I Am the Resurrection and the Life
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I Am the Resurrection and the Life DNBC Easter 2024
John 11:17-27
ILL- Mr. Sheffield 76 years old- Rancher/ unbeliever/ daughter-in-law and grandkids were members of my church.
I had buried his grandson and then his wife in the years before this. But he never attended church.
Nov. 22, 2009
Prayed for God to take away his pain so he could be in church.
To the shock of his family, not only did he attend worship, he walked the isle during invitation and gave his life to Jesus.
Wanted to be baptized the next Sunday- he got sick.
Asked to be baptized on Wednesday night- I forgot to heat the baptistry but we did it anyway.
Friday he went to the hospital and died on December 7.
God continually takes the spiritually dead and changes them forever. It is never too late for God to work in your life.
On That Sunday after crucifixion- it seemed to be over. But it wasn’t too late for a miracle.
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
21 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 from 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 on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
26 and everyone who 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 coming into the world.”
3 Reasons It’s Not Too Late
3 Reasons It’s Not Too Late
1. Jesus Marks Time Differently (17-18)
1. Jesus Marks Time Differently (17-18)
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
It seemed too late.
6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
God sees the beginning, the end, and everything in between all at the same time.
God’s timing is always perfect. He sent Jesus to come to the earth at the perfect time.
Galatians 4:4
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
From the curse of the Fall we see the promise of the coming Messiah.
The one from the seed of woman who would crush the head of Satan.
2200 BC Job looked to the coming Messiah
3 “Lay down a pledge for me with you; who is there who will put up security for me?
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
Many decided the Messiah would never come.
Mary and Martha thought it was too late for Jesus to help them.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
32 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.”
When All Seems Lost- That’s when God shows up.
When Jesus died on the cross there were no believers for 3 days.
Then the morning came...
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
No matter what is going on in your life, it is not too late for God to change your life.
2. Jesus Loves You (20-21)
2. Jesus Loves You (20-21)
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
Martha was frustrated with Jesus. Why hadn’t he come earlier?
She had a close relationship with Jesus.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
She had lost much.
Lazarus was beloved patriarch of the family.
Probably only wage earner.
Life changing event. Loved and depended upon.
Bitterness comes when we do not approach God with our doubts.
Mary stayed away from Jesus.
Reversal- last time Mary stopped working to sit at Jesus’ feet.
This time Martha stopped to go to Jesus.
Mary stayed to receive mourners.
Same Mary who anointed Jesus with ointment and wiped feet with her hair.
Jesus calls specifically for Mary to come.
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”
29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
31 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.
32 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.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
Admit your struggles to Jesus- He cares.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
There is nothing in your life that pushes you too far away to be changed by Jesus.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. Jesus Will Help (22-27)
3. Jesus Will Help (22-27)
22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Just a little faith can move mountains.
“Even now” you can make something good from this
Probably not referring to resurrection.
But she did trust that Jesus could help them in the despair.
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.
Having faith when there is no reason to have faith.
Death is always the end, right?
When Jesus died, hope died with him.
Phil Wickham, Living Hope
“Then came the morning that sealed the promise; your buried body began to breath; Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion; Declared the grave has no claim on me.”
24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
26 and everyone who 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 coming into the world.”
Jesus Helps our unbelief.
He is the resurrection.— The source of resurrection and life.
No need for resurrection unless there is first death.
Jesus’ resurrection is different than Lazarus’
It is eternal
Lazarus died again.
Jesus received a new body.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
She believed in that in which she could not imagine.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith is surrender
Allowing someone to be your boss in scary and vulnerable.
Stop trying to live life your own way. Surrender!
You have enough because Jesus provides everything you need.
He is the resurrection and the life.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
39 Jesus said, “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.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”
44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
CONCLUSION
It is not too late for you.
You are not too far away from Jesus.
You have everything you need right now.
Will you surrender to Jesus? Do it his way.
We have to do it God’s way.
(Tic Tac Toe) - Now play again and you can be whatever character you want.
No fun without rules.
That is the game many people are playing with eternity. The problem is that we do not have the authority to change the rules. We didn’t create eternity so we do not have right to say how we get there.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Have you surrendered to Jesus as the Lord of your life?
Have you surrendered to Jesus as the Lord of your life?