83. DEATH WAS OVERCOME!How can you defeat death? There is an answer, and only one.
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For thousands of years people have been fascinated with death. Of course, the biggest reason for their fascination is that they don’t want to experience it. If we were to poll everyone we know, they would probably say that death is their biggest fear because it is unpredictable. When we wake up every morning, we have a good idea of what will happen. We go to work, school, or stay home for various reasons. We pay the bills, talk with friends, and eat food. In short, we just do the same thing we did the day before. There are good times and bad times in life, but we are alive and there is always hope that things will get better.
But there is a lot of uncertainty about death. When we die what will it be like? Will we live again? If so, how, when, and where? If we didn’t live a righteous life will we burn forever? If we go to heaven, what will it really be like? If we had time we could probably ll up a whole book with questions regarding death. And while we wouldn’t be able to answer all the questions, we could answer some of the most basic by simply opening God’s Holy Word.
But lots of people don’t want to look at the Bible. They continue to search in vain for ways to live forever or to escape the inevi- table. The most recent fad, at least among the super wealthy, is to be cryogenically frozen. Essentially, the body is preserved in a frozen state until scientists develop technology that could both bring them back to life and reverse the aging process. For most of us that not only sounds impossible, it sounds ridiculous. But it is amazing what some people will do out of fear.
So what does the believer do about death? Well, we hold on to the blessed hope that God will do what He promised! Unfortunately, for many people there is no hope. They think it is better to not think or talk about it. Death is what it is, out of our control and inevitable. Or maybe it isn’t!
In the eastern town of Adıyaman a husband, four children, sister, and two brothers were huddled near the door with tears streaming down their faces. They hugged each other but no one said a word. They just stared in disbelief as the casket was loaded into the hearse. On this sad day, the family had gathered to pay their respects and remember the woman that they loved so much. Her name was Banu.
The special prayers, shared memories, food, and drink took the sting out of this awful event. But there was nothing that could remove the sadness or wipe away the tears. They had all just lost a very close friend, mother, sister, and wife. Of course they all proclaimed her goodness and had a sliver of hope that they would again see each other. But deep within, they all had their doubts. Not so much because of Banu’s character, but because nothing is certain in life or death.
When she was rst diagnosed with cancer everyone was shocked. It wasn’t something they were expecting. They went to several doc- tors, got different opinions about treatment, and spent countless hours in the hospital supporting her. When she became weaker they prayed for her and even made pilgrimages to several shrines hoping that God would spare her life. But He didn’t. It was a sad fact that they all had to accept. Life without her would be hard, but there was nothing left for them to do. As one mourner said,
“It is what it is. Fate! If it is God’s will, we must accept it!”
But maybe Banu’s death wasn’t God’s will. Perhaps there really isn’t a reason to be sad or have doubt when our loved ones die.
Maybe, just maybe, we can have the assurance that we will see each other one day. Think about it. If God created everything out of noth- ing and brought to life that which was lifeless, why can’t He bring back to life something that once lived? Do you really think that God doesn’t care about those who serve Him? Remember that Jesus once said,
“With God all things are possible.”14
All things would de nitely include forgiveness, re-creation, healing, and even resurrection! Let’s see what Jesus had to say about death and the resurrection in John chapter 11. We will start at the beginning of the chapter in verses 1-4:
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were very close friends with Jesus and his disciples. When he was in the area, Jesus often stayed at their house, ate with them, and rested from his travels. So it was quite natural for Mary and Martha to send for Jesus when Lazarus got ill. But they didn’t just send for him because he was their friend. They knew who he was and believed in his power over sickness. Let's see how Jesus responded in verses 5 and 6:
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
For most of us, Jesus’ response may seem a bit odd. Why didn’t he rush to Lazarus’ side? After all, he had opened up his home, pro- vided food, and given a room to Jesus on countless occasions over the past 3 years. How could Jesus act so unconcerned? How could he know that Lazarus was going to be okay? What did he mean that Lazarus’ illness was “for the glory of God”? How could sickness glorify God? Let’s continue reading verses 7-10:
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
After hearing about Lazarus’ condition, Jesus waited for two days. We don’t know what they did during those two days, but we do know that the disciples didn’t want to return to Judea. They knew that the people who threatened Jesus were serious. The religious leaders and their followers were blind with rage and jealousy, not to mention extremely confused about who Jesus was and what he was saying. The disciples were sure that if Jesus returned to Judea, it would likely result in all of their deaths. But Jesus wasn’t afraid! In fact, his statement was both a reminder and a rebuke.
