WEBVTT 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:25.359 I made up a story. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.160 It's not true. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:31.280 What I'm about to say never happened. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.320 But I think it's a good introduction anyway. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:43.600 Stuff like this happens all the time, even though this one is not real. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:46.719 But I trust either way you'll find it relatable. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:49.600 And it'll set us up well for our text this morning. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:57.600 Once there was a man, let's call him Harry, whose business often took him across the country. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:03.759 Harry would travel frequently for work, and as a result, few people knew Harry well. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:17.519 And faced with a trip that would keep him away for several days, Harry asked one of his colleagues, let's call him Reggie, to watch out for his house while he was gone, just for a few days, check in once or twice, make sure everything was okay. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:20.159 Harry barely knew Reggie. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.200 They left him a note with some instructions. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:25.519 Just the normal things you'd expect, right? 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:27.519 Garage code is 1231. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:30.719 123123. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.079 That worked out. 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:34.959 If that doesn't work, try one one two two two. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:38.239 He keeps the thermostat at 68 degrees when he's away. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:39.840 Let him know he'd text him. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.000 He got notified that a package was delivered. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:43.760 They're usually on the front step by 3 p.m. 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:44.959 This kind of stuff, normal things. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:46.719 Water the ficus on Tuesday. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:48.159 You get it, right? 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:51.840 And oh, by the way, one last thing. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:53.519 Title of the sermon, right? 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:56.400 I have a pet python named Sir Slithers a lot. 00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:59.439 He doesn't have a terrarium. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.959 But I usually just let three mice loose a day, and that keeps him fed and busy. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:06.719 The mice are in the garage. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:10.479 If you just make sure to let one loose upstairs and two downstairs, that'd be great. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:11.439 Thanks for doing this, Reg. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:14.080 You really came through in a pinch, coffee, and anything, Harry. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:17.439 Stuff like that happens all the time, right? 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:19.680 It's a funny thing. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:29.120 It's a funny thing, but I think it is a really effective thing to load the most important bit of information at the end. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:30.479 One last thing. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:34.319 And that's what I think John has done in our text this morning. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:40.000 He's placed the most important information divided into mostly two parts. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.919 Something like the book of signs and the book of glory. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:51.360 In the book of signs, Jesus does miracles, makes claims, and teaches so that the people will believe. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:03:05.840 And the book of glory begins in chapter 13 with the Last Supper, the Uprim Discourse, Judas' betrayal of Jesus in the garden, crucifixion, death, and Easter Sunday. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:16.479 But here, in chapter 11, with the raising of Lazarus, spoiler alert, he's not going to stay dead forever. 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.759 Jesus does his last public miracle or sign in the book of John. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:23.360 It's the last thing he does. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:31.599 And John presents it as that one last thing you need to know before reading about Jesus on his way to the cross. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:39.759 And so in that way, I think John 11 is a perfect text to prepare us for all the reminders of this coming month. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:42.719 Good Friday on March 29th, 6 p.m. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.439 Easter Sunday, March 31st, 10 a.m. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.800 That's on info.faithfree.com for you. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:51.360 But let's turn to John chapter 11. 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:57.599 And while you turn, while you turn, I have a quote for you from JC Ryle, just to set us up. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:03:59.360 John chapter 11, verse 1. 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:07.439 The chapter we have now begun, Ryle writes, is one of the most remarkable in the New Testament. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:15.919 For grandeur and simplicity, for pathos and solemnity, nothing was ever written like it. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:20.160 It describes a miracle which is not recorded in the other gospels. 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:23.279 The raising of Lazarus from the dead. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:26.000 And now John writes this like a story. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:27.199 Because it is a story. 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:28.480 It's a beautiful story. 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:32.319 And so I've broken it down into Acts, like a story might be. 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:34.480 So let's begin in John 11, verse 1. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:35.600 Act one. 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:38.319 Follow along with me as I read. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:46.399 Now, a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary, and her sister Martha. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:51.439 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:54.079 Her brother Lazarus was ill. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:59.279 And so the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, he whom you love is ill. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.920 But when Jesus heard it, he said, This illness does not lead to death. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:11.120 It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:12.480 We'll stop there. 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:20.959 John is simply setting up a well-known story, reminding his readers of the woman who poured ointment on Jesus' feet. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:23.680 If they didn't already know, that was Mary of Bethany. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:28.480 They'd know that now, and we'll see why that's important later on, because it is. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:28.959 It's important. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.720 Every little word here is important. 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:36.800 Mary and Martha, his two sisters who know Jesus, send him a polite and touching message. 