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John 11:18-37 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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All right, amen, and good morning.
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If I've yet to see you and say so to you,
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! Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in John chapter 11.
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Our text for today is John chapter 11, verses 18 through 37.
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Last week, as we began John 11, we saw something about the love of Jesus that is profoundly comforting,
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although at first it can be difficult to understand.
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Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus, and because he loved them, he waited.
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He received word that Lazarus was sick.
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He knew exactly what was happening in Bethany.
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He possessed both the authority and the power to prevent Lazarus from dying,
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and yet, rather than immediately traveling to Bethany or just speaking a word where he was,
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Jesus remained where he was for two more days.
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And the point John forces us to confront is that the delay of Jesus was not a contradiction of his love.
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Somehow, mysteriously but unmistakably, the delay was an expression of his love.
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Jesus loved them, so the text tells us.
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He waited.
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Because the love of Christ is aimed at something greater than our immediate comfort.
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Christ loves us too much merely to arrange our circumstances according to our preferences.
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He intends instead to reveal his glory, strengthen our faith, loosen our grip on this dying world,
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and teach us to trust him when we cannot understand what he is doing.
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By the time Jesus arrives near Bethany, Lazarus has been in the tomb four days.
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From the perspective of Mary and Martha, Jesus appears to have arrived too late.
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Lazarus' sickness has run its course.
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The funeral has already taken place.
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The stone rolled over the entrance.
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The mourners have gathered.
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Lazarus is most assuredly dead.
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And yet, as we said at the conclusion of the sermon last week,
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Jesus is never late.
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He may not operate according to our timetable.
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He may not intervene at the moment we would have chosen.
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He may allow circumstances to deteriorate until every human possibility has disappeared.
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But he is never late.
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Because the Son of God does not merely react to circumstances.
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He governs them.
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Rules over all things.
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And now, beginning in verse 18,
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John takes us from the delay of Jesus to the arrival of Jesus.
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And what follows is one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture.
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Because in the space of only 20 verses,
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we see both the incomparable majesty and the astonishing tenderness of our Savior.
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And so we'll look together at verses 18 through 37.
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I will begin reading in verse 1, however,
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set the context,
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and in case you weren't with us last week.
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Before I do any of that,
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let me lead us in a prayer for our benefit.
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Father God, thank you for your word this morning.
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We are always in some state of frailty.
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There are times when we feel it more than others.
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I can humbly say before you that I'm feeling my frailty today.
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The frailty of my preparation.
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Certainly the frailty of my delivery.
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And all of us, if we're honest,
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are frail in our hearing and understanding.
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We're easily distracted.
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Lots on our minds.
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Exhaustion often sets in on Sunday morning.
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So we ask that you'd help us to be attentive this day.
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Take up your word together that we would rightly see Christ in it.
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We would behold him as we should.
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That our affections would be turned and set on him.
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We would see ourselves in the text.
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And see our need of this great Savior.
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The Lord Jesus Christ.
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It's in his name that we pray.
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Amen.
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John 11, beginning in verse 1.
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Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany,
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the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
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It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment
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and wiped his feet with her hair,
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whose brother, Lazarus, was ill.
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The sister sent to him, saying,
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Lord, he whom you love is ill.
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But when Jesus heard it, he said,
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This illness does not lead to death.
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It is for the glory of God,
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so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.
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Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
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So when he heard that Lazarus was ill,
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he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
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But after this, he said to the disciples,
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Let us go to Judea again.
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The disciples said to him,
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Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you,
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and are you going there again?
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Jesus answered,
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Are there not twelve hours in the day?
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If anyone walks in the day,
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he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world.
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But if anyone walks in the night,
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he stumbles because the light is not in him.
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After saying these things, he said to them,
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Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,
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but I go to awaken him.
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The disciples said to him,
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Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.
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Now Jesus had spoken of his death,
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but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.
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Then Jesus told them plainly,
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Lazarus has died.
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And for your sake, I am glad I was not there,
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so that you may believe.
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But let us go to him.
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So Thomas called the twin,
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said to his fellow disciples,
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Let us also go that we may die with him.
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Now when Jesus came,
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he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
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Bethany was near Jerusalem,
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about two miles off,
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and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
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to console them concerning their brother.
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So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
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she went and met him,
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but Mary remained seated in the house.
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Martha said to Jesus,
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Lord, if you had been here,
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my brother would not have died.
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But even now I know that whatever you ask from God,
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God will give you.
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Jesus said to her,
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Your brother will rise again.
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Martha said to him,
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I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.
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Jesus said to her,
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I am the resurrection and the life.
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Whoever believes in me,
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though he die,
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yet shall he live.
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And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
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Do you believe this?
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She said to him,
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Yes, Lord,
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I believe that you are the Christ,
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the Son of God,
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who is coming into the world.
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When she had said this,
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she went and called her sister Mary,
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saying in private,
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The teacher is here and is calling for you.
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And when she heard it,
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she rose quickly and went to him.
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Now Jesus had not yet come into the village,
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but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
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When the Jews who were with her in the house,
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consoling her,
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saw Mary rise quickly and go out,
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they followed her,
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supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
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Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him,
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she fell at his feet,
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saying to him,
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Lord,
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if you had been here,
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my brother would not have died.
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When Jesus saw her weeping,
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and the Jews who had come with her also weeping,
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he was deeply moved in his spirit
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and greatly troubled.
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And he said,
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Where have you laid him?
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They said to him,
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Lord,
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come and see.
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Jesus wept.
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So the Jews said,
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See how he loved him?
