06-17-2018 – The Dead Shall Rise Again.
The insert from our morning bulletin, different than the sermon notes:
06-17-2018
The Dead Shall Rise Again.
John 11:37-57
Read John 11:37-40... Why didn’t Jesus heal Lazarus? Jesus, now at the tomb, commands that the stone be
removed. Martha is shocked, he has been dead four days.
Jesus reminds her, if she believes, she will see the glory of God.
Read John 11:41-43... Jesus yells, “Lazarus come out!” John 5:25-29, “I say to you, an hour is coming and now
is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
All the dead will one day be raised (cf. 1Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 20:1-14).
Jesus commands, take off the wrappings (clean and feed him, cf. Jairus’ daughter Luke 8:41-42a, 49-55).
John doesn’t tell us about Lazarus’ reaction or his reunion with Mary and Martha; that is not the priority or purpose of this miracle; but instead, as John tells us (verse 45) it is so that, “many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.”
This event was witnessed by many people.
Read John 11:46-52... Many of the Jews believed in Jesus, others told the Pharisees what He had done. No one had ever resurrected a dead man..
Members of the Sanhedrin asked themselves, “What are we going to do? This man [Jesus] is performing signs [attesting miracles]. “If we don’t stop Him, all will believe in Him.” They feared losing their places of privilege.
Caiaphas scolds them, “don’t you know anything, this Jesus must die or the nation will fall to the Romans. Although he is unaware of it, he is speaking of Christ’s sacrificial death (1Corinthians 15:3-4; 2Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:27-28; 1Peter 2:24), but he is also speaking of Israel’s destruction in AD 70.
John states God’s plan to gather all who believe in and obey Him into one family, from Israel and also Gentiles outside of Israel (see Ephesians 2:11-18).
Read John 11:53-54... Caiaphas’ influence is seen, “from that day on they planned together to kill [Jesus].” Jesus goes to Ephraim, 12 miles NE of Jerusalem, where he stays until Passion week, except for a brief trip to Samaria and Galilee (cf. Luke 17:11-19:28).
Read John 11:55-57... This is the third Passover mentioned by John’s Gospel (2:13; 6:4). Attendance at this feast is mandatory (cf. Numbers 9:6); it is estimated there were over 1 million congregants attending Passover.
John tells us (verse 56) the people are looking for Jesus at the feast, but some think He may not come because (verse 57), “the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.”
The resurrection of Lazarus set Jesus at odds with the religious leaders of Israel like never before, but also, forced people to make a decision about Jesus. Their responses then are the same as today: some respond to Jesus in faith, some remain indifferent, and some are hostile toward the Savior, Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Next week, we’ll pick up as Jesus returns to Bethany for a visit and a shared meal with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (who was previously raised from the dead, by Jesus, and is still very much alive).
The Jews not only want to kill Jesus, but also Lazarus, for he is proof of Jesus’ divinity for only God can raise the dead back to life.