John 11:25 - Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,"
- R.I.P. - My doubts about God's Timing (Jn 11:1-16)
- R.I.P. - My doubts about God's Ability (Jn 11:17-27)
- R.I.P. - My doubts about God's Motives (Jn 11:28-38)
Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!
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00:00-00:02
Open your Bibles to John chapter 11.
00:08-00:14
We've been going through this series where Jesus Christ has been making some claims about himself.
00:19-00:29
And when he made these claims, there was always something going on to accompany these claims.
00:29-00:39
For example, when Jesus said, "I am the bread of life," he had just fed thousands of people from a little boy's lunchbox.
00:40-00:59
And when Jesus stood up and said, "I am the light of the world," he was actually standing in the midst of the Feast of the Tabernacles when the lanterns were lit to celebrate God's Shekinah glory from the Exodus.
01:01-01:22
And in the face of false shepherds, Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and I am the door." And we studied that the door is actually the good shepherd laying down across the gateway to protect his sheep.
01:25-01:40
And we're going to see in today's passage that Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." What could He possibly do to accompany such a bold statement?
01:44-01:52
You know, several years ago, the news was on, and they were talking about a celebrity had passed.
01:52-02:04
I can't remember who it was now, but I do remember Aaron, my wife, saying, "Was that expected?" And I said, "Yeah, yeah, it was expected.
02:04-02:12
"It was?" And I said, "Well, we knew he was gonna die someday." Pray for my wife.
02:16-02:18
But right, we knew it was gonna happen.
02:20-02:25
Or in the words of Woody Allen, Woody Allen said, "I'm not afraid of dying.
02:25-02:44
"I just don't wanna be there when it happens." But the sad truth is, man does, universally, across the board, in every culture, in every period of history, there's a common denominator.
02:45-02:46
Man fears death.
02:53-02:56
And part of the fear is tied up in the fact that death is inescapable.
02:59-03:04
We just found out last week, actually, Darren got a text during the worship service, I believe, wasn't it?
03:05-03:13
A guy that we went to high school with, who was actually between Darren and I, was killed in Katanning.
03:15-03:17
You probably saw that on the news.
03:20-03:21
Senseless.
03:25-03:27
But ultimately death is inescapable.
03:31-03:36
I had several people ask me today, why are you dressed like that?
03:37-03:41
And my answer has been, because we're having a funeral today.
03:44-03:51
And when we get into John chapter 11, we're going to go to a funeral with Jesus, where He gives the greatest news of all time.
03:52-03:59
And if you're familiar with this passage, actually, we're not having a funeral for Lazarus.
04:00-04:01
Spoiler alert.
04:05-04:06
Lazarus doesn't stay dead.
04:08-04:11
Which really makes this funeral sort of a rip-off when you think about it.
04:12-04:15
Could you imagine showing up with a gift for Mary and Martha?
04:16-04:19
Sorry to hear about your brother passing and then Jesus raises him from the dead.
04:19-04:25
You're like, "I'm totally taking my gift back." But we are having a funeral.
04:25-04:26
Actually, we're having three.
04:28-04:37
Today we're having a funeral for the biggest doubts that we face as people.
04:38-04:39
Are you ready?
04:39-05:06
your outline, write this down. Number one on your outline, RIP. Rest in peace, my doubts about God's timing. Okay? We're having a funeral and the dearly departed that we are going to remember first are these little doubts that we have about God's timing. Look at the passage with me, John chapter 11, picking up in verse 1.
05:07-05:23
It says, "Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha." We've met them previously. What is it? Luke chapter 10.
05:23-05:35
Mary was sitting and listening to the teachings of Jesus and Martha was acting like Martha Stewart and running around and banging pots and pans and all disgusted that Mary wasn't helping.
05:38-05:49
Further explanation, verse 2, "It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.
05:51-06:04
So the sisters sent to him, saying, 'Lord, he whom you love is ill.'" Now Jesus healed a lot of people, right?
06:04-06:22
We see constantly Jesus was healing the blind and the deaf and the lame and Jesus was healing. So it almost sounds like they were sort of turning it up a notch. Like we have somebody else ill Jesus, but this isn't just like any old guy. This is your friend.
06:28-06:36
This But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death.
