The Resurrection and the Life (John 11)
This sermon delves into the profound narrative of Lazarus's resurrection, uncovering the dual nature of Jesus Christ. It explores how Jesus uniquely addresses human grief and suffering, ultimately revealing his mission to conquer death itself.
Jesus, the divine-human God-man, perfectly meets our needs by confronting sorrow with truth and entering into grief with tears. He battles death as an enemy and ultimately dies for us, offering full salvation and reordering our hearts' loves.
Overview
This sermon unpacks the seventh and climactic sign in John's Gospel: the raising of Lazarus in John 11. The preacher frames the narrative to explore two core questions: who Jesus is and what he came to do. Jesus' interactions with Martha and Mary are highlighted as primary revelations of his dual nature.
When Martha, expressing her grief, tells Jesus, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died," Jesus responds with the "ministry of truth," declaring, "I am the resurrection and the life." This reveals his divinity. However, when Mary utters the identical lament, Jesus weeps, demonstrating the "ministry of tears" and his profound humanity. This striking difference shows Jesus as the "God-man," perfectly equipped to be a wise counselor who offers both bracing truth and empathetic comfort as needed.
The sermon then shifts to Jesus' purpose, focusing on his arrival at Lazarus's tomb. The text describes Jesus as "deeply moved," which the preacher interprets as "bellowing with rage" against death itself, the ultimate enemy. This underscores that Jesus came to fight for humanity, not with stoic acceptance of suffering, but with fiery wrath against the brokenness of the world that we deserve.
Crucially, Jesus didn't just fight for us; he died for us. The public spectacle of Lazarus's resurrection immediately spurred Jesus' enemies to plot his crucifixion. The preacher emphasizes that Jesus knew the only way to grant Lazarus—and us—life was to seal his own death. This act of ultimate sacrifice reveals the depth of his love, serving as a model for sacrificial love and calling believers to worship him supremely and live free from the fear of death, knowing that in Christ, death leads to something infinitely better.
Key points
- The raising of Lazarus in John 11 is presented as John's seventh and climactic sign, revealing both who Jesus is and what he came to do.
- Jesus demonstrates his dual nature as the "God-man" by offering distinct responses to Martha and Mary, who express the same words of grief.
- To Martha, Jesus offers the "ministry of truth," declaring, "I am the resurrection and the life," asserting his divine power and calling her to hope.
- To Mary, Jesus offers the "ministry of tears," weeping with her and entering into her sorrow, revealing his vulnerable humanity.
- Jesus approaches the tomb "deeply moved," interpreted as "bellowing with rage" against death, demonstrating he came to fight for us as a champion against evil itself.
- The public raising of Lazarus directly triggers the plot against Jesus' life, showing he knowingly sacrificed himself to overcome death for us.
- Practical implications include embracing sacrificial love, worshipping Jesus supremely as both Creator and Redeemer, and living without fear of death.
In Tim Keller's words
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die. and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
“Here is one who uh is is crushed with grief. And therefore what we have is someone who is both divine and human.”
“If he's in your life at all, he's got to be the center of it. Anything else is a crucifixion of the intelligence and a moral outrage.”
Outline
- I. Who Jesus Is: The God-Man
- A. Revealed by His Interaction with Martha
- 1. Confrontation and the Ministry of Truth
- 2. Claiming Divine Power: "I am the resurrection and the life."
- B. Revealed by His Interaction with Mary
- 1. Empathy and the Ministry of Tears
- 2. Demonstrating Vulnerable Humanity: Jesus Wept
- C. The God-Man as the Wonderful Counselor
- 1. Perfectly Wise, Giving Exactly What is Needed
- 2. Able to Sympathize Without Sin
- D. The God-Man as an Absolute Beauty
- 1. Reordering Disordered Loves (Augustine)
- 2. Combining High and Low Virtues in Perfection (Edwards)
- 3. Seeing God's Glory Through a Human Filter
- II. What Jesus Came to Do
- A. He Came to Fight for Us
- 1. Jesus "Deeply Moved" (Bellowing with Rage) at Death
- 2. Not Angry at Family or God, but at Evil Itself
- 3. Advancing as a Champion Against Death
- B. He Came to Die for Us
- 1. Raising Lazarus Triggered the Plot Against Jesus' Life
- 2. The Only Way to Give Lazarus Life was to Seal His Own Death
- 3. Bearing Divine Wrath and Our Punishment on the Cross
- III. Practical Implications
- A. Jesus as a Model: Love Requires Suffering
- 1. Loving Others Means Dying to Self (Privacy, Comfort, Convenience)
- 2. Examples: Friends in Trouble, Parenting
- B. You Owe Him Everything Twice
- 1. He is Creator and Redeemer
- 2. Demands Worship and Unconditional Allegiance
- C. Don't Let Death Control You
- 1. Fear of Not Accomplishing Things
- 2. In Christ, Death Cannot Take Anything Away, Only Give Everything
- 3. Death Makes Us Better, Not Worse
Scripture references
1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Insights
Jesus embodies both divine truth and human sorrow.
Our deepest needs are perfectly understood by the God-man.
Love for others often means accepting personal suffering.
Questions & answers
What is the main argument of this sermon?
The sermon argues that Jesus Christ is the divine-human "God-man," who perfectly understands and meets our needs through both truth and empathy, and who came to fight against death and ultimately die for humanity to offer salvation.
How does Jesus' response to Martha differ from his response to Mary?
Jesus confronts Martha's sorrow with the "ministry of truth," declaring, "I am the resurrection and the life," asserting his divine power. To Mary, he offers the "ministry of tears," simply weeping with her to enter her grief, revealing his human vulnerability.
What does the preacher mean by Jesus being "deeply moved" at the tomb?
The preacher states that the Greek word translated "deeply moved" can mean "bellowing with rage," suggesting Jesus was not just sad, but furiously angry at death itself, viewing it as an enemy.
How does the raising of Lazarus relate to Jesus' own death?
The sermon explains that the public miracle of raising Lazarus was so decisive that it directly prompted Jesus' enemies to plot his death. Jesus knew that giving Lazarus life meant sealing his own fate on the cross.
What practical applications does the sermon offer?
The sermon encourages listeners to practice sacrificial love, following Jesus' model of dying to self for others; to give Jesus supreme worship and allegiance as both Creator and Redeemer; and to live without fear of death, as in Christ, death can only lead to something better.
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