When He heard this, Jesus said, This sickness will not end in death.

No it is for Gods glory so

that Gods Son may be glorified through it.
John 11:4
Johns Gospel is a marvellous piece of writing. It has the purpose of bringing the reader to faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ. John tells us that this is his purpose as he writes towards the end of the Gospel
these powerful words. Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which
are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name. (John 20:30-31) In the first half of
the book John presents teaching, statements which point to the identity of Jesus as the Christ, based
upon the Old Testament Scriptural teaching, as well as seven miraculous signs which call us to faith in
Him. In this eleventh chapter we have the seventh sign. Of all that Jesus has done so far this has to be
considered the greatest sign.
It begins with another crisis. This is an urgent request for Jesus to attend to the sickbed of a
man, Lazarus by name, who is part of a family which is beloved by Him. If He can get to Lazarus on time
then the Great Physician can certainly heal him. The call is urgent. There is really only one thing that
Jesus should do. His friend needs Him so He must go back into Judea even though that will create
considerable danger because the Jewish leaders have recently tried to stone Him. So far Jesus has
escaped their designs, but now events have conspired against Him.
The Lord Jesus is never one to live under the control of what others consider urgent. The plan
for His life and His death is under His own control. He waits for an additional two days, telling His
disciples that this sickness is not unto death. There is another, greater purpose to Lazarus illness. It is
to Glorify God as it glorifies the Son of God. What Jesus is telling His disciples is that Lazarus illness will
bring Glory to the Father, Son, and Spirit by demonstrating clearly that even death, that great enemy of
the human race has been triumphed over by the Lord Jesus Christ. This illness is not unto death because
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.
I believe that Jesus is pointing beyond the restoration of Lazarus life here however. He tells
them that He personally is the Resurrection and the life. He will triumph over death and be the first
fruits of those who are raised. In Johns Gospel the Glory of Christ is revealed in the cross and
resurrection. To be raised, to triumph over death, Jesus must first die. This is the work which He has
come to do. It is completely in His control as to its timing and manner. It is not a defeat or a tragedy; it
is the way to real and abundant life.
For Lazarus to be raised he must first die. This points our attention ahead to an even more
important death and resurrection. Life comes as death is triumphed over by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse sixteen of this chapter has the disciple Thomas voice a prophetic statement which points to the
way of the disciple. Let us also go, that we may die with Him. It is entirely possible that Thomas was
simply expressing his view that Jesus was following a risky course of action. We can see loyalty and even
some courage in him. I am convinced that John presents the statement however as a prophetic call to
the way of discipleship. Those who would be disciples of Jesus must, Deny himself, and take up his
cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23). To follow Jesus as a disciple however is the road to abundant
life. The Puritan writer John Flavel expressed it this way.
The Christian shall gain that which he cannot lose, by parting with that which he cannot
keep.