Untitled Sermon (18)

Intro

Introduce yourself

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Family (Pic)

I love what I get to do. I carry the title of pastor… and while I hold that title dear it is not to boast or puff out my own chest; but I believe that this is a call to serve, to guide, and to follow Jesus’ example as He says,

John 10:11 (CSB) - 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

I’m excited. I’m honored. And I’m humbled to be with all of you and please know that I count as no small thing to be called your pastor.

This is my commitment to you. I am here for you. I am here to serve you. And most importantly I am here for us to journey deeper into relationship with Jesus.

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I love opportunities like this. To teach, more specifically… to preach.

I think that something truly unique happens when the people of God gather to hear from the Word of God.

This is far more than helpful tips and tricks. It’s far more than a podcast. Or even a profound book. But this is God’s living, breathing, inerrant Word – given to His beloved people.

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​​What about the people [when the Spirit is moving a preacher]? They sense it at once; they can tell the difference immediately. They are gripped, they become serious, they are convicted, they are moved, they are humbled. Some are convicted of sin, others are lifted up to the heavens, anything may happen to any one of them. They know at once that something quite unusual and exceptional is happening. As a result they begin to delight in the things of God and they want more and more teaching. - Martin Lloyd Jones

I believe that preaching is a supernatural thing.

Don’t worry. New Vision didn’t accidentally hire a pentecostal. But when I’m in front of you guys, preaching. You might hear me talk a certain way, with a preaching voice, if you will. You’ll hear me say the word “beloved,” a lot. That comes from a mentor of mine, but I think that this is how God’s talks about his people, so that’s how I want to talk about His people.

But friends I hope that all of this shapes us deeper towards a common goal. Not only now, but in everything we do, I hope that…

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“We become a Gospel-saturated people, passionately seeking God, continually being formed by Him, and making Him known near and far.”

So as a first opportunity to bei with you all tonight, I certainly ran to a personal favorite of mine in God’s Word and I encourage you all to join me in opening to John 11.

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Scripture Summary

Many of you know the story, the story of Lazarus. You know of His sisters, Mary and Martha. You know that these are no drive-by characters but their stories are woven throughout the Gospel. And John mentions that much right from the jump as he points out…

2Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.

These are beloved friends of Jesus… They need help. It says…

3So the sisters sent a message to him: “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

When you and I hear about something awful happening to a loved one... what do you do?

When you love someone and they’re hurting. You go to be with them. Simple as that.

Even if you don't have a solution. You go. You sit. You be.

And even if you never talk about whatever is going on... your goal is to go and be present with those you love.

Sounds logical right? In times of crisis, like this, you pursue the most. important. objective.

Some of you have been there. You get that phone call, that text. A loved one is hurting, in danger, in need… and you drop everything to go and be present.

You pursue the most important thing.

4When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.

6So when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was.

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Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus... so what did He do? He waited...

How is that love? How is that loving to leave them in hurt?

Because love isn't just wanting what's okay or good for someone... love is wanting the best for them.

And in this instance, as hard as it may be to believe... the best for Mary and Martha is not to be removed from their situation... the best for them is exactly what Jesus laid out here...

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4When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

There are plenty of things about this story that doesn't seem to add up...

He waited two more days

And then when they do decide to travel that way... the disciples points out... 8“Rabbi, just now the Jews tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?”

But Jesus knows the story already. Many of us know the story already. So we read this with anticipation

And friends hold that dear to your hearts when trials come… hope with anticipation, knowing that Jesus is at work in any situation.

Jesus at first says, that Lazarus has fallen asleep and they were going to wake him up.

The disciples are confused. And again, we have the benefit of seeing this story in hindsight…

But you’ve been here before. Confused. Lost. Searching. The disciples. Mary. Martha. All wondering and sifting through expectations.

But while you’re there, while you’re searching… know this.

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“God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” - John Piper

Eventually it will all be clear. Eventually it will all be plain. But not on your timing. But by his timing and according to His will. The question is are you okay with that?

Then Jesus finally lays it on thick…

Verse 14 - 14… “Lazarus has died. He said…

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And he says… 15I’m glad for you that I wasn’t there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him.”

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Beloved, I hope that you see here and in your life is that God is always moving all things along according to His purpose.

But His purposes were unknown, here in this moment, and frequently with you and me.

Mary and Martha loved Jesus... Mary and Martha followed Jesus. They followed Jesus through grief and pain.

And here where they needed their friend. He wasn’t there. At least that’s what it felt like…

But when crisis comes, you pursue the most important thing. So often, in these situations, the most important thing is to be present, to be loving, to be compassionate. That’s still important here. Jesus weeps with his friends. Right, everyone’s favorite memory verse, Jn 11:35 - Jesus wept.

