JESUS Restores Our Lives - John 11:1-44 - March 25, 2007

Sunday school Lesson – JESUS Restores Our Lives – March 25, 2007

This is lesson four (4) for the month of March but we will continue studying the book of John for the month of April.

Our scripture is John 11:1-57.

So far in our study of the Book of John, JESUS has referred to Himself as the following “I AM’S”:

I AM the bread.
I AM the light.
I AM the door.
I AM the good shepherd.

In our lesson this Sunday, “I AM the resurrection and the life.”

Death is a mystery to us. The vast majority of us do not want to die. We enjoy life in our earth suit (our human body). GOD intended for us to live forever on earth but Adam and Eve through their disobedience changed that for us. We are all going to die unless the LORD JESUS returns before we die.

We live in an imperfect world and bad things happen to both good and bad people. The hope that we have both here upon earth and after we die is through CHRIST. The Good News, which is the Gospel of CHRIST, is stated by JESUS Himself in John 5:24:

24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

When we ask CHRIST to forgive us of our sins and come into our lives, HE does. Through the miracle of rebirth we are born into the family of GOD and we become HIS children. At that moment we experience the miracle of rebirth and we are made righteous and given the gift of eternal life. Our reborn spirit will exit our earth suit or body when we die and we are immediately in the presence of the LORD. The life of a Christian never skips a beat.

Our lesson today is evidence that JESUS has complete authority over death. This is the seventh sign in the book of John showing that JESUS is the SON of GOD, the MESSIAH. Listed below are the signs in the Book of John:

The First Sign: Turning Water into Wine.
The Second Sign: Healing an Official’s Son.
The Third Sign: Healing the Sick.
The Fourth Sign: Feeding 5,000.
The Fifth Sign: Walking on Water.
The Sixth Sign: Healing a Man Born Blind.
The Seventh Sign: Raising Lazarus from the Dead.

The seventh sign is a transition point for JESUS’ ministry. Up until this event HE had said HIS time had not yet come, but from this event forward, HE speaks of HIS time having come. The rest of the book is a series of events continuing to fulfill prophesy, preparing JESUS’ disciples and HIS followers for HIS death, resurrection and ascension. Bible scholars are not sure but it is roughly four (4) months until HIS crucifixion.

Let’s read John 11:1-16:
Lazarus Dies at Bethany
1 Now a man was sick, Lazarus, from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair,[1] Jn 12:3 and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3 So the sisters sent a message to Him: “Lord, the one You love is sick.” 4 When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 (Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.) 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after that, He said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.” 8 “• Rabbi,” the disciples told Him, “just now the Jews tried to stone You, and You’re going there again?” 9 “Aren’t there 12 hours in a day?” Jesus answered. “If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 If anyone walks during the night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him.” 11 He said this, and then He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen • asleep, but I’m on My way to wake him up.” 12 Then the disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.” 13 Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought He was speaking about natural sleep. 14 So Jesus then told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15 I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (called “Twin”) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go so that we may die with Him.”

Martha, Mary and Lazarus are good friends of JESUS. JESUS had visited in their home. John wanted to make it clear to all who would read his account of these events to know that he was referring to the Martha and Mary who lived in Bethany near Jerusalem. This is the Mary who had anointed the feet of JESUS likely expressing her gratitude to JESUS for raising her brother, Lazarus, from the dead.

Martha and Mary send a messenger to tell JESUS that HIS friend Lazarus is sick. They say the one YOU love is sick. The word used for love is a word that connotes a warm friendly love for a true friend.

We know there is some distance separating JESUS and his friends but we do not know just how much. Scholars have speculated that it is a one (1) to two (2) days journey. There are two (2) Bethany’s. The place where Maratha and Mary lived is about two (2) miles from Jerusalem. The other is across the Jordan River where JESUS is.

Here is what we know. Let’s go back and read about the events which resulted in JESUS leaving the area and crossing the Jordan River.

Let’s read John 10:31-39:
Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus
31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him. 32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?” 33 “We aren’t stoning You for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law,[10] Other mss read in the law I said, you are gods?[11] Ps 82:6 35 If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God? 37 If I am not doing My Father’s works, don’t believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them and you don’t believe Me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand[12] Other mss read know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in the Father.” 39 Then they were trying again to seize Him,[13] Jn 7:44 yet He eluded their grasp.
Many beyond the Jordan Believe in Jesus
40 So He departed again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and He remained there. 41 Many came to Him and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.

