John 11:1-7, 11-15
The Greater Healing
John 11 is one of the most touching accounts in the New Testament, at
least to me. I think it is because it deals with one of life’s greatest
difficulties, death—and who does not have issues with death? Death is
a common opponent, a powerful foe, and a cruel enemy. It does us good
to see death "taking a beating" for once instead of giving a beating. In
this chapter, we see just how weak death is before Jesus.
As I go through this chapter, I will attempt to point out several
truths about this enemy, but let me make one observation at the being
of the chapter; that is, what happens to Lazarus and his family in
a short period of time, is what happens to all Christian families
in their lifetime. Lazarus meets death, resists death, loses to
death, his family must deal with his death, but then Lazarus defeats
death! This is what will happen to some—if not all—of us but it
will not happen in just four days. Some have been waiting a long
time to see their loved ones rise, but it will happen.
I. There was love.
A. There story shows love flowing in both directions, but for the
moment, let’s only note God’s love for man.
1. Now the Bible tells plainly us that Jesus loved this
family.
John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her
sister, and Lazarus.
2. Not only so, but Jesus own brokenness at what is happening
is obvious to all.
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
B. This story is going to take some emotional twists and turns
and I believe it will do us good to understand one thing in
advance, no matter what happens to us or our loved ones, God
loves us.
1. I will say up front that I do not have all of the answers
for the questions we have when death comes knocking.
a. In fact, my bag holds pretty much none of the answers.
b. And what few things I believe I might know and have
tired to express over the years usually comes out
sounding both cruel and heartless.
2. But this I know, no matter how unexplainable death is, God
loves you, and He loves those who have been taken in
death.
C. I will not go into the details of the suffering or sorrow that
I have witnessed for I do not want to stir emotions, but I
will say that accepting God’s love is death comes is much
more an act of faith than an act of understanding.
1. There is no understanding why death comes to those it
comes to, at the time it chooses to come, or in the
manner it chooses to come, and even if there were, it
would provide title if any comfort.
2. However, faith—choosing to believe that God loves you and
your loved ones—no matter what is going on—can provide
comfort; and that is a step that every believer needs—
must—take.
3. Remember, no matter how unexpected, no matter how early,
no matter how unjust or how painful death maybe, God
proved to us all that He loved us before any of us were
even born.
a. He proved that when Jesus died the most cruel and
unjust death of all.
b. And He did it voluntarily.
c. God loves us.
II. \\#1\\ There was calamity.
A. There is nothing mysterious or usual about that, but it is
important to the story.
B. First sickness came and then death. Sickness is death’s
prelude. Everytime sickness comes, death is trying to get
in!
C. God does not tell us anything about Lazarus’ sickness or
death, only the results.
D. Why? Maybe so that we could better identify our lose with
that of this family.
III. There was delay.
John 11:6 When he had heard therefore that he
was sick, he abode two days still in the same
place where he was.
A. We all know that the story begins with Lazarus being sick and
Jesus delaying His journey to Lazarus.
1. We suppose that Lazarus was still alive when the messenger
told Jesus but that is just speculation.
2. Jesus’ delay could have been critical to Lazarus as
stated by both sisters and even the public at large.
a. Martha
John 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if
thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
b. Mary
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and
saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto
him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother
had not died.
c. People
John 10:37 And some of them said, Could not this
man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have
caused that even this man should not have died?
B. Jesus’ delay is one of the twists not only in Lazarus’ story,
but in ours as well.
1. Why did Jesus tarry His coming when this family He loved
called on Him? There are several things which indicate
that Lazarus died DURING those two days.
a. \\#14\\ For example, Jesus made the statement that
Lazarus WAS dead when He started to travel \\#7\\ to
Lazarus. Did Jesus not even start out until
Lazarus was dead?
b. The fact that both Mary and Martha make the same
statements about Jesus NOT being there seems a little
odd.
c. The fact that Israel was not a very big country lends
to that thought. It seems that a Man of Jesus’ youth
and strength could have gotten to Lazarus from almost
in point in Israel in two days HAD HE WANTED TO.
2. Of course, there are other issues to weigh.
a. What did Jesus do while He delayed?
b. He may have been able to keep a hundred others from
dying by tarrying those extra two days! It is for
certain that Jesus could not be everywhere and who—
other than God—is to say which lives were to be
spared by His healing?
3. But again, the point can be made, that Jesus is God and
God would have known or at least could have known about
Lazarus’ condition and so no matter what the timing was
from a human stand point, Jesus could have gotten to
Lazarus in time to save him IF He had wanted to do so.
