EVEN IN DEATH GOD IS GLORIFED PART TWO

 

John 11:17-44

 

The great quest of man has been how to prepare

for and deal with death.

 

As I was researching this issue, I came across the most common ways people deal with death.

 

There are those who deny that existence of the human soul, and so they deal with death as simply the cessation of the chemical activity that makes up life. For them, there is no essential difference between the death of a human and the death of the fish they had for dinner. They try to deal with death by removing its eternal ramifications. This is a common idea among atheists.

 

Some religions treat death as part of the normal sequence of repeating events. Death is the door which releases your soul from its current body to return in the future in another body of some type. This is the teaching of Hinduism and other Eastern mystical religions. Their quest is to find a way to break the repeating cycle and its pain to reach the state of Nirvana – nothingness.

 

Other religions treat death as the door through which the person enters into a life similar to the current one, but better because the problems and pains of this world are left behind. This is the idea of the “happy hunting ground” or similar commonly found in animistic religions.

 

Other religions see death as the door to judgment of the soul. Those who have done “good” as defined by that particular religion get to go to a good place often called heaven, and those that have lived a “bad” life are punished in some manner. Depending on the religion, the punishment ranges from eternal torment, to temporary torment before graduating to a good place, to annihilation. These are religions of personal achievement.

 

Unfortunately, these views on death or the afterlife

are wrong and misleading.

 

Biblical Christianity according to the Scripture reveal that death is the door to judgment of the soul, but it is God’s grace that grants a person a place in heaven and not personal effort since no one can merit it by their own good works. This means that those who do not receive this grace are justly sentenced to eternal punishment in Hell according to that person’s own deeds. For the true Christian, death is still an enemy, but it is a conquered enemy. Death does not have the victory in the present or in the future as we would read in 1 Cor 15:54 when Paul says, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” The reason for this is what John tells us explicitly at the end of his gospel. “These words are written so that you may believe, and that by believing, you may have life in His name.” John 20:31. What is before us this morning is to encourage and strengthen our faith in Him. This is the purpose of the Scriptures to point and directs all our worship for the glory of God. See, if life before death is the point of John’s Gospel, then Lazarus is a sermon illustration.

What do we learn in this depiction of Lazarus? Is that we have to die in order to live. And the wages of sin is death, but the gift of eternal life is hands of a sovereign God who loved us and came to die for sinner.

That is evident before Jesus left, and when He finally

Arrives in Bethany to meet the grieving sisters.

 

WE CAN TRUST THAT WE SERVE A GOD WHO HAS COMPASSION FOR THE BROKEN-HEARTED BECAUSE OF A SINFUL WORLD. (v17-v24; v35)

 

Its here we see the compassion of Jesus as Martha comes out to meet Him. But understand, God’s love for His own is not a pampering love, but a perfecting love. Though, He is not unaware of the issue of sin, and the pain it brings, even though He is sinless and perfect. Remember as the Scripture says “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

 Heb 4:15

 

When Martha approached Him, she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (v21) Mary who was inside being consoled would come out shorty to say the same thing. (v32) These were not rebukes, or reproach towards Jesus; their statements were simply a reflection of their grief.

 

Some would say they were rebuking Jesus. Let me ask you have you ever felt this way?

 

Where were you, Lord? You came too late

Where were you when my loved one died?

Where were you when my marriage dissolved?

Where were you when my parents divorced?

Where were you when I was cheated out of my promotion?

Where were you when my child went astray?

There is nothing wrong with asking questions, but we need to be

extremely careful they are not of the flesh when asking them.

 

This was not the case with the sisters, this was the raw person when their lives have been turned upside down. Because Martha says next, “But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” She knew her brother would be raised in the end, but that didn’t change how they felt now.  (v24) This was teaching was taught in the Old Testament: Job 19:25-27; Psalm 16:10; Dan 12:2. The confidence she had didn’t extend to His ability to resurrect, she was confident in Him to have the power to heal, but not the power to raise the dead. This is evident in (v39) “Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Word is given to Mary privately that Jesus is here, (v28) and she comes out and falls at Jesus’ feet, and says “If only you were here my brother would be still alive.” Again, this was the mourning song of the sisters’ lips, a reflection of their grief. Because according to the language used here Mary was “weeping” Jesus enters a scene of intense sorrow and pain because we see that in (v33) “Jesus saw her weeping” The Greek word used here is “klaio” which means “to wail”, she wasn’t just crying, she was crying loudly, uncontrollably.

 

And its here we get the shortest verse in the bible,

and it speaks volumes of truth!

