[0:00] Word of God. Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
[0:11] It was Mary who anointed her Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, he whom you love is ill.
[0:24] But when Jesus heard it, he said, this illness does not lead to death. It is the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.
[0:36] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
[0:48] And after this, he said to the disciples, let us go to Judea again. The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you.
[0:59] Are you going there again? 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.
[1:13] But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. After saying these things, he said to them, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.
[1:27] The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest and sleep.
[1:37] Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.
[1:49] But let us go to him. So Thomas called the twin and said to his fellow disciple, let us also go, that we may die with him. Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
[2:05] Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and to Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
[2:22] Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know, whatever you ask from God, God will give you.
[2:34] Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.
[2:49] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
[3:00] She said to him, yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. When she had said this, she went and called her sister, Mary, saying in private, the teacher is here and is calling for you.
[3:16] When she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. And the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out.
[3:30] They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 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.
[3:45] 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. And he said, where have you laid him?
[3:58] They said to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. So the Jews said, see how he loved him. But some of them said, could not he who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying?
[4:14] When Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. There was a cave and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an odour.
[4:29] He has been dead for four days. Jesus said to her, did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? So he took away the stone and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
[4:47] I knew that you always hear me. But I said this on account of the people standing around. They may believe that you sent me. When he had said these things, he cried out the loud voice, Lazarus, come out.
[5:00] The man who had died came out. His hands and his feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go.
[5:13] Amen. We're going to give praise to God for his holy and his perfect word. For a very short time, we can focus on this whole section, looking especially at verse 23 and verse 24.
[5:29] Going down to verse 25. Reading again the verse 23 down to verse 25. Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again.
[5:41] Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
[5:56] So on down to the end of verse 44. I was going to say, we're coming back now to the series we're looking at.
[6:08] It's been almost two months since we're last together looking at the I am sayings of Jesus. But last time, if you remember, in the morning it was, we're looking in John chapter 10.
[6:20] Jesus, our good shepherd. I am the good shepherd. This evening we have our next, as it were, of the I am sayings. And here we are in John 11. The verse of our text here this evening of verse 25.
[6:35] I am the resurrection and the life. And we've seen before, and if you look through John with every one of the I am sayings.
[6:48] When he says it, when Jesus declares who he is. When Jesus declares yet again that he is the one sent to save his people. Every single one of the I am sayings.
[7:00] We find him in a place or in a situation that just serves to show what he's saying is true. Last time we saw it, I am the good shepherd.
[7:13] Before that, we see in John as he declares that he is the bread of life. He declares he is the bread of life the day after the feeding of the 5,000. The same crowds around him.
[7:25] And to that same crowd he fed the day before, he tells them, I am the bread of life. When he declares that he is the light of the world, he does so under the temple lamps.
[7:37] The great lamps he lit at the festival. Here this evening we find perhaps we could argue, and we wouldn't be wrong in saying so, perhaps the most vivid illustration of what Jesus is saying about himself matching up to the situation he says it in.
[7:53] The most striking point, the most striking one, we could say, off the I am sayings. At this point, this point of mourning, at this point of darkness, where we see the full working out of sin in the world, where we see death so clearly, so plainly spoken about.
[8:17] We see a grieving family, a grieving community. We see Jesus himself having lost, at least for a while, one he loved. It's here we see the full wonder, the full beauty of who Jesus is.
[8:36] At this very point where we see the destruction that sin has wrought in the world, where we see death so clearly, in contrast to that, we have our verse here this evening, where our Savior declares that he is the resurrection, that he is the life.
[8:58] For a short time this evening, looking at this section, we can look at roughly, first of all, verses 1 down to verse 17. Verses 1 down to verse 17, where we see the land of the dead, the land of the dead, then looking at the Lord of life, then finally looking at the love and power of the Lord.
[9:20] The land of the dead, the Lord of life, and the love and the power of our Lord. As we spend some time this evening in these verses, there's one question to have in our minds.
[9:37] Perhaps two questions, one question in two parts, we could say. As you look at these verses, it's a question only you can ask yourself, a question only you can answer for yourself.
[9:47] Do you know what it is to live in Jesus, to have life in Jesus? And secondly, do you know what it is to have that sure and certain hope for resurrection through Jesus?
[10:08] Life in Jesus, resurrection through Jesus. Do you know that for yourself? Can you say that you believe in that? Can you say that you know, no matter what else happens in life, whatever providences you face, that he has given you life?