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:40.240 They say, Lord, he whom you love is ill. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:52.639 They warmly, gently, kindly ask Jesus to come and see Lazarus without asking it outright, and because they're confident that the Lord loves him. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:57.680 It might appear passive-aggressive to us, but it's not. 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.480 And we know it's not because Jesus didn't take it that way. 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:09.120 Jesus saw right away that this illness would not end with Lazarus' death, but with his own glory. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:13.279 Glory, as I've already told you, is a big theme in John's book, right? 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:19.439 We're coming up upon the book of glory, and it's been a big theme since chapter one. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:26.959 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:32.879 Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:43.600 And after Jesus turned water into wine in chapter two, John says, this, the first of his signs, or this one we're in in chapter 11, is the last of his signs. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:50.000 The first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:53.279 And his disciples believed in him. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:59.600 And so when Jesus hears the news of Lazarus' illness, he already knows the whole outcome. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:06.480 He already knows, if we peek ahead to verse 40, that Martha would see the glory of God. 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:08.720 So put a pin in that. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:15.439 Because the glory of God will come just rolling back to us at the end of the story in waves. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:16.879 Verse 5. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:22.000 Now, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:26.639 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:27.839 Stop there. 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.519 That just tell us that Jesus let Lazarus die? 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:34.000 Is that what it said? 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:36.480 Try to rebuild the timeline with me quickly. 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:39.680 Jesus waits two days, and then he says, time to go. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:47.439 By the time he gets to Bethany in verse 17, our friend Lazarus has already been dead for four days. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.319 Now, scholars debate the geography. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.879 Jesus was either one day's journey away. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:54.240 Can you see that tiny font? 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:55.199 Close enough. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:02.399 He was either one day away, so it took the news a day to get there, two days to wait and one day to get there, or he was four days away. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:06.800 Took four days for the news to get there, two days to wait, and four days to travel. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.000 Those are the options. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:09.120 Those are the options. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:19.759 So if you reconstruct the math, Lazarus either dies before the message, or like right when the guy leaves town to go get Jesus. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:26.399 Or Lazarus dies right when Jesus says, time to go. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:31.040 I'm convinced it was a four-day trip for two reasons. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:37.600 The first one is the geography just makes more sense to me, but I ancient geography is kind of dizzy. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:40.639 There's an easier answer just right in the text. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:50.480 When Jesus gets the news that Lazarus is sick in verse 3, he doesn't say in verse 4, nope, dead already. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:52.960 He doesn't correct it, right? 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:59.519 He says, This illness, and this illness does not lead to death, and so he stays put. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:04.720 And the disciples, imagine them, they hear Jesus say, This illness doesn't lead to death, and he waits, they go, Oh, cool. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:06.559 Lazie's okay. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:09.360 Jesus said as much. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:15.440 Lazarus wasn't dead when the news got to Jesus. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:18.960 So the question's really easy to answer, even if we don't like it. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:21.759 Did Lazarus did Jesus let Lazarus die? 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:24.000 Yeah. 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:26.559 Yeah, he did. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:29.919 We can't avoid this. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:31.360 We really can't. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:34.000 Even if we play with the timelines, we can't avoid it. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:35.360 And we shouldn't avoid it. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:40.639 We shouldn't avoid that truth any more than we avoid the truth of the whole book of Job. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:44.159 Jesus let Job's kids die. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:47.120 Jesus let King David die. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:50.559 Jesus let your loved ones die. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:54.320 Jesus let Lazarus die. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:58.799 And friends, Jesus will let you die. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:07.600 So maybe a better question isn't, did Jesus let Lazarus die, as if he's on trial before us? 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:13.440 But maybe we should ask, why did Jesus let Lazarus die? 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:20.639 Or better yet, how should we respond when Jesus let somebody die? 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:21.120 D.A. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:30.480 Carson in his commentary says, when Jesus has said, what Jesus has just said could be interpreted as callousness toward the Bethany family. 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:31.039 I love this. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:33.440 John will have none of it. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:35.120 Nuh-uh. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:40.240 He insists that Jesus loved Martha and her sister in Lazarus. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:52.480 John's point is that the glorification described in the previous verse is not harsh and thoughtlessly devoid of affection for others, but entirely in keeping with Jesus' love for this family. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.120 Jesus let him die because he loved him. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:11:05.679 Lazarus' death and the resurrection that follows are not only to glorify the Father and the Son, but are for the good of Lazarus and his sisters. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.720 In other words, friends, just take God at His word. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:10.879 Just take God at His Word. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.879 He loves Lazarus, even though Lazarus died. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:20.080 And if, like Lazarus, you're his friend, he loves you too. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:22.639 No matter what happens. