What can Jesus do about Death?
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What can Jesus do about Death?
— Dave Connolly
Today's story taken from Scripture is centred around the death of a man called Lazarus. And we can read this story in John's gospel, chapters 11 and 12. I encourage you to take a few moments to read these scriptures at your leisure, but let's make a start.
In verse one, we read about a situation that would touch each of our lives. It all hinges on what Jesus can do about death.
Death is a reality, whether we want to talk about it or not. Death is intimidating. It makes us feel vulnerable. It causes us to think about our mortality. It raises many questions about ourselves, about God, and about life after death. So let's take a look at what is happening in these verses.
Lazarus raised from the Dead
In verses one to three, a man named Lazarus was sick. By the way, Lazarus lived in a town called Bethany with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. The two sisters send a message to Jesus saying, Lord, the one you love is sick. Also, you know, it's worth noting that Jesus stays with them every time he appears to be in the region. He obviously has a depth of relationship with this family. We see in the story that Mary Martha somehow knew where to find Jesus, and when Jesus was told in verse five, the one you love is sick, he didn't have to guess who they were talking about. He knew it was Lazarus. We read in verses four to seven,
“But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” ”
We find out later that Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead even by the time the messenger had arrived. And by the time Jesus got to Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Bethany was only a couple of miles away from where Jesus was. And the disciples knew that if they returned to Bethany, they were going to be in danger. We read that the disciples say to Jesus and they say,
“But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?””
And in verse 16,
“Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.””
We read on, that when Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Some Jews believed that the soul hung around the body for three days until decay set in. Then it would abandon the body and there would be no hope of life. Some may have believed that Lazarus could possibly have been raised during those first three days, but nobody believed he could possibly be raised from the dead in four days.
Jesus didn't enter that time because he knew that it would create a scene. He waits outside for Martha to arrive, and when she did, she repeats something to Jesus that had probably been said numerous times since the death of Lazarus, in verses 21 and 22.
“Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.””
That sounds like a great faith statement. But when I read Martha's statements again, you know, previously, I thought she was expecting Lazarus to be raised from the dead, but possibly she wasn't. In verse 24,
“Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.””
See, we find out later because she protests when Jesus asks for the tomb to be opened. She wasn't expecting a miracle anymore. She was simply stating, Lord if you'd have been here, things wouldn't necessarily have been different. But I still believe in you despite what has happened. It hasn't shaken my view of who you are. I mean, that sounds like a great statement. Yet Jesus challenges that. It wasn't enough for her to acknowledge that she believed in him.
Even though Lazarus had died, she had to believe that he had the power even now over death, verses 23 and 24,
“Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.””
She believed in a resurrection day. That was a teaching that was pretty controversial in its day, but Jesus wanted to clarify things. It's not enough to say, Okay, he died. That's the end of it. But one day it'll be okay. It'll be made right. In the meantime, I still believe in you Jesus. It's not enough for some future event. It's actually someone standing right in front of Martha right there and right then. Jesus. Verses 25 to 27,
“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.””
It's not a belief or a dogma. It's a person. It's not even about a future resurrection. It is about never dying, never perishing. Even between the point of physical death and the resurrection, the one who believes in Jesus still lives. Jesus is about to show that he has power over death and that his followers don't have to say, we will believe in you despite the reality of death.
We can say we believe in you because you are the one who gives life beyond death. You are the resurrection and you are the life. We see in the next few verses a similar scene unfold with the other sister, Mary. Jesus still stays outside the village and Mary says to him in verse 32,
“Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
This was obviously something Mary and Martha had spoken about. Naturally, what happened next doesn't really come through in our English translation very well. In verse 33, when Jesus saw her weeping and he saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled.
Moved with indignation. It's difficult to translate. It was used in the language of the day about snorting like horses. It conveys an anger, a pain, a shuddering, and a strong emotion. Deeply troubled means to be agitated almost to a place of despair. I've always pictured Jesus being upset and weeping, but you know, it's so much deeper.
This is his friend, the one he loved. Jesus was deeply moved with sorrow and grief. Jesus was facing death face to face. He was seeing the effects of sin. Words weren't enough.
Just as when we face death, there's a sense that at times words can't convey how terrible death is. He broke down grieving and when he asked to go to the tomb, he was still grieving.
I want to ask and suggest that every person needs to ask what hope they have beyond the grave. Some have decided that they don't need hope. That hope is an illusion. Jesus offers more. He's not only crying and grieving at the sight of death. He does something more.
““Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”
Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!””
Jesus said earlier that this was going to bring glory to the Son and give the disciples another opportunity to believe in him. And you know what? It did.
It gave the disciples the opportunity that Jesus wasn't just the one who turned water into wine or who healed the sick and made the blind see. He's also the one who conquered death. He's God over all. He's the resurrection and the life. How can you not get excited about this?
Life beyond the Grave
It would be easy to think that this story is about Lazarus, but it isn't. Lazarus would die again one day.
This is the story that ultimately is about Jesus and his power over death itself. It's about his glory and what happens to those of us who put our trust in him. We gain victory over death because we then enter into a relationship with the person who is the resurrection and the life.
It's about Jesus, because the events that unfold, ultimately led to his own death. Right after this story ends, the leaders plotted Jesus' death, which led to our salvation. Jesus could face his own death because he himself is the resurrection and the life.
For those of us who are bereaved at this time, my friends, there is hope. There's hope because Jesus grieved for his dead friend. Jesus met death and saw its pain and its ugliness, and he understands. There's hope too because in verse 25 it says, Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.
There is life beyond the grave. We would probably be smart to realize today that our lives are going to be shorter than we think. Life goes much faster than we would like. We don't want to spend a lot of time thinking about death, but no herbal supplements, no exercise program, and no diet will delay it indefinitely.
There are a few answers for death, but we know the one who conquered death and promised eternal life. Let me leave you with this thought, my friend.
Today you can know the one who died so that you might live.
God bless you.
CONVERSATION STREET
With: Matt Edmundson & Phil Watson
What is Conversation Street?
Conversation Street is part of our live stream, where the hosts (in this case, Matt & Phil) chat through Dave's talk and answer questions that were sent in through the live stream. You can watch the conversation in the video, it starts 27 mins 51 s into the live stream, or you can go straight there by clicking here. This week’s questions and topics of conversation are:
What do you think of that very meaty passage "I am the Resurrection and the Life"?
What is the shortest verse in the Bible? And why is there a mental health message in there?
How do we get an insight into Jesus' humanity in this passage?
How often do we pray the prayer, "God if you had answered my prayer, this wouldn't have happened?"
What are some of the insights we can glean from this passage in the context of Jewish culture?
Why is there no doubt that Lazarus had truly been dead before Jesus raised him up?
Christian, what have you been doing since you were raised from (spiritual) death? How has your life changed?
Most people on their deathbeds regret the things that they didn't do much more than the things that they did. What can we learn from that?
There are two things you can take with you when you die. What are they?
Why did Jesus save us? What is the purpose of our lives?
Can we understand death outside of the Christian context?
More Bible verses on Death & Resurrection
1 Peter 1:3 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:21 - For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
Philippians 3:10 - I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.
Luke 24:6,7 - He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’
Philippians 2:8 - And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
1 Corinthians 6:14 - And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
Romans 8:34 - Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Romans 6:10,11 - The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:8,9 - Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
Acts 3:15 - You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.
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