[10:27] There is life throws at you, that one day you will rise again, because he has risen again, because you trust in our risen Lord. Can you answer these questions by yes?
[10:37] If you can't, then please look together at these words, and hear as we go through it, hear the encouragement this evening for the Christians. So we remind ourselves what it is to know a living saviour, and one who brings resurrection to his people.
[10:53] First of all, looking at the land of the dead, in verses one, down to verse 17, very broadly taking in these verses. So we begin, as we said, at the start of chapter 11, with the announcement of the death of Lazarus.
[11:10] Of course, John then gives us context of who Lazarus is, and gives us context of his connection with Jesus. We know, of course, that Lazarus and Jesus had already met, and indeed Jesus had already been anointed by Mary, his sister.
[11:26] And of course, we see throughout Scripture, many instances of Jesus healing, of Jesus providing healing, and indeed providing great healings to those who come to him, those who are sick, and those who are dying, and Jesus curing them.
[11:46] But here we have the first instance of Jesus being called to heal, to save one who he himself knew personally.
[11:57] personally. Who in his time on earth, he had already met, already spent time with. We see that in verse three, as we see how Lazarus is described to Jesus.
[12:09] Verse three. So his sister sent to him saying, Lord, he whom you love is ill. He whom you love is ill.
[12:21] Our last time together, we were in Hebrews, reminded that our Savior is the one who has come down from glory to save us, down from glory into this world of his own creation, to suffer, to die, have the hands of his own creatures, into this world of darkness, the only eternal son of God, all eternity, living, in perfect glory, perfect holiness, perfect fellowship, perfect love, come down then, into this world, taking on a human body, become like us in all ways, apart from sins we heard last time together, suffered, faced, all the various temptations that we face, faced all the pains and miseries, physical and emotional, that we face.
[13:22] And here we see our Savior coming face to face, as we said already, with death itself, coming face to face with the full working out of sin in this world.
[13:37] Our sinless Savior, who had come to save his people, is now about to go and to face, face to face as it were, sin in its full, awful completion.
[13:53] Dear friends, we must not think for a second that our Savior somehow outlived his life on earth, unmoved and unaffected by what he saw, uncaring towards the people around him.
[14:08] We heard that last time together in Hebrews, that was not the case. Our great high priest came alongside us and always. He wasn't just somehow stoically moving on through the days, completing us where his mission, our Savior lived his life.
[14:29] Our Savior loved his precious people even when he was amongst them in his time on earth. And we see that in our verses here. And we see, later on we'll see, of course in detail, the emotion he had, the true emotion he had as he came to see the death of his friend, the impact that death had on those he loved.
[14:56] We do, however, before we get there, see a strange turn of phrase, a strange response, don't we, in verse 4? Jesus has been told that Lazarus is dying, Lazarus is ill.
[15:08] In verse 4, we see Jesus quite simply proclaiming, this illness does not lead to death, it's for the glory of God, so the Son of God may be glorified through it.
[15:22] Of course, what we know and what those around Jesus did not know, what Martha and Mary, what Lazarus himself did not know, what the disciples did not know, of course Jesus was correct here, but not on the way I'm sure that they first heard it.
[15:39] Yes, Lazarus was going to die, Christ knew that, Jesus knew, of course Jesus knew fine well that Lazarus was going to die, but that death wouldn't be permanent.
[15:55] Jesus knew that Lazarus would be resurrected, resurrected. The first, of course, indeed, he must die. Sometimes, and even personally, friends who are committed atheists and who in their free time are committed to spending their free time, wasting their free time, proving that God they don't believe in doesn't exist, they've used this verse before as a contradiction in scripture.
[16:24] What Jesus says, he's not going to die, then the next few verses, he dies. How does that make sense? Makes sense when you read it properly and in context.
[16:35] This illness does not lead to death. If we stop there, then fair enough, there's grounds for confusion, but Jesus carries on. It's for the glory of God so the Son of God may be glorified through it.
[16:49] How is the Son of God glorified? He was glorified by bringing Lazarus back to life. There's not enough time this evening for us, this is a different discussion altogether, but every time you're confronted and shown a contradiction in scripture, scripture always interprets scripture.
