Calvary Road Baptist Church
“LETTING LAZARUS DIE”
John 11.1-57
Have you ever thought about the deeper implications of why young and inexperienced moms should be shown by aged women and experienced mothers why they most definitely should not pick up their newborn baby every time that child cries? It’s about more than getting a good night’s sleep. It’s about the crucial lesson a wise mother teaches her child that life is not all about you and that mother will train her baby rather than her baby training her.
Then, getting past infancy, to the toddler phase of life, there comes the crucial stage of beginning to teach your now mobile and profoundly curious child the meaning of the word “No.” Learning the meaning of that word reaches way beyond the implications of immediate safety and danger to the child, to yet another stage of life’s lessons in which the restrictions imposed by boundaries, limitations, and authority are added to the growing realization that mothers and fathers were not given by God to be manipulated and controlled but to train their child.
What a novel idea it is to some these days who seem to think that a mother or father’s job description can be summed up as facilitating whatever the child chooses to do next, whatever the toddler wants, rather than engaging in the holy task of imposing the parent’s will on the child and seriously training the child to habituate crucial life skills at certain times that cannot be learned well later on in life.
The process of learning and growing, recognizing that foolishness is bound up in the heart of the child[1], is a decades-long process, with children never reaching the stage in which parenting is no longer needed, though it is needed less frequently after adulthood is reached by a son or daughter. Hopefully, however, your child will somewhere along the way come to Christ, being born again and adopted into God’s family, and the rearing of the spiritual child will then be undertaken by God to its completion in glory.[2]
It is with this substrata of truth in mind, that God works in the lives of His children at all times and in different ways to instigate growth and maturity, that I want to direct your attention to the eleventh chapter of John’s Gospel and Christ’s raising of Lazarus from the dead. The chapter is long, fifty-seven verses long, and is therefore too long for us to read in a worship service. But the chapter is somewhat familiar to many and is easily read and understood. Therefore, I will leave it to you to read when you get home today, perhaps reading it as a family at the midday meal or dinner this evening.
For now, I would like to explore an aspect of the raising of Lazarus from the dead that I have not seen explored before, but which promises to serve us well in coming to grips with God’s program for growing up His children and presenting Himself through His children to the unsaved who observe God’s dealings with His children. Specifically, I want to address this matter of the Lord Jesus Christ letting His beloved friend, Lazarus, die.
Perhaps you have suffered the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one. We had someone in our Church who first lost his mother and then lost his caregiver to cancer, with devastating results that I think he has not yet recovered from decades later. Others have lost beloved family members to illness or violence at a young age. I had mentioned before an aunt and uncle who lost a young child to a sudden illness, with our family agreeing that my uncle never got over the loss of his baby girl.
Some who are Christians wrestle with feelings of betrayal by God when such tragedies strike. Others who are not Christians sometimes respond by questioning whether there be a God, as a coping mechanism for something they either do not understand or are determined to disagree with. The eleventh chapter of John’s Gospel speaks to anyone who has suffered such a loss and searches for meaning about what happened. But such casting about for meaning usually centers on themselves. “God, how could you take my child? How could you allow my dad to be killed?” I propose explanations from an entirely different perspective than is usually taken.
As we consider Lazarus, ask yourself two questions: First, why did the Lord Jesus Christ allow a man to die He could have easily healed? Second, what might the Lord Jesus Christ have been seeking to accomplish by allowing Lazarus to die and then, after four days, raising him from the dead? If you have already experienced such a loss this message may not be for you. It may be that you are too deeply invested in the victim mentality, being the person who has been wronged by God, for anything I say to be useful to you. However, if you are undecided about understanding your loss, or you have not yet suffered a heartbreaking loss, perhaps consideration of what the Savior accomplished by allowing Lazarus to die will shed light on what might lie back of God’s purpose in your loss.
Letting Lazarus die. I suggest nine reasons why the Savior chose to let Lazarus die:
First, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SOVEREIGNTY
Are we clear about what sovereignty entails, what sovereignty means? One credible authority suggests that sovereignty is,
“The biblical concept of God’s kingly, supreme rule and legal authority over the entire universe. God’s sovereignty expressed, exercised and displayed in the divine plan for and outworking of salvation history. Divine sovereignty is emphasized especially in the Augustinian-Calvinist tradition, where it is paradoxically contrasted with human responsibility.”[3]
The late Peter Connolly listed several men’s definitions of sovereignty in his book First Steps In Christian Theology:
“The consistent moral purpose by which all the events of the universe are determined, and of which, when taken in their teleological connection they are the expression....”
