Untitled Sermon

When all seems hopeless

John 11:1-45

Intro: Discouraged: To be dejected, depressed, low-spirited, dishearten, bewilder, or puzzled.

We have all been discouraged before.

What causes us to be discouraged?

Someone else can bring on your discouragement.

A bad day.

Something didn’t go the way you wanted.

Sometimes we can bring it on ourselves.

Sometimes it may be something that is out of our control. That is what we see in the scripture here today.

How do we handle discouragement?

I. Go the right source. VS. 1-6

John 11:1–6 NKJV

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

1. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Friends of Jesus. They lived in Bethany.

a. Their home was one of Jesus frequent stopping places.

b. There was a problem. Lazarus was sick. This was not just a cold. Feeble, weak.

We know he was very sick because he dies.

c. Mary, and Martha knew the love of Jesus. They knew the compassion of Jesus. The knew of the miracles of Jesus.

d. They send word to Jesus that Lazarus is sick. Thinking that Jesus would come right away or just heal him from where his was.

f. When Jesus gets the word of Lazarus sickness he doesn’t go.

g. Not only does he not go he stays for 2 more days.

VS. 4-6

John 11:4–6 NKJV

4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

a. This must have puzzled the disciples. Elab

b. This must have discouraged Mary and Martha. Elab.

c. They are waiting on Jesus then their brother dies.

1. Why did this have to happen? Vs. 4 For God to be glorified.

2. In times when we feel no hope, like giving up, discouraged, stay faithful,

Stay true to your faith, don’t give up, it’s not for our gorily, but for God’s gorily.

1. Times may get tough and if you are serious about serving the Lord, HE WILL GET Tough.

But Jesus loves us. Vs. 5

II. When we go to Jesus, listen to Jesus Vs. 7-16

John 11:7–16 NKJV

7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9 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. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” 12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

READ VS 7

1. I think one reason that we get discouraged, we don’t understand. Pr. 3:5

2. Look at what happens here.

a. Messenger to Jesus about Lazarus. Elab (His disciples hear)

Elab. What they expected. What Mary and Martha expected.

b. Two days later, lets Judea. Elab. The Pharisee’s were determined to kill him.

Vs. 8-10

John 11:8–10 NKJV

8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9 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. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

c. Jesus focuses not on the danger. His focus was on walking in the light. (Staying in God’s will)

d. We can’t focus our discouragements, Elab. We must focus on God, staying in the light.

“seek ye first the kingdom of God”

Vs. 11-15 The disciples, what’s going on…..

John 11:11–16 NKJV

11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” 12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

1. All that had happened, sickness, the message form Mary and Martha, the waiting, death, the questions why?

2. Jesus let his disciples go though difficult things in order to build their faith. Ealb on what they would see and go though.

3. I believe that God does this with all of us who are saved and are committed to serving him.

a. Christ wants us to trust him, so he lets us to go though some difficult times to built our faith.

b. The Christian life is training for what lies ahead. If we’re not careful we will allow the enemy to discourage us.

c. What do discouraged believers do? Quit.

d. This means that we will have to get out of our comfort zone.

Vs. 15b Let’s go boys,

1. We may not understand why God allow these though difficult times to come into our lives, but we must be willing to follow him where ever he leads.

Vs. 16 Thomas would later be known as the “doubter” but here we see a man who demonstrates unusual commitment.

Read Vs.16 again.

2. Song “where he leads I’ll go”

a. Even when we don’t understand, even we are unsure, even when we feel like we can’t go anymore, we still must be willing still follow Jesus.

II. Remember Jesus is always on time Vs. 17-20

John 11:17–18 NKJV

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.

1. Jesus arrives at Bethany, Lazarus. Dead 4 days.

2. I like Vs.19 Elab.

John 11:19 NKJV

19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

a. As believers we need to comfort people who are going through a discouraging time.

Vs. 20

John 11:20 NKJV

20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

1. Mary and Martha get the word that Jesus was there.

a. Martha, Elab.

b. Look at what Mary does. Vs. 20b

c. She sat waiting patiently,

d. As we pray, learn to wait, don’t get ahead of God.

e. When we get discouraged we may do things God doesn’t want us to do, or do them before he wants us to. He will allow us to do this.

1. Abraham and Sarah. Elab…

a. When we do wait, and we see what God plan, Now I see.

b. . Elab the disciple’s later in life, really began to see all that the Lord had been teaching them.

Read VS 21-31

John 11:21–31 NKJV

21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

John 11:32–38 NKJV

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

2. Vs. 32 We see Mary running to see Jesus.

1. She fell at his feet. Attitude of devotion and submission.

That has to be our attitude, this help us form being discouraged.

3. Let’s look the miracle that put those who been discouraged at ease.

VS. 39-40

John 11:39–40 NKJV

39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

a. Jesus gives the command. Roll away the stone.

Dead 4 days, he stunk, what good would it do?

Just bring more pain on Mary and Martha.

Jesus prayer Vs. 41-42

John 11:41–42 NKJV

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

1. Serve God to glorify him, so others will believe. Elab.

2. That is why Satan wants us to stay discouraged, so we’ll give.

Vs. 43-44

John 11:43–44 NKJV

43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

1. Discouraged hearts became encouraged.

2. I’ve never seen someone raised from the dead, but I seen God do some great things, things that encourage me, things that keep me going.

3. When you get discourage, think back what God has done for you. Jn. 3:16

Vs. 45. “Then many… believed on him.

John 11:45 NKJV

45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

1. What ever ministry God has called you to do, stay faithful, don’t give up, there are people out there will see Jesus because of your faithfulness.

2. Maybe you are at that point. Discouraged ready to give up.

a. Call on Jesus like Mary and Martha did.

b. They went from being discouraged to being greatly encouraged.

2. Greatest encouragement we can have is knowing that Jesus dead for you. Three days later He defeated death when was rose from the dead.