"Why?" is an oft asked question
El Tablazo looked so close. Too close. It happened so fast. Exploding into the jagged 14,000-foot peak, the DC-4 disintegrated with a metallic scream.
What was left of the Avianca Airline flight bound for Quito, Ecuador, flamed crazily down the mountainside into a deep ravine. One awful moment illuminated a cold Colombian mountain in the night, then the darkness returned. And the silence.
Before leaving the airport earlier that day, a young New Yorker named Glenn Chambers hurriedly scribbled a note on a piece of paper he found on the floor of the terminal. The scrap was part of a printed advertisement with a single word, “Why?” sprawled across the center.
Needing stationery in a hurry, Chambers scrawled a note to his mother around the word in the middle. Quickly folding this last-minute thought, he stuffed it in an envelope and dropped it in a box. There would be more to come, of course. More about the budding of a lifelong dream to begin a ministry with the Voice of the Andes in Ecuador.
But there was no more to come. Between the mailing and the delivery of Chambers’ note, El Tablazo snagged his flight and his dreams from the night sky. The envelope arrived later than the news of his death. When his mother received it, the question burned up at her from the page— Why?
It is the question that hits first and lingers the longest. Why? Why me? Why now? Why this?
David Psalm 74
74:1 “O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?”
Job asked “why” 16 times (i.e. Job 3:11, 12)
Jeremiah
Jer 15:18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
Vance Havner:
I think of a year that started out so pleasantly for my beloved and me. We had made plans for delightful months ahead together. Instead, I sat by her bedside and watched her die of an unusual disease. She expected to be healed but she died. Now, all hopes of a happy old age together are dashed to the ground. I plod alone with the other half of my life on the other side of death. My hand reaches for another hand now vanished, and I listen at night for the sound of a voice that is still. And I am tempted a thousand times to ask, “My God, Why. . . ?”
We should not call it a temptation to ask, “Why?” We should know it is an invitation! (James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”)
There is a new theology that says that one of two things is true:
Either God is not all-powerful
or God is not all-loving
Some choose to serve a God who is all-loving, but not all powerful. They claim that God is in a death lock with evil struggling to overcome and we are to help Him.
They can’t reconcile tragedies:
∙ Birth defects
∙ Accidents
∙ Suffering
John 11 reinforces some basic truth’s and answers the question, “why.”
I. John 11 answers the question, Does God love us?
II. John 11 answers the questions, is God all-powerful? Can God help us?
III. John 11 answers the question, if God does love us and is powerful enough to help us, why does he allow suffering?
I. Does God Love Us?
2 reasons why we wonder about His love
Jn. 11: 6 “When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.”
A. We wonder about His love because of His Deliberate Delay
Jesus whom both Mary and Martha thought could help Lazarus waited two days before he came to their aid.
John 11:21 “Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
John 11:32 “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
Many times when we pray we do not receive an immediate answer. That delay causes us to wonder if God loves us.
We believe if God loves us, there ought to be an immediate response. We expect to hear the wings of angels as He hurries to answer.
But God knows more than us and doesn’t answer prayer our way.
Howard Hendricks:
A mother of a young lady came to him and said, “Howard, I just want you to know that I’m praying that you’ll be my son-in-law.”
Dr. Hendricks “Have you ever thanked God for unanswered prayer?”
We don’t always know God’s will. God is Sovereign not us. If we could make demands and he obeyed He would be our Genie not our God.
After a tree fell on his garage, the Rev. Ray Lanham was asked by neighbor Tom Bedell if it isn’t wrong that a man of God should suffer from an act of God.
“I wouldn’t know,” replied Mr. Lanham, “I’m in sales, not management.”
John 11:3 “Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”
This is an excellent example of prayer because it doesn’t purport to know what God should do. It just states the problem and allows Jesus to work according to God’s will.
John 11:3 “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.”
Jesus knew what He would do and didn’t need the sisters or the disciples advise.
We wonder about His love for us because of:
a. His Deliberate Delay in answering our prayer
b. His Demeanor (Deportment) in Death
vs. 11-14 the disciples are confused. If he is sick and sleeping, that’s good, why wake him? It’s comparable to a hospital where they might wake someone up to give them a sleeping pill?
Jesus has a different attitude about the death of one of His then we do. In the New Testament the word “Sleep” 18X - 4 literal sleep - 14X - euphemism for death of a believer.
We sometimes doubt His love because of his seemingly casual attitude about the sickness and death of a believer.
John 11 gives us overwhelming evidence of His Love!
5 witnesses of Jesus’ love
1. Jesus, love is implied in His conversation
vs. 1 “Home of Mary and Martha” - Bethany
“Home of Jay Novachek” - Gothenberg
2. The second witness of His love is provided by the sisters, “. . . Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick” (John 11:3).
3. The third witness is God’s record itself. “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus” (John 11:5). I think that settles it but there are two remaining witnesses of God’s love.