[17:09] Every contradiction that's taken to us, every problem that's taken, scripture always interprets and helps explain scripture. But then we see in verse 5 as we carry on, we see this reminder for us, a repeated phrase that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
[17:37] When something is repeated for us, it's there for a reason. There is no wasted words in scripture. We say that before in our times together. Well, here we have this repetition, this reality that Christ loves this family, that Christ loves Lazarus.
[17:52] The question is, why is this right now repeated for us? Why are we told again that Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus? We're told that because what's about to take place.
[18:08] We're told, we're reminded that Jesus did really love this family because Lazarus was about to die. His sisters were about to mourn the death of their beloved brother.
[18:21] The community was about to mourn the loss of one they knew. It's at these times, it's at these times when our world seems to be going upside down and those here who know that and those here who perhaps this very moment are going through that, it doesn't take me to come and tell you that.
[18:41] You yourselves know the reality of that. When everything begins to go to ruins, when the phone goes, when the message comes through, when that knock on the door happens and your life is turned upside down, when you lose that loved one, when that report comes back, you yourself know your own situations.
[19:06] When that darkness comes into your life, that's when verse 5 becomes so important for us. That repetition, that reminder we have becomes so real for us.
[19:18] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. They were just about to lose their brother.
[19:30] Lazarus is about to leave his sisters. They're about to face perhaps the greatest sadness they've faced in their lives. At that point, scripture reminds us that Jesus loved them.
[19:44] As we heard our last time together, looking at Jesus, our great high priest, he doesn't just stand far off looking at us, shaking his head in sympathy for us.
[19:57] No, he is close to his people. He is with his people. He loves his people. He loves his people. It's at the times of darkness, at the times of distress, when these things come around us and happen to us.
[20:12] Then we cling on to verse 5 and cling on to it so wonderfully and so carefully, the true reality that despite our providence, despite the situation, despite what it looks like, we know as people who know our Savior, who love our Savior, that he loves his people.
[20:29] We'll see that more as we go on. The question is, if verse 5 is true, we know it is, if Jesus did love them, why did he wait so long to go?
[20:41] We see Martha and Mary asking the same question. Lord, if it had come sooner, our brother would have lived. He wouldn't have died. A valid question for them to ask.
[20:53] Why didn't Jesus go sooner? We know that Jesus knew he was dying. We know that Jesus knew the exact time frame when he would die. Why did Jesus not go sooner?
[21:05] Why did he wait even longer to go? We see that in verse 6, quite explicitly told to us. Verse 6, so when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
[21:20] The wording of that alludes to the fact they were going to go sooner anyway than the news came through and he stayed two days longer. He extended their stay where they were, with the express reason that he would not arrive beside Lazarus whilst he was still alive.
[21:37] See, how does that make sense? We've just said that Jesus loved Lazarus. He loved Martha. He loved Mary. Why then is he spending these extra two days? Why is he waiting for Lazarus to pass away?
[21:50] How is that love? How does that show the care of Jesus for his dear friend, Lazarus? The times, the exact days are so important to what took place.
[22:05] We see that Jesus arrived four days after the death of Lazarus. That's told to us exactly. We see that in verse 17.
[22:18] Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Again, nothing in Scripture is wasted. Nothing is there just to fill in the space as it were.
[22:30] Why four days? At the time, and we know for certain at the time, there was a belief in the culture. It wasn't scriptural, but there was a belief amongst the Jewish people in that area at that time that the spirit of one who passed away as it were remained in the area, remained around the body for some days.
[22:54] Remained around the body for precisely three days. Even in our own culture, in days gone by, in years gone by, not all that long ago, we have remnants of that kind of thinking, don't we?
[23:08] Of course, today our own wake services are something different, but I'm sure even some here attended wakes where the body was there and where you did indeed stay awake beside the body for days sometimes.
[23:20] That thinking, we're still that, that thinking of something going on. The Jews at this time in this area, they believed, at least culturally, they believed that the body, the soul, was there for three days.
[23:36] That somehow the person that we revived in those three days, but after three days, that was it. That was the cutoff point. After three days, there was no hope and that was the end.
[23:47] We see Jesus arriving precisely four days later. To those there, culturally, the time was too late.
[24:00] Lazarus was gone. Practically speaking, Lazarus was gone four days since he had died. It's now Jesus arrived to show the reality of who he is.
[24:13] Why did Jesus wait? We find out in verse four. He's already told us why he's waiting. It's for the glory of God so the Son of God may be glorified through it.
