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INTRODUCTION
HYMN: O Worship the King “Frail Children of Dust and feeble as frail, In Thee do we
trust nor find Thee to fail.” We are so frail. We have a prayer list of names of
people, starting over again. Please understand whatever we print there are many more
requests. The older we get the more frail we become. We deal with sickness, suffering,
sadness and death. Since December - 12 funerals, past week funeral of family friend, my
dad’s farm manager, boss.
Today we see the common frailty of sickness and death in a great account of John 11. This is the
last and greatest of miracles before Christ’s passion. This is his final demonstration of His
power over human problems and convincing proof of His eternal life giving power. In John the
miracles have gone from turning water into wine, to now turning death into life.
From the end of chapter 10 to chapter 11 is a 3 or 4 month break, then Jesus returns to Jerusalem
area for His final works - raising of Lazarus in chapter 11, and words publicly to the people in
chapter 12, and privately to the disciples in chapters 13-17. We cherish how that great hymn “O
Worship the King” concludes: “Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker,
Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.”
1. The Sickness of a Dear Friend vs. 1-16
- The Beloved Family. vs. 1-3
- Jesus loved this family, closest friends outside the 12 disciples
- Lived in Bethany - 2 miles from Jerusalem, small town.
- Introduced by sisters served Jesus a meal Luke 10:38-42
- Spent His last week in the evenings at their home in Bethany
- Mary anoints Jesus’ feet Matthew 26:7; John 12:1-8
- The sisters sent word that Lazarus was sick, didn’t need to send word that
he had died, they knew Jesus would come.
- The Belated Emergency vs. 3-6
- Jesus received word Lazarus was sick - a days journey from the Jordan to Bethany,
probably by the time the messengers arrived Lazarus had already died - then stay
two more days, then the 4th day travel to Bethany to find the family.
- Why wait? “for the glory of God” - there is more going on here than
meets the eye. There are divine purposes beyond what we can ever know at the time
of the crises, God has His timing and purposes.
- Jesus’ reaction proves He is divine - we humans would naturally rush to
the bed side to give whatever aid and comfort. Jesus knowing who He was and the
power He had could provide a greater miracle.
- Jesus was never in a hurry - only calendar he followed was God’s.
ILLUS: Jesus didn’t have a pocket calendar, blackberry, Palm Pilot,
didn’t consult His “schedule” to see what He could do and
when. We have asked Holly to time arrival of baby around our calendar -
tomorrow.
- The Benevolent Journey. vs. 7-16
- vs. 7-8 Disciples astonished Jesus go after threatened to be stoned.
- vs. 9- 10 Jesus’ reply was duty not safety was first obligation.
As long as He walked in the clear light of His calling and the Will of God, He
would not stumble/fail.
- vs. 11-14 Jesus described death as - “fallen asleep”
ILLUS: We do not like to use the word “death” Instead:
“Passed” “Passed away” “Going home”
“Went to the great... in the sky.” Christians: “Promoted
to glory” “Moved to heaven” “Went to be with the
Lord.” Humor: “kicked the bucket,” “bit the dust,”
“croaked.”
- v. 15 “go to him” - not to a lifeless body, not to attend a
visitation. In the Middle East they buried them the same day they died.
- v. 16 Good old Thomas the doubter - pessimist, fatalist, yet a measure
of heroism - “We have gone this far with Jesus let us go the rest of the
way regardless.”
- Not only did Lazarus need to be raised from the dead, but the disciples needed
an understanding of what a resurrection really was.
- So off Bethany - a days trip they go. Disciples thinking: “The end is
near.” Jesus knowing something completely different will happen.
2. The Sadness of Death vs. 17-38
- The Grieving Sisters. vs 17-32
- Martha and Mary - vastly different, text plus Luke 10 gives insight.
- vs. 17-24 Martha was active one - she meet Jesus outside of town,
couldn’t sit and mourn Worker, the busy bee. Came to Jesus with
expectations that someday at the end Lazarus will come back to life.
- vs. 28-32 Mary was more passive - stayed home for a while longer, she
was the contemplative one. When she didn’t come out to meet Jesus
immediately, she had no expectations, but just like her sister used exact same
words: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
- The sisters words were not of rebuke to Jesus but genuine regret Jesus
couldn’t have been there to see Lazarus one last time, and maybe do a
miracle of healing. They knew Jesus had healed other people, why not for us too?
ILLUS: We come to God the same way: “Lord, why didn’t you do it
this way?” “Why?” We know He has all power has done
miracles elsewhere, how about for us. I can personally list times I wish He
would have changed events.
- The Grieving Savior. vs. 33-38
- Jesus’ reaction - deeply moved in spirit, was troubled, wept.
- Dearly loved Lazarus and the sisters, saw their sadness and loss.
- He was deeply moved by the spectacle of death, sadness of people
- He wept over the tragedy of death, the tragedy of human sadness. He wept for He
had compassion, their suffering pained Him. Though He had power over death at
will - He saw the costliness of our sinful condition, the cruelty of death
taking a loved one away. Jesus wept.
- As Christians we can and should weep for the tragedy of human suffering, of the
costliness of sin and death, of the earthly finality of life. Even at the side
of a casket, graveside - still grief. Even of a saint we know is in glory,
enjoying the presence of the Lord, we miss them, we mourn for the abrupt timing,
the difficult circumstances.
- But let us sorrow not as those who have no hope, or who have false hope. I have
sat at funerals where no hope was offered, or the liturgy was meaningless
repetition “insert name here.” Our response should be: “For
this we have Jesus, He gives us hope.”
- Romans 12: 15 “weep with those who weep”
- Friendship with Jesus does not protect us from trials, but provides us assurance
of His sympathy and offer of His help.
- In times of grief, what do we say? What can we do?
QUOTE: The stages of grief from Counselor Norm Wright:
- Impact - fight or flight - Simple be there.
- Confusion - Anger, fear, denial - Loan them your faith.
- Adjustment, positive begin - here you can begin to give words.
- Reconstruction, start to figure a new path of life
- Does Jesus care? The shortest verse in the English says “Yes”
SONG: “Does Jesus cares - His heart is touched with my grief.”
3. The Splendor of Divine Life vs. 25-26
- In grief the heart craves for something in the present, not just future
- Jesus is Himself the source of life giving power now and forever.
- The Lord is present to comfort us, the promise of glory to come. The spiritual
fellowship now is the basis and pledge of bodily resurrection and eternal reunion.
- What is called death is but an incident in the course of endless life. The believer
never dies - never is separated from God. Physical death is a hallway from our earthly
dwelling to heavenly dwelling.
- v. 27. In our times of crises, we need to make a statement of our faith - in
our own words, what do you believe about Jesus? What promises of the Bible do you claim?
- More on this next week: John 11:25-26 with vs. 38-46
CONCLUSION
ILLUS: Friday lunch with Don and Julie Anders. Baby Catlett, burden of care, doctors are practicing
medicine, financial concerns, trying to work at distance. Then turned and asked me “How are
you doing?” Talked about Dad, work, kids. Then stood in Parking lot of Perkins and Don prayed
for everyone/everything.
What burdens are you carrying today? Maybe you are on a rollercoaster of emotions, good and bad life
experiences or maybe what seems like just bad.
As we sing closing song, we normally stand, you can, or you can remain seated and listen and pray,
or in silence open your heart to Lord’s comfort.
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