The Gospel of John - The Power of Salvation - Pt 1 - We are Raised

GREET EVERYONE-

Good Morning Loved Ones

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

INVITES

BAPTISM CLASS

KAIROS CLOSING

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to the Gospel of John and Chapter 11 as we Begin a new series called “the Power of Salvation” which is ONE of many teaching series that we are walking through as we journey through the Gospel of John together verse by verse.

PRAYER OVER SERIES

My prayer over this series is that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us through the Scriptures as to what is the Power of Salvation!

and In knowing what the power of salvation really is - We would walk more confidently in the plans and purposes of God that He has sent Jesus to give us.

And as we walk more confidently in the plans and purposes of God we would experience the victory God has delivered to us in Christ Jesus.

I am praying that we would all experience the victory of Christ in our lives and in the lives of others around us.

I know this that as we experience the Victory won for us - We will see the manifest power and glory of God.

And when we see that we will be in a constant and continual state of growing in AWE and WORSHIP of HIM.

And when that Happens; we will love HIM, and Serve Him, and Worship Him the way and with the severity that He desires and deserves to Loved and Served and Worshiped!

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

My prayer over this mornings message we would come to know the Power of Salvation in being raised from the dead.

and not Just raised from the dead in the last days when Jesus comes back WHEN the dead in Christ will be raised - That is and will be an awesome day!

BUT

My prayer is that we will know and experience and understand that Jesus came to raise people from the dead today.

Dead in their trespasses and SIN - Raised to walk in the newness of life -

Regenerated as a new creature by the very power of God that created all things!

With all evidence of death removed!

AND My prayer is that when we realize just how powerful salvation really is we would walk in complete and total confidence in what God is doing,

Confidence in What God can do and what God will do in our lives and in the lives of people around us.

ENGAGEMENT –

Death -

That is a subject we really don’t like.

When someone physically dies it feels like a terrible thing -

A permanent ending - A permanent Separation. A permanent loss.

it brings grief - It brings sadness - It brings trauma - it throws loved ones still living off balance -

and what is even more interesting is the more unexpected the event of the loss of a loved one is - it seems the more traumatic effect it has on people!

And when death happens it can bring us to such a helpless feeling -

A feeling that we are really not all that much in control

a feeling that there is something or someone more powerful than we are -

and so We actually hate the idea of death and in our hatred of death we avoid death if at all possible.

TENSION

This creates a problem for us when we take our views and fears and hatred and our avoidance of death into our relationship with Jesus.

You might be saying: Now Pastor are you saying that we should not have those feelings and reactions to death?

NOPE - Not saying that at all.

BUT Here is the problem -

Physical death is not the only kind of death we experience.

The scriptures will unfold for us there is a spiritual death -

A death that is evidenced by Sin -

A Death that we and others walk around in and live in all around every day.

Spiritual death that is evidenced by sin!

If you think about it, Spiritual death can actually have the same affect on people us as physical death does -

When we see and experience it in ourselves or others; especially our loved ones.

it feels terrible -

it brings endings -

It brings damage

it brings Separation.

It brings loss.

it brings grief -

It brings sadness -

It brings trauma -

it throws loved ones off balance -

and the more sudden the more and the more severe and the more unexpected - The more trauma it brings -

we can easily feel helpless -

Out of control - like it is more powerful.

and this causes us to push back from people whose sin seems worse than ours!

And when we push back form those whose sin seems worse - let go of the Power of God.

Letting go of the power of God - demonstrates we have lost confidence In God -

lost confidence in the Power of the Gospel -

lost confidence in the victory of Jesus who defeated sin and death for us.

and when that happens we surrender our role in this world as the ambassadors of Christ we are called to be - Ambassadors- given a ministry - A work of reconciliation to the world,

salt and light of the world-

Gospel Proclaimers and disciple makers, fishers of Men as Jesus said we would be if wee followed Him - Thermostats of change for our cultures.

thermostats of Change that Christ has called us to be.

Instead

we become bench warmers - isolated Observers who are simply watching. In that state we could be described as Simple powerless Thermometers of our culture - sitting back and doing nothing significant but simply measuring how cold our culture has become towards the ways and will of the only true God who died and was raised so that all might live.

This is why the Apostle Paul Says in the first part of his Letter to the assembly of the called out ones in Rome.

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

What the very best friend of Jesus will speak this morning is that Jesus has concurred Death - and in the power of salvation we are Raised and therefore so can everyone be raised!

BACKGROUND

Jesus and his disciples have left Jerusalem as there were many conversations in the previous chapter with Jewish leaders in the temple area -

Conversations that got the religious leaders infuriated by Jesus -

Conversations where they have been plotting and planning to have him arrested.

