Give Jesus the Final Say

Give Jesus the Final Say

John 11:17-46 

 

Illus. Putting death to death.

 

In John 11:17-46, we continue through the story of a man named Lazarus who was a friend of Jesus and ended up dying. We studied the first part of this story two weeks ago when we found out that Lazarus, a friend who He loved, was sick. After Jesus heard the news, the question was whether or not Jesus would go to him, and he would go, but Jesus would wait. As we studied the first part of the story, we looked at and asked the “why questions” surrounding Jesus’ delay, and what to do when He delays in our lives. We pick up the story this morning 4 days later, when Jesus arrives in the town of Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha lived.

By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had died. In fact, he had been dead for four days. And we are going to learn what his sisters had to say to Jesus about their brother’s death, but we will also get one of the most important quotes from Jesus on the subject, not just for Lazarus, but for all of us…In verses 25 and 26, Jesus will say this, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Certainly many have much to say about the grave. It is noted in many studies and surveys that most people believe it is something important to consider and talk about, at the same time, most people prefer not to talk about it. In John 11 Jesus talks about death after getting the news that His friend had died. But Jesus has more to say on the subject, and would do something about it. Jesus would ultimately raise Lazarus from the dead, showing His power over death and the grave, showing that He alone gets the final say.

Though Jesus gets the final say ultimately, His defeat of death and the grave must be received and applied in our lives. This morning we will study what Jesus had to say about Lazarus and how He called him out of the grave, understand the importance of giving Jesus the final say in our lives today.

 

Read: John 11:17-26

 

Jesus arrived to Bethany after traveling nearly 20-miles, which at the time was a day’s journey. Upon His arrival, Jesus learned that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Jesus had likely received word three days earlier. It took the messenger a day to get to Jesus and let him know that Lazarus was sick, then Jesus waited two days, and then He and His disciples went a day’s journey to get to Bethany. Here He is on the fourth day.

Upon His arrival, we get insights into the scene. The sister of Lazarus, Martha and Mary are surrounding by people consoling and mourning with them. Martha then learns that Jesus was coming and so she goes to meet Him. She and those around her had comes to some conclusions about what happened to Lazarus and why. She will bring those conclusions to Jesus and in response He will giver her His description.

 

1. Filter Your Conclusions Through His Description

 

John 11:20-22, Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

 

• When Martha went to meet Jesus, she came with her conclusions about the circumstances she and her family were in.

 

• Her conclusions are stated immediately when she found Him. Her first conclusion was, “If you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”

 

• It’s a statement of her belief in what could have been if Jesus had been present when her brother passed.

 

• It’s a statement of faith in Jesus and what He could have done and her belief that Jesus has the ability to perform miracles.

 

• While it is a statement of belief in Jesus’ ability, it is also an expression of her belief that He arrived after the window of opportunity for Jesus to change the situation, had closed.

 

• Her conclusion was understandable. Certainly, anyone in her sandals would have had the same thoughts. When facing tragedy in this life, there is always a sense what the Lord could have done, but in many situations, we have to accept what didn’t happen and come to conclusions.

 

• But Martha added, “Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

 

• I am struck by Martha’s honesty with Jesus and also how she has statements of faith, then faith that is trying to move forward and accept the circumstances, followed by statements of acceptance that perhaps Jesus had a different plan than her preference.

 

• Martha went from “if only” to “even now.” 

 

Illus. The struggle.

 

• In response to Martha’s honest conclusions Jesus not only gives an honest response, but He will respond with the true conclusion for her brother, but also His description.

 

John 11:23-24, Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise from the dead.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”

 

• In this case, in this situation, when Jesus told her that her brother would rise again, based on this account, He seems to mean immediately. But Martha assumed that Jesus meant eventually, at the end of the age, on the last day.

 

• After giving her conclusion on her brother’s eventual resurrection, Jesus gives her His personal description…

 

John 11:25, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies…”

 

• When Martha spoke of the resurrection, she spoke of an event, in the end, Old Testament teaches of the resurrection (Daniel 12:2; Is. 26:19; Job 19:25-27), Jesus taught about it in John 5:28-29 and again in 6:39-40; in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Paul wrote that the “dead in Christ shall rise…”

 

• Here Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life…”

 

• This is another “I am” statement from Jesus. A description not just of a coming event, but a description of who He is.

 

• Martha had set her focus on what Jesus would do at the end of the age, Jesus was focused on what He would do that day.

 

Illus. Some day.

 

• Jesus points Martha to His description, and what is true for those who filter their conclusions through Him.

 

• By the end of this chapter we will see the resurrection Jesus was going to provide immediately, but first, He tells her what is true of those who believe eternally.

 

1. Find Out What is True for Those Who Find Him

 

John 11:25-26, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 

• When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection,” the word used means literally a resurrection from the dead, raising from death, or a standing up again.

 

• When Jesus said “the life,” it is a word used many times in reference to Him in the book of John.

 

John 1:4, In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.

 

John 11:25, I am the resurrection and the life…

 

John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life…”

 

1 John 5:12, The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

 

Illus. The Life.

 

• Jesus used the Greek word zōē. It means fulness of life or everlasting life.

 

• So, He is referring to spiritual life, everlasting life.

 

John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

 

• Here in John 11, He build on that statement, “The one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

 

• Jesus said first, “the one who believes will live, even if he dies.”

 

• The subject of that statement is “the one,” the person. The action is “believes,” the “who” connects the two and the outcome is life eternally but that life is given presently, John 3:16, whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life.

