells you to remove the stone?

Do you believe His glory can still be seen in big miracles?

Has ignorance, error, prejudice, despair or fear rolled the stone over and entombed you? Are you ready to walk out and away from them?

Do you need grave cloths in your life removed? Doubt, fear, discouragement? Are these things tying you down and not allowing you to walk in the freedom Jesus intends for us?

Let us pray!