SO furious in fact that many have picked up stones to try to kill him then and there -

They did that twice at this point in the narrative -

What has them so mad is they felt He was leading people astray from the Law by telling people who he had healed to do thing on the sabbath that they were not supposed to do -

Healed a lame man- Pick up your mat and walk -

Healed a blind man - Go to the pool and wash -

Then through 5 definitive “I am” statements he made up and until this point - he claims to be GOD -

That is the big one - that is what the Jewish leaders all consider Blasphemy -

Blasphemy is Lying - It is Living Self Deceived - It is thinking you are God, Claiming to be God, Claiming to be something you are clearly not -

A violation of the Law that God has given,.

A violation worthy of Death by stoning - and they thought Him guilty and He should get stoned to death.

He has left Jerusalem and gone back to the place where He was first announced to the world as the “Son of God”

- “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. “

He has left and is Away from those who would try to stone him to death -

They are on the river Jordan a few miles north of the dead sea - The River was the boundary between two regions - Perea to the west and Judea to the east - Judea is where Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Bethany all are.

It is also where all the Jewish leaders are who want to stone Jesus are!

UNPACKING

VSS1-6

Set the scene for us.

They are on the river -

A guy named Lazarus of Bethany is Ill -

Bethany is a little town near Jerusalem in Judea where the Jews want to Kill Jesus -

It says “the village of Mary and Martha”

You might be saying “who are Mary and Martha?”

Well they are friends of Jesus -

If we were to rewind the time line - we would read that when Jesus visited these two ladies earlier - and we would come to know that Mary was completely drawn to Jesus so she would sit at her feet and Martha was - Dis - Attracted - Distracted away from Jesus by the tasks of cleaning and taking care of things -

These are the same Sisters -

VSS2

John makes reference that Mary anointed Jesus feet - WE have to remember He is writing this account somewhere about 50-60 years after Jesus and

so He is actually tying into this narrative an even that would happen after this event.

VSS3

The Sisters get word to Jesus - they get a note to Jesus - The send a messenger to Jesus that says “LORD” - meaning Master - “He who you love is ILL”

Now back then - No medicine - No antibiotics -No antivirals - No vaccines -

You got sick - In less you had the immune system of an elephant - You might very well die.

You get a fever - Danger

So an illness would make everyone in the household very very anxious - Because with Illness - Death is probably coming!

and the disciples fell it -

VS3&4

Jesus FIRST responds to the fear He responds to the anxiety -

“This illness will not lead to death”

Then Jesus answers another question that we all face in suffering:

and that is the question: “Why?”

Jesus says there is a reason for this illness -

There is a reason for this suffering -

There is a reason that this is happening -

What's the reason?

the back half of verse 4 -

“So that the Son of God may be glorified through it”

Glorified - It means Revealed -

Let me give you a word picture -

When you go to buy a diamond what the Jeweler will do is the jeweler will take out a Black felt mat and they will turn on a very bright light above the Dimond and they will hand you a special lends so you can see the diamond -

They will take ONE stone, hand it to you and through this special lends with the black background and the Light over head you will see the way the light refracts in the stone and it will reveal the quality, and the nature and the character the cut and clarity and color of the diamond -

That is what the word Glorify means - This is what Jesus is saying -

The reason for this Illness - The reason for this suffering - The reason is so that the Son of God will be revealed.

VSS5-6

A somewhat strange reaction to this news that a person that Jesus loves is sick and people Jesus loves are suffering with fear - He stays 2 days longer

VS7

Jesus says - “Ok lets go to Judea again”

VS8-14

Big argument and Disagreement -

VS8

Disciples say “That is the place where they tried to Kill you” Why would you put your self at risk - Why place yourself in danger?

they are now filled with fear and anxiety!

VS9 - 10

Jesus give them a response that support His earlier claim that He is the light of the world by using a word picture that contrasts - walking in daylight vs walking in the dark -

Walk in daylight - no danger

Walk in darkness - Danger.

VS11

Jesus then says “our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep -

VS12

the disciples still don’t want to go because they don’t want to be in danger

They don’t want Jesus to be in danger

This argument goes a little beyond argument - They now are displaying their lack of trust of Jesus.

What’s what they say -

“Lord - (meaning master) if He has fallen asleep we don’t need to Go - You don’t need to Go - None of us need to place ourselves in danger because He will be ok!

No big deal

VS13-15

Jesus clarifies - not only what happened - “Lazarus has died” and in that why they have to go.

and then Jesus confronts them -

“I am glad I was not there so that you might Believe - So that you may trust me -

Lets go -

VS16

Watch and Listen to Thomas - Thomas is like the Downer of the Group - Always Pessimistic -

“Let us also go that we also may die”

Jesus just said “death will not be a part of this” and Thomas is like “Ok lets go Die.

