JOHN 11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (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.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4 When he heard this, 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.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there, tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
9 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. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 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.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
3 O.T. MINISTRY ROLES
These three offices help us to understand Jesus’ redemptive work.
EMPOWERMENT; SYMBOLIC ANOINTING OIL
- Prophet Elisha; request/Elijah; double portion of your anointed Spirit.
- Priest, Levitical priesthood precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
- King.
- Saul anointed by Samuel.
- David/anointed 3 times; by Samuel, by elders of Judah, by chiefs/all Isreal.
king
JESUS IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED IN THESE THREE O.T. OFFICES IN THIS STORY
- As a Prophet, He brings us the true word of God.
- As Priest, identifies with His prospects; blesses, sacrifices, heals, intercedes
- As King, He rules all things in His sovereign power. “Thy kingdom come”
Jesus emotions;
- 3 reactions;
- 3 progressive stages
A) Loved, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
but did not respond. 2 more days.
” he’s sleeping” seems distant. Unresponsive.
“He’s dead and I am glad”
B) Wept, priest…BECAME ENGAGED!
- “touched with feelings of our infirmities” Hebrews 4:15
- Rom 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
- He shared sisters grief…wept with them…for them.
C) Spoke LAZARUS, COME FORTH
with authority of the King.
PROPHET
- projected the future.
- Not looking at Now… but the future.
- “I will wake him up”
- “He will rise” He did not see Laz dead but saw him rising.
PRIEST; wept
KING; “Lazarus come forth” John 11:43
“I am the resurrection and the life” John 11:25
3 Stages; of His response
WAITING.. Stayed away two more days
WEEPING.. When He saw the heaviness of mourners
Winning. “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” “Lazarus come forth.”
THE KING IS COMING
“Lord, the one you love is sick.”–
John 11:5. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus……………intimate friends of our Lord.
Sent word to Him – They believed that he had power to heal him John 11:21,
He abode two days –
- Lazarus died soon after the messengers left him.
- Jesus knew that (John 11:11),,
- remained two days longer doubt that he was dead
- when he came there he had been dead four days, 11:39
John 11:14
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
John 11:15
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
I am glad … – The meaning of this verse may be thus expressed: “If I had been there during his sickness, the pressure of his sisters and friends would have prevailed with me to restore him to health. I could not have refused them without appearing to be unkind.
Many of the Jews relatives/friends arrived to comfort – These visits of consolation were commonly extended to seven days.
Martha did not really expect that Jesus would
raise him up,
And the life – John 1:4. As the resurrection of all depends on him, he intimated that it was not indispensable that it should be
deferred to the last day. He had power to do it now as well as then.
Jesus wept – It has been remarked that this is the shortest verse in the Bible; but it is exceedingly important and tender.
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
A loud voice – Greek, “A great voice.” Syriac: “A high voice.” This was distinctly asserting his power. He uttered a distinct, audible voice, that there might be no suspicion of charm or incantation. The ancient magicians and jugglers performed their wonders by whispering and muttering.
Jesus spake openly and audibly, and asserted thus his power. So, also, in the day of judgment he will call the dead with a great sound of a trumpet.
The power of raising the dead is the highest of which we can conceive. The ancient pagan declared it to be even beyond the power of God. It implies not merely giving life to the deceased body, but the power of entering the world of spirits, of recalling the departed soul, and of reuniting it with the body. He that could do this must be omniscient as well as omnipotent; and if Jesus did it by his own power, it proves that he was divine.
3. This is a striking illustration of the general resurrection. In the same manner Jesus will raise all the dead. This miracle shows that it is possible; shows the way in which it will be done by the voice of the Son of God; and demonstrates the certainty that He will do it.
Jeus spoke the Word
One Word will move you from waiting/ weeping/ Winning
REVELATION
….they knew Him as healer. But now ….they knew Him as The Resurrection and the Life …conqueror.
WEEPING FOR NIGHT
JOY MORNING
THE KING IS COMING
Whom thou lovest – John 11:5. The members of this family were among the few special and intimate friends of our Lord. He was much with them, and showed them marks of special friendship Luke 10:38-42, and they bestowed upon him special proofs of affection in return
Sent unto him – They believed that he had power to heal him John 11:21, though they did not then seem to suppose that he could raise him if he died
He abode two days – Probably Lazarus died soon after the messengers left him. Jesus knew that (John 11:11), and did not hasten to Judea, but remained two days longer where he was, that there might not be the possibility of doubt that he was dead, so that when he came there he had been dead four days, John 11:39
Sleeping; in the Scriptures it is used to suggest that death will not be final: that there will be an awaking out of this sleep, or a resurrection
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
John 11:14
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
John 11:15
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
I am glad … – The meaning of this verse may be thus expressed: “If I had been there during his sickness, the entreaties of his sisters and friends would have prevailed with me to restore him to health. I could not have refused them without appearing to be unkind. Though a restoration to health would have been a miracle, and sufficient to convince you, yet the miracle of raising him after being four days dead will be far more impressive, and on that account I rejoice that an opportunity is thus given so strikingly to confirm your faith.”
To the intent – To furnish you evidence on which you might be established in the belief that I am the Messiah.
And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
Many of the Jews – Probably their distant relatives or their friends.
To comfort – These visits of consolation were commonly extended to seven days.
It is probable that Martha did not really expect that Jesus would raise him up, but supposed that he went there merely to see the corpse. Hence, when he directed them to take away the stone, she suggested that by that time the body was offensive.
And the life – John 1:4. As the resurrection of all depends on him, he intimated that it was not indispensable that it should be deferred to the last day. He had power to do it now as well as then.
Jesus wept – It has been remarked that this is the shortest verse in the Bible; but it is exceedingly important and tender.
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
A loud voice – Greek, “A great voice.” Syriac: “A high voice.” This was distinctly asserting his power. He uttered a distinct, audible voice, that there might be no suspicion of charm or incantation. The ancient magicians and jugglers performed their wonders by whispering and muttering.
Jesus spake openly and audibly, and asserted thus his power. So, also, in the day of judgment he will call the dead with a great sound of a trumpet.
The power of raising the dead is the highest of which we can conceive. The ancient pagan declared it to be even beyond the power of God. It implies not merely giving life to the deceased body, but the power of entering the world of spirits, of recalling the departed soul, and of reuniting it with the body. He that could do this must be omniscient as well as omnipotent; and if Jesus did it by his own power, it proves that he was divine.
3. This is a striking illustration of the general resurrection. In the same manner Jesus will raise all the dead. This miracle shows that it is possible; shows the way in which it will be done by the voice of the Son of God; and demonstrates the certainty that He will do it.
