Out of the Grace

Good morning and praise God this morning that we can be gathered together this morning. It is a good morning and I am so thankful that we can be here together. This morning we will be looking at John chapter 11. This is an interesting passage of scripture because it contains the shortest verse in the scriptures. John 11:35

John 11:35 NIV

35 Jesus wept.

But is it truly the shortest verse...

Job 3:2 NIV

2 He said:

It’s shorter by three letters. Honestly if we started looking at the original languages it gets even more complicated but if you ask someone what the shortest verse is in the Bible it isn’t as simple as we might like to think.

As we begin to look at John 11 though got me thinking about an important topic though.

Quality v. Quantity

Which is more important?

Raise your hand if you think Quality is better?

Raise your hand if you think Quantity is better?

See now we have all learned something about each other. Each of us views the world a little differently and that is okay.

The Question continues on though Quality vs. Quantity. Which is truly better.

When i think of this argument i think of two different things. The first i think of is

Golden Corral

Let’s be honest. When we go to a Golden Corral we are rarely expecting quality of food. We want quantity. It is a place you go when you have a family that can’t decide or agree on what to eat.

Let’s go to Golden Corral and everyone can find exactly what they want and a lot of it. I mean where else can you find multiple versions of food and everyone can find what they want.

If we are honest though it isn’t the highest quality food though. They aren’t serving Prime Grade A steaks at the Corral. This isn’t the place to go to get the best macaroni and cheese you have ever eaten. It isn’t that its horrible but when you serve in quantity usually quality suffers.

The Second thing that comes to mind with this argument is...

Children

People always tell you quality over quantity with children. While to a degree i agree with that. There is a funny truth that happens with kids. Quantity is Quality in their eyes. They want you and your attention more and more. They want you around.

When i first got back into minsitry and we moved down to Bloomington Ayndria was 4 years old. She was still in preschool. We though she could stay home with me and i could get my work done. I knew it would be hard because well she was four.

I foolishly thought i could handle it. I remember one day that she kept wanting my attention. I had to go play with her for a few minutes and then get back to work. I would play for a few then work for an hour or two. Than i would have to play and then the time between playing and working would shrink. Till at one point this happened.

Ayndria Picture

She had climbed up into the space between me and the back of the chair and was trying to hide and acted like i didn’t know she was there. I took this photo and sent it to Angie and said. She needed to get into Preschool.

Kids want your time they don’t care if you are simply coloring or going on some great quality outing they just want you and the more they get the happier they are.

It is this balance though that we have to look at and how we approach our life.

Let’s look though at the scriptures this morning

John 11 summary.

Lazarus was sick and he was from Bethany and there he lived with his sister Mary and Martha. They sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. When it got to Jesus the disciples knew that they needed to get back because it sounded like he was going to Die. They also knew that this was going to be dangerous for Jesus because they had already tried to stone Jesus once before the last time he visited. IT didn’t stop Jesus though. That is where we pick up in the story.

John 11:11–15 NIV

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Jesus was in a Hurry

Jesus was in a hurry which is interesting because if you read into the passage Jesus knows that Lazarus is going to or is already dead.

Jesus Already knew that there was more going on than just some sickness. He tells his disciples this but he does so as Jesus often likes to in double speak. He says something plainly but it often has more than one meaning.

In typical fashion the disciples missed it.

The Disciples Misunderstood

This happens a lot. They don’t realize what Jesus is saying and they miss it. Jesus was telling them that he knew that Lazarus was dead. They thought that Simply Jesus meant he was asleep. It got so bad that Jesus just flat out tells them the truth when they aren’t getting it. It is in these moments that we are reminded of the multiple messages Jesus is often sharing with us.

Now Lazarus had in fact been dead for four days and been in a tom. Martha head about Jesus coming so she went to meet him but Mary stayed home. martha met Jesus on the road and kinda scolded Jesus but also recognized who he was in the same passage.

John 11:21–27 NIV

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

This passage shares with us the story that Martha knows more about what is going on than most people and she sees some truths in what is happening. Let’s look at what Martha Knows.

Martha Knows

First Martha knows who Jesus is. Now i know you are saying so what big deal. Duh! This is a bigger deal than you often give credit because she recognized the deeper truth of Jesus.

John 11:27 NIV

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus is the Messiah, he is the Son of God, he is the one who came to this world. She speaks the truth of the identity of who Jesus is. She shares her belief in him and it is unwavering. This is a powerful statement.

