Hope is Not Dead, The Forth Day is Coming

Introduction

Good Morning!

I want us to go to John Chapter 11 today

For the next three weeks we’re going to be talking about a well known and powerful story in the bible

That being the story of Lazarus.

Today, I want us to read verse 1-16

John 11:1–16

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. 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. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

I want to talk to you today about an idea, and the idea is this..

Hope is not dead, the forth day is coming.

Tell that to your neighbor today and encourage them..

Hope is not dead, but the forth day is coming.

The Story

when we come into the story in john 11

We should understand that this is not the first encounter for jesus with this family.

In fact we will find out that this family is near and dear to Jesus, and him to them.

they love Jesus, they know Jesus, and Jesus knows them closely.

They know his power, his ability, his charator

They already have faith in Him.

These are not mear strangers to christ, but they are people who know him and love him.

And yet they have a problem, Lazarus is sick..

Christians are people too

I want us to remember this morning, that no matter how close you walk with God, you will encounter trouble in this world simply because we are people.

Jesus in John 16:33 promised us this actually.

John 16:33 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

that word tribulation means great trouble and suffering.

Jesus tells us that were going to walk through some stuff.

Unfortunatly, many times when we come to christ we come with the idea that everythings going to go smoothly now.

that we will not walk through troubling times.

that we will not suffer.

but that cannot be further from the trouble.

Christian, or no christian, we will walk into problems

Difference

the difference though is this

If we know Jesus we will not walk through them alone

and Christ has the power to bring us through them.

Mary and Martha had a problem

Mary and Martha had encountered a problem, Lazarus was very sick..

and in their problem, they knew what to do, they called on Jesus

But Jesus did not anwser them the way they were probably expecting them too..

Jesus makes them a promise…

He says

John 11:4

But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

but then, Jesus waits and extra two days to show up..

and in the process lazarus dies

and it would seem

that all hope is lost..

Have you ever been there?

have you ever been there?

Have you ever had a serious problem..

something where you were desperate for God to move..

and you knew He was the one who had to do it

and you reached out to him..

You called on him..

you asked him to help and intervien..

and yet it seemed like he didnt show up in the timing you thought

so it seemed like there was no hope…

like things would not change

like victory would not come…

Like lararus, it seemed like hope was dead...

and God had forgotten you..

have you ever been there?

I know I have

maybe you’re there now

there is a situation or problem in your life that you have been asking God to deal with..

but he has yet to bring breakthrough in that situation

mary and marthat were there..

It seemed like Jesus missed his oppurtunity for a miracle..

and that the window for hope had died with lazarus..

but we have to remember that everything God does is with purpose..

Jesus did not foget lazarus..

he was not late to the healing..

He didnt miss his oppurtunity to do a miracle..

but instead he had purpose in the waiting..

There is PURPOSE in the waiting

the bible tells us this in regard to mary and martha..

look at what verse 4-6 says..

John 11:4–6

But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. 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. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

look at that..

Jesus loved Martha, mary and lazarus...

so he waited two more days..

(Repeat)

Jesus intentionally waited to repsond to the call..

because he loved them...

It’s in love that

in love he gave them what they needed but not necessarily what they wanted

and he does the same for us..

Jesus knew that his waiting to come.. would not only anwser their cry for help…

but would build their faith and reveal glory for the father and the son of Man..

Us

i’ve come to tell some one this morning

God has not forgotten about your situaiton..

he is not running behind or late..

He is not waiting for you to some how please him more..

but he is setting you up to not only receive the victory your asking Him,

but also to bring your up another level in faith

and reveal his glory…

New thing

you see in waiting.. Jesus was about to show mary, martha, lazarus and the people around them

a new demention and level of his power and authority..

they had seen him heal the sick..

but they had never seen him raise the dead..

They trusted him to heal a man..

but they, even until the very last moment, had never thought of him raising a man..

and in his waiting, and lazarus passing, the situation has shifted from possible to impossible..

