Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6
Last Sunday we read about 2 miracles that Jesus performed, both on the Sabbath day, while He was traveling through the villages, towns, and countryside of Israel. It is possible that He and His disciples returned to Capernaum afterwards, but uncertain. Their exact location doesn’t really matter, but wherever they were, they were about to receive an urgent message.
This morning’s sermon is titled “Resurrecting Lazarus”. It is the 27th message of this series. After today there are just 4 messages left in this collection. This miracle is only recorded in the gospel of John. The full story takes up most of chapter 11, but for the sake of time, we are going to summarize verses 1-37 and focus on the miracle itself in verses 38-46.
I. THE BACKSTORY (John 11:1-37)
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were 3 of Jesus’ dear friends. They were siblings who lived in Bethany, about 2 miles outside of Jerusalem. Jesus visited them regularly when He was in Judea, especially during the Jewish feasts. Sadly, Lazarus came down with a terrible sickness, and it became so bad that his sisters sent an urgent message asking Jesus to come. When the messengers found Jesus and shared the desperate request, He didn’t respond immediately but instead waited for 2 days before departing for Bethany.
The disciples were concerned for Jesus’ safety. Only a few months earlier, when they were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths, the Pharisees tried to stone Him in the temple. Jesus, however, fearlessly told the disciples that they needed to go and stated that Lazarus had died. Thomas, along with the others, thought that Jesus Himself might be killed if the Pharisees caught Him, but they agreed to go even if it meant they’d die with Him.
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been dead and buried for 4 days. Martha went out to meet Him and proceeded to scold Him for being late. She lamented that Jesus’ tardiness had led to Lazarus’ death. Jesus asked her if she believed that Lazarus would be resurrected, and she did - but she was speaking of the last day when Jesus came again.
Then Mary, along with many mourners who had come to comfort her, came out to meet Jesus. Mary also blamed Him for her brother’s death. Jesus was moved with compassion and began to weep. Those who were present wondered if Jesus, who they knew had healed the blind man in Jerusalem just a couple of months earlier during the feast, could have cured Lazarus too, had He made it in time. Jesus asked them to take Him to the place where Lazarus was buried.
II. REMOVE THE STONE (John 11:38-41a)
Jesus was escorted to Lazarus’ tomb. He had been buried in a cave and a large stone had been rolled in front of the entrance. Jesus directed a few of those present to remove the stone, but Martha initially objected. She said that her brother had been dead for 4 days and feared that his decomposing body would smell terribly. Jesus asked her to believe in Him and behold the glory of God, so she consented and they removed the stone.
Even if Jesus would have departed for Bethany on the same day He got the message, Lazarus would have still been dead for 2 days. But Jesus waited, so that when He arrived his friend would have been dead for 4 days. Why? The cultural belief of the Jews was that the soul of a deceased person lingered for 3 days before departing from the body. Because 4 days had passed, it was undeniable and indisputable that Lazarus was truly dead. Jesus wanted the miracle He was about to perform to be irrefutable.
III. COME FORTH (John 11:41b-44)
With the opened tomb before Him, Jesus raised His eyes to Heaven and began to pray. He thanked the Father for always hearing Him, but for the sake of those listening, He prayed aloud that they too might hear and believe. Then Jesus cried loudly, “Lazarus, come forth!” Still wrapped head to toe in his grave clothes, Lazarus stood up and came walking slowly out of the tomb. Jesus instructed the onlookers to unwrap him and let him go.
I have heard many preachers say that, had Jesus not specifically called Lazarus by name, all of the tombs would have been opened. While I certainly agree that Jesus has the power to resurrect everyone at once, and look forward to the resurrection of the saints in the last days, I simply don’t believe this declaration is true. Jesus didn’t specifically call the name of those He healed from various other afflictions, yet not everyone was healed. This claim may sound good in a sermon, but I think it is misleading. My 2 cents…
This miracle was a physical resurrection. It was the 3rd instance upon which Jesus raised someone from the dead - the Widow of Nain’s son, Jairus’ daughter, and now Lazarus. Jesus performed this miracle with a spoken command. He did it as undeniable proof of His divine power over death, so that everyone might believe in Him and glorify God.
IV. A MURDEROUS PLOT (John 11:45-46)
Many of the Jews who had come to comfort and console Mary and Martha, some from nearby Jerusalem, saw what happened and believed. Others went and told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. In the wake of this amazing resurrection, the religious leaders convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and determined that Jesus must be killed.
Unlike the previous resurrections that Jesus performed in Galilee, this occurred just a couple of miles from Jerusalem in Judea. News traveled quickly throughout the capital city. Because Lazarus had been dead for 4 days, there was no way for Jesus’ adversaries to explain this miracle away as a resuscitation of a living person. Jesus had done something only God could do, and the scribes and Pharisees knew it. They felt more threatened than ever by Jesus and this rapidly growing movement of believers. They decided it was time to put an end to it. Better that Jesus be killed than the entire nation be led astray. Little did they know that their evil plans were exactly what God intended and would ultimately lead to the most glorious resurrection of all.
CONCLUSION
It is easy to see how the resurrection of Lazarus foreshadows the resurrection of Jesus. Though their stories are not the same, they share a few similarities. Both of them were wrapped in grave clothes and laid in a tomb. Both were dead for multiple days. Both tombs were closed with a stone that had been rolled in front of the opening. In both cases, this stone was rolled away and they came forth from the grave alive!
The resurrection of Lazarus occurred just a few months before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. It stirred up great wonder and excitement among the people of Jerusalem, which was still boiling over when Jesus came soon thereafter for the Passover at an event known as the Triumphal Entry. The city was in a frenzy and belief in Jesus was increasing rapidly. Everything was building toward a dramatic, God ordained, climax.
