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John 11:38-44 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well amen and good morning. It's good to see each of you today. Please take your copy of God's Word this morning and turn with me once again to John chapter 11,
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where we'll conclude our consideration of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Because we have spent the last two weeks working our way carefully through this chapter, and because some of you may have not been with us for every part of the study,
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I want to begin by reminding us of the road that John has taken us in bringing us to this moment.
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Because what happens at the tomb in verses 38 through 44 cannot really be understood apart from everything Jesus has already said and done throughout the chapter.
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John 11 began with a problem that from the perspective of Mary and Martha seemed simple enough.
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Their brother Lazarus was sick.
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Jesus loved Lazarus and therefore the sisters sent word to Jesus with what was almost certainly the expectation that the one who had healed so many strangers would surely come quickly to help someone whom he personally loved.
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Yet from the very beginning, Jesus interpreted Lazarus' illness differently than everyone else did.
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Because whereas Mary and Martha saw an emergency that needed immediate intervention, Jesus saw an occasion through which the glory of God would be displayed.
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He says in verse 4,
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And that statement governs the entire chapter.
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Before Lazarus dies, before Jesus ever arrives in Bethany, before Martha comes running to meet him, before Mary falls weeping at his feet, and before Jesus stands outside the tomb,
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He has already told us what all of this is ultimately about.
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It is about the glory of God being revealed through the Son of God.
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And then as we saw when we began this chapter, John tells us something that initially seems almost impossible to reconcile with the love of Christ.
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John explicitly says that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, and then, rather than saying that because he loved them, he immediately left for Bethany,
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John says that because he loved them, he remained where he was for two additional days.
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In other words, the delay of Christ was not a contradiction of his love, it was an expression of his love.
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Because Jesus intended to give this family something far greater than the immediate relief that they were asking him to provide.
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They wanted Jesus to prevent Lazarus from dying.
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Jesus intended to reveal himself as the one who possesses authority over death itself.
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That distinction matters because it reminds us the love of God cannot always be measured by how quickly he delivers us from difficulty,
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nor can the goodness of God be assessed simply by comparing his providence with the outcome we would have preferred.
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There are times when the love of Christ leads him to give us precisely what we ask for.
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And there are other times when that same love, operating according to wisdom infinitely greater than our own,
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leads him to delay, to withhold, or even to take us through circumstances we would never have chosen for ourselves.
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The sisters prayed in effect, Lord, come and heal Lazarus.
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Jesus loved them too much merely to answer that prayer in the way they expected.
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As the chapter continues, Jesus eventually tells his disciples plainly that Lazarus has died,
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and then he adds something which, apart from everything else we know about him, might almost sound cruel.
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For your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.
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Jesus is not glad that Lazarus suffered, nor is he delighted in the grief of these sisters.
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Rather, he is glad because he knows that what he is about to reveal concerning himself will strengthen the faith of his disciples
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in a way that merely preventing the sickness from ending in death never could.
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And so the themes emerge clearly.
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Glory, faith, resurrection life.
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By the time Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has already been in the tomb for days.
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And Martha, upon hearing that Jesus is approaching the village,
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goes out to meet him and says what has surely passed through the hearts of countless believers in moments of suffering.
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Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
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There is faith in that statement, but also confusion.
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Martha believes Jesus possesses extraordinary power,
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but she cannot yet understand why he did not exercise that power when she wanted him to exercise it.
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And it is into that confusion that Jesus speaks perhaps the most important words in the entire chapter.
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I am the resurrection and the life.
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Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
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Jesus does not merely tell Martha that he is capable of performing a resurrection.
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He tells her that resurrection is inseparably bound up with his own identity.
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I am the resurrection and the life.
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He is not merely one who possesses life.
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He is the life.
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He is not simply someone through whom resurrection may occur.
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He is the resurrection.
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Then he turns this great theological declaration toward Martha personally and asks,
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Do you believe this?
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Martha responds with that remarkable confession.
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Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.
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Then Mary comes and when she arrives, she falls at Jesus' feet and repeats the same words Martha had spoken.
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Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
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Jesus sees Mary weeping.
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He sees the mourners around her weeping.
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He sees everything that sin and death have done to this family, their hopeless grief.
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And John tells us that he is deeply moved and greatly troubled.
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Then comes that simple sentence, Jesus wept.
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We saw last week that this is not merely the emotional response of a sympathetic friend,
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although it is certainly that.
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Rather, there is something deeper happening in Jesus.
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Because the language John uses conveys not only sorrow, but indignation.
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Jesus stands in the presence of death and is moved with holy anger.
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Jesus grieves because death and unbelief is an enemy.
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But he does not grieve as one who is powerless before that enemy.
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He is about to confront it.
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Christian hope does not eliminate grief.
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It gives grief something to hold on to.
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So with that, we come to John chapter 11, verses 38 through 44.
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Let me pray for us before I read it.
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Father God, we thank you this morning for your word.
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We thank you that you have not left us to invent our own ideas about your son,
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but have given us this inspired testimony
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so that seeing who he is and understanding what he has done,
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we might believe that Jesus is the Christ.
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And that by believing, we might have life in his name.
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Guard us, we pray, from the kind of familiarity
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that allows us to read of a dead man walking out of a tomb
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without being astonished by the glory of Christ.
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Give us eyes to see him, ears to hear his word,
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faith to trust him, and hearts that delight in his glory.
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And Father, if there are those among us who remain spiritually dead in their sins,
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would you, through the gospel this morning,
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cause them to hear the voice of your son and live?
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We ask this in Jesus' name and for the glory of that name.
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Amen.
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John 11, I'll begin reading in verse 38.
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Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb.
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It was a cave and a stone lay against it.
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Jesus said, take away the stone.
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Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him,
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Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead for days.
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Jesus said to her,
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did I not tell you that if you believe you would see the glory of God?
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So they took away the stone.
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And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said,
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Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
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I knew that you always hear me,
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but I said this on account of the people standing around,
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that they may believe that you sent me.
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When he had said these things,
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he cried out with a loud voice,
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Lazarus, come out.
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The man who had died came out,
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his hands and feet bound with linen strips,
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and his face wrapped with a cloth.
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Jesus said to them,
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unbind him and let him go.
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If you'll allow,
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I'd like to draw your attention to our text
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in four alliterated points.
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You know, I've heard the argument made at times
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that alliteration is meant to help us remember the points of a sermon,
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but I'm fully aware that too much is said in these sermons
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for you to really remember the points.
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I'm hoping that you might take notes
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or go back and listen to the recording later.
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So I want you to know that I alliterate just for fun.
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I spend a lot of time staring at words on a page,
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and so I just enjoy doing it.
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So there we are.
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The Baptist joke often seems appropriate.
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I don't do it for that reason.
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I do it because it's fun.
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So, number one,
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Jesus confronts death.
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We see these in these first two verses,
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and I've mentioned it already.
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John's description is almost startling in its simplicity.
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There's no attempt to dramatize the scene artificially
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because the facts themselves possess more than enough weight.
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There's a cave.
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There's a stone covering its entrance.
