Power Hour Lesson Summary for January 31, 2016 The Death of a Friend Lesson Text: John 11:38-44 Background Scripture: John 11:1-44 Devotional Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10 John 11:38-44 (NIV) 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 Take away the stone, he said. But, Lord, said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days. 40 Then Jesus said, Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me. 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, Take off the grave clothes and let him go. TODAY S LESSON AIMS Learning Fact: To tell how Lazarus was raised from the dead. Biblical Principle: To emphasize that the resurrection of Lazarus reflects the Christian hope of eternal life. Daily Application: To rejoice and praise the Lord Jesus who not only identifies with our joys and sorrows, but has power over life and death! HOW TO SAY IT Jairus Jye-rus or Jay-ih-rus. Kidron Kid-ron. INTRODUCTION Funerals and Faith God s finger touched him, and he slept. So wrote Alfred, Lord Tennyson when reflecting on his friend Arthur Henry Hallam, who died suddenly in 1833, at age 22. This line is part of the poem, In Memoriam A.H.H. It contains other memorable lines, and it was widely read and admired in the nineteenth century. It was a favorite of Queen Victoria, who found great comfort in reading it after the death of her beloved Prince Albert. The poem has been mentioned as among the greatest poetic works of its century. Tennyson explores the topic of death in many ways, but always from the perspective of faith. He ends the extremely long poem of 2900 lines by describing his beloved colleague as That friend of mine who lives in God (line 2896). Tennyson s faith was challenged but remained unshaken by this death of one so dear. Tennyson believed the Lord to be the master of the living and of the dead. Therefore his dead friend was in fellowship with the same God whom he, Tennyson, continued to worship while still living.
Funerals tell us a lot about how the family and friends of the departed view death. For Christians, there is sometimes a celebratory mood that almost becomes a blissful denial of the death. This is usually not satisfactory, for the loss of a loved one is sad even for believers. Funerals for unbelievers can sometimes be described as awkward since there are few words of comfort for those who die without the hope of resurrection to eternal life with Jesus. This lesson s setting is a village funeral, a major event in rural life, a time of wailing. This was a significant event in the life of a village. And Jesus intervened to change a dire situation into a happy ending. LESSON BACKGROUND Time: A.D. 30 Place: Bethany The household of siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus was in the village of Bethany. Bethany was on the outskirts of Jerusalem, on the lower eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (See Set 17, Map#111. Log in for maps at http:///amember3/). This mountain is situated directly east of the temple area in Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley. To travel between Bethany and Jerusalem, one would skirt the southern flank of this mountain, a walk of about two miles (see John 11:18). Bethany also was located on the Jericho Road. Thus pilgrims from Galilee would pass through the village as they made the final ascent from the valley of the Jordan River to Jerusalem. Jesus may have used the household of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus as a convenient base when He visited Jerusalem (see Mark 11:11). The two-mile walk, 30 minutes each way, was inconsequential in a society where everyone was accustomed to walking. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are described as loved by Jesus (John 11:5). Luke records a story about the sisters (not mentioning Lazarus) that involved another visit by Jesus in their home (Luke 10:38-42). This story shows a familiarity with Jesus similar to that which He had with His chosen 12. The home may have been large and comfortable, although we have no information regarding the household s source of income (note Mary s possession of expensive ointment in John 12:1-5). When a person died in that time and place, the interment (burial) of the body followed very quickly. Embalming was not practiced by the Jews of Jesus day (contrast Genesis 50:1-3, 26), so a decaying corpse would soon begin to smell of decomposition thus the urgency to have the body entombed. Nonetheless, the body would be washed, wrapped in linen shrouds, and perhaps have spices and various sweet-smelling concoctions included in the wrappings to mask bad odors (compare John 19:39, 40). After the body was placed in a ready tomb, the entrance would be sealed using a stone carved for this purpose (compare Matthew 27:60). That is all very different from the modern custom of using a casket and concrete vault, digging a suitably deep hole, and marking the spot with a headstone in a community cemetery. In Bethany, there would be no burial in the sense of shoveled dirt filling a hole. Family tombs in places like Bethany were ready to be used on short notice. This lesson is prefaced by what may seem to be curious inactions by Jesus. While He was some distance from Bethany and Jerusalem, Jesus received word that His friend Lazarus was gravely ill and that the man s sisters wanted Jesus to come (John 11:1-3). But without apparent reason, Jesus delayed (11:6), arriving days after the interment (11:17). Even so,
