Lazarus Also

Q: What does the Bible say about Lazarus being raised from the dead?

The Bible describes Lazarus's resurrection as a miraculous event demonstrating Jesus's power over death, leading many to believe in Him. In John 12:9-11, the narrative reveals how many Jews came not only to see Jesus but also Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. This miraculous act was unprecedented and stirred significant interest in the multitudes. Ultimately, Lazarus became a testimony of Christ's authority, and his resurrection prompted many to believe in Jesus, revealing the transformational power of the Gospel at work. The resurrection of Lazarus serves as a vivid illustration of the life-giving power of Jesus, foreshadowing His own resurrection, which is central to the Christian faith.

Q: How do we know grace is essential for salvation?

Grace is essential because salvation through Christ is not based on human merit but entirely dependent on God's sovereign mercy. Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward sinners, and it is the cornerstone of the Reformed understanding of salvation. As illustrated in the story of Lazarus, he was raised from the dead by the sovereign will of Christ without any contribution of his own. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, and this is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. The doctrine of grace underscores that salvation is entirely God's work, ensuring that no human effort can boast before Him. Grace alone is sufficient, as it reveals the depth of God's love and the transformative power of the Gospel.

Q: Why is faith in Jesus important for Christians?

Faith in Jesus is vital because it connects believers to His saving grace and grants eternal life. Faith in Jesus Christ is fundamental to the Christian life as it is through faith that individuals receive the gift of salvation. Romans 10:17 states that 'faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of Christ.' This means that the proclamation of the Gospel invites individuals to trust in Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). By believing in Him, Christians are assured of their eternal security and are empowered to live out their faith actively. The case of Lazarus illustrates this beautifully; many who saw the resurrected Lazarus came to believe in Jesus because of the miracle, demonstrating how faith can be ignited through the works of Christ.

Q: What does the story of Lazarus teach about the nature of true religion?

The story of Lazarus contrasts true religion, centered on faith and grace, with legalistic religion that seeks control over salvation. The account of Lazarus's resurrection reveals the deep chasm between true religion, characterized by grace, and legalism, which seeks to manipulate God’s sovereignty through human effort. In John 12:10-11, the chief priests represent a legalistic mindset, plotting to kill Lazarus to suppress the truth that leads others to Christ. True religion celebrates the grace of God, acknowledging that salvation cannot be earned but is a gift. It fosters an environment where believers are free to worship and serve out of love for Christ, as they are no longer bound by the constraints of legalism or the fear of condemnation. This story encourages believers to embrace a faith that brings life and encourages genuine belief in Jesus rather than a system of rules and regulations.

She texted me this morning that the pain meds are working, which are good, and she's probably going to Ireland on Friday to rehab. So I remember her in her prayers. I continue to remember her. I remember the others who requested prayers. Sunday's the last Sunday of the month, so we'll be having the Lord's Table, a big dinner, so I remember that. Again, I worship service with hymn number 235, That's Me Not, Old Gentleman.

Bless me now, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by. Savior, Savior, ♪ Hear my humble cry ♪ ♪ While others are calling ♪ ♪ Do not pass me by ♪ ♪ Let me at your mercy ♪ ♪ Find the street leading me ♪ Savior, Savior! My uncle Fry was our colleague, did not pass me by. Savior Savior Hear my humble cry While others are calling Do not bash me nigh Thou who spring of all my comfort, more than life to me, bloom in my heart beside Thee, bloom in heaven but Thee. Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry. While others are calling, do not pass me by.

Hymn number 186, The Church's One Foundation. Jesus Christ From heav'n He came and sought her to be His holy bride With His own blood He bought her and for her life He died He led from every nation yet one o'er all the earth Her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth. One holy name she blesses, our text one holy through. And two, one hope she presses, In toil and tribulation, and to beloved war, She weighs the consummation, my peace forevermore. with a vision glorious her loving eyes are blessed and the great church victorious shall be the church embraced. Yes, she honored that union with God the three in one and mystic sweet communion with those whose breast is warm. O happy ones and holy!

Lord, give us grace that we, like in the beginning, know you, Lord, how to make well with thee. The Bible has told me that John's 12th chapter is going to be three verses of Scripture, verses 9-11. Much people of the Jews, therefore, knew that he, that is, Jesus, was there. And they came not for Jesus' sake only, but they might see Lazarus also, whom he raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death, because that by reason of him, many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus Christ.