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But some of them said,
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Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man
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also have kept this man from dying?
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All right.
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I have three points for us this morning
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to consider this text.
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The first,
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Jesus' arrival.
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We'll look at a considerable bit of the text
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at this point.
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Notice that he goes to Bethany,
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this town that Lazarus is from,
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and it's near Jerusalem,
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about two miles off.
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And the nearness to Jerusalem
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highlights the danger
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that concerned the disciples
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earlier in the chapter.
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Previously,
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Jesus has worked in Judea,
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in Jerusalem.
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He's healed a blind man,
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and they are seeking his death.
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The presumption of the disciples
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is that they're going with him
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to his death
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as he arrives in this place
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to teach them something
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of the resurrection.
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And we note as he arrives there,
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in the previous verse,
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it's already been four days
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that Lazarus has been in the tomb.
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And many of the Jews,
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verse 19 tells us,
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had come to Martha and Mary
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to console them,
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to comfort them
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concerning their brother.
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Because of the nearness to Jerusalem,
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many of the Jews are able to come
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and to mourn with Martha and Mary.
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Two things are notable here.
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First,
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the family of Lazarus
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possesses some level of prominence
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evidenced by this many visiting
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to mourn his death.
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We don't know a lot about this family,
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but they must have had
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some degree of prominence
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and by later evidence
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that they had some financial means
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because Mary anoints Jesus' feet
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with expensive ointment,
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something she couldn't have afforded
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otherwise.
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We will note later in the chapter
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that this miracle
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is the final inciting incident
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that would lead to Jesus' crucifixion.
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John chapter 11
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and verse 53.
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This news goes out.
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It's carried back to the Pharisees,
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John tells us,
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and verse 53 says,
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so from that day on,
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they made plans
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to put him to death.
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Jesus knows exactly
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what he's doing.
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He's going to raise Lazarus
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from the dead
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to teach something
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of the resurrection
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and that this incident
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will forward,
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press on God's plan
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for his crucifixion.
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Secondly,
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I've noted before
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that John uses the phrase
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the Jews
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in various forms
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throughout his gospel
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and that he most regularly
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uses the phrase
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to refer to the Jewish leaders
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who are antagonistic
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toward Jesus.
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But in this case,
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we have no reason
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to believe
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that is what he means.
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This is one of those instances
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where he likely
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doesn't mean that
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because some of these Jews
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go and report
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to the Pharisees
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who are particularly
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antagonistic
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toward him.
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The text seems
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to communicate
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that these are
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well-meaning people
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who know this family
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and that they are grieved
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alongside them
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for their loss.
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So they're gathered there
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in Bethany
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some days later
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comforting Martha
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and Mary
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and grieving the loss
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of this man.
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Lazarus.
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And then verse 20
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tells us that
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Martha hears
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that Jesus is coming,
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that he's on the road
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and so she gets up.
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Mary stays behind
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but she gets up
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and she goes
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to meet him.
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There's no need
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to read anything
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into this private meeting
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or the one
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that Jesus will attempt
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to have with Mary
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and there is speculation
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concerning this.
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But we ought to assume
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that Martha
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merely wants a moment
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alone with Jesus
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before having to return
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and serve as the hostess
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to the crowd
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at her house.
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If you've ever
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been to a funeral
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or participated
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in the loss
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of a near and dear one,
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you've either
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or you've watched
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somebody else
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have to host people
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even in the midst
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of your own grief.
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So she steals away,
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I think,
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all that's happening here.
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She wants a moment
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with Jesus
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before he arrives
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with all of the other mourners.
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Now,
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before we get into
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the details
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of the rest
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of the text
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and this conversation
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that they have,
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I genuinely believe
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that we'll be well served
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by looking
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at its literary structure.
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I received a text
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this week
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that said
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chiasms are important.
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Don't let people bully you
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into not pointing them out.
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We have read
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the text together.
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I sure hope
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you have a copy
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of it sitting
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in front of you.
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If you don't,
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the bulletin you were handed
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has all of the text
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found in it
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and I would assume
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that two phrases,
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if you're paying attention
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at all,
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rightly,
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two phrases
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leapt off the page
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at you.
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The first,
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these are the two
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I'm assuming,
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the first,
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Jesus says,
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I am the resurrection
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and the life
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in verse 25.
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That leapt off.
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I tried to read it
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with some measure
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of emphasis
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as I read the text
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to you.
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I am the resurrection
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and the life.
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The other,
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I'm assuming,
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is verse 35.
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It states simply,
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Jesus wept.
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These are not
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unimportant phrases.
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So don't hear me say
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they're unimportant.
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They are significant
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phrases in this text.
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But neither of them
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are the chiastic
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center
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of the text.
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We're going to talk
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about chiasms.
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If you are new here,
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chiasm is a literary
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structure found
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all throughout literature.
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It is found a lot
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in the Bible.
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And I've been arguing
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in our study of John
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that John uses
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chiasms quite often
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to draw our attention
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to particular parts
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of text.
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It's a mnemonic device
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meant to help people
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remember stories.
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Early church,
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many of these stories
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would have just been spoken.
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So it's being used
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in that way.
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But even as we have
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the written text
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in front of us,
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it's meant to help us
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draw some emphasis,
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give us a lens
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by which we look at
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the rest of the text.
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So the word chiasm
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comes from the Greek
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letter for X,
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chi.
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And what it says to us,
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and I always plot it out
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and sometimes I do for you
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in your bulletin,
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is that the first part
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of the text
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corresponds to the last
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part of the text
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and so on.
