The Last Enemy is Overcome!

 John 11:28-44

Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?"  They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"  37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

Lazarus Raised from the Dead

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone."  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

The last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26, 57, 2 Timothy 1:10, Revelation 20:14) is overcome at last!  Jesus defeated death.  He demonstrated this by first bringing beloved Lazarus back to life after four days and promised the same to us as demonstrated by raising Himself from the grave after three days in a sealed tomb.  Martha heard this promise of Jesus being the resurrection and the life of all who trust in and receive Him, and so went to secretly call and get her sister Mary and bring her to Jesus to hear as well.  The mourners did not hear this but followed her as she went to Jesus outside of town where her brother lay wrapped up in a cold tomb of lifeless stone, thinking she was going there to mourn Lazarus.  Mary who once lay at the feet of the Lord to hear His teaching (Luke 10:39) now fell at His feet and told Jesus that if He was there while her brother was on his deathbed that He could have given him life then and prevented this loss.  Jesus asked where they had entombed him and then wept for the man and his sisters, but also because He loved the man so as the onlookers bore witness to His love for Lazarus.  Some there even verbalized their faith by saying out loud how this man Jesus should have been able to keep this man from dying since He had been giving sight to the blind which was also impossible with man to do.  Jesus was inwardly moved and commanded the stone to be taken away from the rock-hewn tomb.  Martha reminded the Lord that after four days in there, her brother would be rotting and a terrible stench would come out if they cracked open the tomb.  The Lord of life with the power over death and in control of all His creation (Genesis 1:1, 26-27, John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16) told them to have faith in Him, to accept and believe what He said He was able (Matthew 9:28, Ephesians 3:20) to do.  Their faith would open their blind eyes to see the glory of God on display in what Jesus was about to do!  They obeyed despite and lingering doubts and Jesus thanked His Father for hearing and enabling Him to work this life-giving miracle that those seeing should believe that He came as sent from God out of heaven above.  He commanded with a loud sovereign call, “Lazarus, come forth!” with such authority over death that all witnessed the response of the resurrected man who died and now made alive (Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:1) come walking out of that place of death once more into life.  Jesus then told those looking on at this impossible scene to unwrap the gift of life from his graveclothes and the face covering.  He was then on display as the hope for them and us all that the resurrection from death to life is more than spiritual of the soul, but also of the body made new to come (1 Corinthians 15:21-22) for us all, some to eternal shame and suffering and some to everlasting joy and peace in Christ (Daniel 12:2, Matthew 25:46, John 5:28-29, Acts 24:15).  Which one are you?  Remember that in Christ the last enemy has been overcome.  The last enemy has been overcome.  Death is defeated!