Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus

We continue in our teaching series in the Gospel of John called “Five Keys of John”.

The gospel of John was written around 80-90AD, by Jesus’ closest friend; The Apostle John.

John was the oldest and last surviving eyewitness of the 12 disciples who were with Jesus.

He is writing for a very specific purpose. He says in Chapter 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John believes that the Jesus we discover through the stories in his gospel account is real and alive. And when we come to know who he is and believe in him, we will find true and eternal life.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are close friends of Jesus who live in a village just a few miles from Jerusalem. John makes sure we understand that Jesus loved them.

Lazarus has become ill and it’s pretty serious. The sisters send the message to Jesus “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

These unique words of Jesus are a clue that something different is going on here.

In our text, Jesus' delay has a very specific purpose- He waits so that he might have the opportunity to reveal something to his disciples greater than even death itself.

His disciples are as confused about this plan as we might be today. The next few verses unpack their confusion, before finally Jesus makes it clear for them in vs. 14

What Jesus is about to teach his disciples, is that knowing him, knowing who he really is and the life he brings, is the most important in their lives. Even greater than the tragedy of death itself.

Jesus is glad for their sakes, they have this opportunity to know him more.

The note about 4 days signals to readers that Lazarus is truly gone, any hope of a misdiagnosis is past.

Martha comes to Jesus bearing the weight of grief and sorrow, yet still confident that even in death, Jesus can bring about something good. There is no rebuke in her words, as she clings to faith in the face of death.

Jesus invites Martha to know Him as the resurrection and the life. The future hope she held, was now embodied in the person of Jesus, standing in front of her. He is the resurrection and the life.

Note that Jesus doesn’t say, “I do resurrection” or “I do life”, he says “I am”.

I am the Resurrection, I am the power to overcome death, to bring hope in the darkness of death. I am the life, the vital essence of full and real life here and now.

This is a key to understanding who Jesus is. This is the revelation this whole story has been building up to. The raising of Lazarus that comes next, that’s secondary to seeing this truth.

This whole seen has ben building to this moment, and it hangs on the edge with one searching question on the lips of Jesus: Do you believe this?

Friends our journey to discover who Jesus is and the life he came to bring, must stop here and answer that very question for ourselves.

Do you believe this?

Do you know Jesus as the power over sin, death, and hell itself- Do you know that in your life?

Have you experienced resurrection through faith in him?