[24:26] If Lazarus had died and Jesus had arrived before that fourth day, those around him could well ascribe the resurrection to the belief they had of his spirit hovering for three days, but no, four days are gone.
[24:39] No more hope. No more chance of Lazarus coming back to life. and we see Jesus arriving at the village to demonstrate that he alone, he alone is the power of life, that he alone gives life, that he alone can bring new life.
[25:03] He alone is the Lord of the resurrection. Of course, the disciples we see are understandably anxious, indeed are nervous at Christ going back to the place where his life had already been threatened.
[25:20] But here we again see a glimpse as to the reality of the power of Christ in verse 9 and verse 10. Jesus knew what was ahead of him. He knew that he would not be captured or killed before the final day came.
[25:35] Of course, the disciples still aren't quite understanding who it is they're dealing with. But getting there as of yet they still don't quite understand the full power of their Messiah, the full power of the one they're walking with.
[25:50] Jesus knows his time. He knows exactly his times. He knows exactly the plan. And with confidence he goes back to the place where his life had been threatened not all that long ago.
[26:05] The disciples had no idea, they had no clue as to what they're about to witness. We see that in verse 12 and verse 13 they're confused, they're not quite understanding what's going on.
[26:17] So in verse 14 Jesus has to tell them plainly, Lazarus has died and for your sake I am glad but I was not there so that you may believe but let us go to him.
[26:33] The disciples had to see the reality, the full power of the one they were following. They had to see that indeed he had full power over life and over death.
[26:46] That he alone could give new life. That he alone is the Lord of resurrection. Why? Well because very shortly, very, very shortly the disciples would see Jesus placed into a tomb.
[27:00] They would see him placed into one very similar to the one they would see Lazarus come out of. They would see their Lord, their Master, the one they loved placed in a tomb. They had to see before that took place that he had the power of life.
[27:16] That he was indeed the Lord of life and the Lord of resurrection. Dear friends, as we go through life and even this day and even this week, as we face perhaps providences which are dark, situations which are sad, which are tough, again only you and the Lord perhaps know the exact details and nature of these things.
[27:43] We have to be reminded from these words this evening that we know and we worship and we love the Lord of life, the Lord of resurrection who has given new life to his people, who promises never to leave nor forsake us, who promises to give us eternal life.
[28:02] We need that hope so we look at the disciples and we look at their confusion and we think, well how do they not understand the Jesus they walked with? How can they so easily forget his power?
[28:14] So easily lose sight of the wonder and the majesty of all that he did and all that he was and we think all these things against the poor disciples and we forget very quickly how quickly we lose sight of the exact same things.
[28:29] when life gets hard, when life gets perhaps near impossible, when things become dark and when things become difficult, we lose sight of the power of our chapter, of our verse here, of verse 25.
[28:47] We lose sight of reality. We must be reminded ourselves as we look at these verses that we have a saviour who gives through life, who promises eternal life, who promises that all who put our trust in him will not be disappointed but all who trust in him will at the last day be raised up.
[29:10] So we see Jesus in verse 18 now arriving at the village, arriving at the home of Martha and of Mary. We come to our next point, the Lord of life. He's coming near to the area.
[29:26] Martha, here she's coming, so Martha goes at first to meet him in verse 20. We very quickly see the reality of the hurt and the pain of poor Martha.
[29:40] Verse 20. Verse 21, sorry, Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Honest, simple words.
[29:54] she knew Jesus, she loved Jesus, there's no place here for anything other than truth. In her pain, in her grief, she's honest with her Lord.
[30:05] If you had been here, he wouldn't have died. And contained in that sentence, contained in that initial conversation, that plea, that cry, is the question, why didn't you save him?
[30:20] Why didn't you help him? Why didn't you do something? What is Jesus' answer? What's his response to Martha as she questions the Lord in front of her?
[30:35] Does he answer her harshly? Does he answer her bluntly? Does he remind her of the grandeur of his power, of his sovereignty? Does he remind her that he is the king of kings?
[30:47] How does our Lord answer, poor Martha? Because he loved her. We see the very, very first words from our Savior to this grieving woman, this grieving sister, the words of hope.
[31:07] Verse 23, Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Of course, understandably, Martha takes on board these words and she assumes he's talking about the final day.
