Just like they had been laid there by Joseph, of Arimathea,
and yet, Jesus body had been raised and was completely out of
that. Not only that John makes a
really good point over the next couple of few chapters about how
the concave shape of the turbine that they wrapped around the
head will steal laying over by itself in a different place.
Making just enough room for the neck and the face of Jesus.
Turbed grave clothes. No wonder, they were didn't come
see the place where the Lord lay?
No wonder when they saw it. They saw and they believed
because they witnessed a real miraculous event in the case of
Jesus. It was a real Resurrection.
Everybody that witnessed it. Realize they had reached a
crucible in their life. Bible says it's some believed
many believed. In fact, some didn't they were
still skeptical. In fact, they were more Beyond
skeptical. They were actually angry.
And so they went to tell the Sanhedrin, the authorities of
what they had seen. The authorities concluded that
Jesus was already gone too far, but with this many, in fact,
the, the Sanhedrin high priest said, If we let this go, they
will all believe on him. I'll tell you.
That's the truth. When you understand the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, when you've become a witness in
your soul, by the bearing witness of the the disciples in
by the Living Word of God, you become a believer.
When you're brought to the resurrection and the life, you
hear him say because I live, you shall live also.
And so this was incredible powerful event and Sanhedrin
knew it and the Bible says that they begin their plot to kill
him. Lazarus was walking.
Talking bearing witness. In fact, they threw a big party
six days before the Passover, which was right.
Right. Next up to Palm Sunday.
They had a party, they had a banquet and as you can imagine,
Martha was hosting in, Mary was cooking.
She was the one who seemed always be in the kitchen.
But taking care of everything, Barth was always in the kitchen,
taking care of everything, hosting the party and Mary was
at the feet of Jesus. And Jesus was there.
Reclining ready to be served? His disciples were there.
The party that had witnessed all of the Resurrection events of
Lazarus were there. They were going to have a
celebration. And Mary took out a bottle of
spikenard Mer a burial pointment with an extremely strong odor.
And whereas Martha had been worried about the odor at the
tomb of death. Here was something that was
happening. Mary took that little literally
in the Greek. It says leader, that it's not
our leader. It was a Roman measurement about
12 ounces. There was a man that knew
finances in the group Judas Iscariot, he kept the bag, he
kept the money, he was always keeping up with the price tag,
and he looked at an estimated that that 12 oz little vessel of
Nard was worth a hundred three. I missed three hundred denarii,
a denarii was a day's wage, three hundred denarii is a which
is a Year's worth of work. And that was the cost of that.
And she took that flask and anointed the feet of Jesus.
And wiped. His feet.
With her hair. Some have suggested.
And I remember years ago, skip Ryan, giving a very Vivid
illustration about this how that this particular nard probably
was so strong in its pungent odor, that it would remain upon
a body for days and days and days the odor.
This odor state-owned, Jesus body, that whole week.
It was on his body when they laid him in the Tomb, It was a,
a pouring out of the pressure cycle, an indicator of one of
the gifts that the Magi had brought, here's the emphasis
upon not death, but upon the res upon burial.
It's important to remember that Jesus really died.
He just didn't Swoon. He just didn't faint.
He just wasn't in temporary shock.
And then in the coolness of the Tomb, he revived and rejuvenated
himself and was able to get up and go and convince his
disciples that after that awful beating in that awful
crucifixion ordeal that he was just find it.
Had been raised from the dead know Christ had really died and
that burial appointment was the Ceiling significance of that,
burial and Jesus came out of the Tomb.
What is the whole, the whole point?
As I said before, let's just look at a, at a few things.
In the scripture number one, throughout all this ordeal
notice the emotions of Jesus in chapter in verse 5 of the
chapter. It says that Jesus loved as the
word of God P. He loved Lazarus.
In fact, when they sent for him they said this is the man that
you love. Come he sick.
When Jesus saw the multitude of the throng around, the The
Grieving ordeal that was going on there, he was the Bible says
that he was deeply moved. And actually, the word is Jesus
was moved with an emotive force. That was approaching adrenal
anger. Nothing in the world was more
repugnant to him than the thought of death.
And Jesus from all eternity said, I will come and I will be
the death of death in my death. And Jesus, I believe, at that
point was more resolved than ever to go to the Cross.
So the not only Lazarus could live, Mary, could live Martha
could live the Believers around, them could live but that you and
I can live forever more. In fact, it says that when the
people saw Jesus in that state of grief, Jesus wept.
Jesus wept. And the observation was that
they looked at and said behold how much he loved Lazarus.
The word, there's not a copy. It's phileo, the Brotherly Love.
They a a kinship that is supported and mutually
supportive a a wholesome and healthy kind of love.
For his fellow man. It must have been some kind of
indicator that which the father had imparted to the son when he
says, God. So loved the world that he gave
his only son that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish. And then it said just before the
reservoir, the resurrection of Lazarus that Jesus was deeply
moved again. This notion of our Salvation
Christ dying for our sin and in our place, being buried in the
Tomb and they're resting all day Saturday, resting on the Sabbath
in the Tomb. Fulfilling all of the rest and
Sabbath law. The it is finished, it's over
being, they're honoring Shabbat which is quit, stop no.
More of your own works, the work of the Lord, and then being
raised upon the the first day, the Third Day from the
crucifixion raised upon the first day of the week, their own
Easter Sunday morning, the very first one, This is a operation.
This is a plan fulfilled. This is what God intended for
us, to catch the death, the burial, and the resurrection.
Notice a sequence of verses beginning in verse 42, Tony
Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, father, I thank you that
you have heard me. I know that you always hear me,
but I've said this on account of the people standing around that,
they may believe that you sent me.
And then verse 45 in many of the Jews therefore who had come with
Mary and had seen what he did believed on him.
And then verse 40 48 this is now the chief priest of the council
saying if we let him go on like this, everyone would believe in
him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our
nation. But one of them Caiaphas who was
the high priest that year? Said to them you know, nothing
at all? Nor do you understand that?
It's better for you that one man should die for the people.
Not that the whole nation should perish.
He didn't realize what he was saying.
He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest
that year he prophesied, that Jesus would die for the nation
and not for the nation only. But also together into one, the
children of God who are scattered abroad.
That was the purpose was to gather into one.
Not only the nation of Israel but to bring into that Nation to
bring them in as Wild. Olive branches grafted into that
nation into the Israel of God into the true New Israel.
All of God's children. Where do you stand this morning?
Are you one of God's children have you believed?
As a resurrection of, Jesus Christ, made any difference to
you at all. he said because I live, you shall live also Your
faith. Your trust goes into him and
what he did died for you was buried rose again for your
justification. Here him this morning, call upon
him this morning, receive him this morning, the eternally
saved, join with all of God's children one day and that Great
Harvest that great Gathering known as the resurrection.
Of the Dead.