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So it feeds into a center,
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a cross point,
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so to speak.
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So let me take a few moments
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and show you
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the chiastic structure
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of this text.
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I think it's really
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going to help us see
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what John's communicating here.
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So notice first,
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verse 18 and 19,
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which corresponds
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to verse 36 and 37.
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You could underline
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these things
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in your bulletin
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if you would like.
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Notice that
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Jesus travels to Bethany
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near Jerusalem
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and the Jews,
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many Jews,
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come to Mary and Martha
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to console them
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in verse 18 and 19.
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And then you see
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this speaking of the Jews
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at the end,
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verse 36 and 37.
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So the Jews said,
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but some of them said,
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verse 37.
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The next step in on this,
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right, corresponding,
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is verses 20 through 24,
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corresponding with verses 28
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through 35.
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Bigger passages, right?
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Notice the main thing
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going on here
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is Martha coming to Jesus
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and then Mary,
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along with the other mourners,
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coming to Jesus.
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Note the similarity
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in their words.
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Martha said to Jesus,
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Lord, if you had been here,
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my brother would not
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have died.
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Mary in the same way.
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Verse 32,
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Lord, if you had been here,
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my brother would not
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have died.
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Some significantly
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different things
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happening
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with Martha
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and with
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Mary.
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But these two things
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correspond
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to one another.
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Then the next step in,
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verse 25 and 26,
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corresponds to verse 27.
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Verse 25 says,
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Jesus said to her,
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and then verse 27,
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she said to him.
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And at the center
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of all of this structure,
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I will argue to you,
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is the question
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that Jesus asks.
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Do you believe this?
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I'm going to show you
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how the two things
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fold on top of each other
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and lay as we go on.
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But notice at the center
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of this,
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do you
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believe this?
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What is he referring to?
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His statement
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that he has made,
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I am the resurrection
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and the life.
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Whoever believes in me,
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though he die,
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yet shall he live.
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And everyone who lives
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and believes in me
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shall never
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die.
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Do
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you
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believe this?
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And then her response,
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yes, Lord,
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I believe that you
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are the Christ,
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the Son of God,
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who is coming
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into the world.
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So,
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if we pick that up
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as a lens,
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I hope
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it will help us
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think the way
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we should be
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interpreting
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Jesus' words
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and then
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his response
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to the grieving
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later on.
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Now,
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verse 21,
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Martha
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said
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to Jesus.
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Remember,
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she is eager
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to go meet with him,
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to have this private
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moment with him,
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and she begins
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with the word,
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Lord.
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Lord,
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if you had
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been here,
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my brother
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would not
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have died,
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but even now
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I know
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that whatever
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you ask
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from God,
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God will give you.
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Note the faith
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of Martha.
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She begins
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with Lord,
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and then
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adds to the request,
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the same request
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that Mary makes,
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she adds to that,
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but even now
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I know
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that you can
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raise Lazarus
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from the dead,
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is what is implied
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in this statement.
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And so,
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Jesus
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says to her,
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in a measure
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of ambiguity,
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your brother
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will
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rise again.
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And she
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responds
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with some
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confusion,
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I know
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that he
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will rise
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again
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in the
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resurrection
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on the
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last day.
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Now,
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Martha,
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because of
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this declaration,
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is showing
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herself to be
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of the
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Pharisee
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camp.
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Theologically,
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she believes
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in the
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resurrection.
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There was
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two major
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groups in
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this day,
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the Pharisees
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and the
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Sadducees,
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and they
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had many
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other
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differences,
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but the
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primary
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theological
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debate that
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they had
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was whether
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or not
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there
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would
19:58
be
19:59
a
19:59
resurrection.
20:00
In the
20:01
last day,
20:01
there would
20:01
be a
20:02
resurrection
20:02
from the
20:03
dead.
20:04
The
20:05
Pharisees
20:05
were more
20:06
conservative.
20:07
They were
20:07
the Bible
20:08
people of
20:09
the day.
20:09
The
20:10
Sadducees
20:10
tended not
20:11
to be.
20:12
And they
20:13
would have
20:13
taken up
20:13
a text
20:14
like Daniel
20:14
12,
20:15
too,
20:15
which says,
20:16
and many
20:16
of those
20:17
who sleep
20:17
in the
20:17
dust of
20:18
the earth
20:18
shall
20:19
awake,
20:20
some to
20:20
everlasting
20:21
life,
20:21
and some
20:22
to shame
20:23
and everlasting
20:24
contempt.
20:25
And believe
20:26
it.
20:27
And believe
20:28
that there
20:28
will in
20:29
fact be
20:30
a resurrection
20:31
on the
20:33
last day.
20:34
So Martha's
20:35
saying to
20:36
Jesus,
20:37
as he says,
20:37
your brother
20:38
will rise
20:38
again.
20:39
She's saying,
20:40
I know,
20:41
I know
20:41
someday he
20:42
will rise
20:44
again.
20:46
And in my
20:46
imagination,
20:47
she might have
20:48
gone on to
20:48
say,
20:49
but does that
20:49
give me hope
20:50
now?
20:51
Is that
20:52
something I
20:53
ought to
20:53
hang on to
20:54
now?
20:54
I'm feeling
20:55
the grief
20:55
of his
20:56
loss
20:56
now,
20:58
but Jesus
20:59
gets right
20:59
in front
21:00
of her
21:01
and says,
21:02
I am
21:03
the resurrection
21:04
and the
21:06
life.