[31:26] That final day, of course, when all are resurrected, she would again see her brother then. And she takes that comfort. Of course, Jesus is talking about something that poor Martha could not even begin to imagine.
[31:40] For the next few moments, she would herself see something incredible. He was about to show her the full reality of who he was, the full extent of his power.
[31:53] We see that in our text in verse 25, he tells her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
[32:08] And everyone who believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Dear friends, we look before at Jesus, the good shepherd, and in all the I am sayings, when Jesus describes who he is, we've looked before that it goes back, of course, it connects back to God revealing himself to Moses and the burning bush and it goes back to the reality that Jesus hears the saying that he is God.
[32:42] Fully self-sufficient, needing no one, needing nothing. When Christ says, I am resurrection, I am the life, he's telling us that is the case in all its completeness, in all its fullness.
[32:56] There's no doubt there, there's no lack there. He is resurrection, he is the life. Dear Christians, dear friends, brothers and sisters, this is the foundation of our hope this evening.
[33:11] This is the foundation of our hope as we begin this new week. Our life now, but also eternal life, it rests in the truth of verse 25.
[33:23] It rests in that sure hope we have that he is truly the resurrection and the life. I'm sure many here will know in our own community down in Park and Graver, we've had recently two very sad deaths of a brother and a sister in the Lord who are dear and very central pillars to our church.
[33:49] Those who we loved and those who we cared for, those who done so much for the gospel cause over the years, those who personally to me were such encouraging to me as a young Christian and even until recently great encouragements to me.
[34:05] Yourselves, I'm sure, I saw from the notice sheet, have also seen recently the reality of loss and of grief, the pain of death speaking into our lives.
[34:18] And we're reminded, are we not, of these moments of our frailty, reminded just how, how short life truly is. It's at these moments, in these dark moments, in these frail moments, as we're reminded of our own mortality, that we cling even closer to the wonderful life-giving truth of verse 25.
[34:42] For we see nothing in ourselves, we look to Jesus, who is the resurrection, who is the life. to cling even closer to the source of our eternal life.
[34:55] Cling closer to the one who is our only hope of our future resurrection. We see that hope being explained by Jesus in verse 25 and verse 26.
[35:07] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall live. Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. What was about to take place with Lazarus, with Christ bringing him back to life, that resurrection power we see taking place.
[35:28] Of course, for Lazarus, it was quite literally life-changing. For the sisters and community, it was life-changing. They had their brother back. But what Jesus was about to do with Lazarus was nothing but a shadow, a small example, we could say, with respect of what's going to take place one day when all his people, everyone who knows him, everyone who loves him, throughout all time, he will bring them to life and give us a new, eternal life spent with him.
[36:03] Like all the other miracles of Christ, they pointed to a greater reality, a greater wonder, a greater beauty as to who he was and what he had come to do.
[36:17] Because we read of Lazarus' resurrection, because we read the wonderful reality that Christ has the power to bring the dead back to life, we have a hope this evening.
[36:32] Brothers and sisters, we have a sure and certain hope that reality is true for us. True for us in our own lives. We have a sure hope that one day we will be raised up with him for all time.
[36:47] It also gives us the hope, does it not, of those this every moment we are praying for, our dear friends, our dear family members who are dead, not physically, but are dead in their sins and dead in their trespasses, who have no care for Jesus, no love for Jesus, no time for Jesus.
[37:03] Those who we love so deeply, those who we plead with to come and to see and to hear and to know, those who we take to the throne of grace, those who we would long to be saved, who are dead, spiritually dead.
[37:19] We have a hope again in these verses. The Lord of life can bring life to their deadness as he did to us. We are living examples, brothers and sisters, that the Lord Jesus can bring life to even the darkest and the deadest, as it were, of people and of places.
[37:36] Our Lord, the resurrection, his power is ongoing. This is our hope this evening.
[37:48] Yes, one day we will die and we all know that and know that fine well. That's true for all of us here. Even those of us here this evening who know Jesus as our saviour, we know that one day we will die.
[38:03] But we cling onto the reality that yet we die. Verse 24, verse 25, sorry, end of verse 25, that yet he die, yet he shall live.
[38:15] Though he die, yet he shall live. The same for us. We can say to ourselves, yet I die, I shall live. Yet we die as the Lord's people, yet we shall live.
[38:27] Not some vague hope, not just some pep talk to get us through this week. This is gospel reality. What a hope that the final enemy has been defeated.
