Bible Text: John 11:1-44 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: Abiding in Easter
There were three occasions when Jesus raised someone from the dead prior to His resurrection:
Jairus’ daughter Matthew 9:23–25
Widow’s only son Luke 7:11–15
Lazarus of Bethany John 11:43–44
Lazarus means God is my help!
John 11:1-3 1A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, Lord, your dear friend is very sick
There is ALWAYS Hope in Jesus
John 11:4-7 4But when Jesus heard about it he said, Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this. 5So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7Finally, he said to his disciples, Let’s go back to Judea.
Get it right before the day becomes night
John 11:8-11 8But his disciples objected. Rabbi, they said, only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?
9Jesus replied, There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light. 11Then he said, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.
Our best use of each day is to not waste the day and use it always for God’s glory!
John 11:17-24 17When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.
23Jesus told her, your brother will rise again.
24Yes, Martha said, he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.
Do You Believe?
John 11:25-26 25Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?
I am the resurrection
Even if people are dead in sin, even if they have lost all that makes life worth calling life, I can make them alive again.
I am . . . the life
To believe in Jesus means to accept everything that Jesus said as absolutely true and to stake our lives upon that in perfect trust. We have eternal life!
Jesus Wept
John 11:33-37 33When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34Where have you put him? he asked them.
They told him, Lord, come and see. 35Then Jesus wept. 36The people who were standing nearby said, see how much he loved him! 37But some said, this man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?
2 Peter 1:16-17 16For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17when he received honor and glory from God the Father.
Jesus is NOT A way; A truth; A life;
Jesus is THE way; THE truth; THE life;
No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through me!
Believe and Receive
John 11:25-27 25Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?
27Yes, Lord, she told him. I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.
John 11:38-45 30Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39Roll the stone aside, Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.
40Jesus responded, didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe? 41So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, Father, thank you for hearing me. 42You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me. 43Then Jesus shouted, Lazarus, come out! 44And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, unwrap him and let him go!
Jesus calls out: “Roll back the stone”
Jesus calls out: “Lazarus, come out”
Jesus calls out: “Unwrap him and let him go”