JESUS is across the Jordan River where John the Baptist used to preach and likely where JESUS was baptized.

The important thing is that the messenger delivered the message. Now notice carefully, when the messenger delivered the message to JESUS, JESUS said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” The messenger heard what JESUS said and so did JESUS’ disciples.

John inserts the fact that JESUS loved Martha, her sister and Lazarus before he adds and HE stayed for two (2) more days.

We must keep in mind that JESUS never did or said anything that was not approved by the FATHER. HE was completely obedient to everything the FATHER instructed HIM to say and do.

JESUS knew that GOD, the FATHER had a plan and would glorify HIM through the plan. Lazarus would not end in death. It was important for JESUS to stay for another two (2) days.

It is hard for us to think of a delay fitting into GOD’S plan for our lives. This is why we must have the relationship with our LORD such that when HE tells us to wait that we wait. JESUS was obedient and waited. Then when HE said let’s go, HIS disciples cautioned HIM about what had recently happened in that area. The people wanted to stone HIM.

JESUS knows that the FATHER has prepared the way and has a plan and purpose which will fit into HIS overall plan leading to the redemption of mankind from sin and death. JESUS is the light.

JESUS tells HIS disciples that Lazarus has fallen asleep and HE will wake him up. The disciples immediately think Lazarus is simply sleeping. It was a very natural thought. But it was JESUS way of making it clear to the disciples that Lazarus is “DEAD.”

We see that Thomas is ready to fight to the death if necessary.

Let’s read John 11:17-
The Resurrection and the Life
17 When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem (about two miles[2] Lit 15 stadia; 1 stadion = 600 feet away). 19 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20 As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him. But Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Yet even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” 23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her. 24 Martha said, “I know that 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, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe You are the • Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

JESUS arrives in the area and word immediately spreads to Martha and Mary. There is some speculation that JESUS arrives in the vicinity of Lazarus’ tomb.

Martha immediately rushes out to meet HIM. Mary remains in the house. Was Mary sulking or mad with JESUS because HE did not come sooner or just speak a word from where HE was to heal Lazarus? Mary is the one who sat at the feet of JESUS listening to HIS every word. Was she disappointed in JESUS?

Many of us get discouraged or disappointed with JESUS because we have made up our minds as to how HE should have fixed a problem. GOD’S ways are not our ways and HIS thoughts are higher than our thoughts. This is why we have to trust HIM and accept that HE is sovereign. This is very hard to do without the relationship with HIM.

Martha tells JESUS that if HE had been there her brother would not have died and even now what ever HE asked of GOD, HE would do it. This is a great statement of faith and confidence. But if we skip over to verse 39, when JESUS says to remove the stone, Martha says “He stinks.” So what does Martha have in mind?

Remember when Martha and Mary sent the messenger to JESUS? JESUS stated that the sickness would not end in death. It is likely that the messenger told Martha and Mary what JESUS said. Was Mary hoping beyond all hope that JESUS just might have a plan? Well HE does. It is time to reveal one of the most important aspects of HIS ministry and purpose.

JESUS tells Martha that “Your brother will rise again.” Martha acknowledges the resurrection which will happen in the future. Martha is looking for an event but JESUS wants her to see the person WHO makes the event possible.

JESUS states these beautiful words, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?”
Then Martha makes her statement of faith. She calls JESUS, “LORD.” She states that she believes in HIM and recognizes HIM as the Messiah. JESUS wants her to see HIM as the ONE WHO makes the resurrection of the dead possible. The resurrection is the result of HIS obedience and is a person and not an event.

Let’s read John 11:28-37:
Jesus Shares the Sorrow of Death
28 Having said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. 31 The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. So they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to cry there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and told Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!” 33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, He was angry[3] The Gk word is very strong and probably indicates Jesus’ anger against sin’s tyranny and death. in His spirit and deeply moved. 34 “Where have you put him?” He asked. “Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying?”

Mary goes back to her house and tells Mary that JESUS wants to see her. She leaves quickly and the mourners think she is going to the tomb. So they follow her.

Could this be the reason JESUS did not go to the house to begin with? JESUS wanted as many people as possible to witness the event which was about to take place. So this entourage follows Mary.