06:37-06:53
It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
06:54-07:05
"So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, "he stayed two days longer in the place where he was." I'm sorry, wait a minute.
07:06-07:07
Does your Bible say that?
07:09-07:13
Let's read that again, because I don't think I read this right, hang on.
07:14-07:19
"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." You with me so far?
07:20-07:21
Does your Bible say that?
07:25-07:36
So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
07:43-07:45
Yeah, that is what that says.
07:51-07:52
Jesus loved these people.
07:54-08:00
And I would expect the Bible to say, because Jesus loved them, "Oh, Lazarus is sick.
08:00-08:04
Come on, we've got to get moving now." And instead, what did Jesus do?
08:05-08:09
"Oh, Lazarus is sick." Sounds like an emergency, huh?
08:11-08:12
Not looking good for Lazarus, huh?
08:14-08:16
Let's just hang out here for a couple of days.
08:18-08:18
What?
08:20-08:21
Hang out here?
08:26-08:33
You know, when we're suffering, that's the number one question we ask, isn't it?
08:34-08:37
Why hasn't God done something about this yet?
08:37-08:38
Have you ever been there?
08:39-08:39
Have you ever been there?
08:40-08:43
Actually, I started counting in the Psalms.
08:43-08:45
You know what the number one question is people ask while they're suffering?
08:46-08:47
What's the number one question?
08:49-08:50
How long?
08:51-08:52
Do a little study on that.
08:52-08:53
I actually lost count.
08:53-08:59
All through the Psalms, that's the number one question that people who are suffering ask God.
08:59-09:00
How long?
09:00-09:01
How long is this gonna keep going on?
09:02-09:02
God, how long?
09:03-09:04
Will you forget me forever?
09:04-09:05
How long, oh Lord?
09:05-09:06
How long, oh Lord?
09:06-09:07
How long?
09:07-09:07
How long?
09:08-09:08
How long?
09:09-09:11
Why aren't you doing something about this?
09:14-09:21
You know, God, I've had this health problem and I've been praying about this and I've been praying about this and I get to church praying about this.
09:22-09:24
How long am I going to have to deal with this?
09:28-09:31
God, you know this issue I'm having.
09:34-09:45
God, I have this child whom I love and you know this problem that we've been having and and I've been praying and I've been praying and I've been praying and we're not getting anywhere.
09:48-09:52
Doesn't it seem to you oftentimes that God is just always late?
09:53-09:54
Doesn't it seem like that to you?
09:54-09:56
Come on, show of hands, let's be honest.
09:57-10:02
How many of you honestly feel like, you know what, it seems like a lot of times I think God is late.
10:02-10:03
Doesn't it feel that way?
10:05-10:07
Why aren't you doing something about this?
10:09-10:11
God, I need you and I need you now.
10:13-10:18
And the response is, we're gonna hang out for a couple of days.
10:20-10:25
God, I've been looking for a job and I've needed this and why isn't it happening?
10:29-10:36
Verses five and six should say, if you love them, you're gonna go help them now, but that would be incorrect.
10:39-10:42
because we don't understand what love is sometimes.
10:44-10:50
Love is not about getting what you think you want.
10:53-11:01
Love is not about, because God loves me, he should always give me what I want and he should always spare me from suffering.
11:03-11:05
Do you know who understands this?
11:07-11:08
Parents, right?
11:10-11:18
Can I get an amen from the parents in the house that the loving thing to do for your children is not always giving them everything they want, right?
11:19-11:19
Right?
11:20-11:24
Like Wilson, what would happen in your house if you're like, "That's all I'm doing.
11:24-11:28
Everything my daughters want, I'm just going to give them everything they want." Is that good parenting?
11:30-11:30
That's not good parenting.
11:32-11:42
Or "I'm going to do everything I can to keep them from any kind of a trial or any kind of hardship. I'm always going to shield them and protect them. Is that good parenting?
11:43-12:00
That is not good parenting. You're raising a wimp who's going to face the real world and think that everything's always owed to them. And Sometimes I am that wimp.
12:02-12:03
We'll jump down to verse 11.
12:08-12:10
I think this passage is funny here.
12:11-12:12
I'm just gonna be honest with you.
12:12-12:15
I don't mean that irreverently, but I think you're going to agree with me.