4. The fourth witness is from outside this passage but shows His love for us all. That witness was His sacrifice. John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Someone said, “I asked Jesus how much He loved me. He stretched out His arms and said, ‘This much.’ And died.”
5. The final witness answering the question of His love is found in His emotions, “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept” (John 11:33-35).
These verses show the gamut of His emotions.
vs. 33, “groaned” = “to snort as an expression of anger” - tinge of frustration?
“troubled”(tarasso) = body began to shake — shudders at what he sees.
vs. 35, “wept” = Jesus burst into tears
We have the gamut of His emotions, anger — horror — sorrow.
Isn’t it incredible to know that the one we pray to, as the sisters did in verse three when they said, “He whom thou lovest is sick,” as a former president used to say, “feels our pain.”
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15)
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:16)
“Aren’t you glad that our Lord understands our deepest emotional struggles?”
—when we’re drained, at the bottom, no answers — it is comforting to know that the Lord is sensitive and cares for us.
The evidence for His love is overwhelming!
How over-whelming? So overwhelming that unbelieving Jews had to concede that point and ask the next one.
“Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died” (John 11:36, 37)?
Question 1. Does God love?
Question 2. Can God help? Omnipotence
Obvious question — If evidence of love is overwhelming.
“And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?” (John 11:37)
This is a tough task and a heavy stone to boot!
Are their natural limits to God’s power?
vs. 17 - 4 days was significant in their minds.
The Jews believed that the spirit of a person hovered around the body 3 days waiting to re-enter the body. Jewish writers said on the 4th day the spirit left.
Decomposition had set it vs. 21, 32 -
It is too late!
In their minds God can heal, do minor miracles, but it is too late this time.
Is it too late for God to help your situation?
Is your marriage too far gone?
DON’T LIMIT GOD’S POWER!!!
vs. 39 - Martha must have thought, Jesus wanted one last look. She objects on the basis that the body is decaying
— horrendous smell
— sight would leave nightmare impression
We had five overwhelming evidences of God’s love. So as the Jews asked, could He have healed Lazarus? We also have overwhelming proof of His power!
“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:43, 44).
This is overwhelming evidence of God’s power!
The greatest proof of Gods power is not healing or opening the eyes of the blind. It is the RESURRECTION Romans 1:4
POWER OVER DEATH
They thought that healing Lazarus would have proven His power (11:37) but instead He showed them greater power by raising Lazarus from the dead after he had been dead and buried for four days.
John 11 has answered 2 Questions:
1. Does God love us? God is love.
2. Can God help? Omnipotence
Third Question:
3. Why? God’s Sovereignty/omniscience
Jesus gave two reasons for Lazarus death.
1. vs. 4, 40 For God’s glory
They began to have a better understanding of the power of God
How is God glorified in your tragedy?
I don’t know, but neither did they until after Lazarus came out of that tomb.
We will know some day.
Rev. 7:17, God will wipe away all tears.
Idea - All reasons for sorrow will be erased.
There are two reasons given in the passage why Lazarus was allowed to die.
1. For God’s glory
2. For men’s Salvation, verses 15& 45
“Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him” (John 11:45).
Recognize the power of God so that men might trust in Him.
Donald Barnhouse told the following story:
Dr. Barnhouse was preaching a week of meetings in a small church. The pastor was a young man who along with his wife were expecting their first child. Throughout the week Dr. Barnhouse teased the pastor and his wife about the upcoming birth.
On Friday night the pastor was absent at the beginning of the service but came in toward the end of the service. When the service ended he went to Dr. Barnhouse and commented, “My wife and I are parents of a Mongoloid child.” Immediately Dr. Barnhouse answered, “This is of the Lord”
“How can you say that?” The pastor replied.
Dr. Barnhouse took the young pastor and dad to Exodus 4 and showed him verse 11, “... who hath made man’s mouth? and who maketh the dumb or the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?”
Supported with that verse the pastor returned to the hospital to break the news to his wife who was asking, “Where’s my baby?”
The pastor told his wife, “The Lord has blessed us with a Mongoloid child.” He then shared with her Exodus 4:11. Together they wept before they placed a call to her mother.
The operator who placed the call knew the situation as well as the fact that the young parents were trying to serve God at the local church. Her concept of Christianity was much like Satans comments about Job that if Christians faced hardships they would curse God. So, she listened in as the new mother spoke to her own mother on the phone. The operator was shocked to hear, “Mom, “God has blessed us with a Mongoloid child, don’t know the nature of blessing, but know it is a blessing.”
That next Sunday 70 nurses and staff were in attendance at that church for the first time and 30 were saved because of 1 Mongoloid child.
God’s priority is not the healing of one He loves and
God’s priority is not the comfort of one He loves
God’s primary purpose for many of our trials is His GLORY and the SALVATION of souls.
John 11:25, 26
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
