3. ›The Sisters, Mary and Martha
›Jesus was also concerned with the faith of
these two, not just His disciples
›Each experience of Suffering should increase
our faith– but that is not always the case
›This second message in the Lazarus series will
teach us much about that growth
The Fifth “I Am” Statement…
4. 17 When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had
already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was
near Jerusalem (about two miles away). 19 Many of
the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort
them about their brother. 20 As soon as Martha heard
that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him. But
Mary remained seated in the house.
21 Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been
here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Yet even now
I know that whatever You ask from God, God will
give You.”
23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
5. 24 Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the
resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the
life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will
live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will
never die—ever. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe You are the
Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”
28 Having said this, she went back and called her
sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here
and is calling for you.”
29 As soon as she heard this, she got up quickly and
went to Him.
6. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the village but was
still in the place where Martha had met Him. 31 The
Jews who were with her in the house consoling her
saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. So they
followed her, supposing that she was going to the
tomb to cry there.
32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him,
she fell at H is feet and told Him, “Lord, if You had
been here, my brother would not have died!”
33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had
come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and
deeply moved.
7. 34 “Where have you put him?” He asked.
“Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 But
some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the
blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from
dying?”
John 11:17-40 (HCSB)
8. ›Vv 11-17, about two miles by road from
Jerusalem, 1.3 as the crow flies
›According to custom, Jews do not embalm
bodies
›rather they wrapped up their corpse with strips
of linen and spices by each limb to reduce the
decomposing odor until they bury the bodies
in the tombs almost immediately
The Setting…
9. ›Another part of ancient custom for funerals,
period of mourning up to 30 days
›The first 7 days, no bath, perfume, no shoes, no
comb
›Family also hired professional mourners
›They would wail loudly, b/c it was believed that
the louder the noise made, the more the dead
was loved and missed
The Setting…
10. ›Vv 20-24, 27-32; Luke 10 gives us a clear
picture of the temperament of the two
›They both said the same words to Jesus
›But their postures were completely different
›Martha ran to Him, active and erect; Mary fell
at His feet, passive and prostrate
›They both were hurting and confused, but still
believing in Jesus
The Sisters…
11. ›What Martha said here is far more insightful
than any of the comments by Jesus’ disciples,
the Pharisees, or any religious leaders
›Martha needed intellectual and theological
assurance and Mary needs emotional support
›Martha needed to know that Jesus was in
control; Mary needed to know that Jesus cared
The Sisters…
12. › Jesus met each sister where she was…
› One last thing before we go on
› They didn’t understand the delay, evident by their
common use of one word..
› Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your
thoughts, Nor are your ways My
ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are
higher than the earth, So are
My ways higher than your ways, And My
than your thoughts.”
› “IF”
The Sisters…
13. › Back to Vv 25-26, It is important to note that Jesus
did not deny what Martha said about the future
resurrection
› To begin with, He brought the doctrine of the
resurrection into the light through this incident.
The OT revelation about death and resurrection is
not clear or complete.
› In fact, there are some passages in Psalms and
Ecclesiastes that almost make one believe that
death is the end and there is no hope beyond the
grave
I Am the resurrection and the life…
14. ›As apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the
church of Corinth, without the resurrection of
Jesus Christ and our future resurrection, we are
to be pitied.
› 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ
is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your
faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because
we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--
if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not
risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this
life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
I Am the resurrection and the life…
15. ›Don’t be dismayed by “when” this resurrection
will happen either
›The first resurrection is at the rapture for the
Church
›The second is that of the unrighteous dead at
the Great White Throne Judgment
I Am the resurrection and the life…
16. ›Vv 33-37, the key here, I believe is found in the
original Greek texts
Why Jesus wept…
17. 33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had
come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and
deeply moved. 34 “Where have you put him?” He
asked.
“Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 But
some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the
blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from
dying?”
18. 33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had
come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and
deeply moved. 34 “Where have you put him?” He
asked.
“Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 But
some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the
blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from
dying?”
19. 33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had
come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and
deeply moved. 34 “Where have you put him?” He
asked.
“Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 But
some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the
blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from
dying?”
20. 33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had
come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and
deeply moved. 34 “Where have you put him?” He
asked.
“Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 But
some of them said, “Couldn’t He who opened the
blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from
dying?”
21. ›Vv 33-37, the key here, I believe is found in the
original Greek texts
›Why was Jesus angry?
›These traditions?
›Or the people who should have understood?
›Here’s why, I believe, Jesus wept
›The Cross
Why Jesus wept…
22. ›Where is your understanding of Jesus?
›Do you truly know Him?
›Or do you just think you do, as Mary and
Martha thought
›I believe our un-belief makes Him weep today
›Will you believe today?
Take-Home