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.120 It really can be. 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:26.559 Ought to be. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:28.399 Just that simple. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:30.000 When we face death. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:36.799 But these comforting truths get even better when we can get our heads inside what Jesus says next and this walking in the day stuff. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:38.960 Look what he says in verse 7. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:44.399 Then after he said, after this, he said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again. 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:50.159 And the disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you. 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.480 And are you going there again? 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:56.000 And Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:01.919 If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:06.960 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:14.720 And after saying these things, he said to them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:18.960 And the disciples said to him, Lord, if he's fallen asleep, he'll get better. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:21.600 Almost like an apple do him good. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:24.000 Verse 13. 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:29.919 But now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought he meant taking rest and sleep. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:33.919 And so Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:37.200 And for your sake I'm glad I was not there. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:40.879 So that you may believe. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:42.559 Let us go to him. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:48.159 And so Thomas called the twins, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:51.120 Notice that Thomas is ready to die. 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:52.799 Tough guy. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:56.000 And he's not the only one thinking that way, right? 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:58.000 The rest of the disciples are tweaking out too. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:01.279 Rabbi, the Jews just tried to stone you in verse 8. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:02.639 And it's true, they did. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:06.399 Scroll up in your Bible just a bit to the end of chapter 10 and verse 30. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:10.240 Jesus says, I and the Father are one. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:13.200 In chapter 10, verse 30. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:16.080 And then, I think this is verse 31. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:16.960 Yeah. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:21.519 Then the Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:26.000 Jesus answered, I've shown you many good works from the Father, for which of them are you going to stone me? 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:32.080 And the Jews answered him, It's not for a good work that we're going to stone you, but for blasphemy. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:35.200 Because you, being a man, make yourself God. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:39.919 And in verse 39, he slips through their fingers and escapes across the Jordan. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:51.519 And so now he's headed back into Judea, to Bethany, a little suburb of Jerusalem, where they just tried to arrest and kill him. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.639 And when the disciples point that out to Jesus, like he forgot. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:05.759 When the disciples point that out to Jesus, he says, and then if anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.279 I think Jesus and John both want us to connect this with Jesus himself. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:13.759 In chapter 8, Jesus said, I am the light of the world. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:18.559 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:26.159 And then a little later in chapter 9, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:28.320 So we put those two things together. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:33.440 Jesus is telling the disciples, If you're with me, guys, you're good. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.159 If you walk with me, it's alright. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:40.080 Don't worry about it. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:45.200 You won't stumble if you walk with the light of the world. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:49.360 Besides all that, Lazarus has fallen asleep, and I'm gonna go wake him up. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:57.200 And when they didn't get that, some people think it's like Jesus was messing with them. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:59.519 Like he's just got this wink and he likes to be honre. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:01.360 And maybe, I don't know. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:11.039 But I think it's more likely that Jesus is hinting already for them and for you that as far as he's concerned, death is just a nap. 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:13.440 It's not a big deal. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:17.039 He's not that worried about it. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:22.240 And so, in all of that, in that whole first act, I got three things we should take from it. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:26.000 Three things to pull out of those f of those first scenes beyond the Jordan. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:28.559 The first one is that Jesus loves his people. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:34.159 He loves Mary, he loves Martha, he loves Lazarus, and he loves you. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.039 He's not that worried about death. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:39.919 And he knew exactly. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:43.600 He knew exactly what he was doing. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:44.960 Act two. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:48.159 A visitation and a funeral. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.600 Verse 17. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:55.039 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:59.279 Bethany was near Jerusalem about two miles off, or 15 stadia. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:04.399 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:08.799 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.120 But Mary remained seated in the house. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:15.519 Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:20.080 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:23.039 And Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:30.000 And Martha said to him, I know, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:36.480 And Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:44.000 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:45.840 Do you believe this? 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:57.279 And she said to him, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:16:59.039 It's a familiar text. 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.480 We've read it before. 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:03.120 But it's a really weird visitation. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.400 It's really weird. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.319 It's a really weird visitation. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.960 The one thing that isn't that weird is that a crowd of Jews had come two miles out from Jerusalem. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.319 That's like from here to the hospital. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:13.039 It's not far. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.160 Not a big trip. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:15.440 But guys, it is weird. 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.240 This is weird. 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:17.279 Try to picture it. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:20.960 If you and I go to a funeral, we say something like, I'm sorry for your loss. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:22.720 Or I really loved your brother. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:23.920 He was a good man. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:29.039 Or if somebody comes to a funeral for my family, we would say something like, Thanks for coming. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:30.799 Or, Oh, it's good to see you. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:32.480 My brother really loved you. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:33.200 Right? 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:35.680 That's what you say at a visitation. 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:37.200 Not Martha. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.160 Nope. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:40.079 No nonsense with this woman. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:40.960 Straight to the chase. 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:45.039 Lord, if you'd been here, my brother would not have died. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.759 And then almost apologetically, like she realizes something about that sentence is a little off. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:56.000 She says, But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:59.839 I don't think Martha is asking Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:04.720 I think Martha is simply reaffirming her faith in Jesus. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:06.799 If you'd been here, you could have healed him. 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:09.759 And then she hastily adds, but I still believe in you, though. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.519 I know you could have done it, but I know you weren't here, but I still believe in you. 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:18.160 Just to make clear that she doesn't mean to accuse him or rebuke him. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:21.519 She's just trying to express her grief and her sorrow. 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:27.680 And then Jesus gives what I what I have to imagine is like a Jewish version of the kind of thing we say all the time. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.319 Jesus says, your brother will rise again. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:36.079 I don't think it's hard for us to read there the same kind of sentiment we express at funerals all the time. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.279 We say, your brother's with the Lord now. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:41.839 Or he's in a better place. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:42.720 Right? 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:47.200 Or some other kind of theological comfort about heaven's realities. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:50.079 And Jesus offers a Jewish version of that, I think. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:52.000 Your brother will rise again. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.599 It's a commonly held belief. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:58.400 And Martha, well-taught biblical Jewish woman that she is, affirms the right eschatology. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:02.799 She said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.480 It's like call and response. 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:06.079 They've got it worked out. 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:16.000 And she says this because the Old Testament proclaims time and time again that God will not leave his people in the grave. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:18.799 Just a few to remind ourselves of this. 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:24.559 Job famously proclaims, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:33.200 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:42.640 There's this hope of a resurrection to a physical life of some sort after death, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:48.400 Job says that, and probably the sharpest is from the pen of David in Psalm 16. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:53.440 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices, my flesh also dwells secure. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.160 Why? 00:19:54.480 --> 00:20:01.680 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:08.240 This hope of a resurrection for the Jews is like the Jewish version of 1 Thessalonians for us. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:13.440 We say, and so we will always be with the Lord, encouraging one another with these words. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:19.599 And so do you feel the sharpness, the strangeness, the full weight of Jesus' answer? 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:26.079 Here's Jesus hiding out far from Judea for the fear of the Jews stoning him, proclaiming to be God. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:41.119 Then he walks into a Jewish funeral, and when Martha very politely says, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection the last day, like a good Jew should, Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life. 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:54.640 This is the sixth time Jesus has said that, has said, I am in the Gospel of John, to identify himself with the Yahweh of the Old Testament, the God of Moses who said, My name is I am. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.880 I am who I am. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:59.519 So Jesus here, he triples down. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:01.759 He says, I'm Yahweh. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.720 Not only are I and the Father one, I'm Yahweh. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:10.160 And not only that, you all believe that God will not leave his people in the grave, and you're right. 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:11.759 I won't. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:13.200 Do you hear it? 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.319 I won't. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.319 It is me, Jesus says. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.519 I'm right here. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.200 I'm the one. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:23.759 I'm the one who gives the resurrection and the life. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:28.160 I'm the answer to death sting you've all been waiting for. 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:35.279 He's claiming to be the God of the Old Testament in the loudest and clearest possible terms. 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:43.680 And throughout John's gospel, he's proved it over and over and over again with several signs, the first of which is changing water into wine. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:47.519 Then he heals an official son in chapter 4 without going near the boy. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.359 He says, unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:55.039 But the man believed, Jesus just his words, and his son recovered. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:57.839 Only God can do that kind of thing, right? 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.839 He healed the man at the pool of Bethesda. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:03.680 On the Sabbath, just to get the Jews' attention in chapter 5. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.640 Look at this, guys. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.200 He's saying, I'm him, I'm here. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:14.160 He fed 5,000 people in John chapter 6 and said, I am Yahweh, the bread of life. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.400 Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.319 And I will raise him up on the last day. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:27.359 This isn't even the first time Jesus claimed to be the one who does the resurrecting. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:38.240 He claimed to be the light of the world in chapter 8, said that he was Yahweh before Abraham existed, and then healed a man born blind in chapter 9. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:41.359 What more do they need? 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:43.839 What more do you need? 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.519 And Jesus all but begs them at the end of chapter 10. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:49.839 You can look there, it's chapter 10, verse 37. 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:54.160 If I'm not doing the works of my Father, then don't believe me. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:23:05.920 But if I do them, even though you don't believe me, just believe the works that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:14.720 At this point, guys, the Jews have every reason, every reason to believe in Jesus. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:17.599 Martha does, right? 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.960 God bless her. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.000 She really does. 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:21.920 What a glorious thing she says. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:29.519 She says, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.720 Peter didn't even say it that good. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:33.920 I shouldn't say that. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.079 But man, what a confession of faith. 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:41.039 Martha believes. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:45.680 The Jews should have believed, and so should you. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:48.559 And Jesus is about to prove it to them. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:51.680 One last time, one last sign. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.839 One last thing. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.440 Verse 28. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:02.000 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, the teacher's here is calling for you. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.279 And when Mary heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:09.839 And now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:20.720 And when the Jews who were with her, that is Mary, in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:32.400 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:33.759 She's weeping. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:47.359 And when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled, and he said, Where have you laid him? 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.839 And they said to him, Lord, come and see. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:52.319 Jesus wept. 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:58.079 And so the Jews said, See how he loved him. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:12.960 John presents Mary to you and to his readers as an equally faithful, yet still kind of unbelieving a little bit, compliment, pair, match to her sister Martha. 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:21.599 Martha comes with her mind racing to process her grief, and Mary comes to fall at Jesus' feet in grief-stricken worship. 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:29.519 Her falling at his feet anticipates in chapter 12 the tears that would anoint him for burial in the next chapter. 00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:33.119 He's already told you it's coming in verse 2, it matters to John. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:36.160 So this is this is worship. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:40.240 Just as much as Martha's confessions of great truth. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:48.160 And neither woman, neither woman should be condemned by us for lacking in truth or lacking in emotion. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.680 You know why? 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:52.720 Because Jesus receives them both. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:55.200 He receives them both. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:26:01.359 To Martha's confessions, Jesus responds correctively, with good theology. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:09.279 And to Mary's tears, Jesus responds just as correctively, you'll see, but with his own heart. 00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:11.200 With his own heart. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:16.559 The word for deeply moved is very rare. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:19.119 It only happens five times in your Bible. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:27.200 The people of the ancient world used it sparingly, only once in your Old Testament translation into Greek in Daniel 11, 30. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:39.279 Interestingly, this is how the disciples, especially Judas, respond to Mary pouring out that expensive ointment on Jesus' feet. 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:40.960 Back in Mark's gospel. 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:43.279 Mark writes, they scolded her. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:45.279 Chapter 14, verse 5. 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:50.160 Because guys, this is not a word of deep sorrow. 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.519 It's just not. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:53.839 It's not a word of compassion. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:55.680 It's not. 00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:00.720 This is a word of profound indignation. 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:03.519 Jesus is not sad. 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.759 He's mad. 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:08.319 He's mad. 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:10.000 D.A. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:22.079 Carson again sets the bar for us when he writes it is inexcusable, it is inexcusable to reduce this emotional upset to the effects of empathy, grief, pain, or the like. 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.839 He's angry. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:24.559 B.B. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:26.640 Warfield says it better than I could. 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:39.599 What John tells us in point of fact is that Jesus approached the grave of Lazarus in a state not of uncontrollable grief, but of irrepressible anger. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:48.400 The emotion that tore at his breast and clamored for utterance was just rage. 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:55.759 Now, I don't know about you, but I immediately want to know what he's mad at. 00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:57.759 What's he mad at? 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:00.000 What is he so angry at? 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:05.440 But don't miss, don't move on too fast, don't miss that John says in his spirit. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:08.160 Jesus displayed self-control. 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:10.079 He's spitting mad. 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:11.839 But he keeps his composure. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:20.799 Warfield writes later, John gives us to understand that the external expression of our Lord's fury was markedly restrained. 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:25.119 And its manifestation fell far short of its real intensity. 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:30.720