“Open
Doors” Series #6
"THE DOOR OF DEATH!"
TEXT: John
11:1-53
INTRO: Have you
ever noticed how we avoid the subject of death! Americans like no others do everything
we can do avoid facing it or talking about it! We have youth serums and creams; we take
wrinkles out of faces to avoid the appearance of age, etc. everything we can to
avoid the reality of death. You can
look good up until you die … but that is just the point, we still
die!
We
live as though we will never die ... but death is real! Death to a Christian should be viewed in
an entirely different way than the way the world views death. To the world the door of death is the
thing most dreaded; to the Christian death is the door to
life!
Christianity
without the resurrection isn't Christianity!!
ILLUS: IN
HIS LITTLE BOOK, "COUNTDOWN," G.B. HARDY SAYS THIS ABOUT THE
RESURRECTION: "THERE ARE BUT TWO
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: (1. HAS
ANYONE CHEATED DEATH AND PROVED IT?
(2. IS IT AVAILABLE TO ME?
HERE IS THE COMPLETE RECORD:
CONFUCIUS' TOMB ... OCCUPIED!
BUDDHA'S TOMB ... OCCUPIED!
MOHAMMED'S TOMB … OCCUPIED!
JESUS' TOMB ... EMPTY!"
END OF ARGUMENT!
–
SOURCE UNKNOWN
We
serve a God that has power over life and death! As His followers, the door of death
holds no terror! Jesus is the “resurrection and
the life!”
PROP. SENT: The Bible teaches us that
Jesus is “the
life” ... that He has conquered death, and those who have faith in
His saving work need not fear the door of death! Christ has power over
death!
I. DOOR OF DESPAIR! John
11:1-37
A. Worry
& Blame! John
11:1-32
1. Despair usually strikes Christians
after both great losses and great successes!
a. Success?: Remember Elijah ... after beating the
450 prophets of Baal, a great success, he ran away from Jezebel who had
threatened to take his life:
(1. He becomes severely
depressed!
(2. He shows all the classic symptoms
of depression:
(a. He goes days without
sleep
(b. He isolates himself in the desert,
leaving behind his helper
(c. He eats
poorly
(d. He ignores God's Word to
him
(e. He assumes the worse about
God
(f. He sees no
future
(g. He seeks no counsel from
friends
(h. He believes that what he did won't
have any lasting impact
(i. He assumes he is the only one
living for God properly!
(3. With worry ... comes
blame!
b. Great loss ... Martha and Mary lose
their brother Lazarus ... all were especially close friends with
Jesus!
(1. They had probably helped finance
much of Jesus’ ministry.
(2. Their house was a frequent stop for
Jesus
(3. They had all grown very
close!
2. In their hour of need Jesus was not
there to minister to them! Despair
sets in!
a. On top of this, Jesus deliberately
stays away long enough to ensure that Lazarus was good and
dead!
b. Imagine how this must have felt to
Martha and Mary ... they had sent word to Jesus before Lazarus had died
... and Jesus didn't come!
c. When Jesus explains to the
disciples that Lazarus was only "sleeping" they get the wrong idea and think he
is recovering from an illness ... Jesus finally has to explain that He meant he
had died!
3. The disciples also fall into
despair ... especially when Jesus explains that they are going back to Bethany
now that Lazarus was dead. Thomas
assumes this means they are all going to die ... and so he is ready! John
11:16
a. Death brings profound despair out
in people!
b. On top of this ... Martha and Mary
imply that Jesus was somewhat to blame ... if He had been
there, this wouldn't have happened – they both state this outright!
(Martha
in John 11:21a; Mary in John
11:32b)
4. It seems quite clear that neither
Martha nor Mary; nor the disciples, really understood the nature of Jesus' life
and power!
a. They could believe for healing if
He had been there...
b. And maybe like many of the others
He had raised from the dead, Jesus could have raised Lazarus immediately after
he had died ... but a man dead 4 days already ... this was something
else!