We thank you for your word, which is our instruction, our doctrine, our only rule and practice. We thank you that your word is a declaration and a proclamation of the glorious work of the Lord Jesus Christ and what he accomplished on Calvary Street. We thank you that if you read this word, our hearts are comforted in the knowledge and understanding that you have given your children and given them faith to believe what you have written.

Father, we pray for those who are sick and going through trials, especially Julia. She's recovering from this knee operation. We pray also for Cynthia. She awaits her operation not long from now. We pray for ourselves and we gather here tonight that you'd be pleased to give us grace and understanding.

We are thankful that you have brought us together in Jesus Christ and made us a family. We are thankful that in a world that's full of chaos, we have a place where we can go and hear the glories of your name and be comforted in our souls. Help us to understand what is before us in this passage of scripture. Grandfather, and I might preach the gospel of Jesus Christ clearly, let me say right things concerning thee, and give us worship tonight as we consider the greatness of your person, the glory of your kindness and tenderheartedness, and pity towards your children. We pray this in Christ's name, amen. Now, let's pass the prescription. We see two declarations concerning Lazarus. The first is found in verse 9.

It reveals the natural and reasonable response to Lazarus being raised from the dead. It says, Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there. And they came not for Jesus' sake only, but they might see Lazarus also whom he raised from the dead. It was a miraculous thing and it piqued the interest and curiosity of the multitudes around them for nothing like this had happened before. The crowds knew that Jesus was at Bethany and they wanted to see him, but they also were interested in seeing Lazarus. Such a thing had never happened before and Lazarus to them was a kind of celebrity.

Men's natural interest in things phenomenal was employed during this time, through the days of the apostle, to secure a hearing for the gospel. The elect were among the curious, there's no doubt about that. But in hearing the gospel, the sheep would hear the voice of Christ. And according to chapter 10, they would follow him.

And the rest would remain in unbelief, having been satisfied with just seeing what they saw. And much of religion is designed for sight. Elaborate, well-staged, so-called worship services exalt the flesh and excite the flesh. One megachurch was a visual feast.

The fellow who ran it was not a preacher or a pastor. Before he took over the church, his dad was the pastor. And when his dad died, he took over the church and turned it into a sight to see. He was the media man for his daddy. He knew all about the media. And so he put up great, huge TV screens. He had flashing lights. He had choirs of professionals that sang. He had four orchestras.

And every meeting was a great, wonderful, time for folks and it increased to have over 12,000 members in that church where they had to buy a stadium sort of place and money was pouring in in the millions and it was quite a sight to see. The preacher's message was always the same. He promised good things to come, that God wanted to help them out, and was planning on doing so. And just around the corner, things were going to change, and much for the better.

Then came the COVID. Shut down, and the preacher had to preach on the internet. People couldn't gather, these 12,000 couldn't gather in this place because of the COVID. And the message of health and wealth fell on deaf ears. And when the sanctuary reopened, only 2,000 people returned. 10,000 people did not return. So they asked many of those who didn't return, and when they were asked, they all said practically the same thing. On the internet, the excitement was gone. And they realized that the messages were empty and only the spectacle had kept them going.

It was a fun place to be on Sundays. It was a happy place to be. People raised their hands and gyrated in the aisles and had a wonderful time with each other. It was a rock concert is what it was, and people really enjoyed it. But when they had to just listen to the message, they found nothing in it. And so they stopped going, and right now that church is in financial trouble and will soon have to fold like the seven or eight others have. In that place, seeing was fantastic. But there was nothing to believe.

And that's the difference between a true church and religious places. Enticement of the flesh is not analogous with comfort of the soul. though it will keep one showing up until it doesn't. When the glitter is discovered to contain no gold, the interest turns to vapor. Perhaps many who came to see what a revived man looked like afterwards later heard the words of Christ and believed on him. We don't know.

But the next group in verses 10 and 11 want to see Lazarus also. but for an entirely different reason. In verse 10 it says, But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death, because that by the reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

And these two verses reside a clear example of legalistic religion as can be found in all of Scripture. It's been made clear that the Pharisees wanted to kill Christ. There's no doubt about that. It's been saying it since chapter 3 in this book. And under the guise of honoring the law, they accused Christ of blasphemy, breaking the law of the Sabbath by healing a man. They said he had a devil. They said he was a wine dripper and a drunk. They accused him of blasphemy because he said he was God. And they said these things were worthy of death. They were capital offenses.

So they sought to kill the Savior. But now, they also seek the death of not only Christ, they want to kill Lazarus. They want to kill Lazarus, whom Christ raised from the dead. They want to move from memory, both of these characters. They want to remove from memory both of these characters, kill Christ and kill Lazarus. They want to wipe any evidence off the face of the earth. Why would they want to do that?