21:07
Now,
21:08
this is the
21:08
fifth of
21:09
Jesus'
21:10
I am
21:11
statements,
21:12
right?
21:12
Connecting
21:12
himself to
21:13
the Godhead.
21:15
This chapter
21:16
is not the
21:16
first we have
21:17
heard Jesus
21:18
speak of
21:19
resurrection.
21:20
In chapter
21:21
five,
21:22
he has
21:22
stated that
21:22
he,
21:23
along with
21:24
the father,
21:25
raised the
21:26
dead.
21:27
Just of a
21:27
little
21:27
interesting
21:28
note,
21:28
there is
21:29
also a
21:29
chiastic
21:30
structure
21:30
between
21:31
chapter
21:31
five and
21:32
all the
21:32
way to
21:33
chapter
21:34
11.
21:34
And you
21:34
can guess
21:35
chapter
21:35
five and
21:35
chapter
21:36
11 do
21:36
in fact
21:37
correspond
21:37
with each
21:38
other.
21:40
In chapter
21:40
five,
21:40
he has
21:41
said,
21:41
in verse
21:41
21,
21:42
for as
21:43
the father
21:43
raises the
21:44
dead and
21:44
gives them
21:44
life,
21:45
so also
21:46
the son
21:46
gives life
21:47
to whom
21:48
he will.
21:50
In the
21:50
verse 25
21:51
and following,
21:51
truly,
21:52
truly,
21:52
truly,
21:52
I say
21:52
to you,
21:53
an hour
21:53
is coming
21:53
and is
21:54
now here
21:55
when the
21:56
dead will
21:56
hear the
21:57
voice of
21:57
the son
21:58
of God
21:58
and those
21:59
who hear
21:59
will live.
22:01
For as the
22:01
father has
22:02
life in
22:02
himself,
22:03
so he has
22:04
granted the
22:04
son also
22:05
to have
22:06
life in
22:06
himself.
22:08
He has
22:08
given him
22:08
authority to
22:09
execute
22:09
judgment
22:09
because he
22:10
is the
22:10
son of
22:11
man.
22:11
Do not
22:12
marvel at
22:12
this,
22:13
for an hour
22:13
is coming
22:13
when all
22:14
who are in
22:15
the tombs
22:15
will hear
22:15
his voice
22:16
and come
22:17
out,
22:18
those who
22:18
have done
22:18
good to the
22:19
resurrection
22:19
of life
22:20
and those
22:20
who have
22:21
done evil
22:21
to the
22:22
resurrection
22:22
of judgment.
22:25
So Jesus
22:25
has said
22:26
already and
22:27
not long
22:28
ago that
22:29
he has
22:30
the authority
22:31
over life
22:32
and death
22:33
and the
22:34
resurrection.
22:35
Here he is
22:36
drawing Martha
22:37
to see that
22:38
a belief in
22:39
resurrection is
22:40
not some
22:40
abstract thing
22:42
to believe
22:42
in,
22:43
but that the
22:44
very one
22:45
who provides
22:46
it is
22:46
standing
22:47
right.
22:48
in front
22:49
of her.
22:50
That's what
22:51
he's doing.
22:51
He says,
22:51
I am the
22:53
resurrection
22:53
and the
22:54
life.
22:55
I have the
22:56
power to
22:56
execute it.
22:57
It is
22:57
found in
22:58
me.
23:01
Christians
23:01
do not
23:02
just believe
23:03
in what
23:03
has been
23:03
promised by
23:05
faith in
23:06
Christ,
23:07
but in
23:08
Christ
23:09
himself.
23:13
Not just
23:13
what is
23:13
promised,
23:15
but in
23:16
Christ
23:16
himself.
23:18
here we
23:18
say again
23:19
and again
23:19
in presentations
23:20
of the
23:20
gospel that
23:21
we are to
23:21
repent,
23:22
that is,
23:22
turn from
23:23
our sin,
23:24
recognize that
23:25
it is an
23:25
offense against
23:26
the holy
23:26
God.
23:27
The word
23:28
repent means
23:29
literally to
23:29
change your
23:30
mind,
23:31
to not see
23:32
this as a
23:32
path we
23:33
ought to
23:33
pursue,
23:33
but to
23:34
see it as
23:34
a path
23:34
that should
23:35
be rejected,
23:36
discarded,
23:37
because it
23:37
is offensive
23:38
to God,
23:39
and to
23:40
turn by
23:41
faith in
23:42
Christ to
23:43
his
23:43
person
23:44
and his
23:46
work,
23:47
to who
23:48
he is
23:48
himself,
23:50
and to
23:51
all that
23:52
he has
23:52
accomplished
23:53
on our
23:54
behalf.
23:55
Both of
23:55
those are
23:56
very key
23:57
to understand.
23:59
So Jesus
23:59
says,
24:00
I am the
24:01
resurrection
24:01
and the
24:03
life.
24:04
There is no
24:04
resurrection nor
24:05
eternal life
24:06
outside of
24:08
the Lord
24:08
Jesus Christ.
24:12
He does
24:12
this similarly
24:13
in other
24:14
places,
24:15
like in
24:15
John chapter
24:15
6.
24:17
He talks
24:17
about food
24:18
that doesn't
24:19
perish.
24:20
Verse 27,
24:21
do not work
24:21
for the food
24:22
that perishes,
24:22
but for the
24:23
food that
24:23
endures to
24:24
eternal life,
24:25
which the
24:26
Son of Man
24:27
will give
24:27
you,
24:28
for on
24:28
him God
24:29
the Father
24:30
has set
24:31
his seal.