12:15-12:16
I just think this is funny.
12:18-12:20
So we skipped a few verses.
12:20-12:25
Basically, Jesus is like, okay, now we're gonna go and disciples are like, bad idea, they're trying to kill you.
12:25-12:29
And Jesus is like, yeah, I'm on God's schedule, So I'm not really worried about that.
12:30-12:33
But verse 11, you can read it for yourself.
12:33-12:34
That's what it says.
12:35-12:43
Verse 11, after saying these things, he said to them, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.
12:44-12:48
The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.
12:48-12:50
I just, I think that's funny.
12:50-12:54
Jesus is like, Lazarus has fallen asleep and I'm going to wake him up.
12:54-12:59
And the disciples are like, "Okay, so it's nappy time.
13:01-13:14
And for some reason, do you think it warrants the son of God to go wake Lazarus up from his little nappy time?" They're like, "Jesus, you know, falling asleep really isn't a critical thing.
13:15-13:17
People wake up from sleeping all the time, Jesus.
13:17-13:27
I don't think they need the hand of God for this one." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought he meant taking rest and sleep.
13:28-13:35
Then Jesus told them plainly, and thank you God for this, because I'm such a knucklehead, I miss it sometimes.
13:35-13:38
So Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died.
13:39-13:41
Okay, now do you understand what I'm saying?
13:44-13:52
And for your sake, I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe, but let us go to him.
13:58-14:02
Lazarus has died, and I'm glad I wasn't there.
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Why?
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He says, it's for your sake so that you may believe.
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This is gonna be really important here in a few minutes.
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And he could love Thomas.
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So Thomas called the twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go that we may die with him." That's the spirit, Thomas.
14:19-14:22
Mr. Optimism. All right, let's just go die.
14:24-14:28
So why did Jesus wait for two days? That's the burning question here, right?
14:29-14:36
Lazarus is sick and I'm not in any hurry. In fact, I'm delaying. Here it is.
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It was more loving to let them go through the death of Lazarus if ultimately it it will show them God's glory.
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And please hear me, 'cause we're bringing this right home.
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The loving thing that God is doing in your life right now, do you know what it is?
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Do you know what the loving thing God is doing in your life right now?
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Is he's allowing trials to take place, which is ultimately going to result in you experiencing His glory.
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That's the most loving thing God can do.
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That's why James chapter 1 tells us to consider it all joy, my brothers, when we go through trials of various kinds.
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Why would we consider it joy?
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because it means God is working and he's going to use it.
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And not just use it to make me a better person or a smarter person or a more, you know, sympathetic person.
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He's going to use it to accomplish the greatest thing that I can accomplish while I walk on this earth.
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And you know what that is?
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Experiencing him.
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That's his purpose for your trial.
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And Jesus made it very clear that that was the purpose for delaying.
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What kind of life would it be if we just coasted from birth to death?
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Our faith was never tested.
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We never needed God.
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We never felt dependent on God for anything.
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If you want to experience God, you're going to have to be put in a position where only He can deliver.
16:44-16:55
But here's the thing, you're going to have to wait on His timing, because His timing is always perfect, even though to us, He always seems late.
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We've thrown that phrase around a lot.
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God is never late, but he's seldom early.
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And sometimes even when I say it, I think, you know, sometimes God seems late, but he's not.
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I think back to when this church was planting and people were coming and kicking the tires and asking how this was going to happen.
17:25-17:27
I had some people ask me things like this.
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So is James McDonald going to buy us a building?
17:34-17:39
Yeah, he's gonna pull out his checkbook and he's going to write a check and buy us a building.
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Oh, is Big Harvest going to give us a million dollars to get us started?
17:44-17:46
People would ask all kinds of questions like that.
17:47-17:49
But here was the response.
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No, and I'm glad.
17:53-17:53
Why?
17:55-18:00
Because when this church launches, let's pretend, Let's pretend that that's exactly what happened.
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James got out his checkbook and he, you know, he wrote us out a check for a million dollars and said, "This will get you started." What would we be singing every week?
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"Blessed be the name of James McDonald.
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"Blessed be your name." Right?
18:19-18:20
Isn't that what we'd be singing?
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We'd be like, "Eyes off of God." Because we didn't think we needed them.
