015 - Don't Open That!

You pick up your Bible and wondered, is there more here than meets the eye.

Is there something here for me.

I mean it's just words printed on paper right well it may look like just print on the page but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own. As we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me that he died yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this, more than Inc. we are in John 11 and John 11 is just well it their all stodgy jumpers, but this is such a beautiful one is versatile and at first reading.

If you cruised into the first time, you might come to the single man this is odd. This is borderline cruel. Maybe it's just strange well at the beginning of the story.

The beginning of the story and I think that's probably faster reaction. That's probably what people at the time were thinking when it was unfolding, so you need to get to the end of the chapter instead of closing 1/2 with luscious dump well because everybody knows that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead Colorado team, but they don't very often linger in the beginning of the story. When Jesus says hey this has happened for a reason right right and it's also to our disadvantage that we know the end of the story like on any good murder mystery All-Star right so as it unfolds slowly act like you don't know how to help a lot so I'm enough of Bible exploration is all about how quick you don't know where this is going just take it at face value and wonder at it. So today were going to talk about death and the raising of last summer and read every single word because than the narrative is so strong and like we said last time we're together. We said you know after the healing of the blind man work and you go from there. What what can Jesus do to amp up his case for who he is because everyone knows blind men are only healed by God.

What can you do now. So Jesus decides it's time to go all the way well start reading, let's just kind of key people and I want you to listen to the sit this is an eyewitness account. This is just unfolds out of reality, these human relationships rings very true. The relationships of the disciples of Jesus. The relationships between the two sisters and their relationship with their brother. The response of the crowd. All of those things are very different and very they ring very true. This is the way human beings would respond to circumvent your market for that because it's interesting, by the way, I might add same kind of information we talk about the adultery that we surpass by previously it just it just reads so true to his aspects that if you are writing fiction, you would not include right so just dive into this exciting. I was thinking as I was reading through this again that you know if I was stranded on a desert island and I only had one book in the book, I would probably pick Jon. I think because this is just such a tremendous delight for us to be able to go through this and I hope it is for you to Celestine the Lazarus ring chapter 11 now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet and her hair with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was built by the weight that won't happen until next check right so just cooling people already know how brainless this time there is another event recorded in the Gospels where that's right.

Probably another woman will be noted as the same thing but it's a different point in Jesus ministry digressed first three so the sisters sent to him sent to Jesus, saying, Lord.

He whom you love is ill, but when Jesus heard it, he said, while the old illness does not lead to death.

It's for the glory of God, so that the son of God may be glorified through it so will's up there for second so you recap he's ill remind Jesus you love them well and they know where he is a message we know that at the end of the previous chapter he had left Jerusalem and gone gone out into the wilderness town where John the Baptist was had been baptizing couple years before race so they know he's down there it's in Jerusalem so he's out of the immediate face of the religious remember the frictions getting pretty bad leaders really want to take him down and want to kill him. So Jesus is standing you know distant is much as possible, but they know worry is they send him a message doesn't look like to go themselves or send them a message and and all they say they will succumb human just say the one whom you love is sick sick sick and Jesus assures the messengers well. This illness will not lead to death, but it has a purpose, but doesn't lead to death if you first time in the way the second will talk about that. Jesus says it's it's for the glory of God, so that the son of God is glorified. Actually, I put this on the table right now because we use the word glory a lot with throat around a lot and we sail that glorious sunset.

You know what we mean by huge were the New Testament in the Old Testament is and it's going to come back. Well it's been running all way through the gospel, but don't glory. Probably the first and foremost idea in the word glory is recognition of the essential reality of something. What it really is and then secondarily there is the idea of this out shining like we know we use glory. Probably she referred glorious sunset because we mean, you know that sunbeams are shining and it's glorious. It attracts your attention and is not a hidden truth is a very public outward, but primarily it has to do with the recognition of something for what it really truly is. It is glorious when you discovered that so when we talk about the glory of God.

As were talking about the wonderful nature of who God is and made manifest.