24:32
So Jesus
24:33
will give
24:34
us the
24:34
sustenance
24:35
that endures
24:36
to eternal
24:36
life.
24:37
And then he
24:38
says in
24:38
verse 35,
24:39
I am
24:40
the bread
24:41
of life.
24:42
It's me.
24:44
I will
24:44
give you
24:45
myself.
24:47
Whoever
24:47
comes to
24:47
me shall
24:49
not hunger
24:49
and whoever
24:50
believes in
24:50
me shall
24:52
never thirst.
24:54
That's what
24:54
Jesus is
24:55
doing for
24:56
Martha,
24:57
whom he
24:58
loves.
24:59
She's
25:00
looking to
25:00
this abstract
25:01
future reality
25:02
that,
25:03
yeah,
25:04
yeah,
25:04
Jesus,
25:05
I know
25:05
Lazarus will
25:06
be raised
25:07
in that
25:07
final day
25:08
and he's
25:08
saying,
25:08
no,
25:09
I'm
25:09
standing
25:09
right in
25:10
front of
25:10
you right
25:10
now.
25:11
I am
25:12
the
25:12
resurrection
25:13
and the
25:14
life.
25:16
I'd
25:16
suggest to
25:17
you that
25:17
Martha has
25:18
faith and
25:19
Jesus is
25:19
bolstering her
25:21
faith with
25:22
this statement.
25:23
He goes on
25:23
to say,
25:25
whoever believes
25:25
in me,
25:28
though he
25:29
die,
25:29
yet shall
25:29
he live.
25:30
And everyone
25:31
who lives
25:32
and believes
25:32
in me
25:33
shall never
25:34
die.
25:35
He plays
25:36
with this
25:36
language.
25:37
Whoever
25:38
believes in
25:38
me,
25:39
who has
25:40
taken me
25:40
up,
25:41
we will
25:42
go through
25:42
an earthly
25:43
death,
25:43
but we
25:44
will live
25:44
spiritually
25:45
forever.
25:46
And the
25:47
one who
25:47
lives
25:47
spiritually
25:48
even now
25:49
will never
25:50
die
25:51
spiritually.
25:53
And then
25:55
he asks
25:55
the question,
25:57
do you
25:58
believe this?
26:02
Do you
26:02
believe this?
26:04
There should
26:04
be no
26:05
question to
26:08
us why
26:09
John might
26:09
structure this
26:10
text in
26:12
this way.
26:13
You've
26:14
heard me
26:14
say,
26:14
John chapter
26:15
20,
26:16
verse 30
26:16
and 31,
26:17
why did
26:17
John write
26:18
this gospel
26:19
account?
26:20
He says
26:21
there,
26:21
now Jesus
26:21
did many
26:22
other signs
26:23
in the
26:23
presence
26:23
of the
26:23
disciples,
26:24
which are
26:25
not written
26:25
in this
26:26
book.
26:27
But some
26:28
are,
26:28
are they
26:28
not?
26:29
Here in
26:29
John chapter
26:30
11,
26:31
we are about
26:32
to see
26:32
Jesus do
26:34
this work,
26:35
this sign
26:36
raising
26:36
Lazarus
26:37
from the
26:38
dead.
26:40
Verse 31,
26:40
John 20
26:41
says,
26:41
but these
26:42
are written
26:42
that you
26:44
may believe
26:45
that Jesus
26:46
is the
26:46
Christ,
26:47
the Son
26:48
of God,
26:49
and that
26:49
by believing
26:50
you may
26:51
have life.
26:53
in his
26:54
name.
26:55
Well,
26:56
I want us
26:56
to be the
26:56
kind of
26:57
people that
26:57
when we
26:57
read in
26:58
John chapter
26:58
11,
26:59
this statement
27:00
of our
27:01
Lord,
27:02
do you
27:03
believe this,
27:05
that our
27:05
minds are
27:06
triggered?
27:07
John chapter
27:07
20,
27:08
right?
27:08
That's why
27:09
John wrote
27:10
this.
27:11
Look at
27:11
what he's
27:12
doing as
27:12
he constructs
27:14
this text
27:14
under the
27:15
power of
27:16
the Spirit
27:16
to ask
27:18
the question
27:19
of us
27:20
today.
27:22
Jesus is
27:23
the
27:24
resurrection
27:24
and the
27:25
life.
27:26
Do you
27:28
believe this?
27:31
And she
27:32
responds,
27:32
yes,
27:33
Lord,
27:33
I believe
27:34
that you
27:35
are the
27:35
Christ,
27:36
the Son
27:36
of God,
27:38
who is
27:38
coming
27:38
into the
27:40
world.
27:42
Now,
27:42
notice with me
27:43
second,
27:43
so this is
27:44
Jesus'
27:44
arrival,
27:45
notice
27:46
secondly,
27:48
Jesus'
27:49
anger,
27:51
verses 28
27:52
through 33.
27:55
Now,
27:56
why would I
27:56
draw your
27:57
attention to
27:57
this portion
27:58
of text
27:58
by titling
27:59
it,
28:00
Jesus'
28:01
anger?
28:02
I hope
28:02
that was a
28:03
little bit
28:03
shocking to
28:03
you.
28:05
Because of
28:05
the phrase,
28:07
he was
28:07
deeply moved
28:08
in his
28:09
spirit and
28:10
greatly
28:11
troubled.