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You won't know that God is a provider until you have a need.
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You won't know that God is a healer until you are sick.
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And you won't know that God is a comforter until you mourn.
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So the question I have for you, church, is this.
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If whatever trial you're going through right now is ultimately going to bring you closer to God, because He's going to use it to reveal His glory, is it worth it?
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Is it worth it?
19:24-20:12
When you look back from eternity, when you're in heaven and you're looking back at your life, do you think there's going to be a point that you're like, "God, you should have shown up sooner at this point in my life. You were too late. Why didn't you do something about it sooner?" Do you think you're going to say that in eternity? Or do you think in eternity you're going to look back and say how glorious it was when you showed up and revealed yourself. God you remember that time in my life I was at the end of my rope and the only thing that I needed was you and you delivered and I and there I even thought maybe for a couple days you forgot about me but you showed up so gloriously. Those are the things you're going to celebrate?
20:15-20:23
As I was studying this this week, I thought, what if Jesus would have showed up and healed Lazarus when he found out he was ill?
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Let's talk about that for a second.
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What if Jesus would have done that?
20:28-20:30
Okay, so Lazarus is sick.
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Jesus, the one whom you love is sick, and Jesus goes and he puts his hands on him and he heals him.
20:35-20:39
And that would have been really exciting, right?
20:40-20:41
for like a week.
20:42-20:45
And then it would have been, well, maybe Lazarus wasn't really that sick.
20:47-20:51
It was nice of Jesus to show up and heal him.
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But what you're going to see is the thing that he actually does, actually does rather, actually did, does.
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The thing that he actually did, we'll go with that one, is so much more glorious than just showing up and doing what people expected him to do.
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So I want you to write this down on your outline.
21:19-21:22
Delay doesn't mean late, okay?
21:22-21:23
We're gonna write that down.
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Delay doesn't mean late.
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Don't use that as an excuse to be late for church.
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But when it comes to the way God is working in your life, Delay doesn't mean late, delay does mean this.
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I'm going to do something so much better than what I could do now.
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So does God seem to delay in your life?
21:59-22:01
Does it seem like God has been delaying?
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Well, let's have a funeral and let's lay to rest our doubts about God's timing.
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Let's lay it to rest and say, "God, your calendar, your timetable to reveal your glory to me is so much better than mine." Rest in peace.
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Second funeral we're having today is this.
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Rest in peace my doubts about God's ability.
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Rest in peace my doubts about God's ability.
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Where did we leave off?
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Verse 17, "Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
22:58-23:01
Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off.
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And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother." When John speaks of Jews, oftentimes he's talking about Jewish leaders.
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Lazarus was probably somebody important.
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But did you know also in those days they had professional mourners?
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Did you know that?
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They had people like that was their job.
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There was a funeral and they would show up and just like wail.
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That was their job.
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So you have the scene.
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So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him.
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But Mary remained seated in the house.
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Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Wow.
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Right out of the gate.
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Right out of the gate.
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Martha probably thought one thought for the past four days.
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And when Jesus showed up, she couldn't even wait till he got there.
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She rushed to meet him.
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First thing out of her mouth, If you would have been here, Lazarus wouldn't have died.
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You know, Jesus, you could have done something back when he was sick.
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Now he's dead.
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And he's been dead for four days.
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So what could you possibly do now?
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Well, she offers a little hope in verse 22.
24:57-25:03
But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.
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You have to wonder what was going on in Martha's head and in Martha's heart, that on one hand there's despair, but on the other hand, she's still holding on to some hope.
25:17-25:35
Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Martha had some good theology.
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You know, that was a hotly debated topic in Jesus' day.
25:38-25:41
Is there a resurrection or is there not a resurrection?
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The Pharisees held that there was a resurrection.
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The Sadducees said that there was not.
25:47-25:51
And you see that argument going on and on and on.
25:53-25:56
Well, the Old Testament says that there's ultimately going to be a resurrection.
25:56-25:59
In John chapter five, Jesus talked about a resurrection.
26:00-26:06
The book of Revelation closes talking about the final resurrection and the new heaven and the new earth.
26:07-26:11
So yeah, Martha's theology was right on, except for one little detail.
26:16-26:25
She believed that something awesome is going to happen for Lazarus in the future, but not today.