The reason is clearly and plainly stated in verse 11. It says, Because that by reason of him, that is not only Christ but Lazarus who was raised from the dead, many of the Jews went away. and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. They were not talking about faith, they knew nothing of that. Their understanding of the possibility of many believing on Christ is found in this phrase, many of the Jews went away. So that was what was bothering them, that many of the Jews went away. They feared the loss, basically of one thing, that all religion save for true religion, fears. And that's losing control. If many went away, they wouldn't have control over them anymore.

You see, the Pharisees held sway. Our Lord said that in Luke 23. He said, or Matthew chapter 23, when He said that the Pharisees, they lay heavy burdens on men. That's how they keep them. but they won't lift a finger to help them with it, but they keep them under control. They held sway over multitudes, employing the first, the iron fist of the law. In Isaiah chapter 58, in describing these people, they were said to smite with the fist of wickedness as a means of serving God and a means of, they believed, saving the people. They could save no one and actually seem to take pleasure in men and keeping men in a constant state of guilt and condemnation. In Isaiah 58 it is said of them that they find pleasure in their fasts and exact all their labors. They put people to work and make them work.

But something had taken place entirely outside the wall of propagation. Something wondrous had taken place. A dead man had been made alive by Jesus Christ and this miracle revealed the battle. the war that resulted in the first murder and resided in the bosoms of these legalists this very day. Cain killed Abel because Abel had been graciously accepted on the merits of a nun.

We're just saying trusting only in thy merit would I seek thy faith. Trusting only in thy merit. This is what it is to believe in Jesus Christ. It's to believe in his merit and what he's done and nothing you have done. Everyone wants to be saved. Just about everybody does, though they might not admit it. But they don't want to be saved by somebody else. They want to be saved on their own merit. They want to earn their salvation, and this is what the legalists teach.

That's what they taught at Antioch when Paul and Peter went there, and Barnabas went there at Antioch, and the legalists snuck in clandestinely was subterfuge and told him, yes we believe on Jesus but you must be circumcised also in order to be saved. And Peter told him. And Paul, face to face, eyeball to eyeball said, you despise the grace of God. Because you see, if anything is added to the merit of Jesus Christ or taken from the merit of Jesus Christ with the salvation of a man's soul, that's despising the grace of God. Grace is the bane of legal works religion. What did Lazarus do? What did Lazarus do? What law did Lazarus keep? What service to God did he perform? What sin did he cease from committing that caused his resurrection?

The Pharisees knew that a dead man could do nothing. They knew that. They had buried enough people to know that. Lazarus was raised by Christ, imploring His power of mercy and grace, and such a thing could not be duplicated by the law. That's why they said of Paul, they slandered him in Romans chapter 3 and said, if you preach that, if you preach that salvation is by grace alone, By the mercy, sovereign mercy of God alone, you're going to cause people to just, you're going to open the floodgates of sin. They're going to do what they want to do. They're doing what they want to do anyway. Nobody's got a gun in your hand. Nobody's got a gun in my hand. But that's the idea.

If you preach grace alone, Because it says you had nothing to do with your salvation. That you were there, not carrying anything for God, hating God, and God in His great mercy and grace, purposed to save you. And then by His grace and mercy, He saved you. And you had nothing to do with it. You didn't even know that you had been redeemed until you heard the gospel that revealed your redemption. You didn't even know that, but what you found out that God had saved you. What a wondrous thing. Well, you mean men don't have anything to do with it?

Well, legalists believe they do. Legalists believe they do, and old men might say, I preached the gospel. Well, listen to what they say afterwards. They say, yes, we want you to come down front, Make a profession of faith. We want to say you're sorry. We want you to say you're sorry to God and ask God to forgive you and invite Jesus into your heart and accept Jesus and things like that. And then they say, and from then on, after that's done, that's okay, you're saved now. You gotta live a certain way. You gotta commit a certain way. You gotta do certain things in order to be a holy and a righteous person. That's the language they use.

Lazarus was dead. And that's the picture of a sinner as he's born into this world. And he was raised by Christ, employing His power of mercy and grace, and such a thing could not ever be duplicated by the law. You can't do it by the law. It's impossible. You see, the law works in a particular realm. What does the law say? What is the law? Just take the Ten Commandments.

Is any of them set forth in a positive way? Does any one of them say, if you'll keep this, you'll have a good life? Every one of them says, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not. Every one of it's a whole negative.

