SSL Assurance of Victory over Death 02.21.2021

 

Assurance of Victory over Death

Lesson Text: John 11:17-32

introduction noted last week that Mary and Martha had so much confidence in Jesus (who He was and

what He could do) that they did not make any specific request of Him when they sent word that

Lazarus was sick. In fact, they did not even name him, saying only that “he whom thou lovest is

sick” (John 11:3). They did not even say it was their brother who was sick because they knew

Jesus would know and understand what was happening. They made no suggestion whatsoever

about what He should do. 

The sisters showed great faith in Jesus by simply leaving the entire situation up to Him. All they

did was give Him the facts without asking for anything. Their attitudes and actions concerning

what they were facing are an example of the way to handle the difficult things we ourselves face. 

LESSON OUTLINE 

A PURPOSEFUL DEATH—John 11:17-22 

A RESURRECTION PROMISED—John 11:23-27 

A RESURRECTION ASSURED—John 11:28-32 

Exposition: Verse by Verse 

A PURPOSEFUL DEATH JOHN 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany

was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and

Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus

was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord,

if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt

ask of God, God will give it thee. 

Lazarus dies (John 11:17-18). Jesus sovereignly planned that the sickness and subsequent death of Lazarus would result in a

miracle that would strengthen the faith of His disciples. The timing of this event fit that design perfectly.

A messenger had been dispatched by Lazarus’s sisters to inform Jesus of his sickness, after which

He delayed His departure for two days. Since He sincerely loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, we know

the delay was not for lack of love or concern. Jesus had a deliberate, specific purpose to use this

situation to glorify Himself and the Father. 

When Jesus finally arrived back in Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. One day of travel

for the messenger: two days of delay by Jesus, and one day of travel for Him and His disciples.

Evidently Lazarus had died very soon after the messenger had left to tell Jesus he was sick, and in

that culture burial was carried out immediately. No doubt Mary and Martha had gone through four very

grievous days of waiting for Jesus to come, and perhaps by now their hope was all but gone. 

Once again, John reminds his readers of the proximity of Bethany to Jerusalem, perhaps to note the

danger that posed to Jesus. The cities were just two miles apart, an easy walk for anyone. Word would

quickly reach the religious leaders in Jerusalem that Jesus was once again in the area. As noted last

week, however, He was confident that He was walking in the light of His Father’s will; so He was

undaunted about being there to perform this great miracle. 

Jesus was about to do something that would establish His messiahship and His deity beyond doubt.

His disciples’ faith in Him would be indelibly confirmed in their hearts forever. John records this event

as the climactic miracle of Jesus’ ministry, and one that ought to confirm our faith in Him as well. 

Jesus arrives (John 11:19-20). The proximity of Bethany to Jerusalem and the prominence of Lazarus’s family led to many people

being present to comfort Mary and Martha after his death. Grieving for a family member often lasted

several days, so it was not unusual for so many to be there, even after four days of mourning. It was

viewed by the Jews as a pious duty to be present and to comfort the grieving family members. 

Both Martha and Mary were beloved by the people around Bethany. All indications point to the fact that

their household was a prominent one in the community. It was customary for family members to remain

in the house and let those who wanted to join them in mourning come to them. When word came that

Jesus had arrived, Martha immediately left the house to meet Him. 

In Luke’s Gospel, we read of a visit by Jesus to their home. On that occasion, Martha busied herself

serving everybody while Mary simply sat, listening to Jesus teach. Martha at length became frustrated

over her sister’s unwillingness to help with serving and complained to Jesus. Jesus’ response was a

loving, gentle rebuke: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing

is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (10:38-42).

While Martha went out to meet Jesus, Mary was indoors, still unaware of His arrival. 

Martha’s faith (John 11:21-22). Martha had been full of hope when the messenger was dispatched to tell Jesus of Lazarus’s illness,

and she expressed this upon meeting Him: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died”

(vs. 21). She was not complaining; she realized that Lazarus had died shortly after the messenger

had been sent to Jesus, and that He could not have arrived in time. On the other hand, she was

confident that if He had been there, He could have saved Lazarus. 

Martha was quick to express her faith in Jesus; she knew God would still grant Him anything He asked.

She understood that He had an intimate relationship with God. She did not seem to be asking for

Lazarus’s resurrection, judging from the rest of their conversation. But she was still confident that

something good might yet come from the situation. Jesus had not been there to save Lazarus before

he died, but perhaps He could still do something. 

The two sisters had done what they could in getting word to Jesus about their brother’s illness, but once

he had died, there was likely nothing left but a feeling of hopelessness. But these sisters were about to

witness something much greater than a healing! 

In Exodus, Moses and Aaron obediently came before Pharaoh to ask that Israel be allowed to go into

the wilderness to worship. But despite their pleas, Pharaoh made things much worse for the Hebrews

instead (5:1-23). Sometimes, when our situations get worse instead of better, God is actually preparing

the way for something much more than we could imagine! 