So it's glory always has a public aspect to it. I always talk about equating to a billboard selecting some instruments to, Bill right no one can miss it so right direction to talk about who God is what he's like, what's his heart for us to make that very public so laches's death. Jesus assures them is going to be about making okay and Jesus had said that about the man born blind guy endured his whole lifetime of blindness just so that the glory of God could be revealed in him right so we hope that in this process of learning how to study the Bible you made that connection right went back and said yet, there is again right again. So what is accomplished through healing the blind man.

He's going to accomplish through. So let's move on in the store and see what happened affect the next verse starts off with a very odd just real talk of her second verse five now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Why even mention well. As we were just talking before it's because if you think that Jesus doesn't love you, then what follows makes sense. He's just not going to bother to come right, but John says that is not the case now Jesus absolutely did love Martha and Mary and Lazarus. So he preps us up front and in a way he sing stick that in your pocket on your seat is read what happens next.

But don't ever suspect that Jesus does not love these people's over six well, so now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So so when he heard that Lazarus was ill.

He stayed two days longer than the last. Well rested when she rushed to help them then at the end of that. After this he said to the disciples lads go to Judea again. The disciples said to him by the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, are you going there again. Jesus answered weren't there 12 hours in the day if anyone walks in the day. He doesn't stumble because the light he doesn't 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. And after saying these things he said to them, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep but I got awake and just like 12 people were sick. Go to sleep and wake the disciples said to him, Lord, sleep you get back up and walking with Jesus for three years at this time he seen him heal again and again and again, but he deliberately doesn't go Lazarus is sick so then verse 14 then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died and for your sake. I'm glad that I wasn't there so that you may believe, but let's go to him. So Thomas called the twin, said to his fellow disciples. Well, let's also know that we may die with no sugar have done if he went back right so I think the original thinking was.

Maybe Jesus doing today is trying to decide whether it's worth going in and dying right right it's dangerous right but in a moment we find out has nothing to do with cowardice or trying not to get killed.

I mean it has something much more purposeful and deliberate expression of his love to to show them to look past the death exactly, but in our limited life we would say as he said in verse five Jesus really loves him.

Why would I be no rush to their side and help them.

We do this gently. We get bad news from somebody and we think that if we drop everything and raced to their side.

We can make things better looking to loving not to. Sometimes that's true and sometimes it's better to take a breath and hold still and God act exactly as I work on getting ahead of ourselves.

But I can in the larger sense Jesus going to show his love in a much larger anyone could ever imagine landing Lazarus Diane before a huge crowd of people. Exactly. And as the sisters will bring up a moment looks pretty clear that if Jesus had hustled over there. He might've saved for better than expected after the expected coming come over and keep them from dying so so is pick up this pick up the narrative.

After that, so 70 now. Now when Jesus came. It's been several days now. He found that Lazarus had already in the tomb for four days for four days and if you know anything about body decomposition, especially in Mediterranean climates. This is a bad deal for the body is in the tomb for four days so John explains to us in geography. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about 2 miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house so if you can get the picture Jesus coming a time town somehow word gets to the household ahead of him that he's coming in, so Martha gets up and goes and needs and before he makes it to the helper but this is among the evidence as we said to watch for that Lazarus was really bad that the one thing they were people there morning right group of people had gathered. They had been there for several day is morning and he had been in the tomb four days. He was really dead was dead so there's just no question didn't swoon, didn't have a cold.

He wasn't sleeping in that day was really good and there were mourners, many of whom presumably came in a Jerusalem close but many mourners were there making a big deal about it. So he's dead so Martha comes what this looks like you she wants to talk to him privately and so she hustles out of the house and she goes to Jesus and 21 so Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

But even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you an Jesus said were your brother will rise again and Martha said to him what I know that he'll rise again in the resurrection of the last day. And Jesus said to her will.

I am the resurrection and whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die to believe this and she said to them, yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Messiah son of God who is coming into the world. Jesus is really unreeling the glory of God right here in terms of what death is all about and what true death is no false death, but there's definitely a step well, there's physical.

There's death of the body. Death of the eternal person soul, in whom the Spirit of God lives so you know this makes me think back to John five when Jesus had said and return here really to John 521 for just as the father raises the dead and gives them life. Even so, the son also gives life to whomever he wishes, not even the father judges anyone, but he's given all judgment to the son, in order that all may honor the son even as they honor the father.