Why? Because you're already guilty of sin. The law was added because of transgression. And stopping doing something doesn't make you holy. Doesn't make you holy at all. The law works in the realm of sin and death. That's the realm in which it works. And it cannot produce or enhance or IMPROVE life. It is impossible.

Paul wrote about the resurrection of the children of God in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And he said this about the law, chapter 15. He said this in verse 56, the sting of death is sin. We know that Paul said in Romans, chapter 5, that sin entered the world by one man. And death by sin, so all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All have sinned in Adam. He says the sting of death is sin. Well, what's the strength of sin? The strength of sin is the law.

Paul said, I have not known sin except for the law. Paul thought he wasn't a sinner. The law came home to him in a different view than he had all along because he believed he kept the law in Philippians 3. He said, before the law, I was blameless. He didn't kill nobody. He didn't kill nobody's wife. He didn't commit adultery. He always kept the Sabbath day. He did all those things. He said, I'm fine. I'm fine, he says that it was all done, but that's what he felt. But one day when he heard the gospel from Jesus Christ, and then from an Ananias in the house where his eyes were covered, it was scales. When he heard the gospel, he found out that the law didn't say if you'll keep me, you'll live.

The law said you're dead and I'm going to kill you. That's what the law says. You're doomed. You're condemned. He that believeth not is condemned already, says the scripture of the Lord God. So this is the strength of the law. What is the law? The law of the strength of the law is sin. It's not righteousness. It's not holiness. It's not goodness. It's sin. It's sin. The result upon those who have tasted the grace of God is that they are dead to the law. By the law, they're dead to the law, because the law has been fulfilled for them, and they will go away from the law. They'll go away from it.

I've said it many times to many folks, when people say, you've got to be under the law, you've got to have a law. I've got a law, I've got one rule. The rule that Paul gave in Galatians chapter 6. That rule is this, and God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Christ by whom the world is crucified, killed to me, and I am crucified and killed to the world. The law has nothing to do with me. Now like Oral Scott Richard used to say, he said, I love the law. Every time I preach the gospel, I go to its grave and put flour in it. And that's the truth. We don't have anything to do with the law.

Now, Lazarus didn't have anything to do with it. The law couldn't have done that for Lazarus. The law could have went out about there by that grave where he was and stood outside that stone. And they could have said, Lazarus, come forth and do right. They could have come forth and said, Lazarus, come forth. Don't you commit adultery. Lazarus, come forth and be sure to keep the Sabbath.

Could have done all that. What would have happened? He would still be in that room until he died. Because the law can't do anything for a sinner. Only the grace of God can. And that day the grace of God came out. And freed Lazarus from his deadly bonds. God's people will be set free from the bonds of religion. And religion will not take it. They will lose control. They will lose control. Nothing is hated more by so-called Christianity in this world today than the pure undiluted message of absolute sovereign grace of God. Nothing is hated more. Why? It's the sweetest thing ever was. It's sweeter than honey in the honeycomb. It's precious. It's precious truth. It thrills the soul of all whom God has saved. Why do people do it? Because they can't control a saved man. Why? Because you're not going to accept bonds. You're not even going to accept chains and fetters.

Those things have been cast aside by you. Paul said in Galatians 5, Stand therefore fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not brought again unto the yoke of life. Stand fast. And that's what the child of God does. The threat of censure and the promise of reward for keeping the law It means nothing to the sinner saved by grace. Let me all you want to, but if you don't straighten out, you're going to hell. I'm not going to hell. Not because I straighten out or don't straighten out. Not because I did something or didn't do something.

If I go to the Lord for one reason, Jesus Christ is going to take me there. By his grace and by his mercy. Religion fears grace. Fear is grace because it can't control people. Because the salvation that does not involve a man's input, or at least his cooperation, is a fearsome thing to them. Because this is how they operate.

They keep man guilty by saying he's going to be censured for his activity. Or they promise him, if you'll straighten up my right, you'll get some kind of crown in heaven. And that keeps him inside. That keeps him inside. But the minister of the gospel says, love Christ and do what you will. And he knows that if they love Christ, they're going to come out and hear the gospel. He knows that. He ain't got to cajole them. He ain't got to threaten them. He ain't got to promise them anything. All he's got to do is declare the grace of God and Jesus Christ and the children of God come and laugh it up like a dog laughing up water.