28:13
Now,
28:13
you may
28:14
have in
28:14
your Bible
28:14
a footnote
28:15
following
28:16
the first
28:16
part of
28:17
that phrase
28:17
that reads,
28:19
or was
28:20
indignant.
28:23
So it
28:23
could read,
28:25
he was
28:25
indignant
28:26
and greatly
28:28
troubled.
28:30
So what
28:31
are we
28:31
meant to
28:32
make of
28:33
this?
28:34
I use
28:35
the word
28:35
anger
28:35
first because
28:36
of its
28:37
alliteration
28:38
with my
28:38
other points.
28:40
Helpful
28:40
sometimes,
28:41
and I like
28:41
to do it
28:41
when I
28:42
can.
28:42
But,
28:43
more
28:43
importantly,
28:44
because I
28:45
think it
28:45
gets at
28:46
what John
28:47
is showing
28:47
us here.
28:50
This
28:51
Greek
28:51
root,
28:52
this is a
28:53
single word,
28:54
is used
28:55
only twice
28:56
in this
28:56
chapter and
28:57
four other
28:58
places in
28:59
the Gospels.
29:01
In those
29:02
places,
29:03
it's
29:04
translated,
29:05
sternly
29:06
warned,
29:08
or in the
29:09
case of
29:09
Mark,
29:09
chapter 14
29:10
and verse
29:11
5,
29:12
the
29:13
disciples,
29:13
a record
29:13
of Mary
29:14
anointing
29:15
Jesus
29:16
with the
29:17
ointment.
29:18
There are
29:19
14, 5,
29:19
it says,
29:20
for this
29:20
ointment
29:20
could have
29:20
been sold
29:21
for more
29:21
than these
29:22
hundred
29:22
denarii
29:23
and given
29:23
to the
29:24
poor,
29:24
and they
29:26
scolded
29:27
her.
29:28
That's the
29:29
same verb
29:30
root
29:31
found
29:32
there.
29:34
This is
29:35
not a
29:36
soft
29:38
word.
29:39
I think
29:40
deeply
29:40
moved is
29:41
a fair
29:42
translation,
29:42
but it's
29:43
deeply moved
29:43
in a
29:44
particular
29:44
way.
29:46
Deeply
29:47
moved,
29:48
indignant,
29:50
angered in
29:51
his spirit
29:52
inside of
29:53
him,
29:54
and,
29:55
John adds,
29:57
greatly
29:57
troubled.
30:00
Now,
30:01
I think
30:01
what translators
30:03
are trying to
30:03
do is
30:04
they're trying
30:04
to connect
30:05
to this
30:06
idea of
30:07
Jesus
30:07
weeping.
30:08
How does
30:08
all of
30:08
this come
30:09
together?
30:10
He doesn't
30:11
say things
30:11
loudly.
30:13
There's not
30:14
rebuke that's
30:15
following here.
30:16
They're trying
30:17
to help us
30:17
wrap our
30:17
minds around
30:18
what's
30:18
happening,
30:19
but I
30:19
think it
30:20
comes up
30:20
short.
30:21
I'm thankful
30:21
for the
30:22
footnote,
30:22
at least
30:22
in my
30:23
Bible,
30:24
that says
30:25
was
30:25
indignant.
30:29
Additionally,
30:31
recall our
30:33
literary
30:33
structure,
30:35
and how
30:35
it's supposed
30:36
to help
30:36
us think
30:37
of the
30:38
rest of
30:40
the text.
30:42
Do you
30:43
remember,
30:44
right?
30:44
Do you
30:45
believe
30:46
this?
30:49
And we
30:49
have this
30:49
correspondence
30:50
between
30:51
Martha,
30:53
who comes,
30:54
expresses a
30:55
great measure
30:55
of faith,
30:57
Jesus,
30:58
asks the
30:59
question,
31:00
and then
31:01
Mary,
31:03
who is
31:04
delayed,
31:05
Jesus has
31:06
to request
31:06
that she
31:07
come to
31:07
him,
31:08
verse 28,
31:09
right?
31:10
Martha goes
31:10
back,
31:11
says to
31:11
Mary,
31:12
the teacher
31:12
is here
31:13
and is
31:13
calling for
31:14
you.
31:16
She gets
31:16
up quickly,
31:17
she goes,
31:19
the mourners
31:19
follow,
31:21
and when she
31:21
arrives to him,
31:22
she says the
31:22
exact same
31:23
thing that
31:25
Martha
31:25
said.
31:27
Lord,
31:28
if you had
31:28
been here,
31:29
my brother
31:30
would not
31:31
have died.
31:34
And then
31:34
John tells us
31:35
in verse 33,
31:36
there's no more
31:37
talking at this
31:38
point.
31:38
When Jesus
31:39
saw her
31:40
weeping,
31:41
and the Jews
31:42
who had come
31:42
with her also
31:43
weeping,
31:44
he was
31:45
deeply moved
31:46
in his spirit
31:47
and greatly
31:48
troubled.
31:50
I think
31:52
what John
31:52
is communicating
31:53
to us,
31:53
you see on
31:54
the one
31:55
side of
31:55
the literary
31:56
structure,
31:57
belief,
31:58
and on
31:58
the other
31:59
side,
32:01
unbelief.
32:03
Not just
32:03
grief,
32:04
but grief
32:05
without
32:06
hope.
32:09
So,
32:10
what is it
32:11
that Jesus
32:11
is angry
32:13
at?
32:15
D.A.