 

• Jesus continued verse 26, “Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

 

• It is in this life presently that we declare our belief, everyone who lives and believes.

 

• A person can live this life presently and not believe, but if they don’t believe, they will not live eternally because Jesus says it is for everyone who lives and believes.

 

• Belief then, is the key. 

 

• Then He asks the ever so important question to Martha, “Do you believe this?”

 

• Jesus makes it personal. It is personal because belief is a personal decision but a very important personal decision.

 

• Jesus asks the question personally because the answer means everything.

 

• Those who find Him and believe in Him, receive eternal life from Him.

 

Illus. They don’t believe me!

 

John 11:27, She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, and He who comes into the world.”

 

• Martha declared her belief in Jesus as the Savior. She didn’t know everything about Him, or all that He was going to do, but her answer to the question, “Do you believe this?” was yes.

 

John 11:28-32, When she had said this, she left and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard this, she got up quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still at the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw that Mary had gotten up quickly and left, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there. So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

 

• When Martha told Mary that Jesus was calling for her, she got up quickly and went to Him.

 

• Mary was not alone when Martha approached her, so she told her secretly, but as she left, she had a following.

 

• Mary was surrounded by people consoling and mourning with her.

 

• In that day, there was a period of mourning that lasted 30 days, with the first seven being the most intense.

 

• With Lazarus having been in the tomb four days, they are still within the seven days of intense mourning, so as Mary leaves to go see Jesus, those consoling, comforting, and wailing, end up following her.

 

• Once she found Him, she too would find out what was true for those who find Him…

 

• When she saw Jesus, she fell at His feet and speaks her belief honestly, just like her sister, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

 

John 11:33-35, Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

 

• Mary was at Jesus’ feet weeping, those around were also weeping, Jesus was deeply moved and asked where they had laid Him, then we are given the shortest verse in Scripture, but it tells us a great deal… John 11:35, “Jesus wept.”

 

• This is a verse that has left many puzzled and with questions…If Jesus knew when coming to the tomb that He was going to resurrect Lazarus, why did He weep?

 

• Why Jesus wept is a good question, but first, it is important to see that they way Mary and the mourners were weeping was described differently that Jesus’ weeping.

 

• The word used to describe the mourning of Mary and the mourners is klaiō. It is word that means to wail, lament, or weeping to signify once pain and grief.

 

• In verse 35, when we read “Jesus wept,” the word use for wept is dakryō (dak-krooo-oh). This describes someone shedding tears, weeping silently.

 

• It seems to me that in that moment, we are seeing the humanity and compassion of Jesus as He was found by one who loved Him in a time of suffering and grief.

 

• Jesus entered into the sorrows of those who were filled with sorrow at that moment. Jesus was in the moment, and He met Mary at that moment.

 

Hebrews 4:15-16, We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

 

• When Isaiah predicted Christ in Isaiah 53:3, He was noted as “a man or sorrows acquainted with grief.”

 

Isaiah 63:7-9, I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed.

 

Illus. Distressed.

 

John 11:36, So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”

 

• Some of the people saw Jesus weeping over the situation, and what realized in that moment, was how much Jesus loved him.

 

John 11:36(b), But some of them said, “Could this Man, who opened the eyes of the man who was blind, not have also kept this man from dying?”

 

• The people had their questions, but Jesus had a plan, and Lazarus was going to be raised to life by Him, despite the questions, Jesus would have the final say in this situation.

 

• Follow His Instruction and Rise to Life in Him

 

John 11:38-40, So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

 

• Lazarus had been placed in the tomb, which was a cave with a large stone rolled in front of it, four days earlier.

 

• When Jesus saw a large stone lying against the opening, He asked some from the group to remove the stone.

 

• His intention was Lazarus’ resurrection, but Martha was concerned about the condition he was in and the likely smell that would come from the came his body was in.

 

• In those days, the bodies of the deceased were not embalmed, but rather, covered in spices and wrapped in layers. After four days the stench of his body would have overpowered the effect of the spices.

 

• John 11:39 in the King James version may be my favorite translation, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.”

 

Illus. Fourth day.

 

• Jesus was not worried about the smell, or Lazarus condition when He arrived to the tome, rather, His attention was on Lazarus’ resurrection.

 

John 11:41-44, 41 So they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Out came the man who had died, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

 

• Once the stone was rolled away, Jesus called on the Father and declared His desire that the people standing around Him would believe.

 

• Then Jesus cried out into the grave, “Lazarus, come out!”

 

• Some suggest that if He had generally said “come out of the grave,” that people would have come out from every grave in the city!

 

• But He didn’t, He called Lazarus out personally, and specifically.

 

• When Lazarus came out of the tomb, he was bound up, he is noted as the dean man, bound hands and feet.

 

• And Jesus said, unbind him, let him go.

 

• What we see at Lazarus’ tomb physical is a picture of salvation for you and me personally.

 

Ephesians 2:1, You were dead in your offenses and sins…

 

Ephesians 2:5, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive…

 

Romans 6:23, The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ.

 

• In verses 45 and 46, We are given the response of the people in the next verses, after seeing Lazarus resurrection, some believed in Him, and some remained skeptical of Him. In the section that follow we will study the conspiracy that those who heard about Him put together to kill Him.

 

• One question I have is how those who saw Jesus perform this miracle could do anything but believe in Him.

 

• Certainly, there are questions about the situation, but those questions don’t change the fact that Jesus resurrected a man. And those questions don’t change the fact that today, right here, and right now, we can have a resurrected life through Him.

 

Illus. Final say.