All right, well, we're back in the story of Jesus told by John,
and we made it out of chapter 10, and now we're into chapter 11.
If you have a Bible, please open it up to chapter 11.
If you forgot your Bible, there's some in the seats right in front of you,
the little black ones there.
There'll be some passages that I don't put on the screen
because they're longer chunks that we'll be reading today.
So I encourage you to follow along if you're able.
Well, last we heard, Jesus was nearly stoned and arrested in Jerusalem.
And we heard that Jesus left Jerusalem.
He went to the other side of the Jordan
where John had been baptizing in the earlier days.
And the people began coming out to him when he was there,
and many believed in him.
And at some point, we're not exactly sure when somebody arrives
to meet Jesus with a message for him.
I'm reading from John chapter 11, verse 1.
Now a man named Lazarus was sick.
He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick,
was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord
and wiped his feet with her hair.
So the sisters sent word to Jesus,
Lord, the one you love is sick.
So a messenger arrives and brings this news about Lazarus,
that he's sick.
And up until now in the story,
we haven't even heard anything about Lazarus
or his two sisters, Mary and Martha.
But Luke has already told us that in his gospel,
that Jesus had met Mary and Martha
on one of his many journeys down to Jerusalem.
There was a small village just outside of Jerusalem,
about two miles out, called Bethany.
And as Jesus was passing through there,
Luke tells us that Martha opened up her home to Jesus.
And it was probably then that he first met Mary, her sister,
and probably also Lazarus, their brother.
It was quite possible that their house
became kind of a regular stop-in for Jesus
as he would go down to Jerusalem
for the festivals that happened each year.
And it seems that Jesus had a special bond with Lazarus,
the brother of these two women.
Enough that when they sent word to Jesus,
they said,
Lord, the one you love is sick.
And of course, it makes sense why they sent word to him,
because after all,
he is very well known for healing people of sicknesses.
Verse 4.
When Jesus heard this, the message,
Jesus said,
This sickness will not end in death.
No, it is for God's glory,
so that God's Son may be glorified through it.
Mark these words of Jesus well.
This sickness will not end in death.
So Jesus declares what's going to happen in the future
for Lazarus with his sickness.
Not only that, but he states the purpose of the sickness.
He says,
This sickness is for God's glory,
and specifically,
so that the Son may be glorified through it.
So this sickness somehow is to bring praise and glory and honor to Jesus,
God's Son.
God has a good purpose for Lazarus going through this,
suffering through this.
Lazarus doesn't know that.
Mary and Martha don't know that.
And even Jesus' disciples,
who have just been told this,
probably don't know it either.
Let's consider for a moment
what the disciples probably heard
and understood as Jesus said this.
He said,
This sickness will not end in death.
So the disciples,
how else would they understand these words
but that Lazarus would not die
from this sickness?
Verse 5.
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that Lazarus was sick,
he stayed where he was two more days.
And then he said to his disciples,
Let us go back to Judea.
But Rabbi, they said,
A short while ago,
the Jews there tried to stone you,
and yet you are going to go back?
Jesus answered,
Are there not twelve hours of daylight?
Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble,
for they see by this world's light.
It is when a person walks at night that they stumble,
for they have no light.
After he had said this,
he went on to tell them,
Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,
but I am going there to wake him up.
His disciples replied,
Lord,
if he sleeps,
he will get better.
Jesus had been speaking of his death,
but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
So then he told them plainly,
Lazarus is dead,
and for your sake,
I am glad I was not there,
so that you may believe.
But let us go to him.
Then Thomas,
also known as Didymus,
said to the rest of the disciples,
let us also go,
that we may die with him.
So Jesus,
upon hearing of Lazarus' sickness,
decides to stay where he was two more days.
And the disciples are probably not too worried,
because after all,
Jesus said,
this sickness will not end in death.
In fact,
the disciples were probably relieved to hear this.
They're probably thinking,
whew,
I thought for a moment there,
that we were going to have to go back,
to Bethany,
right near Jerusalem.
But then two days later,
Jesus says,
all right,
time to go.
We were going to go down to Judea.
And the disciples protest.
Are you out of your mind,
Jesus?
Like,
we were just there,
and they tried to kill you.
You remember the stones in their hands?
You want to go back there?
You can't be serious.
It's not safe.
Finally,
in verse 11,
Jesus tells them the news,
and the reason that they're going back.
He says,
our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,
but I'm going there to wake him up.
And you can't really blame the disciples
for misunderstanding Jesus here.
They're taking his word literally.
If he's sleeping,
he'll get better.
Eventually,
he'll wake up.