32:16
Carson
32:16
writes this,
32:17
quote,
32:17
some think
32:18
that Jesus
32:18
is moved
32:19
by their
32:19
grief,
32:20
and is
32:20
consequently
32:21
angry with
32:22
the sin,
32:24
sickness,
32:25
and death
32:25
in this
32:25
fallen world
32:26
that wreaks
32:27
so much
32:27
havoc
32:28
and generates
32:29
so much
32:30
sorrow.
32:32
Others
32:32
think that
32:33
the anger
32:33
is directed
32:34
at the
32:35
unbelief
32:35
itself.
32:37
The men
32:38
and women
32:38
before him
32:39
were grieving
32:39
like pagans,
32:40
like the
32:41
rest of men
32:41
who have
32:42
no hope,
32:43
1 Thessalonians
32:44
4.13.
32:46
Profound
32:46
grief
32:47
at such
32:47
bereavement
32:48
is natural
32:49
enough.
32:49
grief
32:50
that
32:50
degenerates
32:51
to despair
32:52
that pours
32:52
out its
32:53
loss
32:53
as if
32:53
there
32:54
was
32:54
no
32:54
resurrection
32:55
is an
32:56
implicit
32:56
denial
32:57
of that
32:58
resurrection.
33:00
Those are
33:00
the two
33:00
options.
33:02
And the
33:03
D.A.
33:03
Carson
33:03
says,
33:04
perhaps
33:04
these two
33:05
interpretations
33:06
are not
33:07
irreconcilable.
33:10
And I
33:12
think that
33:13
this
33:13
is right.
33:15
What Jesus
33:16
feels here
33:17
is a
33:18
righteous
33:18
anger
33:19
at
33:20
unbelief
33:21
and all
33:23
the problems
33:24
it has
33:24
caused,
33:25
starting all
33:26
the way back
33:27
in the
33:28
garden
33:28
and still
33:29
causes
33:30
today.
33:31
perhaps
33:34
you felt
33:35
this kind
33:36
of
33:36
righteous
33:37
indignation
33:38
at the
33:39
trouble
33:39
that is
33:40
experienced
33:41
in this
33:41
world.
33:42
We see
33:43
things be
33:43
not as
33:44
they ought
33:45
to be,
33:47
brought about
33:48
by that
33:48
original
33:49
unbelief
33:49
in the
33:50
garden
33:50
and
33:51
perpetuated
33:52
on by
33:53
unbelief.
33:55
and we
33:55
are
33:55
grieved
33:56
by it.
33:58
Greatly
33:58
troubled,
34:00
moved
34:01
within.
34:03
You don't
34:03
feel this
34:04
at the
34:04
tragedy
34:05
of this
34:05
world.
34:06
I think
34:06
that you
34:07
should.
34:09
I know
34:09
that I
34:10
do.
34:10
It's so
34:11
often
34:11
expressed
34:12
in me
34:12
when I
34:12
hear the
34:13
news
34:14
come across
34:15
my table,
34:16
whether that's
34:17
out there
34:18
somewhere
34:18
or within
34:19
our own
34:19
congregation.
34:21
I just
34:21
go,
34:21
come Lord
34:25
Jesus.
34:26
I need
34:27
the hope
34:27
of the
34:28
resurrection
34:28
in those
34:29
times.
34:31
I need
34:32
to believe
34:33
this.
34:34
Jesus is
34:35
the
34:36
resurrection
34:36
and the
34:38
life.
34:39
We have
34:40
hope in
34:40
this world.
34:41
We do
34:41
not grieve
34:42
as those
34:42
without
34:43
hope,
34:44
but those
34:45
with
34:46
hope.
34:48
I think
34:49
this is
34:49
what troubles
34:50
him.
34:50
these two
34:52
things.
34:53
Sin has
34:54
caused so
34:55
much and
34:55
it was
34:56
started with
34:57
unbelief and
34:58
then the
34:58
unbelief
34:58
carries on
35:00
in the
35:01
world.
35:03
Notice
35:04
lastly,
35:05
Jesus'
35:06
affection.
35:07
There's our
35:07
final A.
35:09
Jesus'
35:10
affection.
35:11
And he
35:12
said,
35:12
this is his
35:13
response to
35:14
this grievous
35:16
grieving that's
35:17
going on.
35:18
Where have
35:18
you laid
35:19
him?
35:20
They said
35:20
to him,
35:21
Lord,
35:21
come and
35:23
see.
35:24
Jesus
35:25
wept.
35:28
What's
35:29
happening
35:29
then here?
35:31
Jesus is
35:31
angry.
35:32
Why is it
35:33
that he
35:33
is weeping?
35:35
I think
35:36
he also
35:36
grieves.
35:40
Now,
35:41
the Jews
35:41
said,
35:42
see how
35:42
he loved
35:43
him.
35:43
And this
35:43
is a
35:44
misunderstanding
35:44
because
35:45
Jesus
35:45
certainly
35:46
loved
35:47
Lazarus.
35:49
Chapter 11,
35:50
verse 5,
35:51
tells us
35:51
this very
35:52
thing.
35:52
When he's
35:53
told to
35:54
come,
35:54
the one
35:54
whom you
35:55
love
35:56
is sick.
35:58
But Jesus
35:59
knew full
36:00
well that
36:00
he was
36:00
about to
36:01
see him
36:01
again.
36:02
The glorious
36:03
thing that
36:04
he was
36:04
about to
36:05
do.
36:06
So I
36:06
don't think
36:07
that Jesus
36:07
is weeping
36:08
over the
36:09
loss of
36:10
Lazarus.
