January 24, 2010
Evening Service

St.Jn. 11:28-57

 

Review:           We closed the study this morning with Jesus saying this, and Martha’s reply:

Joh 11:25-27  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  (26)  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  (27)  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

 

Let’s continue with the conclusion of chapter 11.

 

Joh 11:28-57  And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.  (29)  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.  (30)  Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.  (31)  The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.  (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.  (33)  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. 

• Rom 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
• See how He is touched by your infirmities?  He hurts when you hurt, He rejoices when you rejoice.

(34)  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.  (35)  Jesus wept.  (36)  Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!  (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?  (38)  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave.

• Weeping, and groaning within Himself.  I believe Jesus is feeling just as He did when He overlooked Jerusalem.  Thinking I could do so much more for you, yet that day is coming.

It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.  (39)  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.

• He could have spoken that stone away, but I believe He wants us to do what we can to help certain situations in our lives.  He wants us to pray, trust, believe, and to do our best to overcome.

Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.  (40)  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?  (41)  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.  (42)  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 

• We are taught that God hears our prayers.  As Greg mentioned this morning God always hears our prayers, sometimes He says yes, and sometimes He says no, and sometimes He says wait.  But He always answers our prayers.

(43)  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 

• This was not the first time someone had been brought back from the dead.

1. Samuel was brought back from the dead, by God.   ISam. 28
2. 1Ki 17:17-24  And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.  (18)  And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?  (19)  And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.  (20)  And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?  (21)  And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.  (22)  And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.  (23)  And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.  (24)  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
3. Jesus said, “that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”
4. Luk 7:12-16  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.  (13)  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.  (14)  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.  (15)  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.  (16)  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
5. Maybe my favorite;  Luk 8:49-56  While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.  (50)  But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.  (51)  And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.  (52)  And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.  (53)  And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.  (54)  And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.  (55)  And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.  (56)  And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
6. And then the Apostle Paul, and Eutychus;  Act 20:9-10  And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.  (10)  And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

 

(44)  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 

• Here is the power of God, He can still speak the Word, and you can be set free from all the entanglements of the world.  Whatever it is that is hindering you from being your best for God, He can speak the Word, and you can be set free.  Let the shackles of sin fall off, and allow Jesus to come into your life, and help you be totally whole, walking in the Light of God.
• He can speak to satan, “loose him, and let him go.”   Oh such power, and authority.

 

AND HERE WAS THE REASON LAZARUS WAS ALLOWED TO DIE;

(45)  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 

• Just as in the case of Elijah, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.”

(46)  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.  (47)  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.  (48)  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. 

• More concerned about earthly things, than the things of God.

(49)  And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,  (50)  Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.  (51)  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;  (52)  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. 

• This is the thing about prophecy;  a man, or woman of God will speak not really knowing of what they say, but God makes it come to pass.

(53)  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.  (54)  Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.  (55)  And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.  (56)  Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?  (57)  Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him.

 

The end is drawing near.  But there are many wonderful things that Jesus will teach us before the main lesson at Calvary.