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There's a dead man inside,
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and standing outside is Jesus Christ,
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the one who has just declared himself
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to be the resurrection and the life.
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John tells us that Jesus is deeply moved again
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using the same strong language we encountered earlier in the chapter,
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which means that as Jesus approaches the tomb,
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he is not merely experiencing the sadness of a friend who has lost someone he loves.
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He is confronting with holy indignation the dreadful reality of death and unbelief itself.
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The Bible never treats death and unbelief as though it belonged to the original goodness of God's creation.
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When God created the world,
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he looked upon all that he had made and declared it very good.
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But death,
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doubt,
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entered through
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sin.
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So what now seems
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universal and unavoidable
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is nevertheless an intruder
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into the world
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that God made.
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Paul writing in 1 Corinthians chapter 15
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does not call death our friend.
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He calls it the last enemy.
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That distinction is important
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because Christians
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sometimes speak about death so casually
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that we unintentionally say more
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than Scripture itself says.
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It is true that
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for the believer,
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death has lost its condemning power.
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It is true that
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to be absent from the body
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is to be present with the Lord.
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It is true that
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death cannot separate us
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from the love of God
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in Christ Jesus.
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But none of that means
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death itself
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has somehow
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become good.
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We were created for
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life with God
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and therefore
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when the eternal Son of God
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through whom all things were created
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comes face to face
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with the devastation
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death has brought
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into His creation.
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He is deeply moved.
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And He says in verse 39,
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take away the stone.
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Notice the authority
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with which Jesus speaks.
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He doesn't ask
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whether everyone is comfortable
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with the opening of the grave
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nor does He offer
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a lengthy explanation
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of what He intends to do.
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He simply commands
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that the stone be removed.
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And Martha immediately
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raises what
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from every ordinary
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human perspective
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is a perfectly reasonable
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objection.
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Lord,
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by this time
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there will be an odor
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for He has been
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dead for
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days.
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Fun fact,
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the King James
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renders this statement
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by Martha.
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Lord,
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by this time
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He stinketh.
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death.
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It's remarkably
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direct.
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But it communicates
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exactly what Martha
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understands about
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the situation.
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Jesus has told them
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to open a grave
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containing a body
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that has been dead
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for days.
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Martha is not denying
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Jesus' power
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in some abstract sense.
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She has already confessed
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that He is the Christ,
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the Son of God.
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What she is struggling with
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is the collision
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between what she believes
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about Jesus
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and what she knows
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about the body
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lying behind that stone.
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Lazarus is dead.
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Not recently.
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Not apparently.
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Not unconscious.
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Not hovering
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somewhere near death.
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Lazarus
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is dead
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and her faith
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is faltering.
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John is taking
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great care
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to remove
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every possible
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natural explanation
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for what is about
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to happen.
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Because Lazarus
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has been in the tomb
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long enough
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that decomposition
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has begun.
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And Martha knows it
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well.
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Lord,
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he stinketh.
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Now,
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a tomb allows us
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to place
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a boundary
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around death.
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We know what is inside
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but the stone
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prevents the side of it,
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sterilizes
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its reality.
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There's something
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merciful about burial
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for that very reason
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because we commit
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the bodies
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of those
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who we love
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to the ground
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rather than watching
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the process of decay
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unfold
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before us.
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But Jesus orders
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the boundary removed.
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He is about to
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confront death
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in all its
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ugliness.
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And this is where
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we need to remember
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that Christianity
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is not fundamentally
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a program
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designed to help
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basically healthy people
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become somewhat
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better versions
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of themselves.
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If our problem
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were merely
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ignorance,
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Jesus would have
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come
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as a teacher.
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If our problem
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were merely
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bad habits,
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Jesus would have
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come as a
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moral instructor.
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If our problem
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were merely
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political disorder,
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Jesus could have
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come as a statesman.
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If our problem
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were merely
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emotional instability,
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Jesus could have
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come
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as a counselor.
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And it comes
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as many of those
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things.
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But our problem
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fundamentally
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goes far deeper
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than any of
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those things
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because we are
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sinners
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standing under
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the sentence
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of death.
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Alienated from
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the God
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who made us
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and incapable
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of resurrecting
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and rescuing
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ourselves.
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Jesus did not
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come merely
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to improve
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our lives.
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He came
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to give
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life
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to the dead.
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And so,
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although His
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Lordship certainly
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transforms marriages
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and families,
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affects the way
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we work,
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teaches us how
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to forgive,
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changes how
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we handle money,
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and reshapes
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every dimension
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of human life,
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we must never
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reduce Christianity
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to just
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those
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things.
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The gospel
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is not fundamentally
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about becoming
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a nicer person.
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the gospel
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is about
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reconciliation
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with God
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through the
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death and
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resurrection
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of Jesus
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Christ.
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It is about
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resurrection.
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I have no doubt
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that Paul has
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this miracle
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in mind
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as he writes
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in Ephesians
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chapter 2.
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And you were
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dead
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in the trespasses
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and sins
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in which you
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once walked,
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following the
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course of this
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world,
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following the
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prince of the
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power of the
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air,
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the spirit
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that is now
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in work
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and the
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sons of
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disobedience,
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among whom
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we all once
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lived in the
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passions of
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our flesh,
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carrying out
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the desires
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of the flesh
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and the mind,
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and were by
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nature children
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of wrath
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like the
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rest of
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mankind.
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But God,
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being rich
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in mercy,
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because of the
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great love
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with which he
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loved us,
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even when we
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were dead
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in our
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trespasses,
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made us
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alive together
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with Christ.
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By grace
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you have been
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saved,
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and raised us
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up with him
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and seated us
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with him in
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the heavenly
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places in
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Christ Jesus,
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so that in
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the coming
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ages he
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might show
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the immeasurable
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riches of his
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grace and
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kindness toward
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us in
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Christ Jesus.
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Jesus we
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see first
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confront
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death.
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Second,
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Jesus calls
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us to see
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his glory.
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Verse 40,
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Jesus responds
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to Martha,
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did I not
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tell you that
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if you
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believed you
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would see
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the glory
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of God?
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Now the
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great theme
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has governed
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this entire
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chapter returns.
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Jesus began
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by saying that
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Lazarus'
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sickness was
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for the glory
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of God so
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that the
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Son of God
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might be
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glorified through
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it, and
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now standing
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outside the
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tomb with
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Martha
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understandably
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concerned about
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what will
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happen when
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the stone
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is removed,
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Jesus calls
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her back to
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what he
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has already
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said.
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Did I
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not tell
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you?
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That question
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is more
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important than
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we might
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initially realize,
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because Jesus
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does not answer
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Martha primarily
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by giving her
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new information,
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he answers her
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by reminding
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her of the
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word she
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has already
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received.
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And very
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often, that
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is precisely
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what struggling
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faith needs.
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There are
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seasons in the
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Christian life
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when what we
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most desperately
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require is not
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some new
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revelation from
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God, but a
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renewed grasp
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of what God
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has already
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revealed.
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We are slow
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learners and
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quick to
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forget,
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particularly
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when suffering
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narrows our
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vision.
