Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

A Man Named Lazarus Was Sick — He was from Bethany, brother to Martha and Mary…the same Mary who poured out sweet perfume on Jesus feet and wiped it off with her feet…a story we will see in chapter 12.

In verse 5 we see — He was a friend of Jesus.

Someone whom Jesus loved.

In fact, Jesus loved this entire family very much.

They had a special place in his heart.

They were like family to Him.

It is not often that you see the grammatical structure in verse 5 where each person is named separately.

It is not simply said that Jesus loved THEM.

Jesus loved Martha, her sister and Lazarus.

They were special.

Yet, when the word came that Lazarus was gravely ill Jesus did not rush to the side of the sick man.

He did not pronounce healing from afar as He did for the centurion’s servant.

Jesus in affect, did absolutely nothing.

He stayed where He was for two more days.

Why?

Why would Jesus allow Lazarus to suffer?

Allow Martha and Mary to see their brother suffer and die?

Why would he allow the sisters to grieve four days as though they were never to see their brother on this side of heaven again?

Why Suffering?

— It begs the question doesn’t it?

Why do we suffer?

Why does God allow His people to suffer?

It is one thing to allow this sin sick, wicked world to suffer but why would God allow His people to suffer?

We all want that answer don’t we?

None of us want to suffer.

I don’t want to suffer, you don’t.

I don’t even want to preach this message dare I be tested on what I say!

We dread, run from and even live in denial of the possibility of our own suffering.

Yet, we know should we live long enough that we will do just that…suffer.

BUT WHY???

There is a school of thought in some churches today that says if you have enough faith, or strong enough faith, you will never have to suffer.

Your faith will be enough to remedy any problem and reverse the course of any circumstance which might cause you to suffer.

This is one of the most unbiblical, satanic ideas ever to come into the doors of a church.

Before you get upset at my calling such an idea satanic just remember the words of Jesus to Peter.

Jesus had told the disciples that He was going to have to suffer…Peter says NO! And Jesus says get behind me Satan!

You are a stumbling block to Me!

You do not have the things of God in mind but the things of men.

A belief system which promises the absence of suffering is from hell.

It is not from God and do not be fooled by it.

Jesus Himself PROMISED His followers that in this life we would have tribulations…trouble...suffering.

But WHY? WHY would a holy, perfect, loving God allow us to suffer?

The story of Lazarus gives us our answer and the answer will increase our faith so that we might suffer well when it inevitably comes to our own life.

We Suffer For God’s Glory

There are three kinds of sickness in scripture: Demonic, sickness unto death and sickness unto the glory of God.

This sickness, the one Lazarus was suffering, was for the glory of God.

It was an occasion to suffer for God’s glory.

Lazarus was sick so that God could disclose Himself to the world.

So that the world could see God’s existence, His power and the truth that Jesus was the Son of God.

We must understand something about our life on this earth…We exist in order to enjoy and glorify God.

Glorify — to be a witness of His power and character

Our life remains on earth after we profess faith in Christ so that we might make much of Him…So that we might show the world He exists, He is all-powerful and the perfection of His character.

If you think your life has any other “greater” meaning you have completely missed the point of your existence.

We gave our life to God when we received His salvation.

We belong to Him…our life is about His purposes.

He has all of the rights to us.

We died to self and all self interest when we turned from our sinfulness and the idolatry of self to receive His forgiveness and resurrection to new life in Christ.

Lazarus was a follower of Jesus.

He loved Jesus.

Had faith in Him.

Therefore his life was at the disposal of God for the glory of Jesus.

This is how it works with us as well.

Jesus loves us enough to make us a part of what He is doing and give us an opportunity to bring glory to Him.

There is no higher purpose and no greater opportunity this life affords the believer in Christ.

To live is Christ!

This sickness was not to end in death but was for the glory of God.

God allows suffering in the life of the believer in order to provide for us an opportunity to bring glory to Him in a way that is impossible in the absence of it.

Lazarus was sick and soon to die.

He didn’t know why he was sick.

He had no idea why he was meeting an untimely demise.

He had no understanding of what God was doing.

Martha and Mary had no idea.

No idea why God was allowing this.

No idea why Jesus had not dropped everything to come and heal the one whom He loved.

All three of these people could have and maybe they actually did…raise their voices in a collective cry, “WHY WHY WHY OH GOD WHY?!?

Why would you let the one you love suffer this way?

The answer is that God loved Lazarus enough to make Him a part of the work Jesus was doing.

In fact, He loved Lazarus enough to allow Him a crescendo moment.

If there was any crescendo in the ministry prior to THE crescendo moment it was the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead!

Lazarus, Martha and Mary were clueless but they were being permitted to be a part of one of Jesus’ greatest moments on earth prior to the cross…a moment which would shout to the earth the Savior had come!

Illustration: Comedian who talked about those men who landed on the moon.

Lazarus lived the rest of his life as the man Jesus raised from the dead after he had been dead for four days!…which in itself is significant…the Jews believed in the possibility of resuscitation for a few days after death but after four there was no such hope…just a stinking body in a tomb.

He didn’t understand it at the time but he was living a life of great privilege…living out a great honor…He was chosen to make much of Christ…This act was so big, so strong, so powerful that it sent the pharisees and Sanhedrin decided Jesus had to die and die now!

It was the final straw.

Our suffering is an opportunity to be a part of His story…a privilege to make much of Him…reveal who He is…His existence, power, glory and character.

George Atley was killed while serving with the Central African Mission.

There were no witnesses, but the evidence indicates that Atley was confronted by a band of hostile tribesmen.

He was carrying a fully loaded, 10-chamber Winchester rifle and had to choose either to shoot his attackers and run the risk of negating the work of the mission in that area, or not to defend himself and be killed.

When his body was later found in a stream, it was evident that he had chosen the latter.

Nearby lay his rifle -- all 10 chambers still loaded.

He had made the supreme sacrifice, motivated by his burden for lost souls and his unswerving devotion to his Savior.

With the apostle Paul, he wanted Christ to be magnified in his body, "whether by life or by death."

Writing on in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Robert P. Lightner said, "Paul's concern was not what would happen to him but what testimony would be left for his Lord.

Release would allow him to continue preaching Christ.

But martyrdom would also advance the cause of Christ."

Writing on in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Robert P. Lightner said, "Paul's concern was not what would happen to him but what testimony would be left for his Lord.

Release would allow him to continue preaching Christ.

But martyrdom would also advance the cause of Christ."

Let us be of the same mind?

May our life be a good testimony for Him