 

Two simple words “Jesus wept” reveal to us something about His humanity. Now, Jesus wasn’t weeping like Mary was, but He was “greatly troubled” He was deeply moved. “Greatly troubled” comes from the ancient Greek word that describes a horse snorting. This implies that our Lord let out an involuntary gasp. The wind just went out of Him. Some translate this verse that “He gave way to such distress of spirit as made His body tremble.” This describes the intensity of the Lord’s reaction.

 

This would be similar to describe the strong emotion when…

Herod reacted to the Magi’s arrival. Matt 2:3

The disciple’s terror when they saw Jesus, walking on water. Matt 14:26

Zachariah’s fear when he saw the angel in the temple. Luke 1:12

The amazement at seeing Jesus after the resurrection. Luke 24:38

Jesus’ reaction to His impending death. John 12:27

Jesus’ response to Judas’s imminent betrayal. John 13:21

 

What this reveals is the love and compassion He had for the sisters, Jesus was caught up in the emotions of sisters that He involuntarily gasped, He felt their sorrow. Which led Jesus to weep, this means tears ran down His face. We have a great God and Saviour.. who loves us, who delays and stays away, who allows us to go through ultimate extremity, and the He comes and enters into our sorrow. He enters the sorrow that He could have prevented in such a way that He gasps, His whole-body shudders and He begins to weep.

 

He truly was man of sorrow and aware of our griefs as Isaiah wrote, “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:3-6

 

This reveals that He is a personal God, who cares about His children created in His image. He is a concerned God, who hates what sin has done to those who He created for His glory. It’s here we see that Jesus is a merciful and compassionate God, who has a plan to stop the bleeding, speaking of His own death and resurrection. Jesus’ tears were generated both by His love for Lazarus, and by His grief over the deadly and continuous effects of sin in a fallen world. This would be explained when Matthew wrote, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate.’” Matt 23:37-38

 

What Jesus revealed about Himself, was that He was sorrowful because He loved Lazuras. But these tears do not reflect the same hopeless despair that so many felt then (the Jews), and so many today (the lost), when faced with death. This is where we find comfort in the gospel. Jesus hated sin so much He willing bore the wrath that you and I deserve. The Hebrew writer displays the compassion He had for sinners [you and me] “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2. Its here in this chapter the stage is set for the compassionate Saviour to visibly substantiate His claim to be the Resurrection and the Life. Revealing His power, His victory over death. 

 

WE CAN TRUST THAT DEATH, HIS DEATH, WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO KEEP US FROM GOD. (v25-v44)

 

I know we will see the Lord one day! Just as Mary and Martha said in this passage, but this is a promise that seals the redeeming work of God in those who are born again. During His earthly ministry Jesus made many astonishing claims about Himself, and He did this by giving them powerful and convincing evidence through miraculous signs. When the Jewish leaders asked if He was the Messiah, Jesus would point them to those very signs as proof to who He truly was. (John 10:25, 37-38) Its here Jesus said “I’AM the Resurrection and the Life” this is the fifth of seven I Am statements. This is very important because what Jesus is saying is, “I hold the keys of life and of death. I am the foundation, the power of life itself, and I have the power to raise people from the grave.” This is evident when Jesus says, “Though he die, yet shall he live.” (25) This means that biologically we will all die but that doesn’t disrupt the eternal life we have in Christ.

Once a person believes in Christ, the life of Christ is poured into the soul of that person, and that life is eternal. This means right now! Everyone who is in Christ has already begun to experience eternal life. We’re never going to die; we may go through the transition of physical death, but that death cannot destroy the life that Christ has given to us. Jesus doesn’t teach about the resurrection, He is the resurrection, I AM the very power of God unto life.”

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ clearly demonstrates the power of the one true God. “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Eph 1:19-21. This tells us that it is the power of our heavenly Father who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. But we also know that Jesus has the power to raise His body low and to raise it up again. John 10:17

 

The resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is God incarnate deity.  “and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” Rom 1:4. This was the stumbling block for the Jews, because to them, Jesus was blaspheming when he said that He was the Son of God, equal to the Father.

 

Our salvation depends upon the revealing resurrection of Jesus Christ. "if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Rom 10:9. This means that you cannot be a Christian unless you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This should tell us that even if some people are in churches, if they reject the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they are not born again.

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates to us that all the teachings about Him are true. "Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40. All of Jesus' teachings concerning his person, his work, heaven, hell, and the future judgment are all true.

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ secured our justification. "Christ died for our sins and He was raised for our justification," Romans 4:25.

