The Last Miracle, The Enemy
Chapter 11
Be Alive
By Warren W. Wiersbe
The raising of Lazarus was not the last, but the
greatest.
Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. A miracle
that could not be denied or avoided by the
Jewish leaders.
Death Is man’s last enemy, but Jesus has
defeated death totally and permanently.
The emphasis on John 11 is faith. Believe occurs
8 times in John 11.
Another theme is “the glory of God” (11:4,40)
1. The Disciples (11:1-16)
Jesus was seeking to strengthen the disciples’ faith.
Jesus was at Beth Bara (10:40)
A message that Lazarus was sick.
Day 1 - The massager came to Jesus (Lazarus
died)
Day 2 - The messenger returned to Bethany
Day 3 - Jesus waited another day, then departed
Day 4 - Jesus arrived in Bethany
Jesus was urging to believe His Word no matter how
discouraging the circumstances might appear.
Disciples were confused and perplexed.
If Jesus loved Lazarus so much, why did He permit
him to get sick?
Why did He delay to go to the sisters?
Couldn’t He heal Lazarus at distance?
God’s love for His own is a perfecting love, not
pampering love.
The love between God and us doesn’t guarantee that
we will be sheltered from the problems and pains of
life.
Father loved His Son and yet He permitted His
beloved Son to drink a cup of sorrow and experience
the shame and pain of the cross.
Jesus could have prevented Lazarus’ sickness or
healed from where He was, but He didn’t.
He saw the sickness as an opportunity to
glorify the Father.
It’s not important that we be comfortable but
that we glorify (honor) God in all we do.
Sisters informed Jesus that there was a need
and reminded Him of His love for Lazarus
without telling Him what to do.
Return to Judea was dangerous for Jesus,
but Sister may hope that Jesus would heal
from distance.
Jesus’ message was not that Lazarus would
not die, but the ultimate (last) result would be
the glory of God.
Confronted by disease, disappointment, delay and even
death, our only encouragement is the Word of God.
We must live by faith and not by sight.
Sisters knew that Jesus was the Master of every
situation.
The fact that Lazarus had been dead 4 days give
greater authenticity ot the miracle and greater
opportunity for people to believe including the
disciples.
Jesus announced to return to Judea and His disciples
were afraid for Bethany is about 2 miles from
Jerusalem.
He knew that return to Judea and rising of Lazarus
could lead to His arrest and death.
He reminded the disciples that He was on Father’s
schedule.
God’s timetable is also a theme in the gospel of John.
Disciples thought that Lazarus would get better when
Jesus said he was sleeping, meaning death.
Disciples’ inability to grasp the spiritual truth.
Then Jesus informed that he was dead. He told them
that He was glad that Lazarus was dead and He was
not there to show His mighty poser, so the result
would be glory to God and strengthening of their
faith like Thomas who was a doubting man but also a
devoted man.
2. Sisters (11:17-40)
Each experience of suffering and trial ought to
immerse one faith but the spiritual growth is not
automatic. Therefore, we continue to respond
positively to the ministry of God’s Word and Holy
Spirit.
Mary and Martha
Martha was the active worker while Mary was the
contemplative person sitting at Jesus’ feet and
listening
Martha was not judged for her service, but having
mixed priorities.
Martha affirmed her faith in Jesus Christ (11:22) and
He promised that Lazarus will rise again. She was
thinking of future resurrection which He was thinking
of immediate situation.
I am the resurrection and life
5th “I am”
The resurrection of the human body is a cardinal
doctrine in the orthodox Jewish faith.
Jesus bought immortality to light through the gospel
(2Timothy 1:10)
By His teaching, miracles, and His own resurrection.
Jesus taught clearly the resurrection of the human
body.
He declared that death is real, that there is life
after death, and that the body will one day be raised
b the power of God.
He also took the doctrine and put it into person,
Himself. :I am the resurrection and life” (John 11:25)
Doctrine of resurrection:
Martha was looking to the future knowing Lazarus
will rise again and that she would see him.