4. In fact, Jesus could have merely spoken the word and
Jesus—along with everyone in Israel—would have been
healed!
5. This debate that I am having with myself is a debate that
others have carried out and are carrying out every day!
a. It makes us want to ask, "What was Jesus thinking
when He waited two extra days?"
b. I don’t know that I have the answer but I have a
thought.
c. I think Jesus was thinking that no matter how many
people He healed, death was still going to come.
(1) Death of this body is unstoppable. As long as
we wear robes of sinful flesh, no healing will
last.
(2) So Jesus choice to wait and demonstrate on His
good friends, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, that
although death can kill the body, it cannot
claim the soul.
(3) In fact, death cannot even keep the body of the
saved.
6. So when you and I are pronged to ask God why He did not
come and heal remember, no healing lasts forever. It
does not even last for long. Jesus wanted us to know
He has something better.
C. What about us? What are we to conclude about Jesus delay?
1. Jesus may have been limited to some degree when He was on
earth, but He is not on earth today and God is not
limited by anything.
2. The bottom line is that if someone dies, God allows it.
3. There is no easy way to say that but it is sheer
foolishness not to come to that conclusion.
4. God could stop (or at least delay) anyone’s death.
a. He delayed Hezekiah’s death by 15 years
\\#2Kings 20:6\\.
b. He delivered others from enemies and diseases that
would have taken them before they died.
5. But when God allows death to come, He allows it for a
purpose.
IV. There was and is purpose.
A. It is obvious that Jesus had a purpose by two of His
statements.
John 10:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This
sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of
God, that the Son of God might be glorified
thereby.
John 10:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I
was not there, to the intent ye may believe;
nevertheless let us go unto him.
B. I think Jesus delayed His coming until after Lazarus was dead
with the intent of raising him from the dead.
1. This would glorify God.
2. Jesus glorified Himself as God.
3. It would also cause souls to be saved.
John 10:45 Then many of the Jews which came to
Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did,
believed on him.
C. If in death, those three things are accomplished, then death
served a great purpose.
1. We are all going to die.
2. Quit trying to beat it and determine to make the most out
of it.
3. Those three things are the most that can be made out of
any human beings death.
V. There was grief
A. I mentioned earlier that love flowed in both directions.
1. Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters.
2. Lazarus and his sister loved him.
B. I believe you can see their love for Jesus when He arrived.
1. Both sisters ran out to meet Him.
2. Neither was angry or bitter.
3. They made some statements but the statements were simply
true. If Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have
died.
4. If anything, those were statements of faith. Those
statements were declaring that they understood just how
powerful Jesus is.
5. The only problem was that their faith was limited.
a. They did not consider that even death had to obey
Jesus.
b. These ladies were not being shallow or rebellious.
(1) They simply did not know Jesus’ power.
(2) Here is another good thing that can happen in
death.
(3) We can learn something new about God! Let a
preacher preach. Let a singer sing about Jesus.
Let people testify about Jesus.
C. The fact that the sisters did not understand just how powerful
Jesus was is why as soon as Jesus arrived, He started
teaching them. He was preaching to expand their limited
faith.
VI. There was revelation.
A. Jesus gave two truths about—of all topics—death.
1. Remember how John records miracles and events which
lead to Jesus’ teaching?
2. We have deviated from that pattern some but John came back
to it in this chapter.
B. What are these truths?
1. The body will be raised.
John 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother
shall rise again.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
2. Spirit never dies.
John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
B. These two truths are true for all who believe in Jesus.
1. Our bodies will be raised - rapture.
2. Our spirits never die. They go instantly to Jesus.
C. The only difference in us and Lazarus is that for most of us,
the rising of the body and the reuniting with its spirit will
take a little longer, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN.
D. Lazarus was actually at a disadvantage with his resurrection.
1. He would have to die again.
2. All he got was his same body back.
E. Jesus revelations are pretty bold. They are going to need
something to back them up. So Jesus demonstrates both of
the truths on Lazarus.
VII. \\#38-44\\ There was proof.
A. Jesus did what He had just taught!
B. Jesus raised Lazarus’ body and demonstrated that Lazarus’
spirit had never died.
1. I sure would like to talk with Lazarus.
2. I have heard stories of some who died and said they saw a
light or even heaven.
3. Lazarus’ spirit did not sleep or die. What do you suppose
he saw those four days?
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