[38:39] That great divide, it's been breached, it's been conquered, it's been closed by our saviour. So that his people, we need not fear it. We fear the physical reality that of course we do.
[38:53] We fear not death. We don't have to fear death. Those of us who know Jesus, who love Jesus, we trust that he is the one who gives us life.
[39:07] On that final day, we ourselves will be called up from the grave. When you're preaching down in Graver, especially in the church hall, the back doors of the hall, if you look properly, you can see the old graveyard just behind the church.
[39:26] And to your left when you're preaching in the hall in Graver, you can see the new graveyard. It takes up all the windows. All the windows. And you can't help but be reminded when you're preaching, when you're sitting in the pews, in the seats, the reality that one day, one day, that graveyard that faces out to the sea, one day it'll be empty.
[39:48] One day it'll be empty. The Lord will come and take his people home with himself. One day we'll be called up from the grave. We'll be with him in perfected state for all time.
[40:00] The Lord of resurrection will come and will claim his own people to be with him for all time in new heavens and the new earth. Again, thankfully, we read last time in Hebrews from the catechism, we used it, this again, and we're thankful for it.
[40:18] Question 38. Question 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? What benefits do we receive?
[40:30] What does it mean to know Jesus as our Lord? To know him as the Lord of life, the Lord of resurrection? Question, the answer is, at the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment.
[40:51] No more wrath, no more judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity. Raised up new bodies to live for all time with our Savior, with our Lord for all eternity.
[41:11] Dear friends, as you listen in this evening, as we, like Martha, have heard from the Lord of life, the Lord of resurrection, that all who trust in him will have life.
[41:23] Dear friends, how do you answer the question he asks Martha at the end of verse 26? Do you believe this? Do you believe this?
[41:34] See, the truth is, I could probably stand and maybe do an hour, two hours, rant and rave, preach every sermon I can think of, read the Bible page to page, word for word, for hours and hours.
[41:53] It won't save you. You must come. You must believe for yourself. We love you for being here.
[42:04] We love that you are here. We love that you come around God's word. We thank God for that. But attendance doesn't save. Reading doesn't save.
[42:17] Your saved family members and friends, they don't save you. Each one of us must ask and answer the question for ourselves this evening. Do you believe this?
[42:30] Dear friends, do you believe that Jesus is the Lord of life and in him and in him alone you have eternal life? Do you believe in him and in him alone you have the sure hope of being resurrected, of living for all time with him forever?
[42:52] last time we're together I said in passing but it's true. I remember when I was younger and friends played the same game with a minister, the preacher's not looking at me therefore he's not talking to me.
[43:08] I told you last time I'll tell you again the way my eyes are I can't see you anyway. It's not me you're answering to. It's not your minister you answer to. When it comes to it it's the Lord Jesus Christ who will one day answer to.
[43:23] Do you believe that in him alone you have life? And if not why not? You've heard it a thousand times. You've heard the gospel so many times dear friends.
[43:37] So many times. Come and know true life. Come and know what it is to have life in Jesus. To have eternal life in and through him.
[43:50] Call out to him that he would revive your dead soul. He would give you eternal life. The work's been done. The work's been done. It takes us very very briefly onto our final point here.
[44:04] See that the love and the power of the Lord. The love and the power of the Lord. We see then verse 28 onwards Mary is called and she comes and she says the same thing to Jesus that Martha said to him in verse 32 Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died.
[44:30] And again Jesus' response is the same as when he saw Martha. He responds in love. He responds in the gentleness that only our high priest can respond with. Verse 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping he was deeply moved in his spirit greatly troubled and he said where have you laid him?
[44:52] He said to him Lord come and see Jesus wept. Brothers and sisters your saviour the great I am eternal Lord he's not distant he's not detached he is here beside the weeping sisters the mourning sisters he's here gently lovingly lovingly listening to him moving slowly closer and closer to the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus.
[45:26] Don't for a second brother or sister think that the Lord is not moved by your own private situation he knows you if you are his he loves you he is with you you heard this before in our times looking at Hebrews last time together we can read if you want in the commentaries many great and interesting arguments and discussions as to what verse 35 is saying to us what we learn from it I'm sure there's many things we do learn from it but very briefly and very simply verse 35 if we just read it so plainly why does scripture tell us this?