“The end in view in the sovereignty of God is doing God’s will.”
“Nothing hinders God from doing at He pleases.”[4]
If I may be so bold, I understand sovereignty, whether it applies to the Triune Godhead, the Father, the Spirit, or the Son of God, to refer to the right to exercise the divine will and to be accountable to no one, answerable to no one, hindered by no one, except that this sovereignty of God is exercised in complete harmony with the other Persons of the Trinity.
Why would the Lord Jesus Christ allow Lazarus to die? One reason for doing so was to establish that He had the right to do so and that He is not answerable to you, to me, or anyone else. He is God. Therefore He is sovereign. And that ought to be good enough for any believer.
What was Job’s exemplary response when he was informed that his sons and daughters were suddenly killed? Job 1.20-21:
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.[5]
Next, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO EXHIBIT HIS OMNISCIENCE
When Lazarus took sick the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles were on the other side of the Jordan River, in the region known as Perea. The messenger dispatched by his sisters, Mary and Martha, informed the Lord, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick,” John 11.3.
Interestingly, the Lord did not respond by traveling straightway to the bedside of Lazarus, who He loved, verse 5. He waited two days before responding, verse 6. Why did He tarry, in addition to demonstrating that He could?
He waited, in part, so He could inform His men that “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,” verse 11. However, because they misunderstood, He clarified what He meant by saying “unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead,” John 11.14.
By allowing Lazarus to die, which He did by delaying His response for two days, our Lord demonstrated that He knew something He could not otherwise have known, that Lazarus had died, unless He was omniscient unless He possessed all knowledge. Was showing that He knew all things more important than healing Lazarus? It was.
Third, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO EXPOSE HIS DISCIPLES’ LOYALTIES
Do you have a perfect understanding of your surface and underlying loyalties? I am not sure that I do. I am not sure that you do. Remember when Peter bragged on the night of our Lord’s arrest that he would never be offended by the Savior? Yet what do we read in Matthew 26.33-35?
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Sometimes it takes more than a single event to expose your true loyalties so that you see what they are. In John 11.8 our Lord’s disciples nicely warn Him of the danger of crossing the Jordan River and entering Judea to come to the home of Lazarus. That was commendable. And it was encouraging for Thomas to say after they had been explicitly told Lazarus was dead, “Let us also go, that we may die with him,” John 11.16. For all the nice words spoken on the far side of the Jordan River, on the night that our Lord was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane Peter denied Him three times, and the whole band of remaining apostles fled for fear, while Thomas was determined to deny the Lord had risen from the dead until eight days had passed and He saw Him in person.[6]
It was in the dark hours after His crucifixion and before His resurrection that the apostles of Jesus Christ began to comprehend their spiritual weakness to the degree that they had never before understood. Had they intended to be loyal? Yes. But were they loyal? No. All flesh is flesh, and no one in the flesh has strength, before or after conversion.[7] Thus, allowing Lazarus to die was part of the Savior’s plan to show to His men their utter dependence upon Him and His grace to live their lives by on that occasion beginning to expose their loyalties. So, He let Lazarus die.
Fourth, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO REVEAL INNER THOUGHTS
You and I are no different than our Lord’s disciples, in many respects. Peter thought himself committed and loyal. Thomas thought himself committed and loyal. The others felt the same, to one degree or another, but were soon shown their weakness and inconsistency and inability to be loyal to their Savior. Your loyalty is just as dependent upon the grace of God as theirs was.
Another reason for letting Lazarus die was to reveal the inner thoughts of still other followers, Mary and Martha. Among the most devoted disciples of Christ, what did Mary and Martha come to learn about their thoughts concerning their Master only after Lazarus died?
Listen to what Martha said upon meeting the Lord as He came to where Lazarus was buried, in John 11.21: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Now listen to what Mary said minutes later when she approached the Savior, verse 32: “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.”
