A Walk Through John 11
I know this is a familiar story. I now it is a lengthy scripture. Just let it talk to you as I hope it will. Reading and commenting through the 11th chapter of John.
John 11:1-57 KJV
1Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of
Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
If you are sick, then you are not
just a certain man – vs 1
2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with
ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
But this man is a special man with
special sisters – 2
3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord,
behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness
is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be
glorified thereby.
Jesus knew that God could be glorified in
his sickness – 3-4
5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
Join the group (wouldn’t you like to be
loved – we are)– 5
6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode
two days still in the same place where he was.
What is going on? He tarries for two
days? – 6
7Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let
us go into Judaea again.
Anxious, yes? – 7
8His
disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and
goest thou thither again?
Nervous, yes! - 8
Here’s why…
John
10:30-33 KJV 30I and my Father are one.
31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my
Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not;
but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
John 10:37-39 KJV 37If I do not the works of my Father,
believe me not.
38But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye
may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
39Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of
their hand,
9Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day?
If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of
this world.
10But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no
light in him.
Jesus knew what He was facing and where
He was walking – 9-10
11These things said he: and after that he saith unto
them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had
spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Asleep or gone? – 11-14
15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to
the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Everything that happens to us can be for
us - 15
16Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his
fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the
grave four days already.
Okay, four days…that should be about
enough - 17
18Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen
furlongs off:
19And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them
concerning their brother.
Bethany was close enough to Jerusalem for people to notice (people will
notice your lives too) – 18-19
20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was
coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died.
22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God
will give it thee.
23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the
resurrection at the last day.
Martha was glad to see Jesus in her time
of hurt – 20-24
25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this?
27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ,
the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Jesus gave her more hope than her
brother’s resurrection – 25-27
28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called
Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
Hope brings hope – 28
29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly,
and came unto him.
Hope brings action – 29
30Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in
that place where Martha met him.
31The 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.
32Then 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.
Our action brings notice – 30-32
33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews
also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Our need brings notice as well – 33
Her grief, their sharing of grief
34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him,
Lord, come and see.
35Jesus wept.
Why? Why did He weep then? – 35
Was it regret that he would have to face this world again?
36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
How does HE feel about you and I? Our
loved ones? - 36
37And some of them said, Could not this man, which
opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have
died?
Always we see some who know more what the
Lord should do than He! – 37
38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to
the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Why was this so hard? – 38
How do we help take away the stone in people’s lives?
39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister
of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he
hath been dead four days.
Was he dead or asleep? – 39
40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if
thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
Do we believe? 40
No, do we really believe?
41Then they took away the stone from the place
where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father,
I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people
which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
How do we talk to the Father? 41-42
43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud
voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Why did He call out his name? – 43
44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot
with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto
them, Loose him, and let him go.
Was he dead or alive? – 44
45Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen
the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
When people see His miracles in our lives
they will believe – 45
46But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and
told them what things Jesus had done.
47Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and
said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and
the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
Enough is enough 46-48
49And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high
priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die
for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year,
he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather
together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
God’s prophecy came true – 49-52
53Then from that day forth they took counsel together
for to put him to death.
54Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went
thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and
there continued with his disciples.
55And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the
country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
56Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they
stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
57Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a
commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should show it,
that they might take him.
Jesus must die
Yet, hope reigns eternal – Jesus is not dead. He lives!
Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 030809pm