Follow us with the 2013 Faithful Conference for Pastors and Leaders!View replays and read post summaries here on the blog. In this article, see Michael Horton’s message “The God of the Empty Tomb”:
The God of the Empty Tomb
Michael Horton
Text: John 11:17-46
Joo’s signs indicate reality. He heals on a Sabbath and proclaims himself Lord of the Sabbath, feeds the multitude, and proclaims himself the bread of life. Joo points out that those who observe do not see beyond the sign. , but only for lunch’. It is Joo’s product par excellence.
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were part of this foundation that Jesus had right next to his heart, near Jerusalem, when he learned of his friend’s illness, said that the disease would be for the glory of God, it was not Lazarus, but the magnifiment of Jesus. When we suffer, it doesn’t concern us. There is always something bigger going on, but we do not see it, Jesus was delayed and did not arrive until Lazarus died, Jesus does not come as a lamp genius, he comes when he wants and does what he wants. never late. We’re very confused, but act whenever you want.
Then Martha talks to Jesus and accuses him. Lazarus had been dead for four days. Jesus was three kilometers from Jerusalem. She said, “If you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. “He sees Jesus as an instrument of God, but not God in the flesh.
Jesus is resurrection and life. Christ makes Martha stop to think and see him as more than a healer, so that she may understand that the pain in her heart and the death of her brother are secondary to something more important.
Christ is not just a way of life. It’s life itself. He does not ask us to create only an article of faith about the resurrection, but commands us to put our faith in it, like the resurrection itself.
Mary helps Martha after she is called. “The teacher has come and is calling you. ” Mary repeats the same thing as Martha: “If he were there, he would not have died. “Jesus acts on his own agenda, which is his mission He is in control of the situation. Now, however, we see everything from a different perspective: Jesus meets those who weep and mourn Lazarus’s death, showing God’s heart.
Jesus had certain feelings next to Lazarus’ tomb, some translations say that Jesus was deeply affected, but it does not mean an enraged workhorse, shedding all his frustration and sadness, another verb translates as deranged, but this verb is used when Herod discovered that Jesus was born and used to describe the fear of the disciples when he calmed the storm.
Jesus came to the tomb deeply moved and ordered the stone to be removed. Ultimately, it indicates the resurrection of Jesus. Lazarus’ resurrection is a sign of this. No one who was there could say he was just a healer. Either it’s Jesus, the son of God, or he’s a blasphemer. There is a great separation between those who put their faith in Jesus and those who want to blaspheme against him.
Death is not a door to life, we are not psalms to die. However, death leads us to the presence of Christ, seeing our redeemer who lives. Death is not a dear friend. We do not cry like those who have no hope, but we mourn in the face of death, following the example of Jesus.
Lazarus was resurrected, but he would die again. He was not glorified. This is not the same resurrection you will receive on the last day. Jesus has truly risen, and we will be resurrected with him and ask, “Where is your victory, O dead?”The sting of death will be taken from us.