Essentially, Jesus was saying that while there is still daylight we must work. If there is an opportunity to work or things that need to be done, we should move forward under God’s guidance. We can’t worry about what might happen. Jesus trusted God and was remind- ing the disciples that God had given him a work to do and an amount of time to do it in. Now let’s read verses 11-15:
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Laza- rus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Lazarus, the beloved friend of Jesus, had died. His sisters knew that his disease would lead to death without divine intervention. It was for this reason that they immediately sent news to Jesus. They knew that he had calmed the storm, cast out demons, and healed the blind and crippled. They were certain that he would also heal Lazarus. But it didn’t happen. Mary and Martha lost their brother.
However, Jesus didn’t see Lazarus’ death as a loss. He saw it as an opportunity for God to be glori ed, for the people to believe what he had been telling them for months, and for his identity to be fully realized. Up until that point, a lot of people still didn’t know what to think about this carpenter from Nazareth. They knew he was a good teacher, as knowledgeable as the rabbis, and most likely a prophet. But Jesus’ claims about who he was were a little bit hard to believe. Therefore Jesus was about to do something that would take away all of their doubts. He was about to shake the very foundations of hu- man existence by altering the fate of a dead man.
Did you notice that Jesus described death as sleep and that he was going to wake Lazarus up? Let’s see what he meant by that in John chapter 11 verses 17-27:
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
When Jesus nally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. There was no way that Lazarus was close to death or even in a coma. He was dead and buried according to Jewish custom. Shortly after death he had been cleaned, wrapped, and laid in a tomb cut from stone.
But in spite of his death, we get a fascinating glimpse into the faith of Martha. She wasn’t angry with Jesus and she didn’t complain. She stated the simple truth. If Jesus had been there her brother would not have died. But there is something even greater in her statement. She believed that Jesus’ connection with God was so close that God would grant him whatever he wanted. Oh that we would all have the faith of Martha! Let’s see how Jesus responds in John chapter 11 verses 23 and 24:
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus’ words should comfort anyone who has lost a loved one. He didn’t say Lazarus would probably rise again or even maybe rise again. He promised that Lazarus would rise again. In other words, Lazarus’ salvation, as well as every other believer, was secure and unalterable. He would be among those who are raised from the dead at the end of this world. It is clear from Martha’s statement that she believed this. But Jesus tested her faith even more with the following statement in verses 25-27:
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Did Jesus’ statement shock you? Jesus didn’t wax eloquently about when, how, or why the resurrection would take place. He didn’t even describe the events that would lead up to the resurrection. But he did make another profound statement that can’t be ignored nor diminished.
In essence, Jesus said that there is no life now or in the future without him. He is the resurrection! He is the one who can reverse the greatest fate of all humanity, death. If you are afraid to die, if you want to live again, Jesus says
“Believe in me and I will raise you from death.”
Interestingly, Martha didn’t seem shocked by Jesus’ statement. She had already witnessed countless miracles, knew the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, heard his teaching, and experienced his genuine love for her family. Martha had no doubt that what Jesus said was true. Immediately she ran home to tell her sister that Je- sus had come. When Mary heard that Jesus had arrived she left the house to meet him.
Let’s see what happened next in John chapter 11 verses 32 and 33:
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
Obviously, Mary had the same reverence for Jesus that her sister Martha had. She also expressed the same belief in Jesus’ power over illness. Have you noticed that Jesus never blames God for sickness? In fact we continually see the opposite. Jesus is always healing the sick and reversing the effects of illness. This is yet more proof that sickness and even death are not God’s will. Perhaps Jesus saw that some people believed Lazarus’ death was God’s will and this is why he was “deeply moved and greatly troubled”.
But maybe there was another reason he was troubled. If you remember, Jesus had told his disciples on more than one occasion that he would eventually be killed. Is it possible that there were people in that crowd who actually wanted to kill him? Did he see the hypoc- risy in their hearts? Could he read it on their faces?
Without wasting anymore time, Jesus asked Mary where Lazarus was buried. Let’s continue with verses 34-37:
34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus wept! The long awaited Messiah shed tears. Amazingly, in these verses we get a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus Christ. Just like us, he felt happiness, sadness, pain, and sorrow.
But there were people in the crowd who mocked the genuineness of his sorrow.
“Why couldn’t he heal one of his best friends? Does he only heal strangers?”
We don’t need to think very hard to imagine the looks on their faces. They were probably scowling with half closed eyes and furrowed eyebrows. Their voices were lled with mockery and false accusa- tions. But their claims weren’t any more valid than someone who says that it is God’s will for a loved one to die. Jesus loved Lazarus and was about to perform the second greatest act of love on his behalf. Are you ready for the climax of this story? Let’s read verses 38-40:
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
It isn't hard to understand Martha's concern. Everyone there knew that Lazarus was dead. He had already been in the tomb four days. If they removed the stone from the tomb’s opening, it would have smelled terrible. In addition, anyone who got near the dead body would be ceremonially unclean. Did Jesus debate with them? Did he give them a list of reasons why they should obey him? No! He asked a simple question.
“Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
Do you want to see the glory of God? Are you ready to meet the one who can change your fate? Let’s continue with verses 41-44:
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
It has been said that if Jesus hadn’t called Lazarus by name, all the dead would have come back to life. There was power in his voice, the very same power that was present when God spoke ev- erything into existence, when He called Abraham out of Ur, and when God spoke to Moses through a burning bush on Mt. Sinai. The changer of fate is God’s own Word in the flesh.
Incomprehensible? Yes! Impossible? No!
“With God all things are possible.”15
How do you think the people reacted? Do you think they were all amazed and happy? Do you think they ran away in fear? Let’s nish our lesson by reading John chapter 11 verses 45-53:
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
On a cold winter day, a young mother was laying in bed with her new baby. Her hair wasn’t brushed and she didn’t have any make up on. But none of that mattered for the baby. He could feel her warm touch and gentle caress. He could hear her soft voice. His little eyes stared intently at his mother as she spoke,
“I love you so much. I will always love you. I will always protect you. No matter what happens I will always be there for you. Before I lived for myself, but now I only live for you. If necessary, I will even die for you.”
The baby knew her voice because he had listened to it for 9 months before he was born. He didn’t understand all that she said. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he felt safe in her embrace. He didn’t know what the future would be like, but he new that he could trust her.
Like the baby, we don’t know what will happen in the future. But just like this young mother’s voice, there is a voice calling out to us. It is saying,
“Don’t worry about the future. Don’t stress out about death. I hold the keys of your fate in my hands. I can unlock the chains of death and bring you back to life. Believe in me and even if you die, you will live again. I am the resurrection and the life!”
The voice is God’s Word in human esh, the changer of fate; and he has a name, it is Jesus Christ. Do you believe that if you died, he could raise you from the dead? If so, take control of your fate by putting it into his hands and choosing to follow him.
Discussion Questions
1. What are your personal thoughts about death? Are you afraid of it?
2. We know that God is in control of everything. If someone dies, is it His will? If not, why do people die?
3. Is Jesus’ claim of being “the resurrection and the life” shocking to you?
4. In this lesson we learned that Jesus is the “changer of fate." In light of this truth, are you starting to understand your fate and how it can be changed?
14 Matthew 19:26
15 Matthew 19:26
But there is a lot of uncertainty about death. When we die what will it be like? Will we live again? If so, how, when, and where? If we didn’t live a righteous life will we burn forever? If we go to heaven, what will it really be like? If we had time we could probably ll up a whole book with questions regarding death. And while we wouldn’t be able to answer all the questions, we could answer some of the most basic by simply opening God’s Holy Word.
But lots of people don’t want to look at the Bible. They continue to search in vain for ways to live forever or to escape the inevi- table. The most recent fad, at least among the super wealthy, is to be cryogenically frozen. Essentially, the body is preserved in a frozen state until scientists develop technology that could both bring them back to life and reverse the aging process. For most of us that not only sounds impossible, it sounds ridiculous. But it is amazing what some people will do out of fear.
So what does the believer do about death? Well, we hold on to the blessed hope that God will do what He promised! Unfortunately, for many people there is no hope. They think it is better to not think or talk about it. Death is what it is, out of our control and inevitable. Or maybe it isn’t!
In the eastern town of Adıyaman a husband, four children, sister, and two brothers were huddled near the door with tears streaming down their faces. They hugged each other but no one said a word. They just stared in disbelief as the casket was loaded into the hearse. On this sad day, the family had gathered to pay their respects and remember the woman that they loved so much. Her name was Banu.
The special prayers, shared memories, food, and drink took the sting out of this awful event. But there was nothing that could remove the sadness or wipe away the tears. They had all just lost a very close friend, mother, sister, and wife. Of course they all proclaimed her goodness and had a sliver of hope that they would again see each other. But deep within, they all had their doubts. Not so much because of Banu’s character, but because nothing is certain in life or death.
When she was rst diagnosed with cancer everyone was shocked. It wasn’t something they were expecting. They went to several doc- tors, got different opinions about treatment, and spent countless hours in the hospital supporting her. When she became weaker they prayed for her and even made pilgrimages to several shrines hoping that God would spare her life. But He didn’t. It was a sad fact that they all had to accept. Life without her would be hard, but there was nothing left for them to do. As one mourner said,
“It is what it is. Fate! If it is God’s will, we must accept it!”
