All Saints Day

November 5, 2000

Victory Over Death

John 11:32-44

Over the course of the summer I've attended the funerals of two family members. Separated by two weeks, both were quite unexpected and devastating. Many "why?" and "what if?" questions run through your mind, and sometimes it seems as if there is no understanding, peace and assurance to be found.

As I struggled to make sense of the confusion and pain, the story of Lazarus came to mind -- especially that shortest of verses: "And Jesus wept" (v. 35). What comfort there is in resting in the security that even though I don't always understand my God, He always understands me. For as the prophet Isaiah said, our Savior is "a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief."

I. The humanity in Jesus' sorrow (vv. 32-35)

As she is on each occasion that we meet her in the gospels, Mary is humbly addressing Jesus at His feet. Deeply distressed over her recent loss, she cries to her Lord: "if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (v.32). The same thought crossed my mind while carrying the pain of losing someone dear to me. I too wanted to cry "if only You had been here." And I expected, as I often expect under the weight of life's burdens, that my Lord would answer with a stern and unforgiving voice: "Why don't you just trust!"

What a different response we see here, however. We often forget that the Lord Jesus understands our pain. Our losses are shared by our Savior though He is at the same time confident of His victory over the sin and death that has brought such pain.

As Jesus wept over the loss of Lazarus, the Jews observed how deep His love was -- infinitely deep, as is His love for the world.

II. The purpose of Jesus waiting (vv. 36-42)

In verse 36, we observe some of the Jews, no doubt in their frustrations, asking why such a healer as Jesus didn't save His friend. But Jesus was in complete control of the situation. And though the loss of a loved one was painful, there was something of greater importance -- the manifestation of the glory of God.

Those present were commanded by the Lord to remove the stone, even disregarding Martha's practical warning of the stench that would come from a person laid in the tomb four days. Jesus addresses His Father and thanks Him for having heard His prayer. The way the Lord prays here implies that He already had sought His Father and was granted the assurance that Lazarus would be raised. Jesus now prays in order that those around Him might believe.

Do we too not share the opportunity to display God's glory as we trust Him in the midst of trials?

III. The power in Jesus' voice (vv. 43-44)

After praying to His Father, Jesus "cried out with a loud voice 'Lazarus, come forth'" (v. 43). And "he who had died came forth..." (v. 44). In obedience to the call of the Lord, Lazarus came forth wrapped in the linens in which he was buried. The power of Jesus' call was cause for belief as the next verse tells us, and it still is! As F. F. Bruce reminds us in his commentary on this passage: "The shout which calls Lazarus back to life is a parable of that coming day when all who are in the tombs will hear the same quickening shout and come out."1