5. Even when Jesus explains that
Lazarus will be raised, they don't think in terms of “now” ... only sometime in the
future!
a. Yet Jesus is THE LIFE ... HE
IS THE RESURRECTION POWER!
b. Death could not exist in the
presence of Jesus ... His life gave power!
c. Notice in the Gospels that EVERY
funeral Jesus is mentioned to be at; the dead person comes back to
life!
ILLUS:
AS
A YOUNG MAN, D.L. MOODY WAS CALLED UPON SUDDENLY TO PREACH A FUNERAL
SERMON. HE HUNTED ALL
THROUGH
THE 4 GOSPELS TRYING TO FIND ONE OF CHRIST'S FUNERAL SERMONS, BUT HIS SEARCHED
ENDED IN VAIN! HE FOUND THAT CHRIST
BROKE UP EVERY FUNERAL HE EVER ATTENDED ... DEATH COULD NOT EXIST WHERE HE
WAS! WHEN THE DEAD HEARD HIS VOICE,
THEY SPRANG TO LIFE! JESUS SAID,
"I
AM THE RESURRECTION, AND THE LIFE!"
–
SOURCE UNKNOWN
6. Despair was everywhere ... in
Martha's and Mary's heart and the mourners that were present, they usually
stayed 7 days to mourn with the family ... thus they are still there 4 days
after Lazarus' death.
a. Jesus is the power of
life!
b. The door of death is nothing in the
presence of the giver of life!
B. Weeping & Broken! John 11:33-37
1. They are all weeping over death ...
if only Jesus had been there earlier!
a. Jesus’ lateness however was no
accident!
b. No barrier is too great for
God!
2. Notice that Jesus even weeps
here!
a. The phrase, "he was deeply
moved in spirit and troubled" is interesting in the Greek, it
means, "he was
enraged in spirit and troubled
himself!"
b. It was a mixture of both tears and
anger!
(1. The tears were for the anguish He
saw that death brought to humans! After all ... this was not God's original
plan for man!
(2. The anger was no doubt over the
pain that death brings to His creation ... death is indignation upon the human
race.
3. It was quite clear that these loved
ones of Jesus didn't fully understand the nature of Jesus' power or life! Their perception was not clear and so
they are misguided with their despair!
ILLUS: A
MAN HAD STOPPED AT A GAS STATION; IT WAS ADVERTISED AS A "FULL SERVICE
STATION." AFTER THE SERVICE MAN HAD
WASHED HIS WINDSHIELD, THE DRIVER COMPLAINED TO HIM AND ASKED, "WASH IT
AGAIN, IT IS STILL DIRTY!" A
LITTLE CONFUSED, THE ATTENDANT ONCE AGAIN WASHED THE WINDSHIELD TAKING GREAT
PAINS TO WIPE IT WELL. AS SOON AS
HE WAS DONE HOWEVER, THE MAN IN THE CAR BECAME ANGRY AGAIN AND SAID, "IT IS
STILL DIRTY, CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE WASH A WINDSHIELD!?" JUST ABOUT THAT MOMENT, HIS WIFE REACHED
OVER AND TOOK HIS GLASSES OFF HIS FACE AND BEGAN TO WIPE THEM, THEN SHE PLACED
THEM BACK ON HIS FACE ... AND TO HIS AMAZEMENT, THE WINDSHIELD WAS PERFECTLY
CLEAN ON THE CAR! THE PROBLEM ALL
ALONG HAD NOT BEEN THE WINDSHIELD OR THE ATTENDANT'S PERFORMANCE, IT WAS THE
PERSPECTIVE OF THE MAN WITH THE DIRTY GLASSES ... HIS VIEW WAS CLOUDED BY HIS
OWN DIRT! –
SOURCE UNKNOWN
4. Jesus was broken over their despair
and inability to see His power!
II. DOOR OF DEATH! John
11:38-44a
A. Woeful
Barrier!