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We know
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that God
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is sovereign,
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but the
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circumstances
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begin to
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unravel and
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we find
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ourselves
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behaving as
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though he
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has lost
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control.
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We know
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that Christ
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loves his
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people, but
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then he
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delays in
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answering a
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prayer and
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we begin to
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interpret
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silence as
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indifference.
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We know
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that the
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promises of
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God are
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certain,
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but then
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death,
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sickness,
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disappointment,
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fear,
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occupies the
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whole field
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of vision and
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suddenly the
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things we
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confessed yesterday
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seemed much
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more difficult
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to believe
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today.
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At that
21:31
point, the
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written word
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comes to us
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as Jesus
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comes to
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Martha and
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asks,
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did I not
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tell you?
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Did I not
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tell you that
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I am the
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resurrection and
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the life?
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Did I not
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tell you that
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whoever believes
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in me,
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though he
21:46
die,
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yet shall
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he live?
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Did I not
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tell you that
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no one can
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snatch my
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sheep from
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my hand?
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Did I not
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tell you that
21:54
all things
21:55
work together
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for good for
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those who
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love God
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and are
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called according
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to his
21:59
purpose?
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Did I not
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tell you that
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nothing in all
22:03
creation can
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separate you from
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the love of
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God in
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Christ
22:07
Jesus?
22:08
faith does
22:11
not require
22:11
us to
22:12
know
22:13
everything
22:14
God
22:15
is doing.
22:17
Faith
22:17
requires us
22:18
to trust
22:19
what God
22:20
has said.
22:22
And Jesus
22:23
tells Martha
22:24
that through
22:24
believing she
22:25
will see
22:26
the glory
22:27
of God.
22:29
And Jesus
22:30
tells Martha
22:30
that if she
22:33
will grasp
22:33
hold of this
22:34
reality,
22:35
she will
22:37
be enthralled.
22:40
Now we need
22:40
to be careful
22:41
with these
22:41
words because
22:42
this verse
22:42
has sometimes
22:43
been interpreted
22:44
as though
22:44
Martha's faith
22:45
itself were
22:46
the force
22:47
that would
22:47
make the
22:47
miracle possible.
22:49
As though
22:49
Jesus was
22:49
saying that
22:50
if she
22:50
could summon
22:51
enough
22:51
confidence,
22:52
her faith
22:53
would unlock
22:54
divine power.
22:56
That cannot
22:57
possibly be
22:59
the point.
23:01
The power
23:01
of this
23:02
passage does
23:02
not belong
23:03
to Martha's
23:04
faith.
23:05
The power
23:05
belongs to
23:06
Jesus Christ.
23:08
Lazarus
23:09
will not
23:09
walk out
23:10
of the
23:10
tomb
23:10
because
23:10
Martha
23:11
has
23:11
finally
23:11
achieved
23:12
the
23:12
proper
23:12
psychological
23:13
condition.
23:14
He will
23:14
walk out
23:15
of the
23:15
tomb
23:15
because
23:16
the
23:16
Son of
23:16
God
23:16
possesses
23:17
authority
23:17
to give
23:18
life
23:18
to the
23:19
dead.
23:21
Faith
23:21
does not
23:21
create
23:22
the glory
23:23
of Christ.
23:24
Faith
23:24
beholds
23:25
the glory
23:26
that already
23:26
belongs
23:27
to Christ.
23:29
That is
23:30
an enormously
23:31
important
23:32
distinction,
23:33
particularly
23:33
in an age
23:34
when faith
23:34
is so often
23:35
treated as
23:35
though it
23:36
were a
23:36
force
23:36
within us
23:37
by which
23:38
we manipulate
23:39
outcomes.
23:42
Biblical
23:42
faith is
23:43
not confidence
23:44
in
23:45
confidence.
23:47
It is not
23:48
believing
23:48
strongly
23:49
enough that
23:49
something
23:50
desirable
23:50
will happen.
23:52
Biblical
23:52
faith
23:53
has an
23:54
object.
23:56
It
23:56
rests upon
23:57
the character,
23:58
promises,
23:58
and person
23:59
of God
24:00
supremely
24:02
revealed
24:03
in Jesus
24:04
Christ.
24:05
And that
24:06
brings us
24:06
to the
24:07
question,
24:08
what exactly
24:10
is the
24:10
glory Martha
24:11
is about
24:12
to see?
24:13
Certainly
24:14
she is going
24:15
to witness
24:15
something
24:16
spectacular
24:17
because her
24:18
brother is
24:18
about to
24:19
walk out
24:19
of his
24:20
tomb.
24:21
But in
24:22
John's
24:22
gospel,
24:23
the glory
24:24
of God
24:24
is never
24:25
merely
24:26
spectacle.
24:29
John told
24:29
us at the
24:29
very beginning
24:30
of the
24:30
gospel that
24:31
the eternal
24:31
word became
24:32
flesh and
24:33
dwelt among
24:34
us, and
24:35
that in
24:35
him the
24:36
disciples
24:36
beheld
24:37
the glory
24:38
of the
24:38
only Son
24:39
from the
24:40
Father.
24:42
In other
24:43
words, the
24:43
glory of God
24:44
is being
24:44
revealed in
24:45
the person
24:46
of Jesus
24:47
Christ.
24:49
If you
24:50
want to
24:50
know what
24:51
God is
24:52
like,
24:53
look at
24:53
the Son.
24:55
This
24:55
morning as
24:56
we consider
24:57
Christ standing
24:58
outside the
24:58
tomb, behold
24:59
your God.
25:02
This
25:03
morning as
25:03
we look
25:04
and read
25:04
testimony of
25:05
the resurrection
25:06
of Lazarus,
25:07
behold your
25:09
God.
25:11
Faith
25:11
beholds the
25:12
glory of
25:14
Christ.
25:15
So when
25:16
Jesus tells
25:16
Martha that
25:17
she will see
25:18
the glory of
25:18
God, he
25:19
is not merely
25:19
promising her
25:20
an extraordinary
25:21
moment.
25:23
He is
25:23
inviting her
25:24
to see
25:24
more clearly
25:25
who he
25:26
is.
25:29
And
25:29
Christian
25:29
faith still
25:31
does exactly
25:32
that.
25:34
Faith looks
25:34
through the
25:36
providence.
25:36
It cannot
25:37
explain to
25:38
the Christ
25:39
whose
25:40
character
25:41
it knows.
25:44
And
25:44
consider how
25:45
remarkable
25:47
the revelation
25:48
is here.
25:52
Jesus
25:52
firstly
25:53
confronts
25:54
death.
25:54
Secondly
25:55
calls us
25:56
to see
25:57
his glory.
25:59
Thirdly
25:59
Jesus
26:00
communes
26:01
with the
26:02
Father.
26:04
Verses
26:04
41
26:05
and 42
26:06
so they
26:07
took away
26:08
the stone
26:09
and Jesus
26:10
lifted up
26:10
his eyes
26:11
and said
26:11
Father I
26:12
thank you
26:12
that you
26:13
have heard
26:13
me.
