I Am the Resurrection and the Life — John 11

0:00 God's word. We're gonna continue our study through the gospel of John. So open up to John chapter 11. John chapter 11. This is probably a a favorite chapter of many people.

0:15 I know that since I was young I've heard this particular chapter and I've always enjoyed it and I've always marveled at it. And hopefully you've been enjoying our study through the Gospel of John. We believe that is the elders believe that it's been a benefit to the body, if it hasn't please come and see us but we think it has been. Then a man was told by a physician that yes indeed you do have rabies Upon hearing this the patient immediately pulled out a pad and pencil and began to write thinking the man was making out his will the doctor said hey listen, there is a cure for rabies you know, and he says, know that. I'm making out a list of people I'm going to bite.

1:02 What does that have to do with the message? Absolutely nothing. I just like that. This is the the seventh and final sign that Jesus is going to perform. As you know, the Gospel of John is structured around seven signs that are meant to show us without a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah, that he's fully God, and that he's worthy of us putting our faith and our trust in him.

1:33 And so the the apostle John has been building his case by showing in chapter two that he could turn water to wine, by healing the nobleman's son in chapter five, by healing a paralytic man, by walking on water, by feeding a huge crowd, by healing a blind man, and now he's going to do one more supernatural miracle, humanly impossible, that it cannot be explained away because this man was dead for four days. And so this is like John says, okay, I can't give you a greater sign than this one, to show you that Jesus had the power even over death, even over a person who had died. So let's read the text, we're going to read 44 verses, and then we'll dig into it a little bit. So John, the Gospel of John, chapter 11, and for those of you who are visiting, we welcome you, pray that you would feel at home with us. Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

2:41 And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with anointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick. The sisters therefore sent to him saying, lord, behold, he whom you love is sick but when Jesus heard, he said, this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the son of God may be glorified by it. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed then two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, let's go to Judea again.

3:24 The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you and are you going to going there again? Jesus answered, are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him. This he said after that, he said to them, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go that I may awaken him out of sleep.

4:03 The disciples therefore said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, will he recover? Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he was speaking of literal sleep. Then Jesus therefore said to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there so that you may believe, but let us go to him. Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, let us also go that we may die with him.

5:18 Jesus said to her, your brother shall rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

5:42 Do you believe this? She said to him, yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, even he who comes into the world. And when she had said this, she went away and called Mary, her sister, saying secretly, the teacher is here and is calling for you. And when she heard it, she arose quickly and was coming to him.

6:07 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in a place where Martha met him. The Jews then who were with her in the house and consoling her when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out followed her supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Therefore, when Mary came to where Jesus was, she saw him fell at his feet saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews who were who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled and said, where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see.

6:58 Jesus wept. So, and so, the Jews were saying, behold, how he loved him. But some of them said, could not this man whom opened the eyes of him who was blind have kept this man also from dying? Jesus therefore again being deeply moved within came to the tomb. Now it was a cave and a stone was lying against it.

7:28 Jesus said, remove the stone. Martha, the sister of the deceased said to him, Lord, by this time there will be stench for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God? So... And so they removed the stone.

7:50 And Jesus raised his eyes and said, father, I thank thee that thou heardest me and I know that thou hearest me always, but because of the people standing around, I said it that they may believe that thou didst sent me. And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. He would die... And he who had died came forth bound hand and foot with wrappings and his face was wrapped with a cloth and Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go. Amen.

8:29 The Lord always blesses his word. What a remarkable story I think of. How many of you have never heard this story before? The story of Lazarus being raised after four days. Is there someone maybe who haven't heard you?

8:41 Is this your first time, Matthew? Alright. Well, praise God. We're gonna we're gonna hear it then once again. I think so.

8:47 Most of us have heard it and we have a a good grasp, a good idea of what the story is about. So, basically, I I broke this down into three points that I'm going to focus on. Number one, the glory of god. Number two, God's timing and purpose. And number three, the resurrection, our blessed hope.

9:31 I'm gonna read to you several verses that we can read probably for half an hour or other verses that speak of God's glory. I just wanna read to you some, just listen. Psalm twenty nine three, the God of glory. Psalm twenty four seven through 10, the king of glory. Psalm fifty seven eleven, be exalted above the heavens, God, and let your glory be above the earth.

