The Raising of Lazarus, Part IV, John 11:23-34

In our last lesson in this series concerning the Raising of Lazarus we left during a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and his friend Martha who was in mourning for her brother Lazarus. 

These last few days were sorrowful days for she not only was engaged in the burial of her brother but also despairing that Jesus had not come in time to heal Lazarus and save him from death.

Both Martha and Mary loved Jesus and were perplexed by his absence but now he is here intending to bring comfort to the women but most of all to bring glory to His Father.

Martha was the sister whom we are told was cumbered about with much service while Mary was the one who chose the better part, the part of worship at Jesus feet and thereby learning of him. 

Martha was the sister who met Jesus coming to Bethany and Mary was the sister who sat still in the house. 

These mentions of the sisters are given for our learning that we remember that service must be that which results from worship and not the other way around for worship does not result from service.

So Martha goes to meet Jesus while still evidencing anxiety, and in an indirect way she slightly rebukes Jesus by saying to him Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

However Martha, in a way does express some faith in Christ.

She knew that he had raised others from the dead but she conditioned it upon Jesus being in the presence of Lazarus in Bethany. 

He did not heal her brother from afar so could he only heal in the presence of the sick?

We see here an example of too much reasoning, too much thinking instead of much trusting. 

God’s ways are past finding out and He has proclaimed the just shall live by faith which means faith is higher than reasoning.

Of course we are not excluded from reasoning in this world but God’s world is only reached by faith.

So Martha reasoned, not understanding that Jesus delayed his coming for a higher purpose. 

She did not understand that he had allowed her to grieve and mourn and sorrow on purpose that God might be glorified. 

Don't be so quick to complain against God when distress comes into your life. 

Don't be so quick to murmur against God when troubles come into your life. 

Remember Martha and Mary and the four days that they suffered. 

Jesus allowed that to happen that He and His Father might be glorified and that his disciples might believe.

Remember all things work together for good, not just yours!

God has many pebbles to arrange on the beach in an order that suits Him and we are just one pebble.

We are not to think too highly of ourselves!

So Jesus responds with comforting words to Martha in John 11:23, by saying, Thy brother shall rise again.

Jesus is about to give beauty for ashes. 

He is about to give the oil of joy for mourning.   

He is about to give the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  

This is what happens when you cast all your care upon Him for he careth for you.

For His first words to Martha are of the resurrection of her brother. 

It is a place of mourning but Jesus does not mourn. 

Instead He encourages hope. 

Lazarus was one of his and Jesus will never leave his, even in death.

So in John 11:24, Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

She understands these words that He has uttered. 

These are the words that we hear at funerals and she had just attended the funeral of her brother. 

She understands them as being a future happening for her brother. 

Yes, I know that my brother was God's child and that God will raise him at the last day. 

She knew Job's words in her Bible:

Job 19:25,26, For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

But Jesus wanted her to know by whose power this would take place. 

He wanted her to know more than general knowledge that a resurrection would take place. 

He wanted her to know that by him the resurrection would come so He tells her clearly in:

John 11:25, …… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 

Martha, the resurrection will take place by my power. 

Martha, I have mastery over death. 

Get your eyes off of a future event and put them on me. 

The resurrection is not an event but a person. 

I am the resurrection, Jesus says.

Certainly we are to look forward to the time of the resurrection.

But it is not future events that we are to occupy ourselves with, but with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

He is whom we are to spend time with.

The second coming event is only important because it is when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to this earth.

He is the "I am" he says.  He deals with the present for he is the eternal present.   

Martha, This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

Be glad in this day, Martha, pay attention to this day. 

Watch me for I am the resurrection and the life. 

All power resides in me.

Occupy yourself with me and not the gifts from me.

For, as Jesus said in John 11:26, And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Believest thou this?

Here Christ speaks of never dying. 

Here Christ alludes to the fact that believers may sleep but they will not die. 

He is the life and when a believer is in Christ he is in the life and cannot die. 

As Jesus cannot die so too can a believer not die.

Jesus is eternal and those who are in Jesus Christ are also eternal and cannot die.

If a man keep my saying he shall never see death!  Martha, believest thou this? 

John 11:27, She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

His question is as to the resurrection. 

She answers as to the incarnation. 

No doubt she did not understand completely what Jesus said.

She gave a wonderful testimony but she missed the issue, she missed the point.

But she said that she was convinced that this man Jesus was the Christ foretold as to coming into the world. 

She affirms that he is the Christ, he is the Son of God and that he is Lord. 

He is the one to follow. 

But she is asked one thing and answers another. 

Her faith is small but she does evidence faith that God can use and bring forth fruit.

John 11:28,29,  And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Martha hurries home to tell Mary that the Master is come. 

Because of the Jews present she tells her secretly, perhaps whispering in her ear:

Whispering, she says, "The Master is come, and calleth for you."

Christ's presence was not commonly known at this time because he had not entered the village.

Martha wanted to keep it secret until Mary had a personnel time with him. 

So she whispers the news that he wants to see Mary.

Mary was a quiet and a calm person but this whisper arouses her to action. 

She responds to the call of Jesus who says: Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

So she, who needs such rest, arises quickly and goes to Christ. 

She did not wonder who the Master was for she had only one Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

John 11:30, Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

While Martha had gone into Bethany to get Mary, Jesus remained in the place outside of town where he had talked to Martha. 

Note how calm and unhurried he is and how ready to meet the needs of those he loves. 

Had he gone into Bethany he would not have ministered to Martha and Mary alone because of the crowds. 

Jesus was not in a hurry to awake Lazarus for ministry was still needed to those still living.  

His continuing sleep had no bearing on the ability of Christ to raise him up. 

Christ is the resurrection at all times.

He waited outside of Bethany in order to minister to the needs of Mary and Martha. 

Everything God does is done decently and in order.

John 11:31,  The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Martha's attempt at secrecy comes to nothing. 

God's purpose is not for this miracle to be done in secrecy or privately for Martha and Mary only. 

This last great sign of Israel's Messiah is to be done before many eye witnesses so the authorities would be without excuse.

The Jews had come from Jerusalem to comfort and when they supposed that Mary left to go to the grave they followed her to continue to give the comfort they could.

Why didn't they leave the house when Martha left it? 

Martha was so sufficient. 

Perhaps they sensed that she did not need comfort as much as Mary.

Perhaps they sensed she had duties to accomplish. 

Perhaps they stayed to minister to a weeping Mary.

John 11:32,  Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

John reports the attitude of Mary before her Lord, before her Master. 

It was an attitude of humility and submission. 

She fell down at his feet. 

This was where she was found when Jesus was around. 

This was her place with Jesus. 

Each time the New Testament presents Mary to us she is seen at the feet of Jesus, a position of worship. 

In Luke 10 she owns Christ as Prophet, hearing his word. 

In John 11 she approaches Christ as Priest, who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. 

In John 12:3 she acknowledges him as King

John 11:33,34,  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Mary's weeping causes a compassionate reaction in Jesus. 

John tells us that he groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

The Greek word translated 'groan' means to be deeply agitated. 

It is used here to indicate indignation on the part of the Lord. 

By groaning Jesus Christ was expressing indignation and outrage at what death had done to those he loves. 

He was troubled.  He literally shook with emotion. 

His body trembled with indignation and grief.

Jesus hates death and he is filled with sorrow that death has its way. 

Death is the enemy of Christ!

He is moved to a holy indignation of the fruit of sin so he groans and he weeps.