July 25, 2021 Brandon Haan

John 11:38-44

As we’ve seen throughout this sermon series, many of the signs John tells us Jesus performed are callbacks to various Old Testament miracles. For instance, like his Father in creation, Jesus created something new when he turned water into wine and when he used a spoken word to heal the official’s son in Capernaum and the invalid in Jerusalem. Then, like the manna God sent the Israelites in the wilderness, Jesus gave people “bread from heaven” when he fed the 5,000. And just like God controlled the waters throughout the Old Testament, we saw Jesus control them too when he walked across them to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Here in this chapter, though, Jesus performs a sign that, instead of calling back to a previous one from Israel’s past, looks ahead to one still to come. Jesus raises his friend Lazarus, proving that he has the power to restore life. But in an even greater sign still to come in this story, Jesus would also rise, and, in so doing, give life not just to one person, but instead to all who put their trust in him.