Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

In 1980 the American Medical Association defined death as: "An individual who has sustained either (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem is dead.

A determination of death must be made in accordance with accepted medical standards."

Today we are going to look at the death and resurrection of Lazarus.

When Lazarus died, he was dead for four days.

He was put in a tomb.

Today we are going to look at the death and resurrection of Lazarus.

Even his own sisters believed that his body had started to decompose.

There should be no questions in our minds that Lazarus was dead, not just sick, not in a coma.

Dead.

Even Jesus will flat out say, “He is dead.”

Stand if you are able.

The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 1980 formulated the Uniform Determination of Death Act.

It states that: "An individual who has sustained either (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem is dead.

A determination of death must be made in accordance with accepted medical standards."

This definition was approved by the American Medical Association in 1980 and by the American Bar Association in 1981.

Let’s Pray

Let’s Pray

- Introduction

Two points of interest

Mary and Martha ent word to Jesus saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

They didn’t say come quick!

They didn’t say heal my brother

They said, “the one whom you love is sick.”

Jesus said from the very beginning that - “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God.”

Jesus already knew what was going to happen.

Lazarus was going to die, but it wasn’t going to end in death

In verses 5-16 we have a glimpse into the conversation between Jesus and His disciples.

- Jesus talks to the disciples

Conversation with the disciples:

Let’s go back to Judea -

We just saw last week that the Jews wanted to kill Jesus by stoning but Jesus eluded them and went to Jordan.

Now Lazarus is dead just outside of Jerusalem, and Jesus wants to go see His friends.

Thomas says, “Let’s go with Him so that we may die with Him.”

Jesus was already under attack - the Jews wanted to stone Him.

Thomas says, “Alright let’s go and die with Him.”

Talk about a friend of faith!

Jesus also talks about getting your work done

All of us have the same amount of time in a day.

The sun is up - get your work done

The sun is down - nothing you can do

We are all responsible for our own time

What we choose to do with our 24 hours is up to us

How do you want to spend your time?

Jesus told the disciples, “Lazarus has died.”

The Bible has a lot to say about death -

8 Biblical Truths About Death

The penalty of sin is death -

Man is destined to die once -

From dust we were made, and dust we will return -

Our spirit returns to God when we die -

If you don’t love, you abide in death -

Death is greedy -

Jesus beat death -

The last enemy to be abolished is death -

Jesus and Martha

Martha gets a lot of grief in Christian circles for being a worker - but we see a glimpse into her theology

When Jesus said, “your brother will rise again.”

She responded with -

John 11:24

John 11:

For the Christian Believer there is hope after death

Martha recognized this - that she would see her brother again in the resurrection on the last day

That is true for all of us

But Jesus wasn’t talking about the end times - He was talking about the present

;25-26

Hear Jesus’ words - “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

Do you believe this?”

Do you believe this?

Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life?

Do you believe that you will live even if you die?

Do you believe that you will never die the second death?

All of us have an appointment with death

Our days are numbered - but if we believe in Jesus while we die a physical death, we will not die a spiritual death

While Martha understood the end times - let’s take a look at the conversation that Jesus had with Mary.

Jesus and Mary

John 11:28-

Mary and Martha

Both Mary and Martha said to Jesus, ”Had you been here, my brother would not have died!”

We can feel that way too when we lose someone

Where was God when your friend died?

Where was God when your parent died?

Where was God when your spouse died?

Where was God when your sibling died?

Where was God when you l

Had Jesus just been there, they wouldn’t have died

We are no different than Mary and Martha - if Jesus was just there, then we wouldn’t have lost our loved one

We know people like the Jews in verse 37 - if Jesus could open the blind man’s eyes couldn’t he have stopped Lazarus from dying?

Couldn’t God have stopped the death from happening?

On November 28. 1995 my cousin Dixie Kampf died from brain cancer - she was 35 years old - she was survived by her two daughters, Buffy age 16, and Brassie age 11.

24 days later Buffy, Brassie, and two other girls were in a rollover car accident by Cheyenne Wells

My cousin Brassie and another girl died.

Brassie was 11 years old.

My cousin Brassie and her friend both died in the accident she was

My aunt and uncle buried their daughter, and then 24 days later we were burying their 11 year old granddaughter.

Death is ugly.

Burying your child, and your grandchild within a month would make any of us struggle with our faith.

And yet - had Jesus been there - He could have healed Dixie of her brain cancer.

Jesus could have healed Brassie’s broken body after being thrown out of the car and rolled over.

The thoughts that Martha and Mary had are the same thoughts that we have when we face death

Had Jesus just answered our prayers - our loved ones would still be alive