26:14
I knew
26:15
that you
26:16
always hear
26:17
me but I
26:18
said this
26:18
on account
26:19
of the
26:20
people
26:20
standing
26:20
around
26:21
that they
26:21
may believe
26:22
that you
26:23
sent me.
26:24
For those
26:25
keeping score
26:26
this is
26:27
I argue
26:28
the chiastic
26:28
center
26:29
of the
26:30
text.
26:31
Although we
26:32
have not
26:32
arrived at
26:33
the middle
26:33
of the
26:35
sermon.
26:35
verse 41
26:37
begins
26:38
so they
26:40
took away
26:41
the stone.
26:43
There's a
26:44
quiet beauty
26:46
in the
26:46
simplicity
26:47
of that
26:47
obedience.
26:50
Jesus has
26:50
spoken
26:50
Martha has
26:52
expressed her
26:52
concern
26:53
Jesus is a
26:54
reminder her
26:54
of his
26:55
promise
26:55
and now
26:56
the stone
26:56
is removed.
26:59
Then John
26:59
tells us
27:00
and Jesus
27:01
lifted up
27:03
his eyes
27:03
and said
27:05
father I
27:06
thank you
27:07
that you
27:07
have heard
27:08
me.
27:10
Before
27:11
Jesus speaks
27:11
to Lazarus
27:12
he speaks
27:13
to his
27:13
father and
27:15
for a
27:15
moment
27:15
John allows
27:16
us to
27:17
overhear
27:17
something of
27:19
the communion
27:19
that exists
27:20
eternally
27:21
between the
27:21
father and
27:23
the son.
27:24
This
27:25
relationship
27:25
has been
27:26
one of the
27:26
dominant themes
27:27
of John's
27:27
gospel from
27:28
the beginning.
27:30
The son is
27:30
from the
27:30
father.
27:31
The son is
27:32
sent by the
27:33
father.
27:33
The son
27:33
speaks the
27:34
words of
27:35
the father.
27:35
The son
27:35
performs the
27:37
works of
27:38
the father.
27:39
The father
27:39
loves the
27:40
son.
27:40
The son
27:40
perfectly
27:41
delights in
27:42
the will
27:42
of the
27:43
father.
27:45
There is
27:46
no competition
27:47
within the
27:48
Godhead.
27:48
No disagreement
27:49
of purpose.
27:50
No reluctant
27:50
father whom
27:51
the compassionate
27:52
son must
27:53
somehow persuade
27:54
to be
27:55
merciful.
27:56
Father and
27:57
son act in
27:58
perfect
27:59
unity.
28:00
me.
28:01
And so
28:01
Jesus lifts
28:02
his eyes
28:03
and says
28:03
father I
28:04
thank you
28:04
that you
28:05
have heard
28:07
me.
28:08
Notice the
28:09
tense.
28:11
Jesus does
28:11
not say
28:12
father I
28:13
hope you
28:13
will hear
28:13
me nor
28:14
does he
28:14
say father
28:14
please decide
28:16
now whether
28:16
you will
28:17
grant my
28:17
request.
28:19
He thanks
28:19
the father
28:20
that he
28:21
has heard
28:23
him.
28:24
Whatever
28:25
communion has
28:26
already passed
28:27
between father
28:28
and son
28:28
concerning
28:29
Lazarus is
28:29
not recorded
28:30
for us.
28:31
But Jesus
28:32
thanksgiving
28:33
makes clear
28:33
that the
28:34
miracle about
28:34
to occur
28:35
is the
28:35
outworking
28:36
of their
28:37
perfect
28:38
agreement.
28:41
Then he
28:41
says in
28:42
verse 42
28:42
I knew
28:43
that you
28:44
always
28:45
hear me.
28:47
There has
28:47
never been
28:48
nor could
28:48
there ever
28:49
be a
28:49
defect in
28:50
the communion
28:50
between the
28:51
father and
28:52
the son.
28:53
Every prayer
28:54
of Jesus
28:54
arises from
28:55
perfect
28:55
righteousness
28:56
perfect
28:56
wisdom
28:57
perfect
28:57
submission
28:58
and perfect
28:59
fellowship
28:59
with his
29:01
father.
29:02
And that
29:03
matters
29:03
because
29:04
Lazarus'
29:05
resurrection
29:06
is not
29:06
intended
29:07
merely to
29:08
demonstrate
29:08
that Jesus
29:10
is a
29:10
powerful
29:10
miracle
29:11
worker.
29:12
It reveals
29:13
his identity
29:15
who he
29:16
is.
29:18
Back in
29:19
John 5
29:21
which in a
29:22
broader
29:22
chiastic
29:23
structure
29:23
corresponds
29:24
with this
29:24
chapter
29:25
after Jesus
29:26
healed the
29:26
man at
29:26
the pool
29:27
of Bethesda
29:28
and the
29:29
religious
29:29
leaders
29:29
became
29:30
enraged
29:30
because he
29:31
was making
29:31
himself
29:32
equal with
29:33
God
29:33
Jesus
29:34
explained
29:35
that the
29:35
son does
29:36
what he
29:37
sees the
29:37
father
29:38
doing.
29:40
And among
29:41
the divine
29:41
works
29:42
Jesus
29:42
explicitly
29:43
claimed for
29:43
himself
29:44
was
29:44
the giving
29:45
of life.
29:48
He said
29:48
for as the
29:49
father raises
29:50
the dead
29:50
and gives
29:50
them life
29:51
so also
29:52
the son
29:52
gives life
29:53
to whom
29:54
he will.
29:56
Now
29:57
several
29:57
chapters
29:58
later
29:58
the truth
29:59
of that
29:59
claim
30:00
stands
30:01
before us
30:02
in visible
30:02
form.
30:04
The father
30:05
gives life
30:05
the son
30:06
gives life
30:08
the father
30:08
and son
30:09
are not
30:09
competing
30:10
agents
30:10
but act
30:11
together
30:11
in the
30:12
work of
30:12
God.
30:14
And
30:14
therefore
30:14
when Jesus
30:15
stands in
30:15
front of
30:16
Lazarus
30:16
grave
30:16
and prepares
30:17
to call
30:18
him out
30:18
we are
30:19
seeing
30:19
more than
30:20
a prophet
30:21
through whom
30:21
God
30:22
happens
30:22
to perform
30:23
an
30:23
extraordinary
30:23
miracle.
30:25
We are
30:25
seeing
30:26
the divine
30:26
son
30:27
exercising
30:28
the life
30:29
giving
30:29
authority
30:30
he shares
30:30
with the
30:31
father.
30:33
Jesus
30:34
then
30:34
explains
30:34
why
30:36
he has
30:36
prayed
30:37
aloud.
30:39
I said
30:40
this
30:40
on account
30:41
of the
30:42
people
30:42
standing
30:43
around.
30:45
In other
30:46
words
30:46
the prayer
30:46
is not
30:47
necessary
30:48
because
30:48
the father
30:48
needs
30:49
information
30:50
or
30:50
persuasion
30:51
Jesus
30:52
prays
30:53
audibly
30:53
for the
30:54
benefit
30:54
of the
30:55
crowd
30:56
and why
30:57
to what
30:58
end
30:58
to what
30:59
benefit
30:59
that they
31:01
may
31:01
believe
31:03
that you
31:03
sent
31:04
me.
