Title: Raising Lazarus
Text: John 11
Pr Janice Chin
Outline of this chapter (6 scenes):
- vv1-6 Lazarus ill and Jesus' response
- vv7-16 Jesus' dialogue with the disciples
- vv17-27 Arrival at Bethany and encounter with Martha
- vv28-37 Encounter with Mary and "the Jews"
- vv38-44 Jesus' arrival at the tomb and his raising of Lazarus
- vv45-53 The divided response to the miracle and aftermath for Jesus
This is the last and climatic of the seven signs.
The seven signs are:
- Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 - "the first of the signs"
- Healing the royal official's son in Capernaum in John 4:46-54
- Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1-15
- Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5-14
- Jesus walking on water in John 6:16-24
- Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1-7
- The raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-45
The seven signs are seen by some scholars and theologians as evidence of
new creation theology in the Gospel of John, the
resurrection of Jesus being the implied eighth sign, indicating a week of creation and then a new creation beginning with the resurrection.
- The agony of waiting, e.g. waiting to get well again when you're sick, waiting in a long line to buy tickets when the movie is about to start, waiting to see the doctor, etc.
- A choice between doubting God's loving kindness or choosing to wait actively
- During the waiting period, we may believe that God doesn't care and doubt His Love for us.
V18 Jesus was only 2 miles away, yet He waited 2 days to come see Lazarus, which does not look like love. In many other examples, we can see that Jesus follows divine necessity. He is not determined by circumstances and needs alone, although He does respond to them. He wanted to arrive not only after Lazarus was dead. He wanted to arrive when resurrection was no longer possible according to Jewish popular belief, which is on the 4th day, when he has been dead for 4 days. Lazarus could not be "deader" on the 4th day! This is a life governed by divine timetable and plan. Jesus' delay was compatible with His love (for Lazarus and the sisters). He had a purpose for the delay. Similarly, in the midst of our own circumstances, we can trust God's timing and intention. We can trust His love for us. The delay that we may be facing can be God having his best for us. God is not bound by time or space. Time or space does not limit what God can do for you and what God wants to do for you and His best for you. For your sake, He will answer your prayers His way His day. Because He loves you, He will not do something based on human terms, but He follows a higher timetable, His plan, His bigger plan, so you can trust He will always be on time. His timing transcends our realm and our reason. And that becomes something of our testimony through our lives. He is God and we are not. Let's pray that as we experience the delays of God in our own lives, we can see the glory of God through them.
2. DIFFICULTIES (vv17-37)
- The elusiveness of hope
- A choice between denouncing our hope/faith in God and choosing to hold fast to the truth
- What we may believe: It's too hard/painful to follow Jesus
- Jesus' conversations with both Martha and Mary show that He is fully divine and in control, and He is fully human and able to comfort.
Much of life is learning to embrace our limits. This is not as apparent when we were younger as when we are older. We are no less human than others and still live in this fallen world which is full of injustice and darkness. Decay and death surround us. This is where we are exhorted to place our eternal hope in God, but that hope sometimes seems so elusive. It's hard to see that which we hope for even in this life. Whatever stage or station of faith in life we are at, we need to hear this over and over again, that "Jesus is the resurrection and the life."
Hebrews 4:14-16
2 Cor. 12:7-10
It is difficult and challenging to serve and follow God. Whatever stage of life is, God calls us to live for His glory. He is magnified when we embrace our limits. He is magnified in your life and the lives of other people, when we embrace our humanness. Difficulties can display the glory of God. Testimonies are really important to point people to Jesus. Our life testimonies of how we go through the work of God in our lives, whether it is in delays or in difficulties, become the stories we share so that people can be pointed to Jesus. Oftentimes we ourselves need to hear more testimonies. God is at work beyond what we can understand for our good. How are God's delays and difficulties for our good?
Unmistakable motif/thread: The glory of God to be revealed through Jesus, and belief (disciples and others) (v4, v15, v40, vv38-45, vv46-53; cf 2:11)
- 1 Peter 3:18
- John 17:24
In delays and difficulties, the ultimate purpose is GOD'S GLORY, OUR GREATEST GOOD.
Do you want to make God's glory your sole ambition, your life purpose?
1 Cor. 15:19-26
Our mistake is thinking that only those who are pastors or full-time ministry have a calling. The truth is that we are all called. What's your calling in life? To make God's glory your life purpose. That's all. All for God's glory.
Questions
1. How were Jesus' words and actions (before performing the miracle) challenging for the disciples, the two sisters and even for the Jews?
2. As disciples of Christ, how do we experience and know that life (and death) is best when focused on God's glory? And do you really agree that God's glory is always equal to "our greatest good"?
3. What does this look like for you: to make God's glory your sole ambition, your life purpose?
