1. Death hurts (John 11)
   1. We see this in Mary’s tears.
   2. We hear it in Martha’s urgent words.
2. When someone we love gets sick we do two things – we call the doctor and the preacher.
   1. The two sisters called the Lord (Vs. 2).
   2. Jesus knew the ultimate outcome of this illness (Vs. 3).
   3. When Jesus did arrive the sisters were aggravated and disturbed that he did not get there sooner to prevent a funeral.
3. When the Lord arrived he did not find a party.
   1. He found tear-blurred eyes, faces red with crying and emotions on edge.
   2. Death had done what it always does in a family.
4. DEATH HURTS BECAUSE OF THE INITIAL SHOCK.
   1. The shock is the same no matter how death comes:
      1. If it’s sudden and unexpected – result of an accident.
      2. If it’s after a short or extended illness (Vs. 3).
   2. We never know when death will come (Heb. 9:27).
      1. We are never ready to give up the people we love.
      2. That is the way it should be.
   3. Jesus arrived to find the two sisters grieving (Vs. 19).
      1. Trust in Christ can keep trouble from the heart (Jn. 14:1).
      2. Not from the house (Job 14:1).
5. DEATH HURTS BECAUSE OF THE EMPTINESS IT LEAVES.
   1. It leaves an empty chair at the kitchen table.
   2. It leaves an empty side of the bed.
   3. It leaves an empty place at worship services.
   4. It leaves us lonely.
   5. Is there anything to be done about it?
      1. Some would blame God (Vs. 21).
      2. Better to let him help (1 Pet. 5:7).
   6. Death hurts, but Jesus helps. How?
6. JESUS HELPS US THROUGH THE TRAGEDY ITSELF.
   1. Any tragic event will test us to see the metal of which we are made [death, sickness, divorce, job loss].
   2. We don’t welcome it, but we can learn from it:
      1. Tragedy is therapeutic (Jas. 1:2).
      2. Tragedy brings patience (Jas. 1:3-4).
      3. Tragedy purges (1 Pet. 1:7).
   3. Funerals are no fun, but they are instructive:
      1. They teach us that life is never long enough (Jas. 4:4).
      2. They teach us that this life is a training ground for the next (Jn. 11:9-10).
      3. They teach us that we must prepare and live faithfully (Jn. 3:3, 5; 1 Cor. 15:58; Rev. 2:10).

JESUS HELPS US THROUGH HIS PEOPLE.

1. 1. This is illustrated by the mourners at Lazarus’ funeral (Vs. 19).
      1. The Jewish mourning period lasted 30 days.
      2. This allowed them to get it out of their system.
   2. Christians today help those who have suffered loss (Rom. 12:15-16).
   3. No one does this better than those who love and obey the Lord.
2. JESUS HELPS US BY NEVER LEAVING US.
   1. The Lord was late arriving at the funeral of Lazarus (Vss. 14-17).
      1. There may be times for us when it seem to us the Lord is not there.
      2. We feel unfulfilled, and that our prayers go unanswered.
      3. It may seem that the Lord arrived late in our lives if he arrived at all.

B.        The truth is that he is always where he is needed (Vss. 44-46).

*Credit for this article’s title and some of the thoughts in the preceding outline go to Allen Webster and his “house to house” work.

Dennis Gulledge
Mabelvale, Arkansas