What thoughts did the Lord Jesus Christ expose in the hearts of Martha and Mary that would not otherwise have come to light but by letting Lazarus die? They both questioned their Lord’s motives when He did not do for them what they wanted Him to do, what they expected Him to do, what they demanded that He do.
Friend, it is important to you, and for you to discover doubts you have about the Savior’s goodness, about God’s wisdom, and the choices made for you that result in personal pain and heartache. If you are not settled that God is always good and that the Savior is always on your side no matter what He decides to do, then it is in your best interest to learn of that ugly sin of unbelief so you can deal with it. Thus, Martha and Mary were spiritually benefited by the Lord’s decision to let their brother Lazarus die.
Fifth, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO VENT HIS ANGER
Notice the last phrase of John 11.33, where John tells us “he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.” The word translated groaned the Greek word embrimaomai, and means to snort as an expression of anger.[8] It refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being deeply moved as a result of feeling strongly about something.
But what? He had been around dead people before. Perhaps the Lord’s anger was vented after seeing Mary and the Jewish people that accompanied her to where Lazarus was buried weeping. Maybe the Lord Jesus Christ chose that occasion to demonstrate His humanity, His anger against the wages of sin, and His disgust at the pain and suffering brought on by sin.
Whatever the precise reason for our Lord’s display of anger, it was a reason that would not have presented had He not allowed Lazarus to die, and by his friend’s death allowed Mary and Martha to grieve so. Remember, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, yet without sin, Hebrews 4.15.
Is it beneficial for the Savior to show that He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities? Then it was beneficial for Him to let Lazarus die, to let the sisters weep and mourn, and to show His feelings in that way.
Sixth, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE
This is the easiest assertion to make because it is so clearly stated in John’s Gospel and was so obvious to the Jewish people who had gathered to mourn Lazarus, who would not have gathered to mourn Lazarus had he not died. In John 11.5 the statement is made by the Gospel writer: “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” However, in John 11.33 and 35, the Lord’s display of anger (translated “groaned”), the fact that He was troubled, and their observation that He wept on that occasion, caused those attending to conclude, verse 36, “Behold how he loved him!”
Reminding you again that the mourners would not have gathered for a Lazarus who had not died, would not have been disposed to come to their home solely to meet and hear the Lord Jesus Christ speak, they, therefore, would not have witnessed the scene that convinced them beyond doubt that this Jesus of Nazareth loved their friend, truly loved their friend, Lazarus.
Keep in mind that Lazarus’ friends arrived at their conclusion about the Savior’s love after Lazarus died and before the Savior raised him from the dead. Thus, the entire scenario that is unfolding, that would culminate in Lazarus being raised from the dead would not have happened had the Lord Jesus not let Lazarus die.
Seventh, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO DISPLAY GOD’S GLORY
Take a look see what the Savior said to Martha as the two of them stood at the mouth of Lazarus’ tomb and after He had ordered the stone to be rolled away. Though she protested, in verse 39, that Lazarus had been dead for four days and the body would stink, the Lord Jesus said, in verse 40, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
What, precisely, was meant by this reference to her seeing the glory of God? It doesn’t matter. The fact is that she did see the glory of God in some way when her brother was called forth from the tomb. And not only Martha but everyone else who was there was witness to the fact.
Do we need reminding that the very reason for our existence is God’s glory? Revelation 4.11:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
And don’t forget Ephesians 3.21:
“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
If God is somehow glorified by the death of an individual (and He is), should we protest that person’s death? If God is somehow glorified by my death, or by your death (and He will be), do we have any business protesting our deaths? No. To this end we were created, people. And whether the person who dies is a believer or an unbeliever, God will somehow receive glory in that person’s death.
This is not to say that we should not grieve the loss of loved ones. This is also not to say we are not agitated and possibly even infuriated (as our Lord was) when we are confronted with the tragedy and heartache of sin and death. But to question the Savior’s motives, the Savior’s goodness, the Savior’s love, or the Savior’s mercies? That, friend, would be wrong.