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And before we start picking on Martha, sometimes we are so lame when it comes to believing God in the here and now, right?
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Let's be honest, church.
26:39-26:50
We read our Bibles and we think, remember back in like Moses' day, parting in the Red Sea and manna from heaven, and God did some awesome things back then, didn't he?
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Didn't God do some awesome things like way back in the day?
26:55-27:03
And then we think, you know, like you read the book of Revelation, someday God is going to do some awesome things.
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And don't we get stuck there sometimes?
27:06-27:11
Like God was awesome back then and God will be awesome someday, but what about today?
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Well, God's just kind of like got the cruise control on and he's just kind of kicking back and sitting and watching.
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Someday he's going to do something awesome.
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That's Martha.
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Someday, Jesus said, he'll rise again.
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Martha's like, yeah, I know, someday, someday, someday, someday, you didn't show up when I thought you were going to Jesus, so I guess I'll have to wait for heaven.
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What makes you think that God lacks the power right now?
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Let me ask you, church, what keeps you from praying for a miracle right now?
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What keeps you from praying for a miracle?
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Do you think that the Lord is not able to handle it now?
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Is that it?
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Are you facing a problem that only God can fix?
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When was the last time you prayed for a miracle?
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When was the last time you prayed for a miracle?
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To say, "God, I need you to show up in a big way." Praying, believing that He still has the power.
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Like, "Wow, I'm really tired from all those Old Testament miracles.
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I better rest until the end of the age." Wrong!
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That's why through this whole series, Jesus is saying exactly how God revealed himself.
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And here it is.
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One of the most amazing statements ever.
28:59-29:09
Jesus said to her, this was in response to, I know he's going to, you know, rise again in the last day. And Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.
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Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
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Do you believe this?
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Jesus didn't say I was the resurrection back in Elijah's day.
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Jesus didn't say I will be the resurrection at the end of the age.
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What did he say? Tell me.
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Say it loud, I am.
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I am the resurrection.
29:51-29:52
Jesus said this to Martha.
29:54-30:00
And he's saying it today and he'll say it tomorrow because it doesn't change.
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He is the I am.
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And as Martha was so in despair mode and the window of opportunity is passed and "Oh Jesus, why didn't you do something?" Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." This is the greatest news in the history of mankind.
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You're going to die.
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No, that's not the great news.
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The great news is this, death is not the end. The worst fear humanity faces is forever eliminated by one sentence.
30:47-31:00
Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me..." Notice he He says, "Though he die, yet shall he live." Death isn't like the period at the end of a sentence.
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Death is more like a comma.
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The sentence goes on.
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It's not over.
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Just to make it extra clear, Jesus said, "And everyone who lives and believes in me," look at this, "shall never die." Shall never die.
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That's why when a believer dies, I don't even like to say they died.
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You know what I like to say?
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You know what I like to say when a believer dies?
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I like to say they graduated.
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Right?
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They graduated.
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They like went through the school of life and God says, "Okay, you're done." They graduated.
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But then Jesus asked the question, here's the question though.
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Jesus said, "Do you believe this?" Do you?
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Do you believe this?
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You know, I've done a lot of funerals.
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I couldn't even fathom a guess.
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I was talking with Taylor about this before the service.
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But the church that I came from, we were a downtown church and there were a lot of funeral homes around us. And oftentimes one of the funeral home directors would call us if somebody died but didn't have a church. Like this guy had no church affiliation, no church membership, and we want to have a little funeral here.
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Will I've done a lot of funerals for Christians, and I've done a lot of funerals for non-Christians.
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And let me tell you, there is a huge difference.
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There is a huge difference between the Christian's funeral and the non-Christian's funeral.
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I think of Shervil Martin's funeral, friend of mine, Brooke's grandmother. That was a celebration, wasn't it? You know, we knew that she was having the best day of her life, and the funeral service was more of like this big worship service and celebration, and quite frankly, we were all just like a little jealous. Like, "Man, she's in heaven and we're like not there yet." That was glorious. But I've been to a lot of funerals of people that...
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no No spiritual background, never been to a church, never cracked the spine of a Bible, never received the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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And belief in Christ forever changes, forever changes the way that we view life and death.
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So is there a sense of anticipation for your own death?