9:58 Psalm 19 and verse one, the heavens declare the glory of god. In other words, when god created the heavens, when you look up and you see the Milky Way, when you see all of his creation, the stars, the sun, automatically your heart just say, wow. They they speak of God's glory. They speak of God's greatness. So the heavens declare the glory of God.

10:23 And I think many of us, many times have looked up and been amazed at God's power and glory when we look at the heavens. Psalm 63 and verse one, the whole earth is full of his glory. But you know that many of us have traveled to different parts of the world and you look at the mountains, rivers, the the beautiful creation even after the fall and you can say, man, the land is full of the glory of God. When I look at all everything around that God created in such a beautiful way and the way everything works, then you can say with the with Isaiah, the whole earth is full of the glory of God. First Corinthians two eight says, Jesus Christ is the Lord of glory.

11:09 Isaiah forty two and forty eight both say that God's intrinsic glory is uniquely his and he will not share his glory with anyone else. And we can go on and on and on talking about God's glory. So the Bible states plainly and powerfully that God is the God of glory and Jesus said that this miracle that he's going to do here is for the glory of God. Now let's look a little bit about more... Define this term.

11:38 What is the glory of God? It's not easy to define in just a few sentences, but I'm going to attempt in my feeble way to explain a little bit about it. God's glory is his holiness and his weightiness. That is his significance and his worth. We are to give him the honor that is due to him.

12:02 God's glory also is his reputation, what others think about him. In other words, it matters to him that you think correctly about God. The glory of God then is acknowledging that God is absolutely holy, significant, and honor is due to him, and that his reputation matters what you think about him. So this miracle will show that he is not some mere prophet, he's not a historical figure who went around doing good. This miracle will show without a doubt his significance that I am God, that I have power, and then I give life to people.

12:48 So the name of Jesus should cause all of us to say, he's the most significant person in my life. His reputation hinges on my testimony that he transformed me. That he gave me eternal life. Consequently, I give him honor and glory for he is my lord and my god. I like the way Philippians chapter two verse nine through 10 puts it.

13:12 For this reason also, god highly exalted him that is Jesus and and bestowed on him a name which is above every name so that the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow to those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. And so when Jesus says, this is going to be for the glory of God, he's going to say, there's got to be a point where you don't look at me as just another mere man, or a great man, or historical figure, but you're going to look at me as God himself in the body, in flesh. And you're going to acknowledge my significance, and you're going to acknowledge who I am, and you're going to bow to me. That's what he's saying. The glory of God, that's what this is about.

14:15 And so, point number one right there, I could go on and on about that but I want to move on. The next thing we find interesting in this text is this, god's timing and purpose. God's timing and purpose. Did you notice in verse 21 and also in verse 32, Martha therefore said to Jesus, lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And notice also the sister said the very same words, verse 32, therefore when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw him, fell at his feet saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

15:24 And so God, why the delay? I just don't understand why you're doing what you're doing. And Martha and Mary both go to him and say, God, where were you? We know that if you would have been here, everything would have been different. But but but why did you take so long?

15:40 Nonetheless, we know that you have power and that you can change things. And so why didn't he? There's so many questions in life. So many so many times god baffles us and our faith is challenged and we wonder about god and his timings and his purposes. Just think about it what we've already studied.

16:03 The paralytic man, thirty eight years, he was paralyzed. And God said it was for God's glory. How many of you want to say, okay God glorify yourself for me, go ahead and paralyze me for thirty eight years. And then the blind man, he was already an adult, and they said, who sinned? The parents are the son and God said, no, no, no, neither one, Neither one, this is for God's glory.

16:26 And so this guy, once he was healed, the parents said he's already an adult. So he was blind a long time. He was blind a long time. The woman with the flow for twelve years, she had been bleeding and she had run out of resources and couldn't find the answer and God finally healed her. But why so long?

16:47 When would Jesus return? Aren't you... Don't you get tired sometimes of saying Jesus return? Come on Jesus, go ahead and return and show all of your glory and all of your power, so that all of those people who blaspheme your name will bow down and worship you and their mouth will be shut and their knees are going to bend and they're going to acknowledge you. How long will you allow your name to be blasphemed by people?

