March 21

Exodus 32; John 11

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 54: WHAT ARE WE ESPECIALLY TAUGHT BY THESE WORDS, “BEFORE ME,” IN THE FIRST COMMANDMENT?
Answer: These words “before me,” in the first commandment teach us that God, who sees all things, takes notice of, and is much displeased with the sin of having any other God.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:17, 18; Psalm 44:20-21; 90:8.

John 11

Ready:
In the previous chapter Jesus declared that he alone has come to the flock of God through the gate as the rightful shepherd and that he himself now is the very gate by which the sheep safely come and go.  He was the prophesied one and now he himself is the very revelation of God to the people of God. 

Seeing what’s there:
In this chapter Jesus knowingly allows Lazarus to die in order to serve the glory of God and his redemptive purposes.  Jesus loved the family of Lazarus and remaining where he was so that Lazarus would be good and dead by his arrival WAS a demonstration of his love!  This is because the nature of the miracle would be more glorious and they would be the more impacted and joyful and God-exalting.  Jesus turns their sadness to joy because he reveals dramatically that he indeed is the resurrection and the life.  He demonstrates his authority and power and he shows that the dead indeed hear his voice and obey by living (John 5:25).

Key Verses:
John 11:3-4, 5-6, 14-15, 17, 21-23, 25-26, 27, 33, 35-36, 39-40, 43-44, 45, 48, 49-50, 51-52

Theme:
The Lord has purposes that go beyond our circumstances, yet he hurts with us even when he allows pain and suffering in our lives.  Jesus is the power of God unto resurrection for all who receive him in faith. 

Thinking about the message:
    v1-4.  Here Jesus announces that the illness does not lead to death, for physical death is not true death and Jesus was considering the larger realm of spiritual life and he had his eyes on a blessing to come that rehired this hardship.  He was looking to the glorification of God that would be to the joy of God’s people.  I hear in this that sometimes (I would argue always) my suffering is to the glory of God and has a purpose. 
    v5-16.  Strange way to show love.  He delayed in coming to their home, which was only two miles away.  He waited two days because he loved them.  Jesus uses discussion with the disciples about when to travel (by night or by day) to Bethany as a teaching opportunity and this is a good lesson for me as a father seeing that I should use all opportunities when my children have questions and when we can use our circumstances and experiences to teach our children about the Lord.  Jesus makes reference to sleep and ties into other scripture that treats the dead saints as sleeping as they await their bodily resurrection from the dead sometime in the future (Rom 8:23; 1 Cor 15:51-52; Dan 12:2-3).  Thomas (presumably doubting Thomas) shows great courage and zeal here as it seems he suggests that they travel during the day as Jesus suggests with full knowledge that they may be marching to their death along with Jesus due to the Jews who look to stone him.  Thomas may doubt the resurrection ahead but here he sure embraces death with boldness. 
    v17-27.  Four days Lazarus has been dead…Jesus tacked on the extra two for good measure and to ensure there would be no doubt as to the miracle that he would perform.  Perhaps this was also the high point in the collection of Jews coming to mourn with the family.  Martha has great faith and she expresses both a knowledge that he had the power to stop this tragedy and that he yet has the power to do something about it.  Jesus responds with a huge statement in answer to what amounts to her prayer asking for a work of God.  He tells her that her brother will rise again and she takes his reply to be a future hope of bodily redemption in heaven but Jesus was being more direct and speaking about his resurrection that was about to be accomplished in the the present.  Jesus makes an amazing claim that those who believe in him will live even when they die.  He also indicates that those who are alive at his coming will never see death.  God is indeed the God of the living and not the God of the dead (Luke 20:37-38)!  Jesus challenges her to trust in his statement of his identity and authority and power.  Believing God (taking him at his Word) is always the question, not believing in God (merely acknowledging his existence).
    v28-37.  Jesus chows compassion even though this whole occurrence was purposeful and to serve the glory of God and the faith of his sheep.  Yet Jesus weeps and is connecting at a personal level with the family.  The irony that the Jews note how they would have expected that the one who can give sight to the blind should also have had the ability to stop the man from dying is a truth…but there was purpose in allowing him to die.  Jesus can stop my car accident and the tsunami…but he has purpose in all that comes to pass. 
    v38-44.  The dead hear his voice and live (John 5:25; Rom 4:17)!  The dead man does nothing to help Jesus call him unto life.  The stink of his dead flesh cannot stop the creator of all the universe from calling into existence the things that do not exist or giving life to the dead.  This is how I was saved.  Life from death by the grace of God to the glory of God and to my great joy! 
    v45-57.  Many believed and this miracle of raising Lazarus was the last straw.  The Council knew that there was no stopping this Jesus and he would be the downfall of the nation because the Romans would crush the Jews before they were to rise up against them with this new leader who claims a kingdom to himself.  So they set out to kill him because “better that one man die than the whole nation”…amen!  Indeed, better that one man die!  Thank you Jesus! 

Soli Deo Gloria!