THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XXIX: Trusting In Christ For His Powerful Resurrection Of Lazarus From The Dead

(John 11:1-44)

I. Introduction

A. John's Gospel is introduced with the claim that the apostles of Christ beheld the glory of Christ as the unique Son of God that was full of unmerited favor, or "grace," and truth, John 1:14.

B. This glory is very evident in Jesus' powerful raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1-44 (John 11:4), and we study that passage to view and appreciate the glory of Christ as He is presented there as the Son of God:

II. Trusting In Christ For His Powerful Resurrection Of Lazarus From The Dead, John 11:1-44.

A. Jesus raised Lazarus though his body had been weakened by illness, John 11:1-3, 43-44:

1. What eventually led to Lazarus' death was an illness that weakened his body, John 11:1-3.

2. Thus, Jesus' eventual resurrection of Lazarus completely overcame this weakness so that he could energetically come out of the tomb though bound hand and foot with graveclothes, John 11:43-44.

B. Jesus raised Lazarus though Jesus' delay to aid him only further weakened his body, John 11:5-6, 43-44a: the resurrection of Lazarus both reversed the effects of death and the effects of enhanced weakness in his body.

C. Jesus raised Lazarus though he died due to his emaciating illness, John 11:11-15, 43-44a: there would have been great weight loss and a failure of Lazarus' immune system for his illness cause his death, so above just resurrecting the dead body, Christ's miracle had to offset an emaciated body and a failed immune system.

D. Jesus raised Lazarus though Jesus faced life-threatening persecution to do so, John 11:7-10, 43-44a:

1. When Jesus said He would return to Judaea to raise Lazarus, His disciples observed that the Jews there had recently tried to kill Him for His ministry and words that critiqued them, John 11:7-10 with 10:37-39.

2. Thus, Jesus offset life-threatening persecution against Himself just to raise Lazarus, John 11:7-10, 43-44a.

E. Jesus raised Lazarus though Jesus' disciples doubted His effort to achieve it, John 11:16, 43-44a:

1. As Jesus returned to Judaea to raise Lazarus from the dead, the disciple Thomas depressingly said, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him," an expression that reflected the doubt in all the disciples, John 11:16.

2. Nevertheless, Jesus raised Lazarus regardless of the unbelief of His disciples, John 11:43-44a.

F. Jesus raised Lazarus though grieving women believers doubted Jesus' effort to do so, John 11:17-32, 43-44a: before Jesus raised Lazarus, Mary and Martha, ladies who trusted in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, in grief said that had He been there when Lazarus was alive, He could have saved him, signaling they did not believe He would raise him now that Lazarus had been dead for four days, John 11:17-28, 29-32, 43-44a.

G. Jesus raised Lazarus though grief in others caused Jesus Himself greatly to grieve, John 11:33-38a, 43-44a.

H. Jesus raised Lazarus though his body's decay had led it to give off a bad odor, John 11:38b-39a, 43-44a:

1. When Jesus ordered that the stone that covered the tomb be rolled away, Lazarus' sister, Martha, objected, claiming that by this time the body would be giving off a terrible odor of decay, John 11:38b-39.

2. Nevertheless, Jesus powerfully raised Lazarus though his body was badly decaying, John 11:38b-38, 44a!

I. Jesus raised Lazarus though his soul had undeniably completely left his body, John 11:39b-44a:

1. It was the belief of the Jews then that the fourth day after death, the body began to corrupt and the soul finally left the body, Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 1972, v. ii, p. 324-325.

2. Though 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 reveals the soul leaves the body the instant one dies, Jesus delayed arriving at Bethany until no one there thought Lazarus' soul was still near his body, that his soul had fully departed.

3. Thus, Jesus arrived after Lazarus had been dead for four days, and then raised him up, Jn. 11:17, 39b-44a!

J. Jesus raised Lazarus though his body was powerfully bound by wrappings and spices, Jn. 11:44b:

1. The John 11:44b description of Lazarus' graveclothes show he was buried in typical Jewish fashion, with "strips of linen" wrapping his legs, arms and torso as an Egyptian mummy complete with a sticky mix of myrrh and aloes (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 315; Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, 1991, p. 225-226).

2. Though having died of an emaciating illness, Lazarus was able energetically to hop about in this very restraining set of graveclothes, a great physical testimony to the power of Christ's resurrection miracle!

Lesson: Jesus powerfully raised Lazarus from the dead amid numerous debilitating circumstances to the contrary.

Application: (1) May we trust in Jesus as the Son of God Who is full of grace and truth for salvation. (2) May we rejoice expectantly in the power of our own future resurrections or translations at the rapture, 2 Thess. 4:13-18!