Jesus could have healed Lazarus from a distance (compare Matthew 8:5-13), so why didn t He? Jesus explained that the death of Lazarus was to result in faith (John 11:15). Indeed, the question He asked Martha after He arrived outside her village was Do you believe this? (11:26). Her confession of faith was true! However, Jesus was trying to move the doctrine of the resurrection out of the future and into the present. Martha was looking to the future, knowing that Lazarus would rise again and she would see him. Her friends were looking to the past and saying, could He have prevented Lazarus from dying? (John 11:37). But Jesus tried to center their attention on the present: wherever He is, God's resurrection power is available now (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 3:10), leading into the current lesson s text. Jesus Arrival: John 11:38 1. Where was the place of Lazarus interment? What was Jesus emotional response to the situation? (John 11:38) Martha left Jesus outside her village, went back home, and told Mary that the Teacher (John 11:28) wanted to see her. Apparently, Mary was in such a rush to comply and probably was also anxious to see Jesus that her Jewish comforters (that is, relatives, friends, and neighbors) took notice and followed her (supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there). Verse 33 says that at the sight of the weeping of Mary and company, Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. The phrase suggests Jesus was touched with sympathy at the sight and perhaps indignant at the sorrow caused by death that sin has brought to the human condition. We should remember that while Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:14), He was also a man. He experienced human emotions. We see Jesus is visibly saddened in John 11:35, Jesus wept. So that Jesus could demonstrate His divine power at Lazarus s tomb, He asked where the burial site was located (see John 11:34). Jesus knew that Lazarus had died (John 11:11), but He had to ask where he was buried. Our Lord never used His divine powers when normal human means would suffice. Jesus would eventually arrive at the tomb where the body of Lazarus had been placed, which is outside the village. The place of interment is a cave that is probably located in some stone outcropping on the lower eastern side of the Mount of Olives. Again, Jesus is once more deeply moved at the tomb (v. 38). One can only imagine the emotions the Son felt as He approached the tomb of Lazarus, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance (v. 38). None of the onlookers, however, were anticipating the awesome display of glory that was about to take place in their presence. Jesus Explanation: John 11:39-40 2. Why was Martha worried about Jesus request to have the stone removed from Lazarus tomb? (John 11:39) To open a tomb is a serious matter. Such action can be construed as a desecration of the grave, so it must be ordered by a family member. That may be why Martha is the one to respond when Jesus says Take away the stone. She seems to be the older of the sisters, now in charge of the family s business following the death of her brother, Lazarus. Martha s response indicates that she is not eager to grant Jesus request. Four days have passed since the death of Lazarus, and she assumes that his body is in its smelliest phase of decomposition. What we observe are the limits of faith. Martha fully believes that Jesus could have healed Lazarus of his sickness and prevented his death (John 11:21) as does her
sister, Mary (11:32), but their faith cannot imagine what is about to happen. As previously mentioned, for them, resurrection is a future event. It is a promised time when all of God s righteous people will be raised from the dead (11:24). Have the two not heard of the raising of the widow s son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17) or that of Jairus daughter (8:40-56)? What Do You Think? How can we make sure we are on the same wavelength with God as we ponder what His will for us might be? 3. How did Jesus challenge Martha s faith in requesting that Lazarus tomb be opened? How would the glory of God be revealed because of her belief? (John 11:40) In response, Jesus reminds Martha of their earlier conversation. His challenge to her was that the one who believes in Him will never die (John 11:26). Death is sad, but it is not the end for those who trust in Jesus! This is a crucial point, for the tomb might not be opened if Martha s faith falters. Her faith is challenged by the trauma of being asked to have a beloved relative s grave disturbed. Jesus urged her to believe it. True faith relies on God's promises and thereby releases God's power. Apparently Martha relented, and was about to see the glory of God (John 11:40). In the Old Testament, the glory of God is synonymous with God s presence, something that was observed at Sinai (Exodus 24:17), at the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34), and in the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1). God is present in the person of Jesus, and this was revealed earlier in glorious fashion at the Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:2; compare 2 Peter 1:16, 17). Jesus Prayer: John 11:41-42 4. What resulted from the challenge to Martha s faith? What was the purpose of Jesus prayer? (John 11:41-42) In some unstated way, perhaps by a nod or gesture, Martha grants permission to remove the stone that blocks the tomb s entrance. One can only imagine the bewilderment and skepticism among the onlookers. Though Jesus command to remove the stone from the tomb of Lazarus seemed to go against common sense, it was done anyway (see John 11:41). The prayer voiced by Jesus, which is recorded in verses 41b and 42, is not so much a petition as it is an expression of thanksgiving to the Father. Jesus knew in advance that the Father would grant the prayer request, and so the Redeemer gave thanks for this. Jesus declared in the hearing of the onlookers that the Father always answered the Son s requests. Jesus stated this openly, not for His own benefit, but rather for the sake of the bystanders. It was His desire that in seeing the miracle, they would believe His claim to be the Messiah. In restoring Lazarus to life, Jesus would prove that He is the master of death. Ironically, though, this miracle would set in motion a series of events that would lead directly, to His arrest and eventual execution. Yet, even in the Son s crucifixion (along with His resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven), both He and the Father would be glorified (see John 17:1, 5).
