Resurrecting Hope: Week 2/ If You Would Have Been Here…
Text: John 11:1-7NIV
Throughout history the Church has been instilled with hope in the face of life’s trials, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Easter is a reminder that the Christian lives day in and day out, with power that can overcome any challenge.
In our darkest days, resurrection gives us light. In overwhelming discouragement— resurrection gives us faith.
In the midst of devastating loss, resurrection gives us joy.
In times of divisiveness, resurrection gives us something that unifies us.
In John 11, we are introduced to a family that consists of Mary, Martha, and a man named, Lazarus.
This family is heartbroken to find that the brother, Lazarus, is gravely ill.
Apparently Jesus has a history with this family. He spent time with Mary and Martha in their home, and Lazarus is described as a person— Jesus loves.
John 11:1-7NIV Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus to come quickly, because they had hopes that Jesus would heal their brother.
Matthew 8:17NASB This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: “He Himself took our illnesses and carried away our diseases.”
Again, 5&6—Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, her stayed where he was two more days,
I’m I the only one, or does this seem strange to you? Jesus sees beyond our pain, usually during a stressful event or tragedy, we search for the—why?
The Lord spoke this simple word to me, “We don’t need to know the ‘why’, we need to know the ‘who.” For every believer the 'Who' is Jesus!
Once more surprisingly, when Jesus gets word of Lazarus’ state, He decides to remain where He is for two more days, rather than come to Lazarus’ aid. Why?
Why not come as soon as you receive the call for help? Jesus answers this question in the text.
Jesus’ delay will somehow give glory to God in the end. (For the child of God, what looks like a disaster, God will produce His glory)!
The apostle Paul penned, Romans 8:28AMP And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
All things working together, means—All Things!
Again, John 11:4TM When Jesus got the message, he said, “This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.”
For the believer—delay, means praise; Delay- means, God’s up to something big.
John 11:7TM After the two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
Notice, after two extended days, Jesus states, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
Isaiah 40:29, 31AMP He gives strength to the weary, And to him who has no might He increases power.
31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.
John 11:35AMP Jesus wept.
If we want to know how God responds to loss, look no further than Jesus’ tears.
Jesus entered into pain with Mary and Martha and, He wept.
Psalm 56:8ESV You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?
The shortest verse in the Bible describes the heartbeat of God: Again, Jesus wept.
Testimony—The hardest part of a funeral begins when the casket is opened. I thought I had cried until I saw daddy in his casket.
Lazarus was Jesus’ good friends. It all looked like one big mistake. If Jesus would have been there, Lazarus would not have died.
Today we find that resurrected hope meets us in the midst of sorrow and grief.
This morning, I want to give you 4 powerful points from this historical account of Lazarus’ resurrection.
Point #1—Jesus sees the bigger picture.
Sometimes we’re waiting for God to show up, but it’s not time. How do you wait?
Think about this, Jesus see a way to make a kingdom difference by staying where He is two more days.
Out time—Chronos time, it’d ordinary time as we know it today.
God’s time is Kairos. It’s a heightened time, a significant time, a fulfilled time, time bursting forth with meaning, it is a moment pregnant with possibilities, a unique moment in time, a predestined era, an opportune or seasonable time, fullness of time, a special time of harvest, a definite period or season.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2NASB And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— 2 for He says, “At a favorable time I listened to you,?And on a day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”—
Kairos time” reminds us that our lives are filled with God moments. —This time is all about the movement of God in our lives.
When Jesus finally arrives at the tomb (Kairos), where Lazarus had been buried, he has already been dead four days. (Chronos) Mary and Martha are distraught over their brother’s passing.
Mary and Martha, respectively, each say a phrase that I am sure we all can relate to today. Out of sadness and a broken heart, Mary and Martha tell Jesus, “If only You would have been here, our brother would not have died.”
Many had gathered to come and support the family as they mourned Lazarus’ passing. Martha meets Jesus as He arrives, but Mary, in her grief, remains in the house.
This portion of the passage reveals such raw emotion. In both verse 21 and verse 32, “If only you would have been here!”
This seems to be where Mary and Martha find themselves…if only You would have been here.
Again, “You don’t need to know the why, but the who.”
Point 2— Jesus is not afraid of your feelings.
Mary and Martha are angry. They are confused. They are in anguish. They have lost all hope.
What I love about this story is that Jesus never reprimanded the sisters. He does not get— frustrated. He is not offended. He is not afraid of their emotion.
Instead, His response is comfort. He reminds them that for those who place their faith, hope, and trust in Christ, death is not the end.
We discover that the loss we have experienced is not the end of the story.
Say it, “The story isn’t over yet.”
John 11:33-35TM When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, “Where did you put him?” 34-35 “Master, come and see,” they said. Now Jesus wept.
Again, Jesus is touched to His core, as He witnesses the profound grief around Him. He asks where Lazarus had been buried.
Then in verse 35 we read the shortest verse in all the scriptures. The Bible simply says— “Jesus wept—He cried."
Think for a minute, Though Jesus, in His divinity, knew that He was going to resurrect Lazarus, in His humanity, He is moved to tears.
Someone needs to hear this this morning. “When you weep, Jesus weeps as well. When you hurt, Jesus hurts. When your heart breaks, Jesus’ heart breaks.”
The scriptures tell us in Psalms that God is close to the brokenhearted and He binds up all of their wounds, (Psalm 34:18, Psalm 147:3).
God, who is not somewhere far off and aloof.
We have a God who enters into our pain in order to bring us healing.
“Let Jesus enter into your pain.” P.H
Point 3—Jesus expresses to Mary and Martha that everyone here has a role to play.
John 11:41a, 44 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.” They removed the stone.
44 Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”
Jesus is saying, “reveal how dead he is! (It is)”
Again, When God does a miracle you have a role to play: * Roll the stone away. * Loose Him and let him go!
Point 4—Jesus brings dead things to life.
Jesus brings a dead man back to life.
In our lives, Jesus can bring resurrection to the places that feel dead to us.
The joy we used to have is now dead; Jesus can bring it back to life.
The dreams we once had for our future are now dead; but Jesus can bring them back to life.
Resurrected relationships. Resurrected purpose. Resurrected hope. Resurrected dreams.
John 11:23-26TPT Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise and live.” 24 She replied, “Yes, I know he will rise with everyone else on resurrection day.” 25“Martha,” Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait until then. I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever. 26 And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:26, is very emphatic in the Greek, “never die forever!”
Jesus loves to brings things back to life. What do you have that needs life Resuscitation?
Benediction.