A RESURRECTION PROMISED 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall

rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life:

he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth

in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the

Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 

A comforting promise (John 11:23-24). Jesus’ response to Martha was a simple, straightforward statement: “Thy brother shall rise again”

(vs. 23). But this did little to assuage her grief because she interpreted Jesus’ words only in terms of a

future, general resurrection on the last day. This left her without any expectation of immediate action on

Jesus’ part. She had faith in the final resurrection but did not understand Jesus’ real meaning. 

Isaiah 26:19 says, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and

sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

In Daniel 12:2, we read, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to

everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” These are two of a handful of Old

Testament passages that speak of a general resurrection of all people in the distant future, the end

times. 

Martha was thinking of this future. This is evinced by her use of the phrase “the resurrection at the

last day.” “When Jesus said, ‘Your brother will rise again,’ she attributed it to the future resurrection—

‘When everyone else rises, on resurrection day.’ But Jesus did not mean an eventual, distant

resurrection, He meant that Lazarus would rise again that very day!” (Comfort and Lins, eds.,

Life Application New Testament Commentary, Tyndale). But for Martha at the moment, Jesus’ words

were merely a typical expression of comfort over her loss. 

A glorious affirmation (John 11:25-27). This is the fifth of John’s seven recorded “I AM” statements. While Martha was focused on a future

event, Jesus was leading her to realize that the Person who embodied the power of that event was

standing right before her! All resurrection and life is in Jesus Christ alone; without Him there is neither.

There is no hope of eternal life apart from Jesus, and it is promised only to those who trust in Him as

Lord and Saviour. 

Jesus’ declaration that He is the resurrection and the life is inextricably related with the assurance that

all who believe in Him will live forever, even if they have suffered physical death. In addition, and no

less essentially related, is the promise that those who are alive and trust in Him will never die. 

For believers, all physical death does is end our earthly lives as we transition into eternal life in the

Lord’s presence. We can be confident with Paul that we shall be “absent from the body, and … present

with the Lord” (II Cor. 5:8). 

Those who suffer physical death without Christ, however, will die eternally as part of the final judgment.

That judgment is depicted in Revelation 20, where we see all unbelievers before the great white throne.

The end result will be that “death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And

whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (vss. 14-15). 

When Jesus asked Martha if she believed His declaration was true, she responded positively, explaining

that she believed He was the Christ, the Son of God. “Martha’s confession of faith is a high point in the

fourth Gospel, as Peter’s was in the first Gospel (cf. Matt. 16:16). This is the clearest expression of

saving faith thus far in this book” (Constable’s Notes, net.bible.org). 

A RESURRECTION ASSURED 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The

Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto

him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she

rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 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. 

Mary called (John 11:28-30). Martha went to tell Mary of Jesus’ arrival and His desire that she come to Him. The statement that she

“called Mary her sister secretly” (vs. 28) simply indicates that Martha quietly took her aside from the

other mourners to tell her this. We have no record of Jesus’ call for Mary, but it would be natural for

Jesus to enquire after her and express a desire to speak to her also. 

Mary’s response was enthusiastic as she “arose quickly, and came unto him” (vs. 29). Jesus waited for

Mary to arrive at the place where He had spoken to Martha. He probably remained there so He could

speak with her privately, away from the other mourners, about what He planned to do. He also may

have stayed outside the town to avoid the religious leaders and others opposed to Him who may have

been in attendance. 

It is a glorious thing when brothers and sisters in Christ share excitement about Him that those outside

the faith will never know. We can share those things that deeply touch our hearts concerning Jesus, even as Mary shared her excitement with Martha. 

Mary’s devotion (John 11:31-32). As Mary hurried out of the house, those comforting her assumed she was going to the tomb to mourn;

so they loyally followed her in order to provide continued comfort. When Mary arrived where Jesus was

waiting for her, she fell at His feet, exclaiming, as Martha had, her confidence that Jesus could have

healed her brother if He had been there, an expression of the depth of her sorrow. 

These are the only words of Mary that the New Testament records, though she appears three different

times at Jesus’ feet in the Gospels. In Luke 10:39 she is found sitting at His feet, listening to Him teach.

In John 12:3 she anoints Jesus’ feet with a very costly, aromatic perfume and wipes them with her hair.

How deeply she loved Him! 

Both Martha and Mary regretted that Jesus had not arrived in time to heal their brother Lazarus, but they

would both soon witness firsthand that there is a victory in Christ that transcends physical death. We

know that Lazarus would one day physically die again, but as for now he soon would be reunited with

his beloved sisters because of the power of Christ as the Resurrection and the Life. 

In John’s vision of Jesus on the isle of Patmos, Jesus told him, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and,

behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:18). The most

important decision we must make in this lifetime is to trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Amen! —Keith E. Eggert.

Press, Union Gospel; Press, Union Gospel. Bible Expositor and Illuminator (pp. 159-163).

Union Gospel Press. Kindle Edition.