But maybe Banu’s death wasn’t God’s will. Perhaps there really isn’t a reason to be sad or have doubt when our loved ones die.
Maybe, just maybe, we can have the assurance that we will see each other one day. Think about it. If God created everything out of noth- ing and brought to life that which was lifeless, why can’t He bring back to life something that once lived? Do you really think that God doesn’t care about those who serve Him? Remember that Jesus once said,
“With God all things are possible.”14
All things would de nitely include forgiveness, re-creation, healing, and even resurrection! Let’s see what Jesus had to say about death and the resurrection in John chapter 11. We will start at the beginning of the chapter in verses 1-4:
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were very close friends with Jesus and his disciples. When he was in the area, Jesus often stayed at their house, ate with them, and rested from his travels. So it was quite natural for Mary and Martha to send for Jesus when Lazarus got ill. But they didn’t just send for him because he was their friend. They knew who he was and believed in his power over sickness. Let's see how Jesus responded in verses 5 and 6:
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
For most of us, Jesus’ response may seem a bit odd. Why didn’t he rush to Lazarus’ side? After all, he had opened up his home, pro- vided food, and given a room to Jesus on countless occasions over the past 3 years. How could Jesus act so unconcerned? How could he know that Lazarus was going to be okay? What did he mean that Lazarus’ illness was “for the glory of God”? How could sickness glorify God? Let’s continue reading verses 7-10:
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
After hearing about Lazarus’ condition, Jesus waited for two days. We don’t know what they did during those two days, but we do know that the disciples didn’t want to return to Judea. They knew that the people who threatened Jesus were serious. The religious leaders and their followers were blind with rage and jealousy, not to mention extremely confused about who Jesus was and what he was saying. The disciples were sure that if Jesus returned to Judea, it would likely result in all of their deaths. But Jesus wasn’t afraid! In fact, his statement was both a reminder and a rebuke.
Essentially, Jesus was saying that while there is still daylight we must work. If there is an opportunity to work or things that need to be done, we should move forward under God’s guidance. We can’t worry about what might happen. Jesus trusted God and was remind- ing the disciples that God had given him a work to do and an amount of time to do it in. Now let’s read verses 11-15:
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Laza- rus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Lazarus, the beloved friend of Jesus, had died. His sisters knew that his disease would lead to death without divine intervention. It was for this reason that they immediately sent news to Jesus. They knew that he had calmed the storm, cast out demons, and healed the blind and crippled. They were certain that he would also heal Lazarus. But it didn’t happen. Mary and Martha lost their brother.
However, Jesus didn’t see Lazarus’ death as a loss. He saw it as an opportunity for God to be glori ed, for the people to believe what he had been telling them for months, and for his identity to be fully realized. Up until that point, a lot of people still didn’t know what to think about this carpenter from Nazareth. They knew he was a good teacher, as knowledgeable as the rabbis, and most likely a prophet. But Jesus’ claims about who he was were a little bit hard to believe. Therefore Jesus was about to do something that would take away all of their doubts. He was about to shake the very foundations of hu- man existence by altering the fate of a dead man.
Did you notice that Jesus described death as sleep and that he was going to wake Lazarus up? Let’s see what he meant by that in John chapter 11 verses 17-27:
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
When Jesus nally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. There was no way that Lazarus was close to death or even in a coma. He was dead and buried according to Jewish custom. Shortly after death he had been cleaned, wrapped, and laid in a tomb cut from stone.
But in spite of his death, we get a fascinating glimpse into the faith of Martha. She wasn’t angry with Jesus and she didn’t complain. She stated the simple truth. If Jesus had been there her brother would not have died. But there is something even greater in her statement. She believed that Jesus’ connection with God was so close that God would grant him whatever he wanted. Oh that we would all have the faith of Martha! Let’s see how Jesus responds in John chapter 11 verses 23 and 24:
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus’ words should comfort anyone who has lost a loved one. He didn’t say Lazarus would probably rise again or even maybe rise again. He promised that Lazarus would rise again. In other words, Lazarus’ salvation, as well as every other believer, was secure and unalterable. He would be among those who are raised from the dead at the end of this world. It is clear from Martha’s statement that she believed this. But Jesus tested her faith even more with the following statement in verses 25-27:
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Did Jesus’ statement shock you? Jesus didn’t wax eloquently about when, how, or why the resurrection would take place. He didn’t even describe the events that would lead up to the resurrection. But he did make another profound statement that can’t be ignored nor diminished.
