AM April 26th John 11

April 26^th John 11

Sign 7 The Lord & Lazarus. (Life)

38: Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39: Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40: Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41: Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42: And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43: And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44: And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Religious leaders hatred

45: Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46: But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 47: Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48: If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. 49: And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50: Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 51: And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52: And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. 53: Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. 54: Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. 55: And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. 56: Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? 57: Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

Jesus was overcome with grief and when he came to the cave he found a stone across the entrance. When he asked for the stone to be taken away Martha objected because she assumed that the body would now be stinking. Christ encouraged her to believe in him. When the stone was rolled away Jesus gave thanks. Then Jesus cried with a loud voice Lazarus, come forth. And Lazarus came out of the cave still bound in the grave clothes. Notice the difference between Christ’s resurrection and Lazarus. Christ passed through the grave clothes but Lazarus was still bound. Lazarus was raised back to mortal life but Christ to immortal life. Lazarus was going to die again Christ was raised in the power of an endless life. The Jews who had come with Mary believed on Jesus when they saw the miracle. Some went to tell the Pharisees of this miracle. The Chief priests and the Pharisees met to discuss this messianic sign. Would they start a Messianic investigation? Caiaphas put forward the idea that it was better to murder Christ than for all the people to perish under the hands of the Romans. As high priest that year he had prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. (This was what Christ said in 10v16) The Jewish council agreed that Christ should be put to death; they were going to find a way to murder him. Christ withdrew to the wilderness. Again the Passover came around and the Jews sought for Jesus at the feast. The order had gone out to arrest him on sight.

• How did Christ call Lazarus back from the dead?
• What was the public reaction to this resurrection?
• What did the religious leaders decide would be their best response?