1. Jesus' Love

• It is there throughout the passage o v3

o v5
o The way Jesus deals with Martha and Mary o v36

• If he loves them why didn't Jesus come to Lazarus sooner? (It's the question Mary and Martha both ask)

o see verses 5&6
o 'yet' at the start of verse 6 should be 'therefore' see what difference that makes to the reading! o He stayed where he was because he loved them

We see here Jesus' love so...

• we do not worship a 'god' who is far off and distant
• Jesus cares for us in our suffferings
• But also sometimes in his great love he takes us through sufferings so we can have something greater

  - knowledge of His glory and therefore faith.

  2. Jesus' Power

  Seen clearly at the tomb of Lazarus

• He just calls dead Lazarus and he walks out alive!
• He is showing God's power (similar to creation)

  This wasn't the only time He raised someone from the dead.

• most important of all was His own resurrection
• but His resurrection is different from Lazarus' because Jesus didn't die again
• He holds out to us the possibility of life forever without suffering, ageing and death.

  3. Jesus' Promise

  Jesus gave Martha a wonderful promise in verses 25 and 26.

• He makes a statement about Himself: I am the resurrection and the life
• Then see the promise in the second half of verse 25 and verse 26

Jesus promises to use His power over death to give all who believe in Him life forever.

4. Our Response

Jesus emphasises what we need to do. He says it twice in verses 25 and 26...

• BELIEVE
• But what does this mean?
• Martha gives a model answer in verse 27

o Christ = King

o Son of God = divine

• To believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is more than simply agreeing that he is those things.
• We need to become one of His subjects - to bow before Him with our whole lives.
• So we need to count the cost of doing this!

  But why can't Jesus just give life to everyone?

• He would be wrong to do that.
• Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death"
• We all deserve death - we earned it!

  So how can any have life?

• It cost Jesus a huge amount
• Look to the cross
• For us to be able to have life Jesus had to die
• At the cross our sin was placed on Him so we could be forgiven if we come to Him

  So what's the response?

• Not a Christian? Jesus' promise can be for you too. Bow before Him as your King and ask Him for forgiveness.
• Christian? Death is transformed...

  Tim Keller 'On Death' (worth reading): 'George Herbert says, "Death used to be an executioner, but the Gospel makes him just a gardener." Death used to be able to crush us, but now all death can do is plant us in God's soil so we become something extraordinary.'

  Questions to think about:
  1. How does we have looked at today change the way you view death? 2. What would it mean for you to respond to Jesus as your King?