As Jesus came to the end of His public ministry, all things written about Him in the Old Testament were coming to a climax. The cross opens up the way of everlasting life to all people, the good news proclaimed everywhere. We hear the call only by His grace, understanding our sinfulness, repenting, and trusting in the Son who died and rose again.
As Jesus came to the end of His public ministry, all things written about Him in the Old Testament were coming to a climax. The cross opens up the way of everlasting life to all people, the good news proclaimed everywhere. We hear the call only by His grace, understanding our sinfulness, repenting, and trusting in the Son who died and rose again.
Jesus never tells us simply what we want to hear, but He plainly teaches the difficult realities of the Christian life. As His people, we are called to be willing to die to ourselves and our sin, humbling ourselves, and loyally following Christ, wherever He leads. However, we are promised the fruits of following Him, His righteousness shone in us, and even sharing His inheritance of the nations.
In John 12, we see a powerful contrast between what true faith looks like and the hallmarks of a false profession. On the one side, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary display the testimony of God’s free regenerating grace, the service that we give to God, and the unashamed worship we offer. Judas on the other hand scoffs at true worship, rebukes generous service to the Lord, and displays in his heart unbelief.
To the unregenerate, the idea of free grace is terrifying because it takes control completely out of our hands. Christ’s demand is for our whole being, and that kills the autonomy we want in our rebellion. But true faith is based only on the free grace of God in Christ, and if He isn’t everything to us, then He is nothing.
Jesus’s raising Lazarus from the dead was an amazing work, but it points to something even more amazing. The focus is on Christ and His power to call a dead man from the grave with a command that must be obeyed. And this is what happens spiritually to all of those whom Christ calls: we are risen from our deadness in sin and are drawn to repentance and faith by the work of the Holy Spirit.
After the death of Lazarus, Jesus interacts with Martha and Mary, dealing with the finality of death as the result of sin. In these interactions, we see clearly the deity of Christ in His claim to be the exclusive source of life, as well as His humanity in His real emotion and indignation toward death, an enemy.
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is a familiar one, but we cannot miss Jesus’ initial response to the news of Lazarus’ sickness and death. Out of love, Jesus does not immediately go to heal Lazarus, in order that He may demonstrate His sovereignty over all things, His providential working, and His authority over death.
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”