17:09 And so God's timing often baffles us. God, where were you when I prayed? Why didn't you answer? Why did you take so long? And so these ladies are praying for their brother and Jesus doesn't show up.

17:24 And they're kind of thrown by it. As a matter of fact, even the people said, who who knew about Jesus and his miracles, In verse 37, could not this man who opened the eyes of him who was blind have kept this man from dying? So even even the the onlookers who had observed Jesus said, you know what, if you would have been there, you would have kept him from dying. I wonder what happened? So everybody was kind of thrown by by by this whole scenario.

17:54 But the sovereign God and his wisdom knows when to intervene. So for so for those of you who are struggling with God's timing and and god's purposes in your life, you can always understand that whatever god allows, it it's for his glory. And so, there's a song that that I really love. It says in your time, in your time Lord, you make all things beautiful in your time. Lord, please show me every day as you're teaching me your way that you do just what you say in your time.

18:27 We cannot rush the sovereign purposes of God. We cannot make his hand move by our confusion or by our complaints. Ecclesiastes three one says this, he has made everything beautiful or appropriate in its time, in its time. Galatians four four, I love the way it puts it, but when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman. Right?

18:55 At the right time, Jesus came. He didn't come a year too soon or five years too late. He came at the right time. So Jesus, where are you? Why weren't you here?

19:07 And maybe that's been your prayer many times. So whatever God does, we have to look at it through the lenses of the glory of God. Whatever he's allowing, it's for the glory of God. I'll give you an example. My sister, which I've told you before, when she was eight, we discovered she had cancer.

19:30 But we realize now that that was for the glory of God. Because through that cancer, all of my family was saved. And so we look at the sickness with different eyes. God, that was for your glory. You saved our immediate family, you saved many cousins, you saved other people through the testimony.

19:49 Wow, the glory of God. It was terrible. It was painful. We had to see her die through this terrible cancer, but it saved so many people. So we can see the glory of God in things that baffle us and that disappoint us.

20:07 And so the ladies come and they're like, you know, if you would have been here, and Jesus said, yeah, I know. If I would have been there, but God has a plan. And so let's go to the third point and of course, you can imagine, I'm going to linger on this one a little bit. The resurrection and the life are blessed hope. Let's let's crash into this in verse 23.

20:55 He who believes in me shall shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? So I'm gonna speak a little bit about resurrection, about what God has laid out for us in the future. This is what we call our blessed hope. So, I'm going to draw your attention right now to Luke and go there quickly with me.

21:19 Chapter 20 verse 35 through 38. And I'm going to extract some thoughts because we're going to look a little bit about resurrection, about what God has told us about the resurrection, about what's going to happen to our bodies. By the way, for those of you who are disappointed with the way you look, I was listening to Doctor. James Dobson, and he says that every five years, your body changes. And I looked in the mirror the other day and I said, amen, that sounds about right, you know.

21:47 It's shifting, you know, things that used to be up here are now, you know, in different locations, and color and all kinds of things. I heard somewhere that your ears keep growing and some other, you know, it's like, it's kind of, so we're going through all these changes and you look in the mirror sometimes and you're like, man, wow, what's going on? So there's hope for you who may be doing that. If you're not doing that yet, it's only a matter of time. Amen?

22:14 Right? Those of you who are older, yes. And then your body is going to start saying, ow, and things like that. And I used to be able to touch the rim, and now I have a one inch vertical and things like that. Right?

22:26 Okay. So notice this teaching how important... As you know, there were... The the sadducees were making a mockery of the resurrection because they didn't believe in it, but Jesus ignored their their foolishness and said some tremendous truth. And I want you to see it in verse 35.

22:44 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection, that age is heaven, the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. For neither can they die anymore, listen to that, for they are like angels and are sons of god being sons of the resurrection But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed in the passage about the burning bush where he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now, he is not the god of the dead but of the living for all live to him. Wow. So what did he teach?

23:29 First of all, you have to be counted worthy to attain to that world And how are we counted worthy? Through Jesus Christ and through him alone. And to the resurrection of the dead. And so when he says that there's going to be a resurrection, he confirms it, he says it plainly. What does this mean?