John 11:38-42
1. Jesus
now moves toward the tomb like a gladiator ready to do battle ... like a
champion!
a. The first thing Jesus asks for is
to have the DOOR TO THE DEAD removed!
b. There must be no barrier between
Jesus and us!
2. Why were they sorrowing ... wasn't
He there ... didn't He already show that He has the power over life and
death!?
3. They had placed this barrier
between Him and Lazarus ... it must be removed!
a. This stone door was a symbol of
their despair ... there was no longer any hope in their heart for Jesus to do
something ... the door had been placed!
Like many today, they felt like death was the final
loss.
b. Their despair was misplaced ...
didn't they know that they were on the winning team, they needn't
despair!
ILLUS: A
GUY WHO LIVED IN HAWAII LOVED MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, BUT SINCE MOST OF THE GAMES WERE PLAYED ON
THE MAINLAND AND HAWAII WAS SEVERAL HOURS DIFFERENCE IN TIME, THE GAMES WERE NOT
BROADCAST IN HAWAII UNTIL HOURS AFTER THEY WERE OVER. BEING SUCH A FAN HOWEVER, HE COULDN’T
WAIT TO WATCH THE GAME ON TV BY DELAYED BROADCAST, SO HE WOULD LISTEN TO THE
GAME BROADCAST LIVE OVER RADIO.
LATER, WHEN HE GOT HOME, HE WOULD THEN SIT DOWN AND WATCH THE DELAYED
BROADCAST OF THE GAME. IF HE KNEW
FROM THE LIVE RADIO BROADCAST THAT HIS TEAM HAD WON HE WOULD NOT GET TOO WORKED
UP WHEN HE SAW THEM BLOW IT ON TV OR MAKE A SERIOUS BLUNDER. EVERY DUMB MISTAKE HE WOULD TAKE IN
STRIDE BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNEW THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME ... THEY WON! THIS IS A BIT LIKE DEATH FOR CHRISTIANS,
WE DON'T GRIEVE LIKE MOST MEN, BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME
... EVEN THE TERRIBLE BLUNDERS THAT COME IN THIS LIFE DON'T CAUSE US TO DESPAIR,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE WIN ALREADY!
–
SOURCE UNKNOWN
4. Martha's and Mary's problem was
that they had lost hope! And lost
hope meant despair!
5. Hope is a powerful force ... if we
ever lose it, we lose everything, but with it comes
strength!
a. Martha and Mary should have
maintained their hope in Christ ... even against death days
earlier!
b. Their hope needed
restoring!
c. The first step was to remove the stone barrier
... for us it is getting rid of the hard-heart ... the barrier to hope in
Christ!
ILLUS: A
FEW YEARS AGO THE PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF DUKE UNIVERSITY CARRIED ON AN
INTERESTING EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE THE POWER OF HOPE. THEY WANTED TO SEE HOW LONG RATS COULD
SWIM! IN ONE CONTAINER THEY PLACED
A RAT FOR WHOM THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OR HOPE OF ESCAPE ... IT WAS DESIGNED SO
THAT THE RAT KNEW RIGHT AWAY THERE WAS NO WAY OUT! THE RAT SWAM FOR A FEW MINUTES ONLY,
THEN DUCKED ITS HEAD AS SOON AS IT REALIZED THERE WAS NO WAY OUT AND DROWNED
ITSELF! IN THE OTHER CONTAINER,
THEY MADE THE HOPE OF ESCAPE POSSIBLE FOR THE RAT, EVEN THOUGH IT COULD USE IT
... THE RAT SWAM FOR HOURS BEFORE IT FINALLY DROWNED TRYING TO ESCAPE! THE CONCLUSION OF THE EXPERIMENT WAS
THAT WHERE THERE IS HOPE ... THERE IS LIFE!