We don't have to go down to Bethany for that.
Well,
finally,
Jesus makes it plain to them.
In verse 14,
he says,
Lazarus is dead.
And for your sake,
I'm glad I was not there,
so that you may believe.
Lazarus is dead.
But you said,
Jesus,
just a few days ago,
that this sickness would not end in death.
What's going on here?
Did you get it wrong?
Maybe we should have gone down
when we first heard about this,
and then you could have healed Lazarus.
But now it's too late.
Thomas is especially cheerful about it.
He's like,
oh,
great.
Let's all go down there
so that we can die with Jesus.
Maybe it would have been a little easier
to slip in
and heal Lazarus
and slip out
while he was still alive.
But now that Lazarus is dead,
there will be the funeral.
There will be the mourners,
everybody who knew him.
And we're just bound to end up
in another situation
like we did last time
we were down near that
neck of the woods.
And they're not going to kill
just you,
Jesus.
They're going to kill all of us too,
says Thomas.
What really struck me
in all of this
are these two statements of Jesus.
I'll put them up
on the screen back to back
so you can see them both together.
This sickness will not end in death,
says Jesus.
And two days later,
Lazarus is dead.
I think there's a lesson here
for all of us.
Sometimes as we're following Jesus,
things won't always go
as we expect them to.
In fact,
things may go
the exact opposite
of what we're expecting
and hoping for.
We may look at what God has said
about something
even in his word
and then look up
at the situation
right in front of us
and just say,
why does it not match up?
This sickness
will not end in death.
And yet,
Lazarus is dead.
Jesus,
what's going on here?
God,
why is this happening to me
when your word says,
fill in the blank.
God
and his son,
Jesus,
have a way of deliberately
doing things
in order to teach us
to trust.
God,
I'm glad I was not there
to heal him
is implied,
says Jesus,
so that you may believe.
Believe what?
Believe my word.
Believe me.
I said,
this sickness
will not end in death.
So this is not really
all about Lazarus
and it's not about
the disciples
feeling safe
or comfortable.
This is about
each one of them,
even Thomas,
learning to trust Jesus
even when they don't see
or understand,
even when what Jesus
says to them
doesn't seem to make sense,
even if they don't feel safe.
Maybe you find yourself
in the same kind of place
this morning
where you look at your life
or you look at a situation
in your life
and you're wondering,
God,
Jesus,
where are you
in the midst of this?
How can you let this happen?
Maybe you've even been
praying for something
but it's not been happening.
Could it be
that God may yet
answer your prayers
but that in the meantime
He wants you
to surrender your heart
and simply trust Him
with this?
I couldn't help
but think of that old song,
Trust and Obey
for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus
but to trust and obey.
And as I was thinking
about that,
I got looking at this
and just really realized
trust and obedience,
they really need
to go together,
don't they?
Thomas is ready
to obey.
He's going to follow Jesus
wherever he goes,
he's going to go down
to Bethany
but his comment
reveals what's really
going on in his heart.
It's the trust part,
the believing part,
believing what Jesus said
earlier
that's missing.
Thomas,
don't you remember
what Jesus said
last time you guys
were in trouble?
He said,
I give my sheep
eternal life
and they shall
never perish.
No one will snatch
them out of my hand.
Are there some situations
or things going on
in your life
today
that you need
to simply
trust Jesus with?
Verse 17,
on his arrival
Jesus found
that Lazarus
had already
been in the tomb
for four days.
Now Bethany
was less than
two miles
from Jerusalem
and many Jews
had come to Martha
and Mary
to comfort them
in the loss
of their brother.
When Martha
heard that Jesus
was coming
she went out
to meet him
but Mary
stayed at home.
So Lazarus
has been dead
for four days now.
I don't know
what day
Lazarus died on
but to help us
feel this
let's just imagine
we're grieving
with the family.
Imagine he died
on a Monday.
It's now Friday.
John tells us
that already
many had come
to Martha
and Mary
to comfort
her,
them,
in the loss
of their brother.
Lazarus' body
is already
in the tomb
so a significant
part of the
funeral proceedings
are already over
and finally
they get word
that Jesus
the one
that they
had sent
for and
hoped
might make
it
before this
is coming
is soon
to arrive.
Martha decides
to go out
to meet Jesus
and Mary
stays at home
with the guests
and Martha
reveals
what she's
been hoping
all along.
Lord,
Martha said
to Jesus,
if you had
been here
my brother
would not
have died.
But I know
that even now
God will give
you whatever
you ask.
There's grief
here.
Martha's heart
is broken.
She's just
lost her
brother.
