Death Stinks

DEATH STINKS

John 11:1-44

S: Jesus, death, life

Th: Resurrection!

Pr: JESUS IS OUR LIFE.

?: Inductive

KW: Parallels

TS: We will find in our study of John 11:1-44 five parallels that will lead us to the conclusion that Jesus is our life.

The _____ parallel with our lives is…

I. When you need help, call on Jesus.

II. When you don’t have Jesus, you’re dead.

III. When you don’t like the delay, learn to wait.

IV. When you are sad, you can cry.

V. When you are overwhelmed, recognize that Jesus is bigger.

Version: ESV

RMBC 21 March 04 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Notebook: Death (surprise me)

It was a difficult subject to bring before his aged mother, but John felt that he must.

"Mom, you are no longer a spring chicken and you do need to think ahead of what will happen in the future. Why don’t we make arrangements about when..... you know... when... you pass on?"

The mother didn’t say anything, just sat there staring ahead.

"I mean, Mom, like.... how do you want to finally go? Do you want to be buried? Cremated?"

There was yet another long pause. Then the mother looked up and said, "Son, why don’t you surprise me?"

Well, one thing is for sure…

1. Death is the one subject that throws us off.

When it occurs, we are often left not knowing what to say.

Not only that, we are often full of questions.

Why did things happen the way they did?

Couldn’t there be some other way?

Consider, though, this story…

ILL Death (Geisinger Med. Ctr)

Many years ago, an event happened at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania that was unforgettable. The chaplain was called to the bedside of a woman who had a severe heart attack. By the time she got there, the woman had been pronounced dead. All the staff had gone except a doctor and a nurse.

She turned to leave, but she felt God telling her to stay. So she entered the room, sat down, and started to pray. And as she prayed, she felt the Holy Spirit praying through her. Suddenly, the dead woman bolted straight up and cried, “What’s going on here?”

Now, who was more frightened – the woman, the staff, or the chaplain – is hard to say. But one thing for sure, it was unexpected!

Well, that chaplain would be left with more questions about life and death.

But she also may be able to sympathize with many of the characters in today’s story that were faced with a life and death situation in an unforeseen way.

So…

2. In our study of John 11:1-44, we will find the significance of what Jesus says about life and death.

THE TEXT:

The first thing that is worth noting is that…

1. Jesus has friends (1-4).

[1] Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. [2] It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. [3] So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." [4] But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

This was a family that was very dear to Jesus.

He had a unique personal fondness for them.

It was, for Jesus and His disciples, a home.

It was a place they could slip off their sandals and relax.

We know nothing of the personality of Lazarus except for this story.

But Martha we know.

She was the type of person that was forthright.

She spoke her mind in a matter-of-fact manner.

Mary, on the other hand, was more emotional and more retiring.

We might even call her more mystical.

But now the family was in disarray.

Lazarus was sick…very sick…and so they sent word to Jesus.

It was their assumption that he would hurry.

They knew Jesus.

They felt and understood His love for them.

So, they were of the opinion that…of course…Jesus would come.

When the news reaches Jesus and His disciples, His reaction is found in the words, “It is not a sickness unto death.”

We are being clued in that the ultimate issue here is not death.

Instead, it is the glory of God.

Something really big is going on.

But then…

2. Jesus unexpectedly delays (5-6).

[5] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [6] So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Note how John describes His love for this family.

It was an “agape” type of love.