Introduction

Last week, we saw how Jesus lovingly cared for Lazarus’ two sisters very differently. Martha, He challenged, and with Mary, He wept. Jesus customizes care for us all while recognizing what we truly need. Though Mary thought she needed to sit actively in her grief, Jesus knew she needed to be with Him. So, He called her by name, and at His call, she came. For the last two weeks, we have talked about how Martha and Mary felt, but Jesus also had some strong feelings regarding this situation. This passage tells us twice that He “was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” It also tells us that He wept. If Jesus knew what would happen, why did He express emotions? Jesus was not afraid to express Himself, yet He did so without sin. Jesus continues to deal with the people around Him with grace. With some of the people present, He had personal relationships. Others were waiting with anticipation and would put their faith in Him. And yet another group of people had grown cold and hard and would never put their trust in Him.
Regardless of their group, many of them were struggling with unbelief. As Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave, faith sprung up also. Though Lazarus came out of that grave, he still wore His grave clothes, but then Jesus commanded them to free him and let him go. Lazarus shed his dead stinky grave clothes with the help of his friends, and so should we. Death was never part of our original design. Jesus loved us so much that He came as the resurrection and life (vs. 25) so we could walk in freedom, unbound by our grave clothes.

The Jesus Expresses Himself (vs.33-38)

• When Jesus saw Mary and the Jews sobbing, He was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled (vs.33).”
• Remember that in Jewish culture, the louder you express your grief, the more honor it brings to the deceased. So, they were not holding back their grief.
• The word in Greek means to snort with anger or to groan and murmur. This is the same word used again in verse 38. In ancient Greek, this phrase literally means to snort like a horse – implying anger and indignation.
• Of course, in verse 34, we are told Jesus wept. The word wept in this verse differs from how the Jews were crying.
• So, Jesus is groaning, possibly talking under His breath, and probably showing apparent frustration. But, in addition to that, He is also crying.
• This could mean that Jesus wasn’t so much sad at the scene surrounding the tomb of Lazarus. It may be more accurate to say that Jesus was angry. Jesus was angry and troubled at the destruction and power of the enemy of humanity: death and grief. Jesus would soon break the dominating power of death.
• He wept because He loved Mary and Martha and did not want them to suffer the pain and heartache of grief.
• Jesus shared in the grief of those who mourn. However, he was also able to do something about their suffering. Jesus allowed His compassion to uniquely do for Lazarus what He will one day do for all the righteous that have already died.
• Jesus wept: What does this tell us about Jesus?
· Jesus was truly a man.
· There is no sin or shame in tears.
· Jesus was acquainted with grief.
· Jesus was not ashamed of His humanity.
· Jesus identified with others in their sorrow.
· Jesus loves people.

Struggling With Unbelief (vs.37;39-40; 46)

• While some in the crowd acknowledged Jesus’ love for Lazarus, others among them reacted very differently. They accused Jesus of being heartless because He had allowed His friend to die.
• They still remembered the miracle Jesus had performed only a few months earlier when He opened the eyes of the man born blind (Jn 9:1-7), and they questioned why He hadn’t used that same power to rescue Lazarus.
• They didn’t misunderstand Jesus’ motives. Instead, their goal was to attack His character by suggesting that even though He was powerful, He was cold and unloving.
• Jesus commanded them to lift the stone off the grave, and those words alarmed Martha. The thought of having the grave opened and the stench of her brother’s decaying body pour out into the crowd was more than she could bear. She reminded Him, “Lord, he smells. It’s the fourth day!” to which Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
• Martha loved Jesus. She knew who He was, but she was still struggling. Her struggle with unbelief was very different than the Jew’s unbelief.
• Despite all the miracles they had seen, their continued unbelief and unwavering hostility, even at a funeral, showed their hearts had grown cold.
• So even after they saw Lazarus come out from the grave, while others immediately put their faith in Jesus, they hurried back to Jerusalem to report the incident to the authorities.

Grave Clothes (vs.41-45)

• Jewish custom required that a body be buried as soon as possible after death. First, the body would have been washed, covered with myrrh and other spices, and then wrapped with long strips of cloth. Finally, a special cloth was tied over the face.
• Some men stepped forward to lift the stone off the opening to the cave, and as they did, Jesus lifted up His eyes and started speaking to the Father in a loud voice so that everyone could hear.
• Before Jesus performed this miracle, He wanted everyone to understand that the power they were about to observe came from the Father; He had been assigned to do what He was about to do. Furthermore, Jesus wanted people to understand that the Father always heard and answered His prayers.
• Then Jesus shouted! The word used here is a word that usually describes the roaring sound that is heard when a multitude of people are shouting all at once (Jn 12:13; 18:40; 19:6, 12, 15; Ac 22:23).
• He yelled a command, “Lazarus, here! Out/Outside!”
• No explanation is given for this loud command, but Jesus appears to be calling to Lazarus, who is in another world. And he heard Jesus’ voice and obediently returned to his body.
• This is a fulfillment of a promise Jesus had made earlier (Jn 5:25).
• By raising Lazarus, Jesus proved that someday all who believe in Him will hear that same voice call us into our resurrection bodies.
• When Lazarus came out, he was still wrapped in his grave clothes. Even his face was still covered.
• Then Jesus told them to do two things unbind him and let him go. Sometimes we need our brothers and sisters to help us get unwrapped from our dead stinky grave clothes.
• “Thanks, Jesus, for saving me and giving me new life. I want that, but I would very much like to keep my dead stinky grave clothes. If you are okay with that?”
• Jesus has set us free because He is the resurrection and the life (vs. 25). We should walk in that freedom. However, we cannot walk in that freedom fully if we insist on wearing our dead, stinky grave clothes.
• Sometimes we hold on to our grave clothes and then feel confused about why we don’t “feel” free.
• Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Conclusion

Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and troubled (vs. 33,38). Jesus wept (vs.35). He did not attend for His people to experience such heartache and grief. Jesus was angry and troubled at the destruction and power of the enemy of humanity: death and suffering. Jesus would soon break the dominating power of death. In the meantime, He hurt for the people He loved. The people He came to set free! Death was never part of our original design. Jesus loved us so much that He came as the resurrection and life (vs. 25) so we could walk in freedom, unbound by our grave clothes. Let’s choose to walk in that freedom now.

Discussion Questions

1.How does knowing that Jesus experienced the same emotions as us and expressed them without sin impact you?
2.From time to time, we all struggle with unbelief. Just like Martha, we express unyielding faith and then doubt the miracle can happen. When you feel this way, how do you respond?
3.What does removing the grave clothes look like for you personally? Share with a trusted friend.
4.Bonus: Look up all the referenced scripture in the sermon notes with a friend and discuss.