I don't want
to read too
much into
her words
but surely
there was
longing
that somehow
Jesus
could have
come sooner
and that
everything
that she's
just lived
through
in the past
week
had never
happened.
If only
you had
been here
you could
have healed
him
just like
you always
do
with everybody
who comes
to you
who's sick.
Just say
the word
just touch
him
he would
have been
well.
Even in
her grief
she expresses
such great
faith in
Jesus power
to heal.
And then
she throws
in this
somewhat
surprising
statement.
She says
now it's
difficult to
know what
to make
of these
words.
We might
think that
she's
gently
hinting
that Jesus
could raise
Lazarus back
to life
from the
dead.
But probably
not with
what she's
about to
say next.
She's not
looking for
that for
a long
time.
Or we
may wonder
if Martha
is tactfully
asking why
Jesus did
not pray
and ask
God to
heal
Lazarus
when he
first heard
the word
of his
illness.
Whatever
she means
one thing
is clear.
She seems
all the more
to be
expressing her
complete
confidence
in Jesus.
It's as
though she's
saying I
still believe
I still
trust that
you
that you
have that
special
relationship
with God
and that
God will
grant your
every request.
In other
words none
of what's
happened with
my brother
in the past
week lessens
my faith in
you.
This is
amazing.
Where the
disciples fail
to trust
Jesus
Martha's
unwavering
trust in
Jesus just
shines.
My brother's
dead and I
still believe
in you
Jesus.
God didn't
grant me
what I
was asking
for my
brother but
I still
believe that
he will do
whatever you
ask him.
Verse 23
Jesus said
to her
your brother
will rise
again.
Martha
answered
I know
he will
rise again
in the
resurrection
at the
last day.
here again
we see
faith from
Martha.
She really
does have
faith in
God.
Here's a
woman who's
been grieving
for days
and right
now she's
saying yes
I believe
that my
brother
Lazarus
will rise
again
at the
resurrection
on the
last day.
we don't
really know
what her
understanding
of the
resurrection
or the
last day
was.
We know
that some
Jews believed
in the
resurrection
and others
like the
Sadducees
did not
but whatever
Martha knew
about it
she believed
that this was
not the end
for her
brother.
but I'm
guessing
that what
Jesus said
next
probably took
her breath
away.
I know
he will
rise again
in the
resurrection
at the
last day
Jesus said
to her
I am
the
resurrection
and life.
let those
words
sink deep
into your
soul.
I am
the
resurrection
and the
life
says
Jesus.
I am
the one
who gives
life.
I am
the one
who will
raise
your
brother
back to
life
from the
dead
on that
day.
That
event
that you
just
mentioned
the
resurrection
that's
me.
That's
me
who will
be at
work.
That's
me
making
alive.
I
wasn't
here
when
Lazarus
departed
but I
myself
am
the
one
who
will
bring
him
back
to
life.
I
am
the
dead
razor.
I
am
life
itself.
Jesus
goes
on.
He
says
the
one
who
believes
in
me
will
live
even
though
they
die.
And
whoever
lives
by
believing
in
me
will
never
die.
Do
you
believe
this?
Jesus
makes
two
more
statements
here.
First,
he
says,
the
one
who
believes
in
him
will
live
even
though
they
die.
Quite
literally,
the
one
believing
in
me
and
if
ever
he
should
die,
he
will
live.
So
in
this
first
statement,
Jesus
doesn't
say
that
those
who
believe
in
him
will
not
die.
But
that
if
ever
they
do,
they
will
yet
live.
How
can
this
be?
Jesus
is
talking
about
resurrection.
He's
talking
about
raising
those
who
believe
in
him
back
to
life
after
they
die.
Do you
remember
what
Jesus
said
back
in
John
chapter
6
verse
40?
He
said,
for my
father's
will
is that
everyone
who
looks
to
the
son
and
believes
in
him
shall
have
eternal
life
and
I
will
raise
them
up
at
the
last
day.
So
not
that
we
will
not
die,
but
that
we
will
have
life
again
after
death.
The
second
statement
Jesus
makes
is
this,
whoever
lives
by
believing
in
me
will
never
die.
Quite
literally,
all those
living
and
believing
in
me
will
not
ever
die
unto
the
ages.
Depending
on your
translation,
you might
be thinking
that it's
kind of a
contradiction
here.
In
one
breath
he's
saying
that if
you
ever
die,
you'll
live.
In
the
next
breath
he's
saying
you'll
never
die.
Which
is
it?
But
I
don't
think
we
should
really
pit
these
things
against
each
other.
I
think
Jesus
is
simply
talking
about
a
sequence.