23:48 That means that everybody who dies is going to resurrect, Christian or not Christian. But I'm going to focus for a little bit on the Christian aspect, the Christian side, Those who are kind of worthy, who are going to resurrect from the dead. Listen to what's going to be true in heaven. You neither marry nor are given in marriage. Now a lot of people get discouraged by this, a lot of people get excited about this depending on how your marriage is going.

24:18 Okay, what does that mean? That means in marriage no one knows you better than your spouse, right? Your spouse can get up here right now, mine could, and start to say all kinds of things that you don't know about me and I would run away and never come back. Now it would be true with you too, right? Or just me.

24:39 I think it would apply to all, right? Because they know you in an intimate way more than anyone else. And what he's saying is that the knowledge that we're to have of each other in heaven is going to be so intimate that we're not going to require the marriage aspect of it. You're not going to need that because you're not going to just know your spouse but everyone else in an intimate way with no secrets, no sin, nothing to hide. Amen.

25:09 And so that's why it says that, so don't get discouraged when you read that. You're going to still know your wife, but you're to know everyone else in the same kind of intimacy. And so, you're not going to marry, you're not going to have to worry about marriage, neither can they die anymore. Wow, what a promise from Jesus. That those who are in him will never die again, and I'm going explain that more in a little bit.

25:34 Then you're to be equal to the angels, that is their spiritual beings. Right now, there's an angelic world, and they might even be angels right now floating around here, we can't see them. The bible is very clear on that. All over the place in different passages, we'll do a study on angels later. But there's angels and there can even be demons trying to interfere with with the the word of god being preached right now.

26:02 Whether you know it or not. We're in a spiritual battle and the Bible says clearly that the angels and the demons are going at it. You can read chapter 10 of of Daniel. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse five and on. There's a spiritual battle, a spiritual realm and we're going to be spiritual people.

26:21 We're going to be children of god being children of the resurrection. Wow, what a promise. For God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And so when you repent of your sin and come to Jesus, God says you're no longer dead, but you are now a child of the resurrection. You're now alive, and you're now alive.

26:44 Now, let me focus your attention on the reality that there's going to be a resurrection of the righteous and a resurrection unto judgement. Now, let's go to John chapter five for that. John chapter five, I think it's important to pray the light and I feel the holy spirit wanted me to teach a little bit more detail about the resurrection. John chapter five and notice with me verse 28. If you want 27, you can read that later, but he says, he has all judgment.

27:14 Verse 28, do not marvel at this for an hour is coming, a specific time in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth those who did good deeds to resurrection of life and those committed to evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. Now it doesn't mean that if you behave, if you're good, you're going to be resurrected to life. Because we know by the overall teaching of scriptures that by faith alone we are forgiven, and we're going to be resurrected. So there's a resurrection of righteous, and there's a resurrection unto judgment. All right.

28:46 Those who who had not worshiped the beast or his image and that received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand and they came to life. Listen, they resurrected and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But notice, that's the resurrection unto life. Look at verse five, the rest of the dead, the ones who didn't believe in Jesus, did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

29:16 Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power. But they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. So then you can see there that there's a resurrection of righteous and there's a resurrection unto judgment. The resurrection of the righteous then is going to go this way.

29:42 Number one, the people of the church age, first Thessalonians chapter four verse sixteen and seventeen, the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we who are alive will be raptured up. So the first ones to resurrect are the people of the church age when Jesus Christ calls from the clouds, raptures the dead in Christ from Pentecost until the end of the church age will be raptured first, the dead in Christ, and then the believers in Christ in our time will be taken up. That's first. The second resurrection, because the first resurrection has three parts. The second group that is going to be resurrected will be the tribulation saints, we just read it.

30:28 The third group resurrected at the same time as the resurrection saints, go to Daniel chapter 12, go to Daniel 12, Follow me now, don't... I'm trying to be as as clear as I can and not confuse anyone. And verse one and two, now at the time of Michael, the great prince, he's an angel, who stands guard over the sons of your people of the Israelites specifically, will rise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation up until that time. It's called the tribulation.

31:11 And at that time, your people, the Jewish people, everyone who is found written in the book will be rescued. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake. It's called resurrection. These to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. So so the Old Testament saints will be resurrected at the end of tribulation.

