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INTRODUCTION
The cycle of life our family has experienced: from funeral - birth! However, we haven’t had any resurrections recently. But
they are coming.
ILLUS: Gaither concert, Bill talking with Ben Speer “What do you want people to say about you when they are looking
down at you at your funeral: ‘Look, he moved.’”
Jesus attended a funeral, and the people no doubt said: “Look, he moved.” Today we will look at the resurrection of
Lazarus. John 11:37-46. Last week we saw the sickness Lazarus and the sadness at his death. I trust we
know Jesus Himself is touched with our grief - great verse “Jesus wept.” And today I want us to know He has
the power to give life from death. Immediately it is heaven for the child of God and someday our bodies will to be resurrected for
new life in the new heaven and the new earth.
1. Preparation vs. 37-41a
- The miracle of raising Lazarus is AFTER the healing the man born blind. Though a few month’s prior it is
evidenced in the text that it was still fresh in their minds. They knew Jesus could heal the sick, why not one He
dearly loved?
- Because this miracle of raising Lazarus is right BEFORE the suffering and death of Christ and His own resurrection.
This account is a fore-shadow of something greater with Jesus Himself, and for all who believe.
- The sight of grief brought grief to Jesus. Jesus was face to face with death, the high cost of sin, the stronghold of
Satan which Satan loves to bring and cause misery.
- But Jesus comes to the grave and takes over. First thing Jesus does is have the stone removed. Noticed in this text He
asked people to do different things - things people can do, but He Himself did everything else - the things only God
can do.
- In spite of Martha’s misgivings - the people obeyed and removed the stone. This is Martha - the one who had
expectations now convinced Lazarus death permanent, probably horrified to display his decaying body.
- This is the second time in the text “he has been dead for four days” Thus -
“stench” KJV “he stinketh”
- Back then for burial they simply wrapped the body like a mummy in spices to mask the order of decay. After 4 days the
smell coming out of an open tomb would have been overpowering even with the spices.
- Yet they removed the stone... What can one do with a decomposing body? We are frail, without blood flowing through our
heart and veins, air flowing through our lungs - we are reduced to decaying flesh.
- v. 40 But Jesus reminded Martha, she will see the glory of God if she will believe. Notice order?
“believe” then “see.&rldquo; Then what they will see?
- The central theme of the Bible is “the glory of God.” Everything is for the glory of God: The
heavens declare the glory of God, yet one of the greatest events for God’s glory to be displayed is life coming
out of death.
- An important fact to understand: Jesus was going to do this miracle. It was not up to Mary and Martha’s faith.
But by His sovereign choice.
- Everyone present - believers and unbelievers alike will see it. But only believers by their faith will know really
means - Jesus is the Son of God, and some unbelievers will believe in Jesus is the Son of God - v. 45
2. Prayer vs.41-42
- The prayer was not for Jesus to ask permission. Rather first: for thanking His father for having heard His prayer. He
offered thanks before seeing results. Perfect union with Father and Son.
ILLUS: We usually give thanks after. However, we do give thanks before taking offering. Maybe we should count it,
then give thanks, or...
- Secondly, for the people to know by His words, and His immediate deed that He has been sent by the Father. Jesus is
fully the Son of God.
3. Power vs.43-44
- The power of Jesus’ voice. He had calmed seas, healed sick, now He called the dead back to life.
- Jesus cried out for Lazarus by name. Some say if He hadn’t mentioned Lazarus’ name, all the dead in the
graves would have been raised.
- In fact someday He will call to the graves again 5:28-29. This was a preview. The command in Greek literally
“Lazarus! Here! Outside!”
- His divine words were enough, no showmanship, no theatrics, no hype.
- “Miracles do not need verbal embroidery” God spoke and it happened. The dead man heard the voice of His
Shepherd and came back to life.
- How did Lazarus come out? Hopped? Crawled? Floated through air? The wrappings may have been loose enough to shuffle.
- The same power that brought him back to life brought him to the door of the tomb easily. It was obvious to all watching
- Lazarus came out alive!!!
- Jesus has the people unwrap him, again He involves people to do what they can do, and Jesus did only what God can do -
give the life again.
- The process of decay was reversed, his body revitalized. The story ends here, no record of reunion with His sisters,
but record of belief vs. 45 and a record of belligerence v. 46ff.
- Jesus issued three commands: Remove the boulder, Raise the body and Release the bonds. Absolute power over death and
life.
ILLUS: As a Pastor I have known many funeral directors. Nice people, I don’t want their job, I can help them,
work together now. They will be out of business in heaven. I wonder do any sign their letters “Eventually
yours?”
4. Promise
- Yet as great as this miracle it was only a faint shadow of things to come.
- Lazarus rose with a mortal, corruptible body that would day die again. He did not posses physical immortality, at some
other point he died again, though it is not recorded.
- There is more to resurrections than this story - John 11:25-26.
- When we see death as a separation, the Christian is never separated from God “For to me to live is Christ,
and to die is gain.” Phil 1:21
QUOTES:
- “Death is not a period, but a comma in the story of life.”
- “Those who love God never meet for the last time.”
- Last words from Martin Luther: “Our God is the God from whom comes salvation: God is the Lord by whom
we escape death.”
- John Knox: “Live in Christ, live in Christ, and the flesh need not fear death.”
- Reading head stones is often interesting. “I expected this.” Instead of writing
“Died” some have written
- “Ascended.” Or “Nevertheless, I live.”
- 1 Corinthians 15 - The great resurrection chapters:
- 15:20-22
- 15:42 - We will rise to incorruptible immortal bodies
- 15:54-58 At Jesus’ command the grave is robbed of victory, the door of death is unlocked by The One who
alone holds the keys
- Rev. 1:17-18 “Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold,
I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
- Jesus is the prototype of the resurrection body. The true resurrection body will not die again, will not be limited by
locomotion - Jesus walked through walls, appeared and disappeared at will, could transcend gravity, time and distance,
move from time into eternity and back again. Could still eat and be touched. 40 days showing us what we will be like
someday - I can’t wait… I hope you can’t either?
CONCLUSION
ILLUS: Steve Jobs - Co-founder and CEO of Apple has had pancreatic cancer a few years ago and just recently had a liver transplant.
News last night showed a portion of a speech he gave at Stanford in 2005 about his illness and the subject of death: “If you
live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right... No one wants to die. Even people who want to
go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And
that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears
out the old to make way for the new.”
What Jobs didn’t or couldn’t add was the words of Jesus how that happens: vs. 25-26 “I am the resurrection
and the life...”
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