Whoever
believes
in
me
will
have
life
after
death
because
I
will
raise
them
back
to
life.
I
am
the
resurrection
and
that
life
that
I
give
them
at
the
resurrection
will
last
forever,
never
to
die
again.
Do you
believe
this?
Jesus
asks
Martha
and
Martha's
response
is
this.
Yes
Lord,
I
believe
that
you
are
the
Messiah,
the
Son
of
God
who
is
to
come
into
the
world.
Again
we
see
a
beautiful
faith
from
Martha
here.
All
you've
just
said
Jesus,
I
believe
it.
You
are
the
Messiah.
You
are
the
Son
of
God.
You
are
the
one
who
comes
into
the
world.
So
Jesus
gave
Martha
the
ultimate
words
of
comfort.
Lazarus
is
dead,
yes,
but
Lazarus
in
another
sense
is
not
dead.
This
is
not
the
end
for
him.
And
it
doesn't
need
to
be
the
end
for
you
either,
Martha.
Everyone
who
believes
in
me
will
live
forever
after
they
die
and
I
raise
them
again.
Verse
28.
After
she
had
said
this,
she
went
back
and
called
her
sister
Mary
aside.
The
teacher
is
here,
she
said,
and
is
asking
for
you.
When
Mary
heard
this,
she
got
up
quickly
and
went
to
him.
Now
Jesus
had
not
yet
entered
the
village
but
was
still
at
the
place
where
Martha
had
met
him.
When
the
Jews
who
had
been
with
Mary
in
the
house
comforting
her
noticed
how
quickly
she
got
up
and
went
out,
they
followed
her,
supposing
she
was
going
to
the
tomb
to
mourn
there.
When
Mary
reached
the
place
where
Jesus
was
and
saw
him,
she
fell
at
his
feet
and
said,
Lord,
if
you
had
been
he
was
deeply
moved
in
spirit
and
troubled.
Where
have
you
laid
him?
He
asked.
Come
and
see,
Lord,
they
replied.
Jesus
wept.
Then
the
Jews
said,
see
how
he
loved
him.
But
some
of
them
said,
could
not
he
who
opened
the
eyes
of
the
blind
man
have
kept
this
man
from
dying?
Mary,
it
seems,
felt
the
same
as
Martha,
only
when
she
finally
meets
Jesus,
we
see
that
she's
probably
grieving
even
more
intensely.
John
says
that
Mary
fell
at
Jesus'
feet.
And
the
first
thing
she
says
to
Jesus
is
the
same
as
Martha.
If
only
you
had
been
here,
Jesus,
if
only
you
had
been
here,
my
brother
would
not
have
died.
And
then
John
tells
us
that
Mary
wept.
The
tears
were
flowing.
But
what's
truly
touching
in all
of this
is
Jesus'
reaction
to it.
Seeing
the grief
and the
sorrow
of Mary
and the
others
with her,
John
tells us
that
Jesus
was
deeply
moved
and
troubled
in
spirit.
The
words
behind
these
in the
original
language
are
very
strong.
Intense
emotion
welled up
inside
of him
as he
saw face
to face
the pain
and the
grief
and the
sorrow
of his
dear
friend
Mary
and all
the others.
So much
so that
Jesus
himself
broke
down and
started
crying.
he
wept.
And it
wasn't for
the loss
of Lazarus
as we'll
see in a
moment
but for
the anguish
and the
grief
felt by
his dear
friends.
The pain
and the
brokenness
that they
were
experiencing
because of
the death
of Lazarus.
He cried
enough
that the
Jews who
were there
paying their
respects
noticed
and remarked
whoa
he must
have really
loved
Lazarus
a lot.
He's
really
feeling
it
right
now.
But now
let's
read how
the story
ends.
Verse
38
Jesus
once more
deeply
moved
came to
the tomb.
It was
a cave
with a
stone
laid
across
the
entrance.
Take
away
the
stone
he
said
but
Lord
said
Martha
the
sister
of
the
dead
man
by
this
time
there's
a
bad
odor
for
he's
been
there
four
days.
Then
Jesus
said
did I
not
tell you
that if
you
believe
you
will
see
the
glory
of
God?
So
they
took
away
the
stone.
Then
Jesus
looked
up
and
said
father
I
thank
you
that
you
have
heard
me.
I
knew
that
you
always
hear
me
but
I
said
this
for
the
benefit
of
the
people
standing
here
that
they
may
believe
that
you
sent
me.
When
he
had
said
this
Jesus
called
in a
loud
voice
Lazarus
come
out.