[46:06] Why does it record this simple interaction? Why does it tell us that our Lord he wept? As we said last time in our time together because we have a high priest who cares for his people who sympathises who walks alongside his people who's not distant or far away from his people he is one who cares for his people as our Lord looks on the reality of death and of sin as his dead friend and his weeping friends are there beside him our Lord our Saviour the great high exalted King eternal Son of God with all power all glory all majesty he wept he wept he's not cold he's not distant but he's not just emotion see a Jesus a Saviour who's all emotion that's good perhaps for a while but he is of no use but Jesus loves his people cares for his people but he is still our eternal Lord and we see that he wept yes and what happens immediately afterwards he asks that the stone be moved away he asks that the stone be moved away and he calls out to Lazarus after praying to the Father he calls out to Lazarus and he declares what
[47:36] Lazarus come out the Lord who cares for his people yes but the Lord who is also still fully God all the power of God he alone can say the command Lazarus come out and Lazarus of course then we see comes back to life he has a full power of life brothers and sisters this is our hope as we close this evening that we believe in the Saviour who is truly the resurrection truly the life the one who tells us and who shows us here in his word that he has the power to give life eternal life to his beloved people life with him that will never ever end as we close these final words I say again dear friends those here perhaps even those online you've sat here perhaps for years you've heard so many sermons perhaps even tonight you've just been watching your clock tick down we've perhaps most of us we're honest being there we know what it feels like to sit perhaps you're dragged out here week by week perhaps you come begrudgingly but listen and ask yourself a question ask yourself a question this night indeed as you start this new week if as of yet you do not know the Jesus who gives life the one who only gives resurrection the only one you can trust your life with
[49:08] I know he has it safe if as of yet you do not know him why not surely the excuses have run dry by now surely the years of excuses you have are stopped perhaps they're good excuses I'm sure they are but the final day these excuses are nothing but excuses come to know the one who is the resurrection and the life call out to him he would save you even this evening to begin this new week you would know and know for certain as his people here this evening do that we have our lives in the very hands of the one who is the resurrection and the life one who promises to give eternal life to all who come and to trust in him that's our prayer that's our greatest desire that's our hope for you this evening let's bow our heads now a word of prayer
[50:11] Lord our God we again thank you for your word Lord help us as we leave this place that we ask you your word would soak into and saturate our hearts in our minds help us not just to be hearers but to be doers help us to find our confidence and our hope and the truth we heard from it this evening that this very moment we are worshipping one who is close to his people we have a saviour who is indeed also the high priest who weeps alongside us who walks alongside us but who is not simply an emotional saviour not simply one who walks alongside but one who is able because he is God to act for we worship this evening to read from your word we worship one who alone has the power of life who alone gives new life we do ask that a new life will be known to everyone in this place this evening those who as of yet do not know it but even this evening through your living word you would bring them to know you bring them to love Jesus as their saviour they would have that new life they would know what it is to know him and to love him help us as you come to sing our final item of praise to do so with hearts and minds set on that wonderful reality it's got all these things in Christ's precious name amen let's sing
[51:29] Psalm 95 Psalm 95 we can sing verses of praise verses the Christians here we sing with hearts full of joy those of us who know what it is to have this new life we sing these verses with joy Psalm 95 come let us sing to the Lord come let us everyone a joyful noise make to the rock of our salvation let's sing verses 1 down to verse 4 if that's alright thank you Psalm 95 verses 1 to 4 let's sing to God's praise O come let us sing O come let us sing to the Lord come let us sing to the Lord come let us come let us every one a joyful noise make to the rock next parade of the earth on earth that in night let us before his presence come with praise and hand for voice let us sing sounds to him with grace and make a joyful noise for
[53:17] God our great God and great King above all gods he is let's solve the air and in his hand the strength of his name Lord God go before us we ask the rest of this evening and indeed the rest of this new week encourage your people as we begin this new week help us to serve you faithfully help us to serve you well can we ask that for any this evening here or online who as of yet do not have the living reality of the knowledge of their saviour we ask even this evening we would come to know the Lord of life the I am who is the I am of life and the I am of resurrection we would have that new life for themselves and we begin as it were the rest of our eternal life even this day even this evening even this week
[54:35] I will leave these things in your hands that you alone are the Lord who gives life to all who cry out to you for it it's got these things in and through and for Christ's precious name's sake Amen Amen