Modern Phariseeism does not believe that man is completely dead. They don't believe he's plumbed dead or twice dead plucked up by the roots. In order to get folks right with God, they attribute power to the dead man. They do. God says they're dead in trespasses and sin. God said spiritually they cannot understand anything. They can't understand the Word of God. They can't understand, they can't receive the things of the Spirit. They're foolishness to them. Neither can he know them nor discern them or understand them. It's impossible for them to get it.

That's what the Bible said. But they say, well, not quite. It's not quite that bad a preacher. Not quite that bad. So they attribute power to dead men. They would go out to the graveyard and say, come on now. to a person in the grave. And according to their theology, they believe he can. Isn't that ridiculous? Of course it is, but that's what they believe. They believe that's the power of life, conditioned upon his acceptance of their version of salvation. He has a bit to say to God. I heard a fella, a very popular fella the other day says, this is what you gotta do. He was on a news channel, and he said, this is what you need to do. You need to tell God you're sorry and ask Him to forgive you. And then accept Jesus and invite Him into your life as Lord of your life, and everything will be all right. And you can call us later and talk to us. We'll help you out with it.

Is that what the Bible said? No word. But that's called, back in the 60s, it became known as the simple plan of salvation. Salvation was simple in that it was singular. Salvation is Jesus Christ dying on the cross for his people. That's salvation. They say, you say you're sorry and then commit your life to religion and you'll be saved. You'll be saved. Doctrine and Grace lays the ax to the root of every aspect of religious lives. The Pharisees would walk around telling, this is how people live and how they have to live to please God. Tell that to Lazarus. He's dead. He can't hear you. He can't see you. He can't respond to you. He's not able. What's it gonna take? What's it gonna take? It's going to take an act of almighty God to do something about it. So the doctrine of grace lays axe to the root of every aspect of religious life.

But Lazarus was dead and was made alive by the will of God, by the will of the Savior. Lazarus did nothing because he could do nothing. He could do nothing. Life entered his dead bones by the word of God. Grace cried, Lazarus, come forth! And he came. He did. He can't do that, but he did. One time the Lord said to a man who had a withered head, straighten out your head. Well, he can't do that. But he did.

He did because God commanded him to do it. If God commands you to do something, with a command comes the permission. With a command comes the permission. Life entered his bones. Then rather than giving him a list of things to do, to be righteous and holy and under the control of religion. The word of the Savior said it is. Loose him and let him go. That's the gospel. How sweet.

Y'all are free. You didn't have to come here tonight. There's no law or regulation. No one rules up here on this law that says you gotta be here or you gotta give or you gotta pray. Why do you do it then? Because you're free to do it. You do what you want to do. Loose him and let him go. And next we find him where? Have him suffer with the Savior. And that's where you do too. You fellowship with Him. Grace had stirred the murderers' hearts in the Pharisees because it gave the dead man life and set the dead man free.

They said, the Jews went away. That's what's got them. The Jews went away and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, but they went away. That means I don't have any control over them. By reason of him, many Jews went away and believed on Jesus. Legal religion cannot countenance this. It never will countenance this. If they could, they would murder every sinner quickened from the dead by the grace of God, because when it occurs, they lose control. Here's what religion found out. When the Lord saved me, I left. I didn't go back. I didn't go back.

Free from the law, that's what we say. Free from the law, oh happy condition, Jesus has died and there is new mission. Cursed by the law and bruised by the law, Christ is redeemed once more. God bless us to understand and pray Christ's name. All right. So we get Sunday's Lord's Day.

I wonder if we could change, I wonder if we could separate behind the gray cloud from behind the gray cloud. Do what? I said walk through the gray cloud. I had to laugh every time I said it. I had to swipe $600 from Jerry Caldwell for a bottle. Oh, I know he had to. Stan, you knew if that was black, you didn't have to get a C-Rectum. Who likes the $70 price? Oh, he was... Jerry Caldwell. Since we've got to talk to the A.B. Burr, and we have to do it, just set a line up for him. Yeah, he was like, I don't know, but it got to be some fabric. Every time he said it, I was like...

Lazarus Also

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Lazarus being raised from the dead?

How do we know grace is essential for salvation?

Why is faith in Jesus important for Christians?

What does the story of Lazarus teach about the nature of true religion?

Sermon Transcript

About Tim James

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Lazarus Also

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Lazarus being raised from the dead?

How do we know grace is essential for salvation?

Why is faith in Jesus important for Christians?

What does the story of Lazarus teach about the nature of true religion?

Sermon Transcript

About Tim James

Comments

More from Tim James

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Tim James

Books by Tim James

Suggested for You

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book