31:08
For those
31:08
of you
31:09
who don't
31:09
know
31:09
I'm a
31:10
type 1
31:10
diabetic
31:11
my phone
31:13
is on
31:13
silent
31:13
but not
31:14
when my
31:14
blood
31:14
sugar is
31:15
dropping
31:15
so that's
31:17
what's
31:17
beeping
31:17
very loudly
31:18
I'm
31:19
okay
31:19
don't
31:20
worry
31:20
about
31:20
me
31:20
my
31:22
little
31:22
stumbles
31:22
over
31:23
words
31:23
have
31:23
been
31:23
because
31:24
I
31:24
think
31:24
my
31:24
blood
31:24
sugar
31:24
is
31:24
dropping
31:25
but
31:25
we're
31:25
going
31:25
to
31:25
make
31:26
it
31:26
through
31:26
I'm
31:27
going
31:27
to
31:27
make
31:27
it
31:27
to
31:27
a
31:27
glass
31:28
of
31:28
juice
31:28
my
31:29
lovely
31:30
wife
31:30
is
31:30
going
31:30
to
31:30
go
31:30
get
31:31
me
31:31
one
31:31
right
31:31
now
31:31
thank
31:31
you
31:31
Sam
31:32
I
31:34
don't
31:34
think
31:34
I
31:34
could
31:35
tell
31:35
her
31:35
no
31:35
at
31:36
this
31:36
point
31:36
so
31:37
she'll
31:38
bring
31:38
it
31:38
up
31:38
here
31:38
momentarily
31:39
this
31:45
is
31:45
another
31:45
great
31:45
theme
31:46
of
31:46
the
31:47
chapter
31:47
right
31:48
not
31:49
only
31:50
glory
31:50
but
31:51
belief
31:52
Jesus
31:54
said
31:54
the
31:54
disciples
31:55
would
31:55
believe
31:55
he
31:56
asked
31:56
Martha
31:57
whether
31:57
she
31:58
believed
31:59
now
32:00
he
32:00
prays
32:01
so
32:01
that
32:01
the
32:01
crowd
32:02
might
32:03
believe
32:03
and
32:05
eventually
32:05
John
32:05
will
32:05
tell
32:06
us
32:06
that's
32:06
why
32:06
he
32:06
wrote
32:06
the
32:07
gospel
32:07
itself
32:08
John
32:08
20
32:08
you've
32:08
heard
32:09
this
32:09
many
32:09
times
32:09
verse
32:10
30
32:10
and
32:10
31
32:11
Jesus
32:12
did
32:12
many
32:12
other
32:12
signs
32:13
in the
32:13
presence
32:13
of
32:13
the
32:13
disciples
32:14
which
32:14
are
32:14
not
32:14
written
32:15
in
32:15
this
32:15
book
32:15
but
32:16
these
32:16
are
32:17
written
32:17
so
32:19
that
32:19
you
32:20
may
32:20
believe
32:20
that
32:21
Jesus
32:21
is
32:22
the
32:22
Christ
32:22
the
32:23
Son
32:23
of
32:23
God
32:24
and
32:24
that
32:24
by
32:25
believing
32:25
you
32:25
may
32:26
have
32:26
life
32:26
in
32:27
his
32:27
name
32:28
the
32:33
signs
32:33
are
32:34
never
32:35
intended
32:35
to
32:36
terminate
32:37
upon
32:37
themselves
32:38
they're
32:40
not
32:40
the
32:40
point
32:41
John
32:43
does not
32:43
want us
32:43
merely to
32:44
walk away
32:44
saying
32:45
what an
32:45
astonishing
32:46
miracle
32:47
he
32:48
wants
32:49
us
32:49
to
32:49
ask
32:50
what
32:51
does
32:51
this
32:52
miracle
32:52
reveal
32:53
about
32:54
Jesus
32:55
and
32:57
the
32:57
answer
32:57
is that
32:58
Jesus
32:58
is the
32:59
Christ
33:00
the
33:00
Son
33:01
sent
33:01
by
33:02
the
33:02
Father
33:02
the
33:03
one
33:03
in
33:03
whom
33:04
life
33:05
is
33:06
found
33:07
Jesus
33:09
confronts
33:09
death
33:10
number
33:10
one
33:10
Jesus
33:11
calls
33:12
us
33:12
to
33:12
see
33:12
his
33:12
glory
33:13
number
33:13
two
33:14
Jesus
33:15
communes
33:15
with
33:16
the
33:16
Father
33:16
number
33:17
three
33:17
and
33:18
lastly
33:19
Jesus
33:19
commands
33:20
the
33:20
dead
33:21
to
33:22
live
33:22
we
33:22
see
33:23
this
33:23
in
33:23
the
33:23
last
33:23
two
33:24
verses
33:26
in
33:26
closing
33:27
when
33:31
he
33:31
said
33:31
these
33:31
things
33:32
he
33:32
cried
33:32
out
33:32
with
33:32
a
33:32
loud
33:33
voice
33:33
Lazarus
33:35
come
33:36
out
33:36
and
33:38
that
33:38
was
33:38
fun
33:39
we
33:41
will
33:41
forever
33:42
remember
33:42
that
33:42
stain
33:43
and
33:43
where
33:43
it
33:43
came
33:43
from
33:44
now
33:48
we
33:48
arrive
33:48
at
33:48
the
33:48
moment
33:49
toward
33:50
which
33:50
the
33:50
entire
33:51
chapter
33:51
has
33:53
been
33:53
moving
33:53
when
33:55
he
33:55
had
33:55
said
33:55
these
33:55
things
33:56
Lazarus
33:57
come
33:58
out
33:58
perhaps
33:59
the
34:00
most
34:00
astonishing
34:00
feature
34:01
of
34:01
the
34:01
miracle
34:02
is
34:02
the
34:02
complete
34:03
absence
34:04
of
34:05
pomp
34:05
there
34:07
is
34:07
no
34:07
ritual
34:08
there
34:08
is
34:08
no
34:08
incantation
34:09
there
34:09
is
34:09
no
34:10
elaborate
34:10
ceremony
34:11
jesus
34:12
does
34:12
not
34:12
plead
34:13
with
34:13
death
34:14
negotiate
34:15
with
34:15
death
34:16
or
34:16
engage
34:17
in
34:17
some
34:17
cosmic
34:18
contest
34:18
whose
34:19
outcome
34:19
remains
34:20
uncertain
34:21
until
34:21
the
34:22
final
34:22
moment
34:23
he
34:24
simply
34:24
speaks
34:26
and
34:27
the
34:28
dead
34:28
man
34:28
obeys
34:30
that
34:32
should
34:32
be
34:32
astonishing
34:33
to
34:34
us
34:34
we
34:35
are
34:35
not
34:36
dualists
34:37
thinking
34:38
that
34:38
somehow
34:38
the
34:39
battle
34:40
between
34:40
light
34:40
and
34:41
death
34:41
is
34:41
not
34:42
already
34:42
settled
34:44
jesus
34:45
simply
34:46
says
34:47
lazarus
34:48
come
34:50
out
34:50
i think
34:52
our
34:52
familiarity
34:53
with
34:53
the
34:54
story
34:54
sometimes
34:54
prevents
34:55
us
34:55
from
34:55
feeling
34:56
the
34:56
force
34:56
of
34:57
what
34:57
john
34:57
records
34:58
imagine
35:00
that you
35:00
have been
35:00
there
35:01
you have
35:02
watched
35:02
lazarus
35:03
become
35:03
sick
35:04
you have
35:04
heard
35:05
that he
35:05
died
35:05
perhaps
35:06
you
35:06
had
35:07
helped
35:07
wash
35:07
and
35:08
prepare
35:08
the
35:08
body
35:08
you
35:09
have
35:09
attended
35:10
the
35:10
burial
35:10
you
35:11
watched
35:11
as
35:12
his
35:12
body
35:12
was
35:12
carried
35:13
into
35:13
the
35:13
doom
35:13
and
35:14
the
35:14
stone
35:14
rolled
35:15
across
35:15
the
35:16
opening
35:16
four
35:17
days
35:18
have
35:19
now
35:19
passed
35:19
and
35:20
you
35:20
have
35:20
spent
35:20
those
35:20
days
35:21
sitting
35:21
with
35:21
the
35:22
sisters
35:22
bringing
35:23
food
35:23
speaking
35:24
words
35:24
of
35:24
comfort
35:25
and
35:25
doing
35:25
what
35:25
people
35:26
have
35:26
always
35:26
done
35:27
in
35:27
the
35:27
face
35:27
of
35:28
death
35:28
grieving
35:29
because
35:30
there's
35:30
nothing
35:30
else
35:31
that
35:31
you
35:32
can
35:32
do
35:32
then
35:34
Jesus
35:34
arrives
35:34
!