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Do you have a sense of anticipation for your own death?
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I don't mean like you're suicidal, but isn't there just something in you that says, I'm kind of looking forward to being done in this fallen world and living in this fallen flesh and disease and suffering, and to just eternally be in the presence of my Lord?
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I think it was Joe Stoll who said, "The Bible doesn't tell us any more about heaven than it does because people would be jumping off of the tops of buildings to get there." So the second funeral we're having today is this, "Rest in peace my doubts about God's ability. Let's not fall into the Martha trap. Oh someday, someday, someday, day when Jesus is saying, I have the power to do a miracle today because of who I am.
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And then finally, look at number three, rest in peace.
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My doubts about God's motives.
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Picking up in verse 28, "When she had said this," I'm sorry, verse 27, "Martha said to him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.'" Then verse 28 says, "When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, 'The Teacher is here and is calling for you.' heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Does that sound familiar?
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That's exactly what Martha said. What do you think the conversation was that week?
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What do you think people talked about for the past four days? What do you think Topic of conversation, if only Jesus was here, if only Jesus had showed up in time, if only Jesus had come, if only Jesus had come, and first thing out of Martha's mouth, first thing out of Mary's mouth, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
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Wow.
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That's the big question, isn't it?
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If God is all loving, and God is all powerful, then why is there suffering?
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If God is all loving and God is all powerful, why is there suffering?
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That's a question that has turned evangelists into atheists.
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Did you know that?
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Read a little bit about Charles Templeton.
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That was the question that turned the evangelist who was supposed to be bigger than Billy Graham into an atheist.
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God's all loving and God's all powerful, why is there suffering?
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That was a question that plagued my own father.
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Because we knew that Jesus loved and we knew that Jesus had power, but now we're looking at Lazarus is dead, so something is wrong.
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Verse 33, "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping." Are you in this scene?
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Here comes Mary, here comes all these wailing people.
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It says, "Jesus was deeply moved in His Spirit and greatly troubled." Deeply moved, this phrase is used three times outside of this gospel.
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And every time it refers to a rebuke or a warning.
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We would use the phrase, "Fired up." was fired up in his spirit.
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That says he was troubled.
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That's a word that means agitated, the same as John chapter 14, verse 1, when Jesus said, let not your heart be troubled.
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Here, Jesus was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
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And he said, where have you laid him?
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They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept.
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So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?" There have been a lot of sermons preached about this passage and a lot of times they go like this, "You know it's okay when we're sad because, you heard this, even Jesus cried at a funeral." There's something a lot deeper than that happening here. A lot of theologians say here's what's happening. Jesus was angry at death. But he sort of planned this, right?
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If Jesus was so angry about death and upset that this happened, he could have just prevented it. You know, he He didn't even have to be there for that to happen.
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He could have just said the word.
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There's something really deep and complex happening here.
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And I do believe that part of the issue, part of the issue, the thing that grieved our Lord was grieving for the destruction and death and despair that sin had brought.
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I believe that's part of the issue, that Jesus stepping back, Here's the fruit of sin, death, mourning, wailing.
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But here's the real issue.
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I read a great article from John Piper about this, and I agree with him.
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That the thing that grieved our Lord was this, his motives were questioned.
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Did you see that in the text?
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His motives were questioned.
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First thing Martha says, Lord, if you'd been here, our brother wouldn't have died.
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So then Jesus goes and Mary meets him, Lord, if you had been here, our brother wouldn't have died.
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And then the mourners.
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Wow, he really loved them.
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Yeah, he could heal blind people, couldn't he have done something about this over and over and over. Jesus delayed to show his love and now the very love that he has is questioned. I thought he was good. I thought Jesus was for us. How could he do this? Jesus could have prevented all this. I believe what really moved Jesus.
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was the unbelief, the suspicion, and the questioning.
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Because those are the things that keep you from seeing Christ in your pain.
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I'm going to say that again.
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Jesus was moved over unbelief, suspicion, and questioning, Because those are the things that keep us from seeing Christ in our pain.
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When God is delaying and He's allowing a trial and He wants to accomplish a purpose, and instead of us crying out and saying, "What's your purpose in allowing this, God?
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What are you trying to do?
