- Death hurts (John 11)
- We see this in Mary’s tears.
- We hear it in Martha’s urgent words.
- When someone we love gets sick we do two things – we call the doctor and the preacher.
- The two sisters called the Lord (Vs. 2).
- Jesus knew the ultimate outcome of this illness (Vs. 3).
- When Jesus did arrive the sisters were aggravated and disturbed that he did not get there sooner to prevent a funeral.
- When the Lord arrived he did not find a party.
- He found tear-blurred eyes, faces red with crying and emotions on edge.
- Death had done what it always does in a family.
- DEATH HURTS BECAUSE OF THE INITIAL SHOCK.
- The shock is the same no matter how death comes:
- If it’s sudden and unexpected – result of an accident.
- If it’s after a short or extended illness (Vs. 3).
- We never know when death will come (Heb. 9:27).
- We are never ready to give up the people we love.
- That is the way it should be.
- Jesus arrived to find the two sisters grieving (Vs. 19).
- Trust in Christ can keep trouble from the heart (Jn. 14:1).
- Not from the house (Job 14:1).
- The shock is the same no matter how death comes:
- DEATH HURTS BECAUSE OF THE EMPTINESS IT LEAVES.
- It leaves an empty chair at the kitchen table.
- It leaves an empty side of the bed.
- It leaves an empty place at worship services.
- It leaves us lonely.
- Is there anything to be done about it?
- Some would blame God (Vs. 21).
- Better to let him help (1 Pet. 5:7).
- Death hurts, but Jesus helps. How?
- JESUS HELPS US THROUGH THE TRAGEDY ITSELF.
- Any tragic event will test us to see the metal of which we are made [death, sickness, divorce, job loss].
- We don’t welcome it, but we can learn from it:
- Tragedy is therapeutic (Jas. 1:2).
- Tragedy brings patience (Jas. 1:3-4).
- Tragedy purges (1 Pet. 1:7).
- Funerals are no fun, but they are instructive:
- They teach us that life is never long enough (Jas. 4:4).
- They teach us that this life is a training ground for the next (Jn. 11:9-10).
- They teach us that we must prepare and live faithfully (Jn. 3:3, 5; 1 Cor. 15:58; Rev. 2:10).
JESUS HELPS US THROUGH HIS PEOPLE.
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- This is illustrated by the mourners at Lazarus’ funeral (Vs. 19).
- The Jewish mourning period lasted 30 days.
- This allowed them to get it out of their system.
- Christians today help those who have suffered loss (Rom. 12:15-16).
- No one does this better than those who love and obey the Lord.
- This is illustrated by the mourners at Lazarus’ funeral (Vs. 19).
- JESUS HELPS US BY NEVER LEAVING US.
- The Lord was late arriving at the funeral of Lazarus (Vss. 14-17).
- There may be times for us when it seem to us the Lord is not there.
- We feel unfulfilled, and that our prayers go unanswered.
- It may seem that the Lord arrived late in our lives if he arrived at all.
- The Lord was late arriving at the funeral of Lazarus (Vss. 14-17).
B. The truth is that he is always where he is needed (Vss. 44-46).
*Credit for this article’s title and some of the thoughts in the preceding outline go to Allen Webster and his “house to house” work.
Dennis Gulledge
Mabelvale, Arkansas