Last Sunday we read about 2 miracles that Jesus performed, both on the Sabbath day, while He was traveling through the villages, towns, and countryside of Israel. It is possible that He and His disciples returned to Capernaum afterwards, but uncertain. Their exact location doesn’t really matter, but wherever they were, they were about to receive an urgent message.
This morning’s sermon is titled “Resurrecting Lazarus”. It is the 27th message of this series. After today there are just 4 messages left in this collection. This miracle is only recorded in the gospel of John. The full story takes up most of chapter 11, but for the sake of time, we are going to summarize verses 1-37 and focus on the miracle itself in verses 38-46.
I. THE BACKSTORY (John 11:1-37)
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were 3 of Jesus’ dear friends. They were siblings who lived in Bethany, about 2 miles outside of Jerusalem. Jesus visited them regularly when He was in Judea, especially during the Jewish feasts. Sadly, Lazarus came down with a terrible sickness, and it became so bad that his sisters sent an urgent message asking Jesus to come. When the messengers found Jesus and shared the desperate request, He didn’t respond immediately but instead waited for 2 days before departing for Bethany.
The disciples were concerned for Jesus’ safety. Only a few months earlier, when they were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths, the Pharisees tried to stone Him in the temple. Jesus, however, fearlessly told the disciples that they needed to go and stated that Lazarus had died. Thomas, along with the others, thought that Jesus Himself might be killed if the Pharisees caught Him, but they agreed to go even if it meant they’d die with Him.
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been dead and buried for 4 days. Martha went out to meet Him and proceeded to scold Him for being late. She lamented that Jesus’ tardiness had led to Lazarus’ death. Jesus asked her if she believed that Lazarus would be resurrected, and she did - but she was speaking of the last day when Jesus came again.
Then Mary, along with many mourners who had come to comfort her, came out to meet Jesus. Mary also blamed Him for her brother’s death. Jesus was moved with compassion and began to weep. Those who were present wondered if Jesus, who they knew had healed the blind man in Jerusalem just a couple of months earlier during the feast, could have cured Lazarus too, had He made it in time. Jesus asked them to take Him to the place where Lazarus was buried.
II. REMOVE THE STONE (John 11:38-41a)
Jesus was escorted to Lazarus’ tomb. He had been buried in a cave and a large stone had been rolled in front of the entrance. Jesus directed a few of those present to remove the stone, but Martha initially objected. She said that her brother had been dead for 4 days and feared that his decomposing body would smell terribly. Jesus asked her to believe in Him and behold the glory of God, so she consented and they removed the stone.
Even if Jesus would have departed for Bethany on the same day He got the message, Lazarus would have still been dead for 2 days. But Jesus waited, so that when He arrived his friend would have been dead for 4 days. Why? The cultural belief of the Jews was that the soul of a deceased person lingered for 3 days before departing from the body. Because 4 days had passed, it was undeniable and indisputable that Lazarus was truly dead. Jesus wanted the miracle He was about to perform to be irrefutable.
III. COME FORTH (John 11:41b-44)
With the opened tomb before Him, Jesus raised His eyes to Heaven and began to pray. He thanked the Father for always hearing Him, but for the sake of those listening, He prayed aloud that they too might hear and believe. Then Jesus cried loudly, “Lazarus, come forth!” Still wrapped head to toe in his grave clothes, Lazarus stood up and came walking slowly out of the tomb. Jesus instructed the onlookers to unwrap him and let him go.
I have heard many preachers say that, had Jesus not specifically called Lazarus by name, all of the tombs would have been opened. While I certainly agree that Jesus has the power to resurrect everyone at once, and look forward to the resurrection of the saints in the last days, I simply don’t believe this declaration is true. Jesus didn’t specifically call the name of those He healed from various other afflictions, yet not everyone was healed. This claim may sound good in a sermon, but I think it is misleading. My 2 cents…
This miracle was a physical resurrection. It was the 3rd instance upon which Jesus raised someone from the dead - the Widow of Nain’s son, Jairus’ daughter, and now Lazarus. Jesus performed this miracle with a spoken command. He did it as undeniable proof of His divine power over death, so that everyone might believe in Him and glorify God.
IV. A MURDEROUS PLOT (John 11:45-46)
Many of the Jews who had come to comfort and console Mary and Martha, some from nearby Jerusalem, saw what happened and believed. Others went and told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. In the wake of this amazing resurrection, the religious leaders convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and determined that Jesus must be killed.
Unlike the previous resurrections that Jesus performed in Galilee, this occurred just a couple of miles from Jerusalem in Judea. News traveled quickly throughout the capital city. Because Lazarus had been dead for 4 days, there was no way for Jesus’ adversaries to explain this miracle away as a resuscitation of a living person. Jesus had done something only God could do, and the scribes and Pharisees knew it. They felt more threatened than ever by Jesus and this rapidly growing movement of believers. They decided it was time to put an end to it. Better that Jesus be killed than the entire nation be led astray. Little did they know that their evil plans were exactly what God intended and would ultimately lead to the most glorious resurrection of all.
CONCLUSION
It is easy to see how the resurrection of Lazarus foreshadows the resurrection of Jesus. Though their stories are not the same, they share a few similarities. Both of them were wrapped in grave clothes and laid in a tomb. Both were dead for multiple days. Both tombs were closed with a stone that had been rolled in front of the opening. In both cases, this stone was rolled away and they came forth from the grave alive!
The resurrection of Lazarus occurred just a few months before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. It stirred up great wonder and excitement among the people of Jerusalem, which was still boiling over when Jesus came soon thereafter for the Passover at an event known as the Triumphal Entry. The city was in a frenzy and belief in Jesus was increasing rapidly. Everything was building toward a dramatic, God ordained, climax.