JOHN CHAPTER 11

Why do people get sick.

“The sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that may be
glorified the Son of God by it.”

The sickness and death of Lazarus mirrors and foreshadows the

death and resurrection of Jesus. Lazarus is loved yet Jesus delays
coming to his aid whilst he is sick so that Jesus can reveal his glory.
Dying of an infirmity would not be pleasant but painful. Lazarus
suffered and Jesus withheld his power even though he loved Lazarus
and later wept with the others who were grieving.

When Jesus was crucified and suffered, the Father loved Jesus but
hid his face from him, so that God’s glory in his judgment of sin and
his grace could be demonstrated in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Like Lazarus who was laid in a tomb with a stone at the entrance,
Jesus was laid in a tomb with a stone rolled across the entrance as
well. Lazarus’ tomb stone was rolled back whilst angels rolled back
Jesus’ entrance stone.

Lazarus emerged bound in grave clothes and Jesus also when

resurrected left graveclothes lying in the tomb exactly in place as
when his body had been embalmed by them. Lazarus became sick
and died and his death mirrored the Lord’s death and resurrection.
There is even a reminder of Mary’s act of preparing Jesus’ body for
burial by anointing Jesus and washing his feet with her hair in this
chapter.

Mary ran to meet Jesus outside the village and fell at his feet to
express her grief at Jesus not coming to Lazarus’ aid. Later, she will
meet Jesus again after he was raised from the dead and he appeared
to her away from the tomb. At that future time, Mary pleaded for
the location of his body.

Clearly, Jesus’ death and resurrection transcended what Lazarus

experienced. Nevertheless, this sequence of events around Mary and
Martha’s brother prepared the disciples for such an event. Lazarus
was a forerunner to Jesus. The miracle of Lazarus also had a negative
effect in strengthening the resolve of the evil rulers to crucify Christ.
This event created faith as many believed but it also increased the
hatred of the religious leaders toward Jesus, thus precipitating
further their murderous plot. This division of opinion remains to this
day. The resurrection engenders faith because Lazarus proves that
the dead are raised in Christ. It also engenders indifference to
rejection and even hostility by those who reject God.

Another thing that Jesus showed the disciples was that one does not
avoid a trial, but a person must go through it. Martha and Mary were
encouraged to open the tomb and go through the trial of their faith
rather than skirt around it and avoid the challenge of opening the
tomb. Going through the trial with Jesus in faith and with his
supporting encouragement to do so enabled the sisters to obey and
see the glory of God. Let us not avoid going through the storm.

What happens when people become sick today? We are not in the
category of Lazarus. Speaking personally, I had an ultrasound for a
minor condition for one part of my body, and it was discovered that I
had a nine-centimeter tumor in another part of my body, on my
adrenal gland. Anything above four centimeters is deemed malignant
and life-threatening. I was devastated. My fear was that from the
tumor, cancer had spread to the rest of my organs.

I left no stone unturned. I contacted many specialists and eventually

my choice landed on the best surgeon in my country. I located this
surgeon because he regularly performed the procedure of removing
these kinds of tumors. I had also learnt that the tumor did not
appear to be very vascular, so there was a chance it was not
malignant. I spoke to the top surgeon and not having insurance was
ready to pay a substantial price to have the tumor removed.

Then for some inexplicable reason, this incredible surgeon put me on

the public list and at the top of it and before I knew it, I was in the
operating theatre and not having to pay even though I would be
more than happy to do so. Many unbelievers were amazed at this
magnanimous act of charity and how I went thru the public system
and was put at the top of the list. I gave thanks to God for his
kindness because I do not deserve it in any way.

After the operation, it was discovered that the tumor was a rare
benign tumor called a shwannoma. It was made up of benign cells
and the surgeon removed it. This also was incredible not be a
malignant tumor given its size. I thank God for his mercy – I don’t
deserve any of it at all. Unbelievers welcomed the news of my
recovery and how my large tumor was benign and the incredible
magnanimous act of this top surgeon. I would not wish cancer on
anyone. I feared dying not believing I had accomplished anything for
God in my life. My disease was an opportunity for God to
demonstrate great grace. It brought glory to his name and amazed
unbelievers. But I fear cancer so much, but God mercifully was with
me and saved me. I hope I never have to face this terrible disease
again. In my case, God had great mercy on my worthless soul.

Sickness, Jesus said of Lazarus, was not unto his death but an
opportunity to display God’s glory. This cannot be said of all sickness
that people contract. Sometimes it seems to have no purpose other
than to display a species of randomness without explanation. Such
events are beyond any explanation, we can only weep and believe
that God will make all things right in the end. At times it is just the
order of natural laws that we exist under. People grow old and
people grow ill as their bodies wear out.

One thing is certain. Regardless of how we die, Jesus promised we

will rise again and enjoy God in his glory for all ages. This is the final
resting place for all Christians, in the heavenly glory of God with
Christ. The evidence is that Lazarus rose again. Jesus also rose again
and so in Jesus is the resurrection from the dead.

Jesus also shows us from this chapter that even though we get sick,
we are loved. Even though he seems distant, we are still loved.
Despite sickness causing our death, we will be raised in new life and
whole again. Those left behind to mourn and miss us, Jesus weeps
with them in empathy as he did with Lazarus’ family and with those
who suffer loss in the interim until the resurrection. The greatest
comfort is that death is not the end, but in Christ we will be raised
and so glorify God just as Lazarus’ resurrection brought glory to God.