Mary tells JESUS if only HE had been there her brother would not have died. JESUS knew that but there was a more important revelation about to take place. JESUS is angry. We are not sure what HE was angry about. Some speculate that HE is angry at death. Others speculate that HE is angry with the lack of belief of the people and has great compassion for them in their lost state. I think verse 37 captures the sentiment of some of the people.

John shows us the heart of JESUS. JESUS wept. JESUS weeps when we weep even though HE knows that HE is the resurrection and the power. HE understands our sorrows, hurts and disappointments.

Let’s read John 11:38-44:
The Seventh Sign: Raising Lazarus from the Dead
38 Then Jesus, angry in Himself again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 “Remove the stone,” Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, told Him, “Lord, he already stinks. It’s been four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. 42 I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me.” 43 After He said this, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him and let him go.”

JESUS again is angry in Himself. They arrive at the tomb and HE asks them to remove the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. Martha tells us the Lazarus has been dead for four (4) days and he stinks. JESUS reassures Martha that she needs to trust when every thing in her being tells her differently. Martha, Mary and all the other people will soon see the power of GOD, THE MESSIAH revealed. It is one thing to heal the sick but quite another thing to raise a person from the dead who was already decaying.

JESUS prays to the FATHER out loud. HE wants all to know that HE already had permission for the FATHER to do what HE was about to do. HE wanted all to know where HE received HIS authority and power from.

Lazarus appears at the entrance to the tomb and JESUS instructs them to remove the grave cloths from Lazarus.

Many of us would like to know what Lazarus saw while he was dead. But there is no mention of what he experienced. This is not unusual. I have a friend who was pronounced dead for several hours. They had moved his body to the basement area where the undertaker picked up bodies. A nurse happened to pass by and notice his eye lid twitch. She began CPR and he came back to life. He said he went to heaven but there were not words for him to describe what he had seen. GOD does not want us to dwell on heaven but to remain focused on serving HIM while we are upon earth. We are to be HIS ambassadors to a lost world.

The result is that many believed in JESUS but the religious leaders knew they had to kill both Lazarus and JESUS.

John12:9-11:
The Decision to Kill Lazarus
9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He (JESUS) was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus the one He had raised from the dead. 10 Therefore the • chief priests decided to also kill Lazarus, 11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them[3] Lit going away and believing in Jesus.


Let’s read John 11:45-57:
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what He did believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the • Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the • chief priests and the Pharisees convened the • Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do since this man does many signs? 48 If we let Him continue in this way, everybody will believe in Him! Then the Romans will come and remove both our place[4] The temple or possibly all of Jerusalem and our nation.” 49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50 You’re not considering that it is to your[5] Other mss read to our advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God. 53 So from that day on they plotted to kill Him. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim. And He stayed there with the disciples. 55 The Jewish • Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify[6] The law of Moses required God’s people to purify or cleanse themselves so they could celebrate the Passover. Jews often came to Jerusalem a week early to do this; Nm 9:4–11. themselves before the Passover. 56 They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the • temple complex: “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will He?” 57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it so they could arrest Him.

The religious leaders were more concerned with their political security than their spiritual security.

We saw in last week’s lesson that JESUS healed a man who was blind from birth. The Jews had no knowledge of such a healing ever occurring. This week we see that GOD allowed JESUS to give the people and the religious leaders the miracle of miracles. HE brought Lazarus back to life. Lazarus had been dead for four (4) days and had already begun to decay. That even topped healing the man born blind. But still many refused to be persuaded to follow JESUS.

WHO but GOD’S SON through GOD’S power could give life to a dead body that was already decaying? The religious leaders had already made up their minds and concluded that JESUS had to die for doing the impossible.

This is an example of the extent GOD will go to open the eyes of the spiritually blind. HE presents the opportunity but each human has to make a decision to accept what CHRIST has done for them or reject CHRIST. CHRIST offers each human the opportunity to be resurrected from the dead by accepting HIM as their SAVIOR. Every human is already dead and decaying. JESUS is the power to restore our life from the dead to live eternally. Lazarus was raised from the dead but he had to die again only to live eternally with JESUS.

Where will you spend eternity? In heaven with CHRIST or?

Ask CHRIST to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life right now.