Resurrection and Life: "But Jesus" 10-12-25

Overview

Resurrection and Life: "But Jesus"

Tucked into the story of Lazarus in John 11 are some of the smallest words in Scripture—conjunctions—that carry the weight of the whole gospel. When Lazarus fell ill, Mary and Martha did exactly what faithful believers do: they laid their problem at the feet of Jesus. "So the sisters sent to him, saying, 'Lord, he whom you love is ill'" John 11:3. It was a logical "so"—a confidence that the One who loved their brother would surely come running. Yet Jesus deliberately stayed two days longer where he was, allowing Lazarus to lie in the tomb a full four days. This was not indifference; it was purposeful, removing any possibility that his miracle could be explained away by the rabbinic notion that a spirit might linger near the body for three days. Jesus would leave no doubt that what he was about to do was nothing less than resurrection.

When Jesus finally arrived, Martha met him with another small but loaded conjunction: "If you had been here, my brother would not have died" John 11:21. Her "if" was not faithless—it was confident that Jesus could have helped—but it revealed a faith that was still too small. She thought of Jesus as an influencer with God ("even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you"), not yet grasping that standing before her was God in the flesh, with all power in himself. Even her hope of resurrection was pushed off to "the last day." To her limited "if," Jesus answered with the great "I AM": "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die" John 11:25-26. He is Victor over physical death and Victor over eternal death—the One who bears our sin at the cross, redeems us, and opens the gates of heaven.

We all live with our own "so's" and "if's." So this is happening… if it doesn't change… since I will one day die, if my righteousness is filthy rags, what then? Everybody is dealing with something. But against every "so" and every "if," the Holy Spirit places another conjunction at the head of the sentence: "But when Jesus heard it he said, 'This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it'" John 11:4. But Jesus. When problems perplex—but Jesus. When the future looms uncertain—but Jesus. When hopes are dashed and disappointments press—but Jesus. When death itself stands before you, and when Satan accuses you on the day of judgment—but Jesus.

Hear the call of Christ at the tomb: "Lazarus, come out!" John 11:43. The same Lord who claimed Lazarus from the grave has claimed you in the waters of baptism. So when life pushes you toward despair, answer with Martha's confession: "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world" John 11:27. To every "so" and every "if" in your life, lift up the holy "but" of the gospel—but Jesus—because there is no other name like his.

Transcript

Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John? 3s

If you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that on page 91 in 8s

the New Testament, the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John, for our study this morning. 13s

So, so, it's just a tiny little word, isn't it? 21s

But so can have so many meanings, right? 30s

Why, you can say so, you can say so, you can just say so, just a few of the different 37s

meanings of that little conjunction. 53s

So, and so has, of course, other little conjunction friends that show up, right? 57s

Four, or yet, on and on, goes the list. 66s

I'd like you to look today at the conjunctions in the text. 74s

And what do we learn? 80s

Bible tells us that Jesus had an inner circle. 86s

Of course, there were the 12 disciples. 90s

Jesus ministered to thousands, but there were the 12 disciples. 92s

But within the 12 disciples, there was a core group. 97s

There was an inner circle. 100s

It was Peter and James and John. 102s

Remember when Jesus went up on the mount of transfiguration and he showed his post-easter 104s

glory that was before the cross? 111s

He was transfigured before them and who was on the mount with Jesus, but it was that 114s

inner circle. 119s

It was Peter and James and John. 120s

There was a particular closeness that Jesus had with them. 123s

There was another person that comes to mind that Jesus was particularly close to. 130s

And that was Lazarus. 138s

Lazarus. 142s

Look, please, at chapter 11, verse 1. 143s

Now, a certain man was ill. 148s

Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 150s

Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair. 154s

Her brother Lazarus was ill. 161s

Well, the fact that there's a relationship here between Jesus and Mary and Martha and Lazarus, 166s

there's this particular closeness there of Jesus and Lazarus. 172s

That occasion's a response then on the part of the sisters for their brother who has taken 179s

ill. 185s

And there's that little preposition. 187s

So, shows up in verse 3. 190s

So, the sister sent a message to Jesus, Lord, he whom you love is ill. 194s

Makes logical sense, does it not? 203s

That they being close to Jesus are going to let Jesus know about his close friend Lazarus. 207s

And they know that Jesus can do something. 215s

So, they send a message. 219s

Bible says that Jesus is loved Lazarus. 225s

That word there, it means a strong and deep friendship. 231s

And the sisters provide such a beautiful witness to us. 240s

So, they laid their problem at the feet of Jesus. 242s

Here's the problem. 246s

Their brother is ill. 247s

Jesus can help. 249s

So, they send the message to Jesus. 251s

And what is the response of our Lord? 255s

Look down, please, at verse 5. 257s

Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard 261s

that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer. 269s

In the place where he was. 278s

So, what's that all about? 288s

Because wouldn't you think the way this is getting set up, wouldn't you think here that 293s

when Jesus gets the message born out of the logical conjunction? 297s

And so, when Jesus gets this message, he hears this Lazarus, he's going to drop everything 303s

that he's doing and run to Lazarus to help. 311s

So what's this about? 318s

If he's so close to Lazarus, then why does he stay where he's at? 321s

Two more days. 330s

When he does arrive, another conjunction arrives with him. 338s

But please, at verse 17. 347s

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 351s

Now, Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha 357s

and Mary to console them about their brother. 364s

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him while Mary stayed at home. 369s

Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here. 376s

My brother would not have died. 386s

If you've met if, right? 394s

So, as little companion, so as little conjunction friend, you know, if, right? 400s

It's important to understand here that the if here of Martha is not just seismant toward 418s

the Lord. 426s

The if here of Martha is actually expressing a confidence in Jesus that Jesus, indeed, 428s

could have done something. 436s

But here's the issue. 438s

That if there, that statement that Martha is making is showing that she believed that Jesus 441s

had a limited power. 450s

She didn't understand that Jesus was the son of God, the second member of the Trinity in the flesh. 454s

She didn't understand that. 462s

She was conceiving of Jesus as one who was more of an influencer. 465s

She was conceiving of Jesus as one that you really want Jesus to pray for you. 473s

Because when Jesus prays for you, then things are going to happen. 479s

You see, you see that in the very next verse. 482s

Ramarth says, but even now, I know that God will give you whatever you ask of Him. 487s

She doesn't understand. 494s

The right in front of her is God in the flesh. 497s

That Jesus has all power. 501s

Jesus isn't an influencer. 505s

Jesus isn't just one you want praying for you because things seem to happen, then. 506s

There's a deficiency in her faith that is revealed. 514s

That deficiency continues on. 520s

Look at verse 23. 522s

Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. 525s

Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last. 530s

All that Martha is saying there is what the Jews believe that on the last day, the 536s

Pious Jews would arrive. 544s

You hear the works righteousness in that? 550s

It was the Pious ones based upon their works, the Pious ones that would arise. 553s

That's a whole other sermon though. 560s

What's Jesus' response? 564s

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. 567s

I am the resurrection and the life. 574s

He says, those who believe in me, even though they die, will, will. 578s

You see, when you follow the conjunctions there, there's this soul that led to this delay, 585s

there is this if that shows a lack of understanding on Martha's part of who Jesus is. 598s

And so here's the picture. 607s

You've got the picture of death. 608s

You have the picture of deficient faith. 610s

You have the picture of a lack of understanding. 614s

Is there another conjunction here that can come along and give a different picture 617s

that can transition to a different picture here? 629s

A few months ago, I was in the Seattle airport. 645s

If you ever flown in and out of Seattle, there's a frenetic nature 650s

to that airport. 658s

I don't know how it may. 661s

It's just how it's laid out or something, but there always seems to be a line 662s

and there always seems to be this just frenetic activity that's going on. 668s

But it means the frenetic activity of the C-TAC airport. 678s

You can get lost in your self, in an airport, can't you? 685s

Self absorbed. 691s

It's a flight going to be on time that I remember the pack this. 695s

I wonder where I should pick something up to eat. 701s

It's a long flight. 703s

So everybody's screwing around and people pulling their luggage 707s

and conversations and bumping into each other and lines. 711s

But amidst all of it, there was one fella. 718s

And he had this sweatshirt on and it said, 722s

everybody is dealing with something. 729s

Literally, it stopped me in my tracks when I read that. 738s

It's the whole swirl of activity and all the self absorption that you can have in an airport. 747s

I'm interested swirl of it. 754s

It brought home this humanity. 758s

That you're just surrounded with. 765s

This humanity that you see and all of the people, whether they were pulling the luggage 770s

or whether they were running to the gate or whether they were talking. 778s

Whatever it was, you saw them differently. 782s

Everybody was dealing with something. 791s

A problem in issue, a worry, a wonderman. 800s

Everybody was dealing with something. 811s

That felt a sweatshirt's true, isn't it? 821s

It's true. 825s

We all have our conjunctions. 828s

We all have those conjunctions. 835s

So maybe you come here today and you're thinking to yourself, 840s

So this is going on. 848s

I wonder if God's going to show up. 851s

Maybe you come here today and you say, 858s

so this happened. 862s

If it happens again. 866s

Maybe you come here today and you say, 870s

So here's the result. 878s

And if that doesn't change, I don't know what I'm going to do. 883s

We all have our various conjunctions because we're all dealing with something. 892s

