Jesus Christ the Resurrection and the Life

John 11:17-37

 

INTRO: Jesus has made His way from Bethabara, where He had received the news that Lazarus was sick, to the town of Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  The scene that Jesus comes to is one of sorrow.  Lazarus is dead and sorrow has gripped the hearts of Mary and Martha.  Yet, there is hope for Jesus, the master of every situation, says to Martha: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (vs 25).

 

I.        VSS 17-27, MARTHA’S SORROW AND HER RESPONSE TO THE ARRIVAL OF JESUS

A.       Vs 17, When Jesus arrives at Bethany, he inquires and finds that Lazarus is dead and has been in the tomb four days.  Jesus did not have to inquire, but He did.

1. The day of death and burial would be the same day as was customary because of the climate.

2. John makes special mention of the fourth day.  He does so to emphasize just how great this miracle would be.

a. According to rabbinical tradition, the soul hovers over the body for three days in hopes of reunion, but departs when it sees that the body has entered the state of decomposition.  Scripture does not teach this, but people back then believed this tradition.

b. The scriptures teach that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

c. For the Lord to resurrect a man who has been dead for four days shows a manifestation of remarkable power.

B.       Vs 18, Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem.

1. The Greek word for furlong is stadia.  A stadia is 1/8 of a mile; hence fifteen stadia is about two miles.

2. John tells us this so we can understand why so many Jews from Jerusalem (vs 19) came to console Martha and Mary.

C.      Vs 19, When Jesus arrives, all human help and hope is gone.  The body is decaying in the ground.  This is why so many comforters are on the scene; it is the fourth day (see vs 1).

1. When the mourners left the tomb, a meal was served that had been prepared by friends of the family.  The meal consisted of bread, hard boiled eggs, and lentils.  The round eggs and lentils symbolized life, life that is rolling on toward death.

2. To visit the sorrowing was expected as an essential part of Jewish religion.  It was customary for a Rabbi to expound Deuteronomy 13:4.  We are to imitate the ways of God in clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, feeding th sick, and giving comfort to mourners.

D.      Vs 20, The approach of Jesus is announced at the house of Mary and Martha.

1. We are not told that Jesus called for Martha, but it is evident that He wanted to talk to her alone.

a. As Jesus dealt with the woman at the well, one on one, He will deal with Martha.

b. We can learn much from our Lord’s methods of evangelism.

2. Notice that Mary continues to sit at home.  By comparing Luke 10:28-32 with our present lesson, we get a beautiful character portraiture of these two sisters.

a. Martha is overly active.  She loved action.  She had the gift of ministry.  She couldn’t sit still.

b. Mary is quiet, remaining at Jesus’ feet. 

3. We learn from this that we are not all the same.

a. Don’t try to make people into something that they aren’t.

b. Let people be who they are in the kingdom work.

E.       Vs 21, Martha’s words are an expression of grief.  “Why didn’t you come when we called?”  How often we forget that Jesus is God whether near or far away.

F.       Vs 22, Here we see that faith is triumphant!  She shows her confidence in Jesus.  She says, “But I know.”  Arno C. Gaebelein says: “Like Abraham, in his hour of extremity and human impossibility, ‘Against hope, believed in hope’ (Romans 4:18) (199).”

G.      Vs 23, The Lord challenges the faith of Martha by saying to her, “Thy brother shall rise again.”

1. Jesus is about to give “beauty to ashes....” (Isa 61:3).  But He does not yet give all the information.  The disciples know what is to happen; Martha does not (vs 11).

2. Jesus says enough to Martha to strengthen her faith, but not enough to exclude the exercise of her heart.  Knowledge is given as the heart is able to receive it.

H.      Vs 24, Martha accepted the words of Jesus believing that they had a distant, future significance as concerning the resurrection.

1. Martha had a personal belief in individual resurrection.

2. Many Old Testament references had taught Martha that here will be a resurrection and possibly she had heard Jesus teach on this.  Orthodox Jews believe the dead go to Sheol awaiting the coming Messiah.  He brings the righteous with Him and sends the lost back into hell.

I.        Vs 25, Here we find the fifth of seven “I am’s” found in John’s Gospel.

1. Jesus is the resurrection and the life; He is the key.

a. The resurrection is rooted in Jesus.

b. The life is rooted in Jesus.

c. First, we have the resurrection then immortal life.  The resurrection opens the door to immortal life.

d. Because Jesus lives, we shall live eternally.

1- Without Him death rules.

2- With Him eternal life is a surety.

3- The prince of life is the conqueror of death.

e. Jesus is the resurrection and life right now, not just at the last day.  Martha missed this.

2. Believers in Christ may die physically, but they shall arise to everlasting life in a new body.  Jesus imparts spiritual life to the spiritually dead.

3. Jesus had several things in mind here.

a. He is speaking of spiritual life now and eternal life in the future.

b. He is speaking of a new nature that is dead to sin, but alive to God.

J.       Vs 26, Believers shall never die spiritually.

1. Believers will never taste everlasting death.

2. Death does not mean the end of life for the believer (Jn 3:18, 36).

3. For the unbeliever, hell is awaiting.

K.       Vs 27, Here Martha confesses her heartfelt conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

1. For Martha, it is settled.  It has became a settled conviction with her.

2. Christ is the Son of God.  She confessed with her mouth, the faith of her heart (Rm 10:9-14).

 

II.       VSS 28-32, MARY’S SORROW AND HER RESPONSE TO THE LORD’S ARRIVAL

A.       Vs 28, After Martha had made her glorious confession of faith, she goes back to the house of sorrow.

1. Martha whispers to her sister Mary, “The Master is come and calleth for thee.”

2. Martha, I believe, wanted Mary to have the same kind of conversation with Jesus that she had.

3. Jesus was calling for Mary.

B.       Vs 29, When Mary heard that the Master wanted her, she jumped up and hurried out of the house and came to Jesus.  When He calls, we need to move.

C.      Vs 30, Jesus was still in the place Martha had left Him.

1. One reason He was there was to talk to Mary.

2. Another reason for His being there was, I believe, the close proximity of the cemetery.  Our Lord’s business was not in the house but at the tomb.

D.      Vs 31, For Mary to jump up so hurriedly, the Jews assume that she is going to the grave to weep.  They didn’t follow Martha because Martha was always going about.  Also, the Jews came because Jesus wanted them to see the miracle and had drawn them.

E.       Vs 32, Mary fell weeping at Jesus feet in worship and reverence.  She repeats Martha’s word, “If thou hadst been here....”  The two sisters must have said this several times in the past few days.  We need to give the Lord our, “if only’s.”  For as we shall see, He is in control.

 

III.      VSS 33-35, JESUS’ SORROW OVER THEIR SORROW

A.       Vs 33, Jesus was deeply moved when He saw Mary weeping.

1. Jesus had come from a land without sorrow and tears.  He had come from the land where there is no pain, sickness, sorrow, or death.