RC Sproul: The Death of Lazarus, John 11.1-27 (28:04)
We glorify God when we praise him, honor him, and all of that, but that’s not what Jesus is talking about here. He’s talking about the revelation of the majesty of God the father. The weightiness of his glory is made manifest to the world when the world sees the glory of his son. In the glorification of Christ comes the glorification of the Father.
Jesus would go (to Judea) at the cost of his own life to give Lazarus life.
If you had been here, my brother would not have died. how do we interpret this? Is she complaining, is she rebuking him, or is it a confession of faith? this is one of those times where we don’t have the tones, the inflections of the voices, it may have been a triumphant statement of confidence in Christ.
Or it could have been an accusation. Some friend you are. Why do you think we sent a message to you? Because I know if you would have been here this wouldn’t have happened.
Your brother will rise again. Martha doesn’t get it. She says I know that he’ll rise again in the resurrection of the last day. Now remember that the Pharisees believed in a resurrection at the end of history, though the Sadducees did not. Martha believed in the future resurrection of the people of God.
That wasn’t what Jesus was speaking about. He didn’t say the last day. I am the resurrection and the life. In ME there is power over death. I hold the keys of life and death. I am the foundation, the power, of life itself. And I have the power to raise dead people from the grave. I am the resurrection. I don’t just teach about the resurrection. I am the very power of it. So if the one who is the resurrection and who is the life shows up at a funeral nobody has to wait for the last day. because the one who is resurrection and life has arrived.
If you believe and me, and die, then you’ll live. Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this he says. Do you believe this?
The biological death doesn’t disturb in the slightest the continuity of personal existence. This is what Jesus is saying.
Once a person believes in Christ, the life of Christ is poured into the soul of that person. That life is eternal. Everyone in Christ has already begun their eternal life. We’re never going to die. We may go through the transition, but not the death that can destroy the life that Christ has given to us.
She said to him, yes Lord I believe that. And I believe that you are the Christ, you are the Son of God, who is to come into the world. Martha makes a confession of faith. There is no greater confession of faith in Scripture.