 

Our own resurrection depends completely on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Thess 4:14. This is the promise that keeps us from the fear of death as believers, His resurrection is pivotal to our resurrection.

 

The power for our Christian life in the present is the power of His resurrection. "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Rom 6:4. People ask all the time! "How can we live this Christian life?" We can live it by the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that He is going to be the appointed judge of all the wicked people in the world. Paul told the Athenians "'For he [God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.'" Acts 17:31

When Jesus claims that He is the resurrection, this is a powerful

statement in relation to the gospel. This is evident when we read (v38-v44) Jesus speaks and man becomes a living. Where else have we seen this? Ezekiel and dead bones, not just dead, but dry bones. What did God do with these dead dry bones? We read “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” Eze 37:10-14

 

We also see that we were dead as well, before we were reborn in the gospel. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.“ Eph 2:1. The raising of Lazurus is a prime example of God’s power over death, but its also a picture of redeeming dead people from the bondage of sin which leads to death. See, Lazurus wasn’t just a little dead, he was completely dead, unable and unwilling to do anything about his present situation. He is a picture of you and me, we may be physically alive, but we are spiritual dead, just like the nation of dry bones. This is you and me before the gospel grabbed your sin-filled heart to see the glory of God in redemption. As Paul wrote, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” Rom 5:12

 

Lazarus was a dead man, there was absolutely nothing he could do to cause or assist in his physical resurrection from the dead. With the command from Jesus…a man who was dead for 4 days rose again, according to the power of God, not man (v4) comes to life! God gets the glory in your death, and He gets the glory in your resurrection.

 

What as gospel moment! We like Lazarus are dead in sins, and trespasses, and there is nothing less than death for sinners like us. This is where the gospel moment comes in! God came to save and rescue sinners like you and like me. For it’s the power of God unto salvation and eternal life. You can’t save yourself or work your way into Heaven. Dead is dead. There is no life until God choses to breath into us the gift of salvation. Paul knew this truth when he wrote “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 15:57

 

A family that was grieving over the loss of a loved one is now rejoicing with Lazarus as they celebrate life again as a family. And its all because of Christ and His everlasting promise found in the gospel. What a picture for us to find comfort in this life as we face death one day soon, as Lazurus would face once again in the future. The Jews were so upset that he was alive, because many believed in Jesus; so they plotted to kill him. John 12:9-11

 

The Bible gives us no further information about Lazarus. Any additional details stem from church history and may or may not be accurate. Many say, “After Jesus’ ascension, Lazarus and his sisters moved to Cyprus where Lazarus became a bishop and died of natural causes in AD 63. Another theory claims that Lazarus and his sisters moved to Gaul to preach the gospel, and Lazarus became a bishop, where he was beheaded under the tyranny of Emperor Domitian. Whatever happened to Lazarus is unknown. But we can be certain that his physical body died a second time. And we know that, according to 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:14–17, Lazarus will be raised again from the dead to join all God’s saints in eternity.

 

To know that when we pass away in this life that we too will be resurrected like Lazarus, in Heavenly places where Christ is.

 

It’s only by the power of God anyone will ever be resurrected as R C Sproul said, “God just doesn’t throw a life preserver to a drowning person. He goes to the bottom of the sea, and pulls a corpse from the bottom of the sea, takes him up on the bank, breathes into him the breath of life and makes him alive.”

 

We can’t resurrect ourselves only God can

 

So with confidence we can rejoice even in death because Paul also wrote, “knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.” 2 Cor 4:14. As Charles Swindoll said “Sin may have power to and destroy, but God is the creator of life. He can create it from nothing, and He can restore it from death.” This event in history serves as a beautiful and loving reminder of my own depravity and inability to save myself or keep myself alive spiritually. This event in history reminds me of the sovereign power of Almighty God who alone has the power and ability to save sinners. Finally, this event in history reminds me of the amazing and irresistible grace my Lord and Savior has lavished upon a wretch like me.

Though this story had a sad beginning,

it ends in victory! That’s the beauty of the gospel

Again as Paul said, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY."…. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 15:55-57

 

John MacArthur said “The truth of the resurrection gives life to every other area of gospel truth. The resurrection is the pivot on which all of Christianity turns and without which none of the other truths would much matter. Without the resurrection, Christianity would be so much wishful thinking, taking its place alongside all other human philosophy and religious speculation.”

 

Death is man’s last enemy, but praise be it to Jesus Christ who has defeated this horrible enemy totally and permanently. All for our good, and ultimately for God’s glory. Sola Dei Gloria