–
SOURCE UNKNOWN
B. Wonderful Belief! John
11:43-44a
1. Imagine what must have been going
on in Martha's and Mary's mind and the rest of those around this tomb when they
heard Jesus declare in a loud voice: "Lazarus, come
forth!"
a. Martha, the practical one, had
already informed Jesus that Lazarus had been dead 4 days, that he would already
stink!
b. Isn't it nice to have practical
people around to tell you what God can't do, or even to tell God what He should
know that He might have missed?
2. How many times had they seen Jesus
do the impossible ... but somehow this seemed more
impossible!?
a. How do we limit
God?
b. How big is your
God?
3. What must have run through their
minds when Lazarus shuffled through the entrance of the tomb still wrapped in
smelly grave clothes!
a. Suddenly, doubt turned to
faith!
b. Jesus was now viewed differently
... “He is the
resurrection and the life!”
4. Death had a way of fleeing from
Christ ... in His presence death fled!
a. This is why in heaven we can't
die!
b. In Christ’s presence for eternity
we will live eternally!
c. The grave couldn't even hold
Jesus! He is
life!
III. DOOR OF DELIVERANCE! John 11:44b-53
A. Wrapped in Bondage! John 11:44b
1. There was still a job to be done by
Lazarus' family and friends though ... they are asked by Jesus to un-wrap
him!
a. While Jesus gave life ... they must
help Lazarus out of his grave clothes!
b. This is still our job in the family
of God ... when Christ saves someone, where they are given life; we are called
upon in the family of God to help them remove the smell of death from their
life!
c. We are to help un-wrap the new life
in Christ from the clothes of death!
2. After all, they were the ones who
had put these grave clothes on Lazarus!
3. Since Christ has conquered death
and given life to those who believe on Him, we are called upon to minister to
the new lives, to help unwrap them from the cold death of sin, to remove the
bondages (bandages!) from their
lives!
4. Jesus commands them to "take off the grave clothes and
let him go!"
a. This command still holds today for
us!
b. Are we doing
this?
B. Will
You
Believe? John 11:45-53
1. What happens as a result of
this?
a. Many people
believe!
b. And many people
don't believe as well!
They run to the authorities to get Jesus in
trouble!
2. The Jews feel threatened by this
miracle ... instead of rejoicing over it, they are more concerned about their
own lifestyle and position not being interrupted!
3. There are those today who still
don't want to consider the claims of Christ ... they don't want to think about
eternal life and death, it only upsets their way of
living!
4. Yet, Jesus
cannot be ignored, what will it be ... will you
believe?
5. Do you know He is coming
again? Not even the dead will stay
in their graves!
6. Jesus' coming is real ... and so is
His power, even if we try and ignore it!
ILLUS: THERE
IS AN INSCRIPTION IN THE DOME OF OUR CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON D.C. WHICH FEW PEOPLE
HAVE EVER NOTICED! IT STATES, “ONE FAR OFF EVENT TOWARD WHICH THE WHOLE
CREATION MOVES.” A VISITOR
ASKED WHAT THE MEANING OF THE PHRASE WAS, AND THE GUIDE SAID, "IT WAS WRITTEN
I BELIEVE AS A REFERENCE TO THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST." WHEN THE DOME OF OUR CAPITOL WAS ERECTED,
SOME GOD FEARING OFFICIAL ORDERED THAT INSCRIPTION TO BE ETCHED IN THE DOME OF
OUR SEAT OF GOVERNMENT, BELIEVING THAT THIS TRUTH WAS VITAL TO THE CONCERN OF
THIS NATION! HOW
TRUE!!!!
–
SOURCE UNKNOWN
7. How are you dealing with the
door of death?
CONCLUSION: The most formidable door that
humans face is the door of death!
Throughout history no man has been able to break down this door ...
except one! All religions have the
graves of their founders, and inside them lay the bodies of these men ... but
one grave is empty, the grave of Jesus outside of Jerusalem! He is the “Resurrection and
the Life” and if we believe in Him, we too will never
die!