Her friends were looking to the past and saying,
“He could have prevented Lazarus from dying. “
(11:37)
Jesus was focusing on the present: Wherever He
is
God’s resurrection power is available. (Romans
6:7, Gal. 2:20, Phil. 3:10)
Jesus revealed that some believers would never
die. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Martha affirmed her faith calling Jesus: Lord,
Christ, and Son of God.
“I believe” shows fixed and settled faith. It
means “I have believed and will continue to believe.”
Mary - She arose to meet Jesus and her friends
followed thinking she was going to the tom to grieve.
Weep - loud weeping and lamentation
Mary is mentioned only three times (Luke 10:39,
John 11:32 & 12:3)
Jesus’ response: ”be moved with indignation”.
Judgment at what? The ravage of sin in the world
that He created. Death is the enemy. “Jesus wept”
is the shortest & yet deepest verse.
Silent weeping: only Greek word in New Testament.
His weeping reveals humanity of the Savior.
He experienced like we experience and knows how we
feel.
“Man of sorrow and acquainted with grief” (Is. 53:3)
Now He is our merciful and faithful High Priest (Heb.
4:14-16)
Tears in Jesus’ eyes revealed as an evidence of His love
to some spectators. Others thought, “If Jesus loved
Lazarus so much, why did He not prevent his death?”
No one was expecting a miracle of resurrection.
Martha believed, but failed at the last minute.
“He will smell for being in the grave 4 days:
Jesus reminded her of the recent conversation (11:4)
Truth relies on God’s promises and thereby releases
God’s power.
3. The Jews (11:41-57)
Jesus prayed for the sake of unbelieving spectators
that they may know that God had sent Him.
Jesus called and raised Lazarus from the dead. It was
unquestioned miracle that even the most hostile
spectator could not deny.
Comparison between Lazarus and sinner who trusts the
Savior (Eph. 2:1-10)
Lazarus was dead and all sinner are dead.
Lazarus was decayed and all sinners are spiritually
dead, but some sinners are more decayed than others.
Lazarus was raised by the power of God and sinners
who trust Christ are given new life and lifted out of
graveyard of sin (John 5:24)
Lazarus was set free from grave clothes and given
new liberty (Col. 3:1ff)
Lazarus sits with Christ at the table (12:2) and all
believers are “seated with Christ” in heavenly place
enjoying spiritual food and fellowship (Eph. 2:6)
Lazarus’ living witness was use by God to bring people
to salvation (12:9-11)
No recorded words of Lazarus in the Gospels but his
daily walk is enough to convince people that Jesus is
the Son of God.
Lazarus was also persecuted by the religious leaders
who wanted to kill him and get rid of the evidence of
the living witness.
Some believed and gave witness on Palm Sunday of the
miracle Jesus recently performed while others ran to
the religious leaders and informed what had happened
in Bethany.
Jewish council, or Sanhedrin, met and discussed what
to do with Jesus. They were not seeking for the
truth, but they were seeking to protect their own
selfish interests.
Caiaphas was a Sadducee, not Pharisee (Acts 23:6-10),
two factions worked together to fight a common
enemy.
Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation
so that the nation would not perish. “for the
transgression of my people was he stricken” (Is. 53:8)
The leaders decided officially that Jesus must die.
(Matt. 12:14, Luke 19:47, John 5:8, 7:1, 19-20, 25)
The leaders thought that they were in control of the
situation when it was God who worked out the
premeditated plan (Acts 2:23)
They wanted to wait until Passover, but God planned
otherwise.
Jesus withdrew to Ephriam, 15 miles north of
Jerusalem.
Jesus was on the “wanted” list for the council
declared that anyone who knew where Jesus was must
report to them.
John 11 reveals the deity of Jesus Christ and utter
depravity of the human heart.
The rich man in hell (Luke 16:30)
“If one went unto them from the dead, they will
repent”
Lazarus came back and officials wanted to kill him.