From what was known to the un known…

Impossible

in fact the jews believed that after 3 days, the spirit of a person left the area...

leaving now hope for ressurection..

Jesus comes on day four and proves that he is not bound to superstition, or religous rule and belief..

but rather he is the all authoratative and rightful ruller on the universe..

And he comes in and brings lazarus back to life..

inspite of possibility

set up

ive said it once, and ill says it again..

God is not late..

Hope is not dead..

but Just hang on, because God is setting you up for a bigger miracle than you could have prayed for.

there is purpose in your waiting..

Jesus knew what he was doing..

and if mary and martha would have believed the promise he gave them at first they would not have fretted the journey.

but instead, they got caught up in the situation and their own understanding..

Even when Jesus shows up..

Mary does come out of the house..

and martha is caught up in the, lord if only..

If only you had come when I said..

But I want us to take stock of this passage..

they didnt have to fret through the Journey..

Jesus gave them a promise..

and ive come to tell you this morning..

we also have a promise to cling too..

There is a PROMISE to cling too

look at verse 4 again..

look what Jesus initially tells them

John 11:4

But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

this illness does not lead to death..

but it will glorify God and the son through it..

This illness does not lead to death..

If mary and martha would have taken those words to heart..

regardless of the circumstances and what ifs that surrounded the situation..

there would have been no need to worry, but rather they could have journey it with peace in their hearts..

clinging to the words Jesus gave them..

Our choice

but pastor… he died..

according to Jesus your wrong.. he was only alseep…

When we encounter difficult sitituations..

we can either choose to believe and act upon the circumstances and our understanding

or we can choose to believe the promise of our Savior..

we can cling to the promise and weather the storms..

of we can cling to the circumstances and be tossed too and fro..

Mary and martha chose to believe what their eyes told them..

and not to believe what their Lord told them..

and thats how we end up like them in difficult times..

morning lost hope that is truely not lost..

What is our promise?

you might be asking well pastor what is our promise?

what are we to cling too?

Individual

some of you in here today have an individual promise..

God has promised you something specific about your specific situation..

He has promised you the salvation of a loved one

He has promised you healing in your body

He has promised you breakthrough for a certain situation

and for those of you who have those promises

cling tightly too them..

Never let them go

never forget them..

because in due season they will come to pass

Promise to all

But the bible is filled with promises for every believers..

Proverbs 18:24

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Hebrews 13:5

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 53:5

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Luke 1:37

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 37:25 (ESV)

I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging for bread.

isaiah 61:1-3

Isaiah 61:1–3 ESV

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

The bible is full of promises for the poeple of god..

for nearly every situation and are of life..

When your walking through struggle and situations in life..

WE HAVE TO CLING TO GODS PROMISES!!!

THEY ARE WHAT WILL SEE US THROUGH!!

God will always fullfil his promise

and I just want to remind you today..

God will never break his promise..

every one will come to pass..

Numbers 23:19

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

We have the promise to cling to..

We have hope in every situation

Because christ is in it..

and he will never be defeated..

that means we can hold on in peace.

HE IS OUR PROMISE!

AND BECAUSE HE IS OUR PROMISE..

the forth day is coming..

The Forth day will come

what is the forth day?

the forth day is the day of break through..

Its the day Jesus showed up..

and did an impossible thing

its the day that the promise came to pass..

Its the day that lazarus was raised..

Us

for us, our forth day will come…

the day will come when God will fulfill his promises in your life..

our job is to cling to the promise

to remember their is purpose in the waiting

and to trust that Christ will bring forth every word of it in our lives..

Altar Call

this morning if your hopeless

If your discouraged

If you dealing with situations beyond your control

and you fell like God has forgotten you..

I would like to invite you to come..

and we want to pray with you..

and I believe this morning God is going to refresh you..

and encourage you..

Jesus, in matthew 11:28 said

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

would you come this morning?