Death to the Life Giver
Remember how Mary and Martha greeted Jesus - “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Isn't that how we view things. If God was on the ball, really in charge, if He had things under control, “If God was really paying attention - then this mess wouldn’t have happened.”
But what if we have the wrong idea altogether. What if we are the ones who need to pay attention. What is God all set to do that we are totally unprepared to see! Today we see Jesus enter a battle ground, life against death. Pay close attention to the words that John uses to describe Jesus' attitude to death - and what will result.
John 11:38-57 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." Jesus raises Lazarus from a tomb, unheard of - now both must die
Unpack the story
Prefigures or foreshadows Jesus' own resurrection
Chapt. 11 is written to set us up and prepare us for Chapter 20
Passage today begins with Jesus once more deeply moved em-brim-ao-mai Snort with indignation. Only 5 places in the Bible - twice in John 11 vs. 33 and 38
Mk. 14:4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.
It blows my mind that Jesus could snort with indignation
Matt. 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
MK 1:40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
41 Filled with compassion (anger - orgistheis), Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.
Start out by Tossing out the idea of a cuddly Jesus -
Jesus' words are short and curt if not cross - listen to His words! Didn't I tell you... Lazarus! Come out! Take off his grave clothes, let him go...
Jesus snorted at what we call death - Take away the Stone!
Mary “But Lord” - by this time there is a bad odor, KJV - “ by now he stinketh!”
Women always worried about stink! First to smell it - can’t ignore it - have to bring it up.
Church people get worried about stink - don't do anything that will raise a stink. So we don't.
But Jesus did.
Mary was right - by now - Lazarus did Stinketh
The first 4 days of decomposition From Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers," by Mary Roach
Human cells use enzymes to break molecules down into things they can use. While a person is alive, their cells keep these enzymes in check, preventing them from breaking down the cell's own walls. After death, the enzymes operate unchecked and begin eating through the cell structure, allowing the liquid inside to leak out.
Stage 2 - Bloat. 500 to 1000 different species of bacteria live in the human body - Bacterial cells are much smaller than human cells, 10 Bacteria cells for every human cell.
The life of a bacterium is built around food. Bacteria don't have mouths but they eat. They digest. They excrete. Like us, they break their food down into its more elemental components. When we die, they stop feeding on what we've eaten and begin feeding on us. And, just as they do when we're alive, they produce gas. Intestinal gas is a waste product of bacteria metabolism. So bodies bloat & Stink
The brain is another organ quick to go. "Because all the bacteria in the mouth chew through the palate," And because brains are soft and easy to eat. The brain liquefies very quickly. It just pours out the ears and bubbles out the mouth. That's just the 1st 4 days
Now that's just plain gross - that's why Mary was objecting to what Jesus was asking them to do
Roll away the stone!
Much of my life is hidden and unseen, some of it is just plain disgusting and gross. By now it stinks. I want to remain hidden from the light of the world -
Take away the stone - the stone is man’s way to hide to seal himself off from others - from death - but We’re always dying
Jesus offers Life - Eternal life
Then with the stone rolled away, Jesus Called out in a loud voice - why
If you don't think this was a spooky, scary moment, you're a few fries short of a happy meal
I can't really imagine the scene. But lets try.
When Jesus says in a loud voice - Lazarus, come forth - and he does, who isn't shaking in their boots. No wonder Jesus has to tell them to unwrap his body.
JN 11:45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
More Jews believe - others tattle
What had Rabbi Jesus done - crossed a line of power no one had
Jesus' gift of life to Lazarus dooms His own life
So the leaders call a meeting - A very religious thing to do.
Vs. 47-48 JN 11:47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
"What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
Caiaphus (HP 18-36 AD) don't you get it? Vs. 50
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the Feast at all?" 57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
spoke unwitting truth - (I’ll never pay $29K for a house)
Real concern over the Romans, ignoring their real issues
They were failures - impotent, powerless -
No authority
What choice did they have?
Repent - or destroy Jesus
So from that day on they plotted to kill Jesus!
But what can you do to a man who can raise the dead?
When Jesus came to earth, the God who the Jews had known by His presence in the Temple took up residence in flesh and blood. The Jews didn't even notice it!
And Caiaphus’ prophecy, Rome did soon enough destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD - tearing down their precious Temple forever, but by then, God’s Temple was flesh and blood forever more, dwelling in us!
Next Step
Jesus doesn't prevent death - He embraces it- enters it- and rises victoriously
Jesus came down from heaven, call us to come out of our graves, promises to bring us home.
Our lives are filled with stench - death - we try to cover it up but it’s like spraying air freshener in an outhouse. We aren't fooling anyone. It’s high time we confess our sin, our open rebellion, to stop trying to tell God how to run His business (which is overthrowing death) and just lay down and die
Cause if we do, He has a new life waiting for us
God wants to unwrap us from the graveclothes that bind us. To set us free. I don't know about you, but I think I’ll let him.