The
dead
man
came
out
his
hands
and
feet
wrapped
with
strips
of
linen
and
a
cloth
around
his
face.
Jesus
said
to
them
take
off
the
grave
clothes
and
let
him
go.
Amazing.
The
one
who
moments
before
claimed
to be
the
giver
of
life
the
raiser
of
the
dead
the
resurrection
and
the
life
proved
that
it's
true
by
raising
Lazarus
from
the
dead.
One
of the
most
spectacular
miracles
of
Jesus
an
amazing
display
of
power
one
of
the
greatest
signs
that
Jesus
ever
did
that
he
really
is
the
one
that
he
has
been
claiming
to
be.
I
would
have
loved
to have
been
there
to see
this.
If I
could
pick
any
one
miracle
to
go
back
and
just
witness
it
myself
with
my
own
eyes
this
would
probably
be
it.
To
see
Lazarus
stumble
out
of
the
tomb.
To
see
the
utter
shock
and
amazement
of
his
sisters.
To
see
the
tears
of
grief
and
sorrow
change
into
tears
of
joy.
Joy
like
few
ever
feel
in
this
world.
If
there's
any
miracle
of
Jesus
that
I
would
see
this
would
be
it.
The
reaction
of
the
people
who
had
just
earlier
been
to
his
funeral
seen
his
dead
body
laid
in
the
tomb
now
completely
in
shock
murmuring
to
one
another
what
just
happened
how
can
this
be
we
saw
him
he
was
dead
and
now
he's
alive
this
doesn't
happen
well
it
just
happened
today
because
the
one
who
is
the
resurrection
and
the
life
is
here
among
you
let's
notice
a couple
details
of this
wonderful
miracle
how
does
Jesus
do
it
first
notice
this
prayer
of
Jesus
to
the
father
he
prays
out
loud
so
that
everyone
can
hear
I'm
not
even
sure
that
we
have
the
whole
prayer
written
here
it's
almost
like
we
just
start
listening
in
mid
conversation
to
what
Jesus
is
saying
to
God
he
says
father
I
thank
you
that
you
have
heard
me
heard
me
in
the
quiet
of
his
own
heart
I'm
not
sure
was
he
talking
to
the
Lord
about
raising
Lazarus
or asking
the
Lord
to
raise
him
through
him
we
don't
know
we
just
kind
of
come
in
on
this
but
he
thanks
the
father
for
hearing
his
prayer
and
then
he
tells
the
father
that
he's
never
had
any
doubts
about
whether
the
father
hears
his
prayers
but
that
he's
saying
this
out
standing
here
and
listening
might
believe
that
the
father
sent
him
I
think
those
words
are
key
this
is
the
big
issue
with
Jesus
he's
been
claiming
this
almost
unbelievable
special
relationship
with
God
for quite
some
time
now
to
work
together
with
God
to
have
unprecedented
authority
given
him
from
God
to
be
one
with
God
to
have
the
father
in
him
and
to
be
in
his
father
he's
claimed
to
be
sent
from
heaven
by
God
to
speak
the
words
of
God
to
do
the
works
of
the
father
and
so
Jesus
signals
in
this
moment
in
this
prayer
for
everyone
to
take
notice
pay
close
attention
to
what
he's
about
to
do
and
then
he
calls
out
to
Lazarus
and
notice
how
Jesus
calls
to
him
Lazarus
come
out
not a
question
not a
statement
not an
invocation
but a
command
a
command
he commands
Lazarus
to come
out of
the tomb
this
is the
authority
of
Jesus
on
display
and
this
is
amazing
who
else
can
command
the
dead
and
they
hear
and
they
listen
and
they
obey
they
come
back
to
life
I
am
the
resurrection
and
the
life
says
Jesus
whoever
believes
in
me
will
live
even
though
they
die
and
whoever
lives
and
believes
in
me
will
never
die
let
me
ask
you
what
Jesus
asked
Martha
do
you
believe
this
do
you
believe
this
let's
pray
father
in
heaven
we
thank
you
that
you
have
made
it
absolutely
clear
that
Jesus
is
our
savior
that
he
is
the
one
we
thank
you
that
you
have
given
us
hope
beyond
the
grave
forever
if
only
we
put
our
trust
in
you
what
an
amazing
gift
thank
you
for
sending
Jesus
thank
you
for
willingly
coming
laying
down
your
life
for
us
we
praise
you
we
love
you
we
ask
that
you
would
give
us
courage
to
speak
about
this
glorious
truth
even
this
very
story
for
the
people
that
we
know
and
love
who
don't
know
you
we
pray
this
in
Jesus
name
amen