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What aspect of your glory are you trying to show me here?" Instead, we turn to Him and say, "I thought God loved me.
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I thought God cared about me.
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I thought God could do something about this.
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His very motives were questioned.
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Watch somebody go through a trial, and one of two paths are always taken.
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People get bitter, or people get better.
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Isn't that the truth?
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The trial you're going through, the path that you're going to take, bitter or better, is going to depend on how you have assessed Jesus' motives.
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That's the determining factor.
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The trial you're in right now, we talked about that at the beginning, health thing, relationship issue, financial issue, whatever happens on the other side of this trial, you're either going to come out better, or you're going to come out bitter.
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And what makes the determination is on how you have assessed God's motives.
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So do you have any doubts about God's motives?
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Today's a good day to lay him to rest.
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Now, I'd like to stop here.
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But let's see how this story ends, shall we?
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If our ushers would bring the communion elements forward, we're going to receive the Lord's Supper here in a couple of moments.
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Look at verse 38, "Jesus deeply moved again, came to the tomb.
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It was a cave and a stone lay against it." Now, in those days, in the funerals, the people actually came and they stayed for an entire week, and they immediately buried the person.
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And they would mourn and they would comfort each other, but there would not be any food, because they didn't want to turn it into a party.
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Well, here, Scripture tells us about the grave.
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The grave would have been a cave. Imagine like a 6 by 9 by 10 grave.
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It would have had shelves in it.
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And usually there were about 8 shelves per little cave.
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And they would...
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The Jews would actually, not like the Egyptians where they kind of wrap the whole thing, the Jews would actually wrap individual limbs and lay them on that shelf.
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And then they would immediately close it and seal it, and then get right to mourning.
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So Jesus said, you have the scene here, Jesus shows up.
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Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Could you imagine like you're at a funeral and Jesus walks in, he's opened the casket up.
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"What?" "Open it up." Jesus says, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days." Like, Jesus, you don't wanna do that.
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You roll that stone away.
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it's going to stink.
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I think, you know what I think another issue was going on here was, do you want to see your dead brother?
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Do you want to tear the scab off of that wound and see, roll the stone away?
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He's been dead a while, Jesus. I don't think that's a good idea.
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Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" Not, "You'll see a miracle." He said, "You'll see the glory of God." So they took away the stone, and Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard me. I know that You always hear me.
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But I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent me." When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice.
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Now, this word loud in Greek, do you know what it means?
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It means loud.
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And I don't just mean loud.
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It's like the loudest of the loud.
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So can you picture this?
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Roll the stone away.
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It's gonna sting, bad idea.
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And they roll the stone away.
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And with a loud voice, Jesus cries out, "Lazarus, come out!" Well, Jesus had to say Lazarus because like if he hadn't specified, probably all of the dead people would have come out.
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"Now Lazarus, I'm talking to you." That is going to happen by the way, spoiler alert.
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But in this case, "Lazarus, come out." The man who had died came out, his hands and his feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth.
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What do you even say?
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Seriously, Lazarus comes walking out of the grave.
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Everyone's speechless.
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And Jesus as plain as anything said to them, and unbind him and let him go.
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This is the glory of Christ that he wanted to display.
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That not just there's going to be a resurrection, the glory of Christ is this, he is the resurrection.
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And Lazarus is just a preview of your resurrection, by the way.
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And this is the love of God.
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God is saying, I love you.
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I love you sometimes by delaying my answer, but I do love you and I will show you my glory.
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So the trial you're going through, you can wonder.
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You can wonder about the duration.
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I wonder how long this is going to happen.
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You can wonder about the purpose.
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Why is God allowing this?
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But you never have to wonder about God's motive.
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He loves you.
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Let's pray.
Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read John 11:1-46
John 11:5-6 says Jesus loved Lazarus, so He waited 2 days before He went to him! Why does it seem that God is always late?
Jesus allowed Lazarus to die so Jesus’ glory could be revealed in raising him. Tell of a time God allowed suffering in your life, and you saw how He revealed His glory through it.
In Jn 11:24, Martha said she believed Lazarus would resurrect in the future, but not now. Why do we sometimes fall into that kind of thinking, hesitating to believe God can do something now?
Why did Jesus weep (Jn 11:35)? What does this tell you about God?
Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.