36:11
this often
36:11
gets preached
36:12
that way.
36:13
I've heard
36:13
it time
36:14
and time
36:14
again.
36:16
I don't
36:16
think that's
36:17
what's going
36:17
on here
36:18
at all.
36:20
Another
36:20
misunderstanding.
36:21
Some of
36:21
them said,
36:23
could not
36:23
he who
36:23
opened the
36:24
eyes of
36:24
the blind
36:25
man also
36:25
have kept
36:26
this man
36:26
from dying?
36:29
There's a
36:30
faith being
36:30
expressed here
36:31
in the works
36:32
but not
36:32
in the
36:33
person.
36:34
On the
36:34
one hand,
36:35
it can be
36:35
read as an
36:36
honest question
36:37
but note
36:38
that Jesus'
36:39
response in
36:40
verse 38
36:41
he is
36:41
deeply
36:42
moved
36:44
again.
36:45
Once again
36:45
indignant,
36:48
righteously
36:48
angry.
36:51
So I
36:51
think verse
36:52
35 when we
36:53
read that
36:53
Jesus weeps
36:55
we're meant
36:56
to see him
36:57
righteously
36:58
angry at
36:59
this hopeless
37:00
grief and
37:02
broken hearted.
37:04
An affection
37:05
for people
37:06
who will
37:07
not take
37:08
hold of
37:09
him as
37:11
the Christ.
37:12
A broken
37:13
heartedness,
37:14
a desire
37:15
to see
37:16
them.
37:16
He's right
37:16
there in
37:17
front of
37:18
them.
37:18
He's about
37:18
to do
37:18
this thing,
37:19
this miraculous
37:20
thing,
37:21
and yet
37:22
confused
37:24
about who
37:25
he is.
37:27
I'm going
37:27
to see
37:27
next week
37:28
some of
37:29
them are
37:29
going to
37:29
go off
37:29
and report
37:30
in order
37:31
to get
37:31
him in
37:32
trouble
37:32
about this
37:33
thing
37:34
that he
37:35
has done.
37:37
And so
37:37
this all
37:39
begs the
37:40
question,
37:41
do you
37:42
believe
37:43
Jesus
37:43
is the
37:45
resurrection
37:45
and the
37:47
life?
37:48
Because if
37:49
he is,
37:50
everything
37:51
changes.
37:54
If Jesus
37:54
is the
37:55
resurrection
37:55
and the
37:55
life,
37:56
then the
37:57
worst thing
37:58
this world
37:58
can do
37:58
to you
37:59
is not
38:00
the ultimate
38:00
thing.
38:02
If God
38:02
is for
38:03
us,
38:04
who can
38:04
be against
38:05
us?
38:06
If Jesus
38:07
is the
38:07
resurrection
38:07
and the
38:08
life,
38:08
then death
38:09
does not
38:10
own the
38:12
Christian.
38:13
If Jesus
38:14
is the
38:14
resurrection
38:14
and the
38:15
life,
38:15
then a
38:16
cemetery
38:16
is not
38:17
a permanent
38:17
residence
38:18
for the
38:19
bodies
38:19
of believers.
38:21
If Jesus
38:22
is the
38:23
resurrection
38:23
and the
38:23
life,
38:24
then every
38:24
Christian
38:25
funeral
38:25
takes place
38:26
under the
38:26
promise
38:27
of a
38:28
coming
38:29
resurrection.
38:29
We
38:30
grieve
38:30
with
38:31
hope.
38:32
One day
38:33
Christ
38:33
will speak
38:34
and the
38:35
dead
38:35
will
38:35
rise.
38:36
The
38:37
same
38:37
Jesus
38:37
who
38:37
will
38:37
stand
38:38
in front
38:38
of
38:38
Lazarus'
38:39
tomb
38:39
and cry,
38:40
Lazarus,
38:40
come out,
38:41
will one
38:42
day issue
38:42
a summons
38:43
heard by
38:44
every
38:45
grave.
38:47
The
38:47
dead
38:47
in Christ
38:47
will rise.
38:49
That is
38:49
not wishful
38:50
thinking,
38:51
that is
38:52
Christianity.
38:54
So
38:55
Christian,
38:55
you may
38:56
grieve.
38:58
You
38:58
will.
38:59
grieve.
39:01
Your
39:01
life may
39:02
not have
39:02
experienced
39:03
grief
39:03
yet,
39:05
but you
39:05
will
39:06
grieve.
39:08
Do
39:08
not imagine
39:09
that strong
39:10
faith
39:10
requires
39:11
stoicism.
39:14
There
39:14
will be
39:14
days
39:15
when you
39:16
cry,
39:17
days that
39:17
demand
39:18
tears.
39:20
There
39:20
will be
39:21
empty
39:21
rooms that
39:21
hurt to
39:22
enter.
39:23
There
39:23
will be
39:23
anniversaries
39:24
that reopen
39:25
wounds.
39:26
There
39:27
will be
39:28
moments
39:28
when a
39:29
smell,
39:31
a song,
39:32
a photograph,
39:34
some ordinary
39:35
object suddenly
39:35
brings back
39:36
the weight
39:37
of someone's
39:38
absence.
39:40
Grief is
39:40
real.
39:42
Jesus
39:43
wept.
39:44
But we
39:45
do not
39:46
grieve
39:47
without
39:47
hope.
39:49
We
39:50
hope in
39:50
Christ,
39:52
the
39:52
resurrection,
39:53
and the
39:54
life.
39:54
let's
39:56
pray
39:56
together.