35:40
into
35:40
the
35:40
darkness
35:40
of
35:41
the
35:41
tomb
35:41
perhaps
35:42
already
35:42
recoiling
35:43
at
35:44
the
35:44
spell
35:45
that
35:45
Martha
35:45
had
35:46
warned
35:46
them
35:46
about
35:47
and
35:47
Jesus
35:48
cries
35:49
with a
35:49
loud
35:50
voice
35:50
Lazarus
35:51
come out
35:53
then
35:54
from
35:54
inside
35:55
the
35:55
tomb
35:55
there
35:56
is
35:57
movement
35:57
the
35:58
man
35:58
you
35:59
buried
35:59
walks
36:00
out
36:01
John
36:02
records
36:03
it
36:03
with
36:03
such
36:03
understatement
36:05
the
36:06
man
36:06
who
36:07
had
36:07
died
36:07
came
36:08
out
36:09
this
36:10
is
36:10
exactly
36:11
what
36:11
Jesus
36:11
said
36:11
earlier
36:11
in
36:12
John's
36:12
gospel
36:12
would
36:13
happen
36:13
in
36:14
John
36:14
5
36:14
he
36:14
declared
36:15
that
36:15
the
36:15
hour
36:15
is
36:15
coming
36:16
when
36:16
the
36:16
dead
36:16
will
36:16
hear
36:17
the
36:17
voice
36:17
of
36:17
the
36:17
Son
36:17
of
36:18
God
36:18
and
36:18
those
36:18
who
36:18
hear
36:19
will
36:19
live
36:20
what
36:21
happens
36:21
in
36:21
Bethany
36:22
is
36:22
therefore
36:22
not
36:23
merely
36:23
an
36:23
isolated
36:24
demonstration
36:24
of
36:25
miraculous
36:25
power
36:26
it
36:27
is
36:27
a
36:27
preview
36:28
of
36:28
the
36:28
life
36:29
giving
36:29
authority
36:29
that
36:30
belongs
36:30
to
36:30
the
36:30
Son
36:31
and
36:31
a
36:32
sign
36:32
pointing
36:33
forward
36:33
to
36:34
the
36:34
final
36:35
resurrection
36:36
there is
36:38
a connection
36:38
here
36:39
I think
36:39
with the
36:40
opening
36:40
chapter
36:41
of
36:41
John's
36:42
gospel
36:42
where
36:43
Jesus
36:43
identified
36:44
as
36:44
the
36:44
eternal
36:45
word
36:45
through
36:46
whom
36:46
all
36:47
things
36:47
were
36:48
made
36:48
in
36:50
Genesis
36:50
God
36:51
created
36:52
by
36:52
speaking
36:52
let
36:53
there
36:53
be
36:54
light
36:55
and
36:55
light
36:56
appears
36:56
God's
36:57
word
36:58
does
36:58
not
36:58
merely
36:58
describe
36:59
reality
37:00
God's
37:00
word
37:00
brings
37:01
reality
37:02
into
37:02
existence
37:03
and
37:05
now
37:05
the
37:05
eternal
37:05
word
37:06
through
37:06
whom
37:06
creation
37:07
was
37:07
made
37:07
stands
37:08
in
37:08
front
37:08
of
37:08
a
37:09
grave
37:09
created
37:09
by
37:10
the
37:10
consequences
37:11
of
37:11
sin
37:11
speaks
37:12
into
37:13
the
37:13
darkness
37:13
and
37:14
where
37:14
there
37:14
was
37:14
death
37:15
there
37:15
is
37:16
life
37:18
the
37:20
creator
37:20
exercising
37:21
his
37:21
authority
37:22
over
37:22
his
37:23
creation
37:23
and
37:25
at
37:25
least
37:25
three
37:25
great
37:26
truths
37:26
emerge
37:27
from
37:28
this
37:28
moment
37:28
first
37:31
Jesus
37:31
possesses
37:32
absolute
37:32
authority
37:33
over
37:33
physical
37:34
death
37:35
Lazarus
37:36
contributes
37:36
absolutely
37:37
nothing
37:38
to his
37:38
resurrection
37:39
which is
37:40
obvious
37:41
enough
37:42
once
37:42
we say
37:43
it
37:43
the
37:44
theological
37:44
significance
37:45
is
37:46
enormous
37:47
thank you
37:48
babe
37:48
if you
37:53
were
37:53
listening
37:53
to this
37:53
recording
37:53
I
37:54
spilled
37:54
I spilled
37:54
juice
37:54
all over
37:54
the
37:55
stage
37:55
and
37:57
now
37:57
my
37:57
wife
37:58
loves
37:58
me
37:58
enough
37:58
to
37:58
bring
37:59
me
37:59
another
37:59
cup
37:59
and
38:00
paper
38:00
towels
38:00
to
38:02
mop
38:02
up
38:02
my
38:02
mess
38:03
sorry
38:04
for
38:04
the
38:04
distraction
38:04
in
38:06
case
38:06
you
38:06
thought
38:07
I
38:08
was
38:08
a
38:08
handsome
38:08
robot
38:09
that's
38:12
an
38:12
old
38:12
ongoing
38:13
joke
38:13
right
38:15
Lazarus
38:16
has done
38:16
nothing
38:17
to make
38:18
this
38:18
possible
38:19
right
38:21
Lazarus
38:22
does not
38:22
hear the
38:23
command of
38:23
Jesus
38:23
evaluate
38:24
the
38:25
evidence
38:25
consider
38:25
whether
38:26
the
38:26
resurrection
38:26
would be
38:27
desirable
38:27
and then
38:28
cooperate
38:29
by summoning
38:30
enough
38:30
strength
38:30
to come
38:31
back
38:31
to life
38:32
he's
38:34
dead
38:34
Jesus
38:36
supplies
38:36
everything
38:38
necessary
38:39
Jesus
38:40
calls
38:40
Jesus
38:41
gives
38:42
life
38:43
now we
38:44
should
38:44
distinguish
38:45
carefully
38:45
between
38:46
Lazarus
38:46
resurrection
38:46
and the
38:47
resurrection
38:47
Jesus
38:48
himself
38:48
will
38:48
soon
38:49
experience
38:49
because
38:49
Lazarus
38:50
is
38:51
restored
38:51
to
38:51
ordinary
38:52
mortal
38:53
life
38:53
and will
38:54
therefore
38:54
die again
38:55
someday
38:56
a mortal
38:57
life
38:58
he has
38:59
received an
39:00
extraordinary
39:01
restoration
39:01
but he has
39:02
not yet
39:03
received the
39:03
final glorified
39:05
body
39:05
promised
39:06
to the
39:07
people of
39:07