So here he's talking about. If you glorify the father.

You will recognize his glory in me. In verse 24 truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life so much that somewhere. Somewhere along the line had believed that and now verse 25, John 525. Truly I say to you, an hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear shall live. So he's giving Martha a chance to put put leather shoe leather. Do I really believe that he can speak life and a dead body can raise right and is there life beyond the grave, which is really a big step for Martha because she does her expectation was to just come and heal Lazarus before he died right right and so she she's naturally just confused and we would be to like if you been here, he would not of done that's a true statement. Jesus was there.

He could die well but Jesus had raised people from the dead. He had couple of times and John doesn't even allude to that was, but the crowd knew Jesus had raised people from the dead and we can you more details on so so she knew and everyone knew that to be resurrection on the last day messiahs there, but she does make a wonderful proclamation. 27. You are that Messiah. You're the guy you're the son of God is coming to the world. Good for Martha for Martha okay this continue the story when she said this she went and called her sister Mary saying in private. The teachers here is calling for you. And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.

Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still the place where Martha had met him so there outside but when the Jews who were with her in the house consoling her there. We have the mourners again saw Mary rise quickly and go out.

They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to their when Mary came to her.

Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying been here, my brother, with same line and when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come also with her weeping, he must deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled me said, where you might and they said to him, Lord, come see Jesus wept. So the Jews said to see how he loved him, but some of them said could you open the eyes of the blind man also have This man from dying. They remember and they're still confused as well.

You and it's interesting if you get if you contrast Mary Martha. They say the same line Jesus but it's really different is his Mary comes and falls as she does so something more respectful. We don't read too much more into that because Martha had altogether shuttled, but Mary just crushed well emotionally.

Mary was really devoted to Jesus right and so then Jesus pushes along he understand what's going on. He's deeply moved, greatly troubled people see that and note how much he must love them and so any by the way, anytime you're in your deep distress because goings on in life. Don't ever suspected God doesn't feel your pain or hasn't even knows what you're going, John tells us Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and he actually he wept, he cried, he tears ran down his face and he's going to tell us again in verse 38 that he was deeply moved when he stood at the tomb so students of Jesus deeply moved again came to the tomb. It was a cave in Stoneleigh against an Jesus said, take away the stone which by such a lot of expectation to go with stone and Martha, the sister then man always practical said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an older or King James says distinctive right seemed sealed. You don't go back in their past has to he's been dead for days and Jesus said were did I not tell you that if you believe you would see the glory of God's word to see the glory of God. Now see something about the nature of God. So they took Winstone Jesus lifted up his eyes and said he's praying a father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that you sent me, and when he said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out and the man who would just men who had died came out his hands and feet bound in linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth and Jesus said to them and bind them and let them go over the drama of the city was had been really dead dead right they had handled the dead body and wrapped him linen spices, the whole 9 yards and he was actually no close to may be dying again if they didn't unwrap well this is something we don't always think about that Lazarus was a reason was resurrected to this life he was going to have to die some point in his life but this is astonishing and now we've seen the glory got to what we know about the character of God, Jesus, as you see the glory know about the character of God that we didn't know before Mrs. someone is calling us affects you.

Stop calling okay.Keep going here okay you really sure you know what we know about the glory got what you know about the character of God. We didn't know about before and is a couple things. And even if you just look at Jesus just emotionally weeping over this. I mean, he hates death as much as we do the lossy separation and dining agrees with us and we grieve and he also finds nothing and possibly when it comes to his his dedicated love toward us. Remember the good Shepherd brings life and brings abundantly. Here he is bringing life and bringing abundantly, and he will allow the physical body. The body we live in right in order to demonstrate his glory that we will be absolutely certain and reassured that he has the power to give life even to it dead and decomposing body right and it could very well be that God's deliberate design in your life is that you suffering some things to such a degree that he can come and bring life and that contrast will glorify. We as to the people who are watching your life that could actually so overrun internal time of grieving is okay.