Jesus is compassionate. Jesus ministers to the lowly and the brokenhearted. But Jesus’ desire for you and for me is to know and love Him more with each passing day.

Many of you have experienced tragedy like this... the question is are you ready to trust and follow Jesus in the midst of it all?

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"Our normal response is to ask, 'what is the fastest way out of this situation?' Christian maturity is learning to look at a situation and knowing that, whatever you face, you face it so God can be glorified through you." - Matt Carter

All sounds well and good right? We know that this is how we ought to live... but it's hard to live that way when we are actually in the thick of hurt... that's what we see from Mary and Martha…

17When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

18Bethany was near Jerusalem (less than two miles away).

19Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.

20As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

21Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.

In her pain, Martha cries out. “Lord! You could have done something! You could’ve made it all go away in a second... so why didn’t you!?

I believe all the right things! I'm good! I know that you love me. So why? Why is this happening, God?

23“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.

24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

26Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”

Jesus responds and tells Martha that she'll see her brother again... and what we get is almost an, "I know... I know I'll see him in heaven one day... I know, Lord.

I know that all things work out for the good of those who love God..." I've heard all these things before... and then Jesus says,

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

Now on to the next sister...

32As soon as Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and told him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died!”

Where Martha was in one place of grief... still able to seemingly hold a sense of decorum, Mary threw herself at Jesus' feet in agony and said the same exact thing...

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died!” -- These sisters had steeped and stewed on this bitterly for these 4 days... and they had that phrase echoing in their brain...

Lord... you could have done something

Lord... you could have done something

Lord... you could have done something

You've done this...

I’ve done this…

You're extremely hurt, or angry. You have your lines rehearsed for when you see that person, that person who wronged you or hurt you.

33When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled.

34“Where have you put him?” he asked. “Lord,” they told him, “come and see.”

35Jesus wept.

36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37But some of them said, “Couldn’t he who opened the blind man’s eyes also have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus can take your anguish. Whether you come to him peacefully or at the deepest point of your hurt.  And more than that… He joins you in it. (Heb 4:15)

He has faced everything that you have or are going through. He has been tempted to doubt just like you have… but where you and I have fallen… He has not. Amen?

Hebrews 4:15–16 (CSB) - 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

So if you’re ever tempted to think that this God will look at you and say…

why didn’t you believe well enough?

Why did you fall..?

Why weren't you strong...

Christian, the good news that we call Gospel is that you and I get to claim for ourselves…

Jesus didn’t doubt…

Jesus didn’t fall…

And Jesus is strong FOR us and He stands in our place.

But still… He weeps with you... He weeps for you.

And when you think that you cannot go on anymore... He meets you directly in the midst of your pain to pick you up and carry you on.

Followers of Jesus are commanded to " 15weep with those who weep," and that is exactly what Jesus did. And that's what we are all charged to do. We love others and enter into their suffering because that's what Jesus does with us.

The most amazing part about all of this is that Jesus is about to do something in an instant that takes their suffering away, but before He fixes their problem... He joins them in their pain. And so too does he with you, beloved.

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God is not callous or unfeeling towards you.

This God feels. This God feels deeply.

This God is moved to compassion.

He’s indignant towards sin, death, fallenness, unbelief, all of these things because those things are not of Him.

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38Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

39“Remove the stone,” Jesus said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days.”

40Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

Do you trust him? Do you trust him to move in your life,

when you are desperate,

when you need him most?

When you're angry?

When you're lonely?

When you don't know what to do?

Everything that you are in right now is an opportunity to trust him. So do you?

41So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me.

42I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so that they may believe you sent me.”

43After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

44The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”

This miracle is about something so much bigger than easing grief. It is so much more than giving Mary and Martha their brother back...

this miracle is a foretaste of a much sweeter reality!

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Revelation 21:4 (CSB) - 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

Thesis: Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead points us to the truth that we too will triumph over death and dwell with Him forever.

Remember what Jesus said? Lazarus fell asleep... we have to go wake him up. To Jesus, death is so simple to do its like waking someone up. It's not a fair fight. The outcome was decided long, long ago. It was a mismatch from the day that Jesus came into this world and even wayyyyyyyy before then. Jesus is the resurrection and the life and death does. not. stand. a chance.

Conc.

Are you weary? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you feel like death and darkness are around every corner? Jesus meets you there. And much more he picks you up... and much more he carries you forward... and much more he defeats your greatest enemy.

What happened at this tomb was amazing... What happens at the next tomb... is life-giving.

To him... death is just sleep.

Do you feel like beating death today? Take off your grave clothes. Jesus is calling you out of darkness.

Out of the cave. Out of the death and decay. Wake up.