Temple Baptist Church - 9-6-2023
John 11:1-16
Introduction:
A. This is the only Gospel Book that references this particular story. The Gospel of John alludes to the Deity of Christ Jesus. It is in the Book of John that we find both the attributes of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. 100% God on His Father’s side and 100% Man on His mother’s side.
B. There are two men named Lazarus mentioned in the Bible.
1. Lazarus the Beggar is referenced 4 times in the Book of Luke, chapter 16: the story of the rich man and the beggar.
2. Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, is referenced 11 times in the Book of John. No other place do we find this close personal friend of our Lord mentioned.
C. Bethany was a small town or village close to Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Mount of Olives. Our Lord resorted there on many occasions as a place of lodging.
D. The home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary was one where our Lord frequented during His earthly ministry.
Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (40) But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (41) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: (42) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
E. Verse 2 identifies Mary.
John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
F. I said all that to say this, can you imagine the Lord coming and spending quality time at your house. He was their Saviour, a close Personal Friend, and their Spiritual Mentor. Blessing and breaking bread in their home, having a part of their Family Devotions and spiritual development.
G. Lazarus is described as “he whom thou lovest” in verse 3. Our Lord Jesus loved this family; He loved Lazarus!
H. When Martha and Mary sent for the Lord, it seemed that He would come as quickly as He could and save the life of His dear friend. Our Lord abode in His place until Lazarus succumbed to his sickness and died.
J. In His time, not theirs, He came to where they were. Those who believed that Jesus could heal the sick did not believe that He could make the dead live again.
K. Twice in chapter 11, verses 21 and 32, the statement was made: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” These were correct statements because nowhere in the Bible do we find anyone dying in the presence of the Lord.
L. In verse 37, we find the statement of others who were there. John 11:37 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?
M. There will be times in mine and your lives when we call upon the name of the Lord because of some terrible accident, sudden sickness, or other devasting reasons but the Lord SEEMINGLY does not show up on time.
N. There is a great lesson to be learned in John, chapter 11. His time is not our time; His ways are not our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts!
O. The key to these verses is found verses 4 and 15. Throughout the Bible we find God’s people questioning God’s timing: “How long?”
1. Verse 4. That God the Father and the Son of God might receive glory and be glorified. John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory (an Attribute of God) of God, that the Son of God might be glorified (is a gift given to God) thereby. (There are two different words here that are somewhat similar yet carry different meanings. Words are important!)
a. God the Father: “for the glory of God.” Who God is: Glory – to honor, to praise, to worship.
True worshippers worship God for WHO He is. John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
1. The Lord’s Prayer speaks of God’s glory. John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
2. The Model Prayer speaks of God’s glory. Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Hallowed – First Mention: Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed (to make, to preserve, to announce, to sanctify as holy) it.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
b. God the Son: “that the Son of God might be glorified” Something that we GIVE TO God!
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
1. If the doctors answer your prayers, they get the glory. If medications answer your prayers, then science gets the glory,, when you can fix your own problems you get the glory!
2. When there are no earthly answers, then Jesus Christ gets ALL the glory!
2. Verse 15. That your faith is strengthened. John 11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
a. Verses 21, 32. Their faith believed that the Lord could heal Lazarus because they had seen such power in the ministry of Jesus. No problems were too large for the Lord as He healed all who came to Him. Both women said the same thing.
1) Verse 21, Martha said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
2) Verse 32, Mary said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
b. Their faith had never seen the resurrection power of the Lord in bringing the dead who were buried and stinking back to life. Jesus was declared to be the Son of God by His resurrection.
John 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
John 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
1) There will be times in our lives when the bad things come which the Lord could have prevented. These are times which God has allowed to continue for a time in order to bring forth something that will bring far more glory to God.
a) Times when you ask the Lord, “Why?”
b) Times when you ask the Lord, “How long?”
c) Times when you ask the Lord, “Do you really care?’
d) Times when you ask the Lord, “Do you really love me?”
2) It would have glorified God to heal Lazarus but it glorified God more to resurrect him!
3) In verse 22, we find Martha’s faith in our Lord manifested. John 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
4) We do not like tribulation but tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, and experience hope! 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Conclusion: I am learning to not mess with God’s time, way, or thoughts, as He knows what He is doing and what He does will be right. God is never early nor late! God will always be on time but “on time” will be in His time.
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