Eighth, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO SHOW HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER
John 11.41-45:
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 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.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
Verses 41-42 provide us with an example of vertical and horizontal praying. You know that often when people pray to God, they are not praying to God, but are praying for their audience listening to them. Sometimes that is terrible, but not always. Here we have an example of the Savior praying to His heavenly Father for the express purpose of informing the bystanders who would hear Him.
His purpose? So the bystanders would believe that He had been sent by the Father. And what clinched the matter in people’s minds? Of course, it was when He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth,” and “he that was dead came forth.” “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.”
Would the Savior have been able to show His relationship with the Father in this way apart from the death of Lazarus? No way. Thus, it was not only beneficial for the Lord Jesus to let Lazarus die; it was crucial that He let Lazarus die ... to show His relationship with the Father. How can anyone begrudge that?
Ninth, THE SAVIOR LET LAZARUS DIE TO WORK A MIRACLE
We recognize that you cannot raise someone from the dead who has not died. Therefore, to raise Lazarus, the Lord had no option but to let His beloved friend die. Did allowing Lazarus to die cause pain, heartache, disappointment, and severely try the faith of Mary and Martha? Of course, it did. But all that was more than offset by the beneficial results that came about as a result, especially this great miracle which was also a sign, the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
Coming so close to the end of His earthly ministry, located as it was in Bethany so close to Jerusalem, and after the man had been dead for four days, with an accumulated crowd of witnesses who would not otherwise have assembled and whose eyewitness testimonies could not be denied, the raising of Lazarus was the most important miracle the Lord ever worked, until He rose from the dead Himself.
It could never after that be denied, except by those with determined spiritual blindness, that the Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, that He had the power to raise the dead, and that He was capable of great compassion and determined love for His own. How dare anyone impugn His motives or question His wisdom after considering what transpired in John chapter eleven.
I close with this. If you have ever held in your heart anything like the challenging assertion of Mary and Martha resulting from the sudden loss of a loved one, whereby you question God’s motives, God’s love, God’s wisdom, God’s mercies, or anything else related to the grace of God in Christ Jesus, then I challenge you to fall on your face in heartfelt repentance for your great sin.
For two thousand years we have had at our hand proof positive that the Lord Jesus Christ is not arbitrary, is not unloving, is not unwise, is not without compassion, is not without superior intentions, and is not without both the power and skill to accomplish for God’s glory things we cannot even begin to wrap our minds around.
It would be for the rest of their lives, if not throughout eternity, that Mary and Martha would remember their comments to the Savior, “If you had come our brother had not died,” as not only profoundly ignorant, but on the very edge of blasphemous for calling into question the knowledge and wisdom of the One they owned as Lord.
Let us, therefore, be very careful to recognize our severe limitations as we survey this chapter that exposes so clearly the limitations of two godly women who loved their brother, and who loved their Savior, but who allowed their emotions and their ignorance to get away from them.
If you have not yet lost a loved one, you will. When that day comes, no matter how surprising your painful loss may be, be careful that you guard your mind, that you guard your heart, and that you guard your mouth.
Jesus Christ is God. He chose to let Lazarus die, though His reasons for His inaction were not understood by Mary or Martha. Just because they did not understand why He seemed to initially do nothing so that their brother died, does not mean He had no reasons. But His reasons are His business.
What we can surmise from our vantage point of twenty centuries afterward, and with the completed revelation of God’s Word in our hand to study, are some of our Lord’s reasons; to demonstrate His sovereignty, to exhibit His omniscience, to expose His disciples’ loyalties, to reveal follower’s inner thoughts, to vent His anger, to demonstrate His love, to display God’s glory, and to work a great miracle.
What do we take away from John chapter eleven? Might I suggest that we take away the propriety of mourning our loved one’s loss, but that we recognize the impropriety of ever questioning or in any way challenging our Savior’s execution of His divine plan for our lives and the lives of our loved ones?
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[1] Proverbs 22.15
[2] Philippians 1.6
[3] Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), page 109.
[4] Peter Connolly, First Steps In Christian Theology, (Shreveport, LA: LinWel, 1963), page 147.
[5] Job 1.20-21
[6] Matthew 26.69-75; 26.56; John 20.26-28
[7] Romans 5.8; 6.19
[8] Fritz Rienecker & Cleon Rogers, Linguistic Key To The Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1980), pages 244-245.
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Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church