What Do You Think? Under what circumstances does it seem that God is most willing to hear your prayers? Why? Talking Points for Your Discussion Lamentations 3:44; James 1:6; 4:3; 1 Peter 3:7; 1 John 5:14, Other What Do You Think? How can we adjust our prayer lives in order to demonstrate greater trust in God? Jesus Summons: John 11:43-44 5. After Jesus prayer, what command did He give? (John 11:43) Jesus just prayed and all is ready. We can imagine the crowd is hushed with every eye glued on Jesus. It is not an overstatement to say that this is one of the most important moments of Jesus public ministry up to this point. His request to have the tomb opened is undoubtedly seen as crazy by some in this crowd (compare John 10:20). Why is He doing this? Shouldn t the dead be allowed to rest in peace? Why is He torturing the two sisters, beloved and upstanding members of their village? Something very good needs to happen or the ministry of Jesus will be ruined just as it is poised to enter its final phase. Although the drama is high, Jesus act is simple. There are no incantations, no magic potions, no sacred smoke or fire. Jesus merely speaks with a loud voice, a voice of authority, and utters three words: Lazarus, come out. The result of Jesus command surely leaves the crowd breathless and astounded. The man who was dead comes out of the tomb! In one sense, this served as a preview of the power of the Son that would be fully displayed in the final resurrection when all who have died would hear His voice and live (see John 5:25, 28-29). Lazarus, all who have died would hear His voice and live (see vs. 5:25, 28-29). Lazarus, who had been unquestionably dead, came out of the tomb. His hands and feet were still wrapped with strips of burial cloth, and a separate cloth covered his face. Next, Jesus told the people to unwrap the burial clothes and head cloth from Lazarus and let him go (see John 11:44). By doing this, they would know that Lazarus was truly alive and that his appearance was not merely a magic trick. Many of the bystanders, when they saw the miracle, put their faith in Jesus as the Messiah (see v. 45). In fact, Lazarus became something of a curiosity, for he drew numerous onlookers who wanted to see for themselves the person whom Jesus had brought back to life (see John 12:9). POINTS TO PONDER 1. The death of a loved one causes pains and grief, but we can seek comfort from the Lord Jesus who identifies with our sorrows (John 11:38). 2. Death should not shake our faith; we should keep worshiping the Lord who has power over life and death (vs. 39-40). 3. Our prayer life should demonstrate our faith in God and the confidence that He hears us (vs. 41-42).
4. Jesus is the resurrection and the life and opens the way to eternal life for all who believe in Him (vs. 43-44). CONCLUSION The Hope of Resurrection The raising to life of a man who had been dead four days was among the greatest of Jesus miracles. Jesus was working out God s plan to bring faith to His followers, but this faith did not come without personal pain. For the raising of Lazarus to happen, he first had to die, resulting in grief to loved ones. As marvelous as the raising of Lazarus was, we should remember that it was different from the resurrection of Jesus. On that day outside Bethany, Jesus broke the power of death over Lazarus temporarily since it s fair to assume that he rose only to die again. Jesus own resurrection, however, broke the power of death permanently! Therefore, the account of Jesus raising Lazarus in John 11 also points to the hope of Lazarus permanent resurrection on the final day; it points to ours as well. Martha held on to this hope even after the untimely death of her brother (John 11:24); we must hold on to it when losing a loved one or facing death ourselves. The key to having such faith is the resurrection of Jesus himself. His resurrection is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20). He was the first to be raised permanently. As such, Jesus opens the way to life eternal for all who believe in him. He is the resurrection and the life, and those who place their faith in him, even though they die, will live again (John 11:25, 26). Our lesson is therefore not the final chapter in the story of Lazarus. He, like you and me, will be raised when the resurrection trumpet sounds (1 Thessalonians 4:16). In prefiguring the final resurrection, Lazarus played a key role on that dramatic day in Bethany centuries ago. On the final day, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha will be joined again to feast at the banquet table of the Lord. And we will be there too, if we maintain our faith in the Lord of the resurrection! This is our eternal hope. PRAYER Heavenly Father, we believe there will be a day when death will no longer hold people captive in their graves. May we be comforted throughout this life by the certainty of this hope! The miseries and pains of today will not last forever. The true forever is with You! We pray in the name of the Son (Jesus), who has made all this possible. Amen. THOUGHT TO REMEMBER Jesus conquered death! ANTICIPATING THE NEXT LESSON Next week's lesson is Passover and compares and contrasts the observance of Passover with that of the Lord s Supper. Study Exodus 12:1-14, Numbers 28:16-25 and Mark 14:12-26.