Grieving is okay right and you know every time I go to her funeral. I remind myself of this.

I said you know I heats into God hates this is we need to learn to practice to recognize that grief profound grief the expression of grief is okay for believers in Jesus. Even though we know he has promised us life beyond the grave. I am leading a group of women right now into a study of Lamentations where we are going to explore godly lament and godly expression of grief over the destruction of sin so we can allow room for that that's totally fine Jesus.

Jesus wept there to listen. Finish the story said okay start for so many of the Jews. Therefore, who had come with marrying and seeking what he did believed in him, you think, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told him what Jesus has done so. The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered at the Council said what are we going to let him go on like this.

Everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away about our place in our nation. Okay, wait a minute, interested in the fact that he's called dead man out of the tool they didn't seem to see the glory of God and only worried about losing their own glory.

One of them. Caiaphas who is high priest that year said to them, you know nothing at all, nor do you understand that it's better for you that one man should die for the people.

Not that the whole nation should perish now.

He didn't say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one.

The children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on, they made plans to put him to death, till they got to do away with Jesus is that interestingly, Caiaphas and John tells us this in his function as high priest.

He prophesied he said something that he was saying to his compatriots saying you know we had killed this guy don't you recognize this this guy has to die to preserve our status as a nation and yet John tells us that was a prophecy, God, that greater eternal level. This one man would die, not just for the Jews but for all of us and by the way we see the pattern in the Old Testament to where God speaks through people are not necessarily faithful to them and they don't even realize they're doing and he gets the message of exactly exactly. So there threaten for the position and for their power. So, 54, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness to a town called Ephraim and there he stayed with the disciple so just wasn't quite yet I knew that if he mingles more. The Jews are out to kill him.

It could be. Could speed up the timeline to his death in a way that he didn't want so he puts himself away to 55's another pass over the Jews was at hand and many went up from the country to Jerusalem, before the Passover to purify themselves and they were looking for cheaper and saying to one another as they stood in the temple what you think that he will not come to the feast at all know, the chief priests, the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know so that they might arrest him, you need to read on this guys showed up for Passover so that you understand Passover the big deal made before you know what happened at the Passover and this is the last Passover right this is the one that as part of which Jesus was crucified.

So what happens at the Passover, they select the Lamb. They slaughter the Lamb. They take the Lamb's body home and eat the Lamb and they are celebrating their deliverance out of slavery in Egypt yet so perfect is a perfect timing from God's perspective for the Jews to make a point about what the crucifixion is all about. Because of you thinking about the sacrifice of exactly what happens. Listen weeks trying to get in next week and we come to John 12 if you read John 12 you're gonna come up with absolutely a billion questions. But this is where Jesus Jesus uncorked the glory of God and he says it's just so clearly. But if you think in Chapter 11 are leaving behind Mary and Lazarus were not actually show it into the next chapter is a lasting effect because of that and then we go to the triumphal entry were Jesus enters Jerusalem in a way that fulfills Old Testament prophecy is just really thrilling. So just to kind of wrap this up. I want to encourage you to think about what you've read in the Gospel of John. So far, think about what miracles John records because he only records seven gigantic miracles isolate them, compare them. What is each one indicated that Jesus I would encourage you think about what you have read look for at each one.

So this is require you to some back through the gospel. As you've read it and think apply your mind. Sometimes the truth leaps off the page and pounds us in the head but other times it requires some thought and careful consideration. Context is a big deal in context means going back and see where you've come from. Lots of times and so do that. This is the great thing to do so next week actually will become back together we will come to the end of Jesus pretty much three years of his public ministry. We start in the last week of his ministry that leads up to his crucifixion and resurrection and and everything will changed from here on out in the remaining chapters and John are all about this last week and actually starting chapter 13. It's all about the last night exactly next couple day timeframe accelerates rapidly.

So were glad you as we hope you're really enjoying just exploring through John like we are. I could do this again I could just got back to beginning a Chapter 11 again to start or get pushed forward so were glad you're with us on June and I'm Dorothy and we're excited about how to find himself through his word. I hope your meeting. We hope you're hearing the voice of the son of God calls the dead to life joining us