31:44 So let's go in order. The church age Christians will be raptured, the dead in Christ first, raptured after that those who are alive. Secondly, at the same time, Old Testament saints, the Israelites and those who were righteous, and tribulation saints, raptured at the end of the tribulation. So there's three resurrections. Okay?

32:10 Three resurrections. The first one happens before the tribulation, the last two after the tribulation. Right? And then after that, unfortunately, there's a there's a resurrection, and I'm going to be reading from Revelation 20 again, there's going to be a resurrection unto judgment, and the Bible calls this the second death. And verse 11, just listen, and I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it from whose presence earth and heaven fled away and no place was found for them and I saw the dead, the great and the small standing before the throne.

32:51 So so the dead who hasn't been resurrected are are all of a sudden resurrected, they're standing before the throne of God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged from these things which are written in the books according to their deed. And the sea gave up the day which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the day which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds and death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Go back with me to John chapter 11.

34:05 I'm going to interpret it through Ryrie, those of you who have Ryrie bible study, I love the way he put it, and here's the way he makes it clear to us. He who believes in me, even if he dies physically, shall live spiritually and eternally. So those of you who lost loved ones, some of you lost husbands who are believers, I've lost relatives who are Christians. Here's what the bible says, even if he dies physically, shall live spiritually and eternally. So our beloved people in Christ who are saved, where are they right now?

34:41 They're living, they're alive spiritually and eternally. Everyone who lives physically right now and believes in me right now shall never die spiritually and eternally. Wow. And so, do you believe this? That's what Jesus asked.

35:02 Then then Martha's great confession, you know, we we quote Peter's great confession. Look at Martha's confession. And she said to him, yes, lord. And here's here's the confession. Have you made this confession?

35:15 You you must make a confession. With your mouth, you confess. Yes, Lord. Here's her confession. I believe that you are the Christ, that is the Messiah, the son of god.

35:30 Equivalent in saying that he's god. Even he who comes into the world. You're the one that god sent that came to the world to save us from sin and our lost condition. Have you made that confession? What a confession.

35:52 And of course you have Jesus wept. Those of us who grew up going to camps and going to VBS, they tell you whoever learns 10 verses gets a prize, so that was my first one to learn, John eleven thirty five, Jesus wept. Boom, there you go, one verse down, let's go get the rest of them. Anybody else do that or am I the only one smart enough to do that? No one else?

36:13 A couple of you? Alright, I'm not the only one. So he made a public prayer, he made a public prayer verse 41, Father, I thank thee that thou hears me, and I know that thou hears me always, but because of the people standing around, I said it. So he he prayed out loud, so all the observers who were there, all the people that were mourning with them, there was a lot of people there, I want them to see it, but I'm gonna pray to you out loud so they can hear, and they're gonna know that I did it in the power that I have because I am God. And so he prays, father, they're gonna hear, they're gonna see, and it's gonna be for your glory.

36:55 And I'm glad they're all here. And I'm glad that the disciples are here to witness that this guy's been dead four days. I mean, was riding already, but God has power over that. And he said, come forth and you know that he resurrected. Do you believe this?

37:15 I'm going to quote Mr. RCH Linsky, To believe this is to believe what he says of himself and thus to believe in him. It is one thing to hear it, to reason and to argue about it, and quite another thing to believe, embrace and trust it. To believe is to receive, to hold and to enjoy the reality and the power of it with all the lies in it of joy, comfort, peace and hope. So have you embraced it?

38:26 God's timing. Jesus said he will return and judge the world, and those who hear his voice will resurrect. God's promise, even if you die physically, you shall live spiritually and eternally. And God's promise, you're gonna resurrect and get a new body. Have you believed this?

38:48 Believe it today. Father, thank you for your holy word. Thank you for this tremendous chapter and what it teaches us that Jesus has power over death. That we have hope, we're not afraid to die because we know that when we die we're gonna get our new body and you're gonna resurrect us because you said it and we believe it. Father, be glorified in this local body.

39:19 It's all for the glory of Jesus. Thank you for all the fathers that are here. Give us wisdom to live for you and give us a blessed trip as we go home. In Jesus name, amen.