In essence, Jesus said that there is no life now or in the future without him. He is the resurrection! He is the one who can reverse the greatest fate of all humanity, death. If you are afraid to die, if you want to live again, Jesus says
“Believe in me and I will raise you from death.”
Interestingly, Martha didn’t seem shocked by Jesus’ statement. She had already witnessed countless miracles, knew the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, heard his teaching, and experienced his genuine love for her family. Martha had no doubt that what Jesus said was true. Immediately she ran home to tell her sister that Je- sus had come. When Mary heard that Jesus had arrived she left the house to meet him.
Let’s see what happened next in John chapter 11 verses 32 and 33:
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
Obviously, Mary had the same reverence for Jesus that her sister Martha had. She also expressed the same belief in Jesus’ power over illness. Have you noticed that Jesus never blames God for sickness? In fact we continually see the opposite. Jesus is always healing the sick and reversing the effects of illness. This is yet more proof that sickness and even death are not God’s will. Perhaps Jesus saw that some people believed Lazarus’ death was God’s will and this is why he was “deeply moved and greatly troubled”.
But maybe there was another reason he was troubled. If you remember, Jesus had told his disciples on more than one occasion that he would eventually be killed. Is it possible that there were people in that crowd who actually wanted to kill him? Did he see the hypoc- risy in their hearts? Could he read it on their faces?
Without wasting anymore time, Jesus asked Mary where Lazarus was buried. Let’s continue with verses 34-37:
34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus wept! The long awaited Messiah shed tears. Amazingly, in these verses we get a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus Christ. Just like us, he felt happiness, sadness, pain, and sorrow.
But there were people in the crowd who mocked the genuineness of his sorrow.
“Why couldn’t he heal one of his best friends? Does he only heal strangers?”
We don’t need to think very hard to imagine the looks on their faces. They were probably scowling with half closed eyes and furrowed eyebrows. Their voices were lled with mockery and false accusa- tions. But their claims weren’t any more valid than someone who says that it is God’s will for a loved one to die. Jesus loved Lazarus and was about to perform the second greatest act of love on his behalf. Are you ready for the climax of this story? Let’s read verses 38-40:
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
It isn't hard to understand Martha's concern. Everyone there knew that Lazarus was dead. He had already been in the tomb four days. If they removed the stone from the tomb’s opening, it would have smelled terrible. In addition, anyone who got near the dead body would be ceremonially unclean. Did Jesus debate with them? Did he give them a list of reasons why they should obey him? No! He asked a simple question.
“Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
Do you want to see the glory of God? Are you ready to meet the one who can change your fate? Let’s continue with verses 41-44:
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
It has been said that if Jesus hadn’t called Lazarus by name, all the dead would have come back to life. There was power in his voice, the very same power that was present when God spoke ev- erything into existence, when He called Abraham out of Ur, and when God spoke to Moses through a burning bush on Mt. Sinai. The changer of fate is God’s own Word in the flesh.
Incomprehensible? Yes! Impossible? No!
“With God all things are possible.”15
How do you think the people reacted? Do you think they were all amazed and happy? Do you think they ran away in fear? Let’s nish our lesson by reading John chapter 11 verses 45-53:
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
On a cold winter day, a young mother was laying in bed with her new baby. Her hair wasn’t brushed and she didn’t have any make up on. But none of that mattered for the baby. He could feel her warm touch and gentle caress. He could hear her soft voice. His little eyes stared intently at his mother as she spoke,
“I love you so much. I will always love you. I will always protect you. No matter what happens I will always be there for you. Before I lived for myself, but now I only live for you. If necessary, I will even die for you.”
The baby knew her voice because he had listened to it for 9 months before he was born. He didn’t understand all that she said. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he felt safe in her embrace. He didn’t know what the future would be like, but he new that he could trust her.
Like the baby, we don’t know what will happen in the future. But just like this young mother’s voice, there is a voice calling out to us. It is saying,
“Don’t worry about the future. Don’t stress out about death. I hold the keys of your fate in my hands. I can unlock the chains of death and bring you back to life. Believe in me and even if you die, you will live again. I am the resurrection and the life!”
The voice is God’s Word in human esh, the changer of fate; and he has a name, it is Jesus Christ. Do you believe that if you died, he could raise you from the dead? If so, take control of your fate by putting it into his hands and choosing to follow him.
Discussion Questions
1. What are your personal thoughts about death? Are you afraid of it?
2. We know that God is in control of everything. If someone dies, is it His will? If not, why do people die?
3. Is Jesus’ claim of being “the resurrection and the life” shocking to you?
4. In this lesson we learned that Jesus is the “changer of fate." In light of this truth, are you starting to understand your fate and how it can be changed?
14 Matthew 19:26
15 Matthew 19:26