God
39:08
his
39:09
resurrection
39:09
is a
39:10
sign
39:10
pointing
39:11
beyond
39:11
itself
39:12
towards
39:12
something
39:13
greater
39:14
there is
39:15
coming a
39:16
day
39:16
when Jesus
39:16
Christ
39:17
will speak
39:17
again
39:18
and every
39:18
grave
39:19
will yield
39:20
its dead
39:20
on that
39:22
day
39:22
those who
39:23
belong to
39:23
Christ
39:23
will not
39:24
merely return
39:25
to another
39:25
period of
39:26
mortal
39:26
existence
39:27
in which
39:27
death
39:27
waits for
39:28
them
39:28
again
39:29
the
39:30
perishable
39:31
will put
39:32
on the
39:32
imperishable
39:33
the
39:34
mortal
39:34
will put
39:35
on
39:35
immortality
39:36
the
39:36
bodies
39:37
of
39:37
God's
39:37
people
39:38
however
39:38
weak
39:39
diseased
39:39
broken
39:40
aged
39:41
or
39:41
decayed
39:42
they may
39:44
have
39:44
become
39:44
will be
39:46
raised
39:46
in
39:47
glory
39:47
what
39:49
hope
39:50
the
39:50
Christian
39:51
has
39:52
secondly
39:54
Lazarus'
39:55
resurrection
39:55
gives us
39:56
a vivid
39:56
picture of
39:57
the sovereign
39:57
grace of
39:58
God
39:59
in salvation
40:00
now we
40:02
should not
40:02
turn John
40:03
11 into
40:03
an allegory
40:04
because John
40:05
is recounting
40:06
an actual
40:06
historical
40:07
event in
40:08
which an
40:08
actual dead
40:09
man was
40:10
physically
40:10
raised from
40:11
an actual
40:11
tomb
40:12
nevertheless
40:14
the rest of
40:16
scripture uses
40:16
the language
40:17
of death to
40:18
describe our
40:18
spiritual condition
40:19
apart from
40:20
Christ and
40:20
therefore the
40:21
scene before
40:22
us provides a
40:22
powerful
40:23
illustration of
40:24
what divine
40:25
grace must
40:26
accomplish if
40:27
anyone is to
40:28
be saved
40:29
Paul I read
40:31
earlier says
40:32
in Ephesians 2
40:33
that we were
40:33
dead in
40:34
trespasses
40:35
and sins
40:36
that diagnosis
40:39
is considerably
40:40
more serious
40:40
than the way
40:41
human beings
40:42
naturally think
40:43
about themselves
40:44
we tend to
40:46
imagine that
40:46
our fundamental
40:47
problem is
40:48
lack of
40:48
information
40:49
lack of
40:50
discipline
40:50
bad examples
40:51
unhealthy
40:52
environments
40:53
or poor
40:53
choices
40:54
and while all
40:55
of those
40:55
things may
40:56
play some
40:56
role in
40:57
human
40:57
behavior
40:58
scripture reaches
40:59
beneath them
41:00
to a much
41:01
deeper
41:01
reality
41:03
apart from
41:04
Christ
41:05
we are
41:06
spiritually
41:06
dead
41:07
and dead
41:08
people do
41:09
not need
41:09
advice
41:10
they need
41:12
life
41:13
that is why
41:15
salvation must
41:15
be a work of
41:16
sovereign grace
41:17
from beginning
41:17
to end
41:18
the doctrine
41:20
of regeneration
41:20
is not some
41:21
cold theological
41:22
abstraction best
41:23
left to seminary
41:24
classrooms
41:25
it is tremendously
41:26
hopeful
41:27
it means the
41:29
salvation of
41:30
those you love
41:31
does not
41:31
finally depend
41:32
upon your
41:32
ability to
41:33
persuade them
41:34
you should
41:36
speak
41:36
clearly
41:37
you should
41:39
answer
41:39
objections
41:40
thoughtfully
41:41
you should
41:42
live
41:42
faithfully
41:44
you should
41:45
pray
41:45
persistently
41:46
but in the
41:47
end
41:47
salvation
41:48
belongs
41:49
to God
41:51
look at
41:52
Lazarus's
41:53
tomb
41:53
the deadness
41:55
of Lazarus
41:55
did not
41:56
exceed the
41:56
power of
41:57
Christ
41:57
and the
41:58
spiritual
41:58
deadness
41:59
of the
41:59
sinner
41:59
you love
42:00
does not
42:00
exceed
42:01
his power
42:01
either
42:02
we cannot
42:04
raise the
42:06
dead
42:06
but Christ
42:08
can
42:08
so preach
42:10
the gospel
42:11
pray
42:12
love
42:13
patiently
42:14
speak
42:14
truth
42:15
and do not
42:17
confuse
42:17
the apparent
42:18
hardness
42:19
of the
42:19
sinner
42:19
with
42:20
weakness
42:20
in the
42:22
Savior
42:22
third
42:24
Lazarus's
42:26
resurrection
42:26
points us
42:27
forward to
42:28
the resurrection
42:28
of Jesus
42:30
look carefully
42:32
again
42:32
at verse
42:33
44
42:34
the man
42:35
who died
42:35
came out
42:36
his hands
42:36
and feet
42:37
bound with
42:38
linen strips
42:38
and his face
42:40
wrapped
42:40
with a
42:41
cloth
42:42
Lazarus
42:43
comes out
42:44
of the
42:44
tomb
42:45
still
42:46
dressed
42:46
for burial
42:47
his body
42:49
is alive
42:50
but the
42:50
signs of
42:51
death
42:51
remain
42:51
wrapped
42:52
around
42:52
him
42:52
and so
42:53
Jesus
42:53
commands
42:53
unbind
42:54
him
42:54
and let
42:55
him
42:56
go
42:56
hold that
42:58
image
42:59
in your
42:59
mind
43:00
because
43:01
John is
43:01
going to
43:01
take us
43:02
eventually
43:02
to another
43:03
tomb
43:03
there will
43:04
be another
43:05
stone
43:05
there will
43:06
be more
43:07
linen
43:07
cloths
