Funeral Sermon on John 11:25-26: Our Eternal Hope in Christ

The Reality of Death and Grief (John 11:1–17)

The narrative of Lazarus in John 11:1–17 mirrors our own encounters with the death of loved ones. Lazarus was a dear friend of Jesus, but he fell ill and eventually succumbed to his illness, much to the despair of his sisters, Mary and Martha. They were grieved greatly. Jesus was not in Bethany when Lazarus died. In fact, as His disciples pointed out, the Jewish authorities wanted to stone Jesus and put Him to death — and so returning to Bethany seemed unwise to them. But Jesus insisted, saying that returning would give glory to the Son of God and would help His followers to believe more fully in Him. They did not understand these words. Thomas remarked that they ought to go with Him and be prepared to die alongside Him, as He was their Master (John 11:16). For the disciples, they believed they were walking into their own deaths by returning to Bethany. They did not understand that Jesus returned to show that He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).

Martha certainly did not realize this when she seemingly rebuked Jesus for His absence while Lazarus lay sick. "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died," she said (John 11:21) — as though He who knew all things, He who made the world, He the Creator of Lazarus and Martha and all living beings, did not know or somehow did not care.

But is this a fair accusation? Not at all. She is grief-stricken and distraught. She knows that Jesus can perform miracles. But what is the depth of her belief? She confesses that Lazarus will rise again at the time of the Resurrection — and it is at precisely that moment that Jesus turns to her and asserts, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." Full stop.

He then calls for Lazarus, who rises from the dead — and He does this to give them a sign that they might believe in Him. He does this knowing that the High Priest will hear of it and decide to have Him killed in order to keep the people from following Him. He does this out of love and sacrifice — that we may believe in Him. In Him is Life. Death is but a sleep. All must sleep. This life is but a brief affair, a day that ends in sleep. Eternity is life indeed, in the Kingdom of God. Belief in Christ is the doorway to that Kingdom.

The Bible consistently acknowledges the reality of death as part of the human experience. Ecclesiastes 3:2 declares, "a time to be born, and a time to die." This inevitability is a universal truth that every person must face. The Psalmist in Psalm 90:12 prays, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." This prayer acknowledges the brevity of human life and the need to understand our days within the context of God's eternal timeline.

However, the story of Lazarus also teaches us that death is not the final chapter. In the grief and mourning over Lazarus, Jesus demonstrates His power over death, foreshadowing the greater resurrection to come through His own death and resurrection. This narrative invites us to view death through the lens of Christian hope. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:55, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" These rhetorical questions highlight the Christian belief in the ultimate defeat of death through Christ.

Supporting this perspective, contemporary theologian N.T. Wright, in his book Surprised by Hope, argues that the Christian hope in the face of death is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus. Wright states, "The point of the resurrection… is that death has been defeated."¹ Wright's insight aligns with the narrative of Lazarus, emphasizing that our current physical existence has eternal significance and that death is a transition into a new form of life promised by God.

¹ Nicholas Thomas Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (Zondervan, 2008), 50.

The shortest verse in the Bible — "Jesus wept" (John 11:35) — holds profound significance. This moment at Lazarus' tomb is a powerful illustration of Jesus' deep love and compassion. His tears reveal a Savior who is not distant or detached from human pain but who is deeply moved by it. This display of emotion is not merely a momentary concession to human weakness; it is a profound expression of divine empathy.

In the context of Lazarus' death, Jesus' weeping is particularly striking because He knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. Yet He still wept. This shows that Jesus' empathy extends beyond the immediate circumstances to the broader human condition of grief and loss. It reflects a deep understanding of the pain and sorrow that death brings to the human heart. In Romans 12:15, Paul encourages believers to "weep with those who weep," a principle that Jesus Himself embodied at Lazarus' tomb.

Furthermore, Hebrews 4:15 tells us, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." This verse shows us the empathetic nature of Jesus. He is not a distant deity; He is a Savior who has experienced the full range of human emotions and can deeply sympathize with our grief. We must be able to do the same for those who are experiencing grief.

Knowing that Jesus wept at the loss of a friend allows those who mourn to approach Him with their pain, confident that He understands and shares in their deepest sorrows. It assures us that in our grief, we are not alone. The empathy of Jesus is a source of great comfort and strength, reminding us that our Savior is intimately acquainted with the pain of loss and is present with us in our darkest moments.

However, our Lord is more than a mere source of comfort — He is so much more, as we shall now see.

Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25–26)

In John 11:25–26, Jesus makes a profound declaration to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, stating, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." This statement is not merely a comforting sentiment or a metaphorical expression; it is a bold claim of divine authority over the most inescapable realities of human existence: life and death.

This claim is significant because it directly confronts the finality of death, which is the ultimate human limitation. In the biblical narrative, death is often portrayed as the last enemy to be defeated (1 Corinthians 15:26). Jesus' claim to be the resurrection and the life is, therefore, a declaration of victory over this final enemy. It is a promise that death does not have the last word for those who trust in Him.

The resurrection of Lazarus serves as a powerful illustration of this claim. In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrates His authority over life and death in a tangible and unmistakable way. This miracle is a foretaste and a guarantee of the greater resurrection that He Himself would accomplish through His own death and resurrection. It is important to note that Lazarus' resurrection was temporary — he would eventually die again. However, it pointed to the ultimate resurrection that Jesus offers: a resurrection to eternal life.

This concept of Jesus' authority over death is further explored in scholarly works such as N.T. Wright's The Resurrection of the Son of God. Wright argues that the resurrection of Jesus is a historical event that fundamentally changes our understanding of reality. He writes that the resurrection declares that Jesus is Lord of the world, the master of life and death.² This perspective supports the biblical narrative, affirming that Jesus' resurrection is not merely a doctrinal point but a historical event that demonstrates His authority over life and death.

² N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, vol. 3 (SPCK, 2012), 10.

Belief in Jesus should transform our understanding of death. In practical terms, the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ reshapes how we approach not only our own mortality but also the loss of those dear to us. It is like viewing the horizon from two different vantage points. On one side, there is the perspective of life as we know it — finite, tangible, and bound by time. On the other side, there is the eternal perspective — where life transcends the physical and enters a realm of everlasting communion with God. This eternal perspective does not diminish the pain of our current loss, but it infuses it with a sense of hope and purpose.

To apply this, we should live our current chapters with faith, hope, and love, knowing that the story does not end with our final earthly breath. In our mourning, we hold onto the promise of a future reunion with those who have died in Christ.

As we move from contemplating this profound promise, let us shift our focus to how this promise is not merely a future expectation but also a present reality that impacts how we live our lives today.