Jesus is the Resurrection and Life
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.”
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.”
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
- God Will Allow Things to Die
- Trust in God’s care for you
Three times in this passage people who are going through the difficulties question Jesus’ proximity. What do they say? If you had been here, my brother would not have died. Once from Martha, once from Mary. After all, this is why they sent for Him. Do you think they know that Jesus waited two days before responding?
And from the crowd: Could not He who healed the blind man have kept this man from dying?
If God is capable and He does not act, is it His fault that we have trouble? No. We reap the results of living in a sinful world. Our behavior and the behavior of others is the issue.
The first point is to trust in God’s care for you. This is the atheist’s attack point.
- Desires die for a better purpose
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.”
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.”
This is true of Jesus, it is also true of you!
John 12:
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.28 Father, glorify your name!”
- Do not doubt God’s love for you
God’s love for you is personal!
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.
Story of my mom’s passing and her hug of Jesus.
- God Will Give Dead Things Life
You should view these terms (Resurrection and Life) as interchangeable.
Lazarus was dead 4 days. Jesus spoke Him to life, He spoke life into something that was dead. This is just like an act of creation. “Let there be…”
- Life is what we desire (Our desires are not life, but we ultimately desire life, not circumstances)
Circumstantial and outcome oriented, Jesus manages these things.
Life is the will of God. Jesus in the Garden. He is struggling. Where is the life?
Jesus dies, and is Resurrected. Salvation is accomplished. Many come to life! As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive!
- Believing Jesus is the connection to life
Being a student of history I am pretty sober about the kinds of things that happen to people. Being friends of you all in this church and others who have come and gone, I am pretty sober about the kinds of things that happen to people. And I am also more and more sure every day that God still does what Joseph said to his brothers:
Genesis 50: 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
This is the how of life. His life is in His teaching. His life is in His power to resurrect things. Are we allied with Jesus? Are we trusting in His ability to give life? If so then we are seeking to live according to His teaching and example!
When I lack understanding of what in the world is going on, I rest in the who of whose world it is. God is at work whether I see it or not.
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
And Mary’s response in John 2: 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
- There are many Lazarus’
He becomes a symbol of life after dying.
And so are those areas of your life that Jesus has raised from the dead.
III. The Last Word is Life
The first word is: God breathed life into man. And then sin kills.
John 1: Creation connection. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. And then Jesus gives life.
Lazarus, Come out!
- Hope is realistic
Whoever lives by believing in Me will never die!
In your life, hope is realistic. Those areas of your life where you are troubled and are waiting for God to work. Hope is a good strategy when God is involved. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.
Luke 11: Jesus on prayer: 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Hebrews 11: 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Col 1:
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God,
John 1:
18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
- All of your circumstances are redeemed
Your hardship is to be treated as discipline.
You are being treated as a child, not being punished. You are welcome to speak plainly to God, just don’t question his love, wisdom, power or goodness.
Resurrection is the last thing that happens to every person! Life is the end of all things!
47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
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