John 11:40
Our title this morning is Christ Glorified. Last week, we saw why Lazarus died. He died that God and Jesus will be glorified. So as we come into these verses, the stage is set for Christ to be glorified. Lazarus is dead and buried (John 11: 17;39). The Jews are gathered to console the sisters (John 11:19;31). That’s a great opportunity for Jesus to be glorified. See, every action in the chapter is building towards this one grand agenda: the glorification of God and of Christ. That’s really the theme of the Chapter. See the emphasis laid on the glory of God and of Christ (John 11: 4; 40-42). So the Chapter, though it is talking about Lazarus’ death; it is not ultimately about Lazarus. It’s that Jesus will be glorified.
The word glorified carries a number of meanings in the original language. It means Praise, Extol, Magnify, Make his name great. These words in sum means honouring Christ. It means believing Jesus for who he says he is. That’s the point of this narrative, that the people will believe Jesus for who he says he is. Dear friends, the whole of the Christian life is lived to the glory of God and his Christ. We call it Soli Deo Gloria—all to the glory of God. The chief end of man, the Westminster Shorther Catchism says is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever. Paul writing to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 10:31 says “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Brethren, is your life God glorifying? Can it be said that your hopes, your dreams, your decisions, your life choices are all for the glory of God? So how is Jesus glorified in this text?
He Is The Source of Life
In his interaction with Martha, Jesus revealed himself to as the resurrection and the life. This means he holds power over death by giving life. Jesus is a life giver. He is the source of life. This is the main thing John set forth to prove about Jesus. The motivation for which he wrote his gospel was to prove the sonship of Jesus and a life giver.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31)
I have said in another sermon here that John, with this motivation in mind proceeds to record events that proves this very identity of Jesus. One of that is what we are looking at today. Look at Jesus’ conversation with Martha. Martha believes Jesus can do everything. Yet her faith is partial, not the full truth. Jesus told her your brother will rise again. She said yes, I know and believe that he will rise again at the resurrection. Jesus said, no, no, I am not speaking about the future. I am speaking about now. The future resurrection you are talking about is me—right in front of you.
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
He Is To Be Believed In
Now to know Jesus as the source of life is not enough. That knowledge must be translated into faith. Look at how Jesus continued with the conversation
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Jesus didn’t only present himself to Martha as the source of life. He pressed for a response: “Do you believe this?” I am asking you that same question. Do you believe that everyone who lives and belives in Jesus shall never die? This is what Jesus offers: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” (John 10:28). Dear friends, God is glorified when people believe in the son. Jesus is glorified when sinners believe in him. Have you believed in him? Have acknowledged yourself as a sinner and believed for eternal life?
He Has Authority Over Death.
Now, let us pay close attention to the emphasis about the death of Lazarus in this narrative (John 11:17; 39.) The emphasis is to remove all doubts about Lazarus’ death. Jesus showed up four days after Lazarus has been dead and buried. It was a dead, hopeless case. Perhaps, if Jesus had shown up just when Lazarus had died, people will say he wasn’t dead. Maybe he fell into a coma. Or maybe he became unconscious. Jesus just woke him up. Note that, that perception has even developed in the minds of the disciples when Jesus said he was going to raise him from sleep. The disciples actually thought he was sleeping, why bother (John 11: 11-14). But no, Lazarus was dead. And when Jesus showed up, He called Lazarus out of the grave. He commanded death to let go of Lazarus (John 11:43-44). Jesus was glorified in that he has authority over death. Death will not have the final say.
Speaking about the resurrection of Jesus, the apostle Peter said in Acts 2:24 “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” Jesus have authority over death. And he displayed it in the resurrection of Lazarus even before he will die. For the believer then, death has not got the final say. One day, we will rise in the resurrection. That which Martha spoke about.
Now there is a sense in which all of us who have believed in Christ, were once like Lazarus. We were dead in sin and trespasses. But at the right time, Jesus called us out of the grave.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:1-5)
Do you see that? Before you came to faith in Christ, you were dead in trespasses and sin. The defining moment in our salvation is that God called you out of the grave. And this is the state of everyone who has not come to faith in Christ. Like Lazarus, you are dead in sin. You are lost, rotten, a living corpse who if you don’t repent will receive the judgement of a holy God. Lazarus’ resurrection is indeed a picture of the believers’ resurrection. We have been called from the grave of death. When Jesus died, we died with him. When he rose, we rose with him
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4)
How will this translate into our daily lives? Our work, our parenting, our relationship with our neighbhours. We are to live our lives to point to the world that we are indeed those who believe in Jesus as the source of life. This should also refine how we manage challenges in this life. No situation is impossible for Jesus. And even death is not the worst thing that can happen to a believer because Jesus has power over death.
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