Martha Knows

The second thing that Martha knows is what Jesus has taught her before. Jesus had taught her about the Resurrection.

One day we will all be raised again. She knew it to be true. Yet, while she spoke truth she did not realize that Jesus was teaching her more than that. There was a deeper meaning and message that Jesus was sharing.

Jesus Like Quality

I think of it like this. That Jesus liked to share truths that had a deep quality. Meaning that there are different depths in the meaning and message being shared with us. That is the power of what Jesus did in his teaching and in his time.

John 11:25–26 NIV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus shared this in his response to Martha. There was more here than just a simple truth of the Resurrection one day in the future.

In these verses we can see the paradox or the conflicting ideas of life and death. resurrection and life. These Ideas are given in a state of tension between each other. How can life and death be concepts that share in our lives. Death is the removal of life. Resurrection is the restoration of life but to be Resurrected you have to be dead. How than can these exist with each other?

These are the tensions that Jesus presents us and we look to.

The Goal of Heaven

It is often in this tension that we see the idea form that we look forward to Heaven. Think about it there are many songs we sing that we talk about when we get to heaven. We can’t wait to leave this life. We know it is better to be in heaven with God. Yet, we live.

That is the problem that we face sometimes we want to rush to heaven. We forget to live in this life. We think that the only hope we have is in the future and not happening RIGHT NOW!

Life in Christ is the Life Resurrected

Jesus promises to resurrect us right here and now. He came to see Lazarus to resurrect his physical body. Yet, he is also teaching his disciples and Mary, Martha, the crowd, and us that resurrection is for those who believe in Him. It is happening right now.

We don’t have to look to the future we can have the hope right now. WE can have the peace of knowing that life that lived in Christ is a life that is more. It is a life of quality beyond measure. Here is where we bring back in some of the Quality vs. Quantity idea.

The context matters. It also shows us that sometimes quality matters and sometimes quantity matters. Or the truth is that we need to be reminded that in all situations we can look for the quality and the quantity. It lives in balance and it has to. If you only have quality and no quantity many people will not care. The reverse though is too. If you have lots of quantity but no quality you Think of it this way.

Life of Quality-Is a life lived for Jesus

Life of Quantity-Is Long life lived for Jesus

We should want both things. We want to maintain the balance of both our belief but not forget that while we are on this earth we can live for him and the longer we do the more opportunity we can help others see him.

There is more though to this story that i want to share this morning.

John 11:34–40 NIV

34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Jesus Wept

Jesus was crying in this moment. What is interesting is the most common understanding of why Jesus was crying is centered around the idea that Jesus was having sympathy for Mary, Martha, and the other mourners. He was sharing in our human emotions.

Like before though there is more to this story.

The Beginning of the End

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew that the moment he set out for the town of Bethany to Lazarus tomb he was on a Journey that would be painful. This story is the final public miracle before Jesus walks the path to the cross. It is at this moment that the Pharisees and other religious leaders knew they needed to take care of Jesus.

In Jesus tears we can see that yes he had sympathy for the people around them but it can also be seen that this is the moment that Jesus was showing his humanity in another way. Jesus knew the road and it overwhelmed him.

Yet he did not shy away he went. He knew what was going to be leading to. He was moved and in powered to show the glory of God. He set out and he raised Lazarus from the grave. The man who had been dead for four days and he walked out.

This was for the Glory of God so that we can see that through Jesus Resurrection can happen even in the here and now. That we can be a new creation that we can know life again even while we are still living. That though death may come for us someday we can have life abundant because of the work of Jesus on the cross.

That is something truly worthy of praise this morning. That is something that we need to sing about. I want to close with a hymn from Charles Wesley. It is a hymn that is a powerful testament to the glory of God and King and how his grace triumphs. If you know it you are welcome to sing with us but if you don’t please just take in the words and let them speak to you. Stand with us.

Sing Song

Hear these words again. Listen to what they mean to us this morning as we think on the Glory of God shown through Jesus the one who Resurrects us.

Jesus, the name that charms our fears That bids our sorrow cease 'Tis music in the sinner's ears 'Tis life, and health, and peace

He breaks the power of cancelled sin He sets the prisoner free His blood can make the foulest clean His blood availed for me

He speaks, and list'ning to his voice New life the dead receive The mournful, broken hearts rejoice The humble poor believe

Glory to God and praise and love Be ever, ever giv'n By saints below and saints above The Church in earth and heav'n

O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer's praise The glories of my God and King The triumphs of His grace

Let us Pray.