And let's go even deeper. 909s

Let's go even deeper to the deepest thing that we can deal with. 912s

So, since we will all one day die, 917s

if good works don't do anything when I stand before God, 927s

because all our righteous deeds are like a filthy rag. 932s

The scripture says, 935s

So since I'm going to die, 938s

if my good deeds don't do anything, 941s

what's that that judgment going to be like? 947s

And the soul and the if rises on the deepest of levels. 951s

Is there a conjunction here? 962s

Is there a conjunction that can burst onto the scene 965s

and provide a different picture? 973s

Please, at verse three, once again. 983s

So the sister sent a message to Jesus, Lord, 986s

He whom you love is ill. 991s

Verse 21, 995s

Martha said to Jesus, Lord, 998s

if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 1000s

And to the wonderment with regard to the delay in response to the soul, 1008s

to the discouragement that had arisen and embedded within the if, 1016s

comes another conjunction. 1023s

Look at verse four, 1026s

because there's the little thing. 1028s

In the primary spot in the sentence, 1031s

starting the whole thing off, 1034s

characterizing everything that's going to happen. 1036s

It's that little friend of soul and if, 1040s

and now it's in that place of prominence, 1044s

right at the beginning. 1047s

And verse four says, 1048s

BUT! 1051s

When Jesus heard it, 1052s

He said, 1055s

this illness does not lead to death. 1056s

Rather, it is for God's glory, 1060s

so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 1063s

BUT! 1072s

Jesus! 1075s

BUT! Jesus! 1078s

Verse 38, 1082s

then Jesus again, greatly disturbed, 1086s

came to the tomb. 1088s

It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 1089s

Jesus said, take away the stone. 1092s

Verse 43, when he had said this, 1097s

he cried with a loud voice, 1099s

Lazarus come out, 1101s

the dead man came out, his hands in feet, 1103s

bound with strips of cloth, 1106s

and his face wrapped in a cloth. 1108s

Jesus said to him, 1110s

unbind him and let him go. 1111s

Enter the situation of death, 1116s

to the situation of lack of understanding, 1119s

to the souls and the ifs comes, 1124s

but Jesus. 1130s

But Jesus. 1132s

Jesus waited those four days, 1136s

until Lazarus was in the tomb four days, 1140s

because the rabbis had this weird, weird teaching, 1142s

that said, 1147s

when someone died, the spirit would hover for three days, 1148s

and if somehow the body could be resuscitated, 1152s

the spirit could re-enter it, 1155s

but on the fourth day, 1157s

all hope was gone. 1159s

So why does Jesus delay, 1160s

until Lazarus had been in the tomb 1163s

for four days so that no one would look 1166s

at the resurrection of Jesus, 1169s

and say that dumb teaching of the rabbis 1172s

was correct. 1175s

He waited four days. 1177s

To the if of Martha, 1180s

Jesus said, 1184s

the IAM, 1186s

IAM, the resurrection and the life. 1187s

He said, those who believe in me, 1190s

even though they die will live, 1193s

that is the resurrection and the life, 1196s

the Lord Jesus Christ who has power over physical death. 1199s

Verse 26, he says in everyone, 1204s

who lives and believes in me will never die. 1207s

That is Jesus Christ, 1212s

Victor over eternal death. 1215s

Hell itself. 1219s

Jesus goes to the cross and bears our sin 1221s

and pays our debt, 1224s

redeems us and reconciles us. 1226s

He is Victor over physical death. 1230s

He is Victor over eternal death. 1233s

As he opens for us, 1236s

the gates of heaven, 1240s

claiming us as his own in the waters of baptism. 1242s

And Martha says in verse 27, 1246s

when Jesus says, 1248s

do you believe this, 1250s

Martha says, 1251s

yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, 1253s

the Son of God, 1258s

the one coming into the world. 1259s

To the souls and the ifs comes the butt. 1264s

Butt. 1273s

Jesus. 1275s

Jesus. 1276s

But Jesus. 1278s

Because there's no other name like the name. 1282s

Jesus. 1289s

When problems perplex, 1295s

you can say, 1300s

but Jesus. 1304s

When the uncertainty of the future looms, 1307s

you can say, 1311s

but Jesus. 1315s

When the impossibility stands before you, 1318s

like an impenetrable wall, 1321s

you can say, 1324s

but Jesus. 1326s

When your hopes are dashed, 1329s

you can say, 1331s

but Jesus. 1333s

When disappointments to press, 1336s

you can say, 1339s

but Jesus. 1340s

When you face the reality of death, 1344s

you can say, 1347s

but Jesus. 1349s

And when you wonder about the day 1352s

that you stand before the Lord on judgment day, 1354s

and you start to wonder 1361s

about that day, 1364s

and Satan tries to work at you, 1367s

you can say, 1372s

but Jesus. 1376s

Because to the souls, 1383s

and the ifs, 1388s

there's the butt. 1394s

Butt. 1399s

Jesus. 1402s

And we say, 1405s

with Martha. 1407s

Yes, Lord, 1410s

I believe that you are the Messiah, 1412s

the Son of God, 1418s

the one coming 1420s

into the world. 1423s