43:09
there will
43:10
be another
43:11
face
43:12
cloth
43:12
but when
43:14
Peter and
43:14
John
43:15
enter Jesus
43:15
tomb
43:16
on resurrection
43:16
morning
43:17
they will
43:18
not find
43:19
Jesus
43:19
stumbling
43:20
toward the
43:20
entrance
43:21
still
43:21
wrapped
43:22
in burial
43:22
garments
43:23
needing
43:24
someone
43:24
else
43:25
to untie
43:26
him
43:26
they will
43:27
find
43:28
the
43:28
linen
43:28
cloths
43:29
lying
43:29
there
43:30
and the
43:30
face
43:30
cloth
43:31
folded
43:31
separately
43:33
the
43:34
distinction
43:34
is
43:35
theologically
43:36
significant
43:37
Lazarus
43:39
has been
43:39
restored
43:40
to mortal
43:40
life
43:41
Jesus
43:42
rises
43:43
as the
43:43
victorious
43:43
beginning
43:44
of the
43:45
new
43:45
creation
43:46
Lazarus
43:48
will die
43:48
again
43:49
Jesus
43:49
rises
43:50
never
43:51
to die
43:52
again
43:52
Lazarus
43:53
resurrection
43:54
is a
43:55
sign
43:55
Jesus
43:56
resurrection
43:57
is
43:58
the
43:59
victory
43:59
so
44:01
Jesus
44:02
confronts
44:02
death
44:02
calls
44:03
us
44:03
to see
44:03
his
44:04
glory
44:04
communes
44:05
with
44:05
the
44:05
father
44:05
commands
44:06
the
44:07
dead
44:08
to
44:08
live
44:09
had
44:11
you
44:11
stopped
44:11
the
44:11
story
44:11
at
44:11
almost
44:12
any
44:12
point
44:12
before
44:13
verse
44:13
43
44:14
and
44:14
attempted
44:14
to
44:14
evaluate
44:15
the
44:16
faithfulness
44:16
of
44:16
Christ
44:17
merely
44:17
by the
44:17
visible
44:18
circumstances
44:18
you
44:19
might
44:20
have
44:20
concluded
44:20
that
44:20
something
44:21
had
44:21
gone
44:21
terribly
44:22
wrong
44:23
but
44:24
nothing
44:24
went
44:25
wrong
44:26
Jesus
44:26
knew
44:27
precisely
44:28
what
44:29
he
44:29
was
44:29
doing
44:29
the
44:31
delay
44:31
had
44:31
a
44:31
purpose
44:32
the
44:32
journey
44:33
had
44:33
a
44:33
purpose
44:33
the
44:34
tears
44:34
had
44:35
a
44:35
purpose
44:35
the
44:35
tomb
44:36
itself
44:37
had
44:38
a
44:38
purpose
44:39
and
44:40
through
44:40
all
44:40
of
44:40
it
44:40
Christ
44:40
was
44:41
moving
44:41
toward
44:41
the
44:42
revelation
44:42
of
44:42
his
44:42
glory
44:43
some
44:44
of
44:44
you
44:44
may
44:44
presently
44:45
be
44:45
living
44:45
somewhere
44:47
in the
44:47
middle
44:47
of a
44:48
story
44:48
whose
44:48
conclusion
44:49
you
44:49
cannot
44:50
see
44:50
you
44:51
know
44:52
that
44:52
Christ
44:52
loves
44:53
you
44:53
but
44:53
you
44:53
cannot
44:53
reconcile
44:54
that
44:54
love
44:55
with
44:55
what
44:55
he
44:56
has
44:56
allowed
44:57
you
44:58
have
44:58
prayed
44:59
and
44:59
the
45:00
answer
45:00
has
45:00
been
45:00
delayed
45:00
you
45:02
believe
45:02
but
45:03
you
45:03
are
45:03
grieving
45:04
you
45:05
trust
45:06
him
45:06
you
45:06
cannot
45:06
imagine
45:07
how
45:07
the
45:07
circumstances
45:08
presently
45:09
in
45:09
front
45:09
of
45:09
you
45:09
could
45:09
possibly
45:10
serve
45:10
any
45:11
good
45:11
purpose
45:12
I
45:14
cannot
45:14
promise
45:14
you
45:15
that
45:15
every
45:16
grave
45:16
you
45:16
stand
45:16
beside
45:17
will
45:17
open
45:17
in
45:18
this
45:18
life
45:19
John 11
45:20
does not
45:21
give us
45:21
space
45:22
for that
45:23
kind
45:23
of
45:23
promise
45:23
Lazarus
45:25
resurrection
45:26
is a
45:26
sign
45:27
not a
45:28
guarantee
45:28
that
45:29
every
45:29
tragedy
45:29
will be
45:30
reversed
45:30
according
45:31
to
45:31
our
45:32
preferred
45:33
timetable
45:34
but
45:35
the
45:35
sign
45:36
points
45:37
to
45:37
something
45:37
far
45:38
greater
45:38
and
45:39
far
45:39
more
45:40
certain
45:41
resurrection
45:42
is
45:43
coming
45:44
if you
45:46
belong to
45:47
Jesus
45:47
Christ
45:47
there is
45:48
no sorrow
45:48
in your
45:49
life
45:49
which can
45:50
overturn
45:51
his purposes
45:51
for you
45:52
no loss
45:54
which can
45:54
separate you
45:55
from his
45:55
love
45:55
no enemy
45:56
capable
45:56
of surviving
45:57
his
45:58
kingdom
45:59
and no
45:59
grave
46:00
capable
46:00
of holding
46:01
you
46:01
when he
46:02
commands
46:02
you
46:03
to
46:03
rise
46:04
there is
46:06
coming a
46:06
day when
46:06
the voice
46:07
heard
46:07
outside
46:08
Lazarus
46:08
tomb
46:09
will
46:09
sound
46:09
again
46:10
only on
46:12
that day
46:12
there will
46:13
be no
46:13
temporary
46:14
restoration
46:14
to a
46:15
mortal
46:15
life
46:15
that
46:16
eventually
46:16
ends
46:16
in
46:16
another
46:17
funeral
46:18
there will
46:19
be
46:19
resurrection
46:20
unto
46:21
everlasting
46:21
life
46:22
Jesus
46:23
is
46:24
the
46:24
resurrection
46:24
and
46:26
the
46:26
life
46:26
believe
46:28
him
46:28
trust
46:29
him
46:30
wait
46:31
for him
46:32
hold
46:32
up
46:32
and
46:33
hold
46:33
on
46:34
and
46:34
expect
46:35
the
46:36
glory
46:36
of our
46:37
God
46:38
let's
46:38
pray
46:39
together