VSS17-27

The next 10 verses set a new scene -

We see Lazarus dead for 4 days - Already buried - Jesus and crew missed the funeral.

VSS20

Martha hears that Jesus is coming and goes to meet Him while Mary says in the house -

Remember that Martha was the sister that was Dis Attracted - Distracted to Jesus -

But watch what She says”

Lord - Master - if you had only been here my brother would not have died”

All she can see and all she knows is her experience with Death - Loss - Separation - Grief - Sadness

VSS23

Jesus says “Your brother will rise again”

VSS24

She says “I know he will in the future” but what about NOW?

VS25-26

Jesus then makes the 6th definitive “I am” Statement

John 11:25–26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

Whoever Trusts in ME though He Die He shall Live and EVERYONE

Say Everyone!

VSS26

Everyone Who lives and believes in me shall never die -

Jesus then confronts right here in her suffering - Right here in her pain - Jesus confronts what is she trusting?

Do you believe this?

DO you Trust what I am saying? Do you trust Who I am - Do you trust that whoever believes in me will live and Everyone who lives and trust in me will never die?

Do you Trust that Mary?

VSS27

She says “Yes Lord” “Yes Master” “I trust”

VSS28-32

Keep painting the Scene for for us -

Marth goes and gets Mary -

Mary is the one who sat at the feet of Jesus while Martha was doing the dishes -

Mary Runs to Jesus

VSS30-31

Too many people - Jesus can’t get to the house

VS32

Mary says the same thing Martha did out of her grief - out of her loss our of her separation -

LORD - if you had only been here my brother would not have died?

VSS33

Verse 33 is such an important verse to understand in the fullness of who Jesus has just declared Himself to be -

Jesus has just said - “I am the resurrection and the Life - Death is no more”

and VSS 33 what Jesus sees is people - Lots of people - all who love this family -

Mary and Martha and all of these people weeping -

The Text says “Jesus was “deeply moved” and “greatly troubled”

There are two responses that Jesus is doing here -

ONE - Deeply moved - Jesus is deeply moved by the sadness and the grief- he is Sympathizing as our great Hight priest who Sympathizes in our weakness.

And

TWO - Greatly Troubled! - There are two other times when the scriptures say that Jesus was “greatly troubled”

Both times - What troubles Jesus is the lack of faith in the people around Him.

VS34

Jesus ask to go where Lazarus is -

VS35

Jesus wept

Loved ones What was causing Jesus to Weep was not the death of his friend Lazarus -

Jesus said - This will not end in death - Jesus told the sisters “He will rise!”

Jesus has said - Death will not be present here - Death will not have victory here!

They did not believe Him -

Jesus was weeping because of their lack of faith - Jesus was weeping because of their lack of trust.

VS36-37

Records for us the reaction of the crowds - All of which think Death wins -

Some say “see how He loved him”

Other say - Healed a blind man why didn't he keep this guys from dying -

VS38

they get to the place where Lazarus is buried - A tomb - closed up by a Stone

VS39

Jesus says “take away the Stone”

Martha - The Ever practical one says -

YEA you might not want to do that - He has been in there 4 days and he is gonna stink.

VSS40

Jesus provides some correction

John 11:40 “Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?””

VSS41-42

Jesus Prays - and watch - Jesus doesnt pray because He needs to for the miracle to happen

He prays on account of the people standing around - That they may “believe” that they may trust that Jesus was sent by the Father in heaven.

VS43

Jesus cries out in a loud voice to a dead man -

Lazarus - COME OUT!

Loved ones notice -

Jesus didn’t not say - Come back to Life — Jesus did not rebuke physical death -

Jesus issues a command - “Come OUT”

Lazarus - Once Dead was made alive in Christ - and Given a command and He followed Jesus command and He came out.

VSS44

Lazarus - the man who died - Obeyed Jesus and came out -

And watch what Jesus does -

Jesus says “Unbind Him and Let him GO!

Jesus sets Him free from any evidence that He was once Dead!

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION - As Jason and our music Team come to lead us back into musical worship.

loved ones - This passage of Text Speaks to everyone everywhere -

Jesus is the Resurrections and the Life - Whoever believe - Everyone who Believes -

Everyone who Trusts shall never die -

The Power of Salvation lived ones - When Jesus says “Come out”

is we are raised to LIFE

This is the Hope we must keep our eyes on!

Loved ones Just like Lazarus - Jesus loves us! He loves all of Us - He loved us when we were dead in our trespasses and Sin -

He loves those who are still dead in their trespasses and sin -

We get the Phenomenal previledge of being called into this amazing quest

- This amazing journey Just like the disciples -

WE Get To go with Jesus into this world - Even though death is all around us -

So let us not be like them - Seeing our own safety and our own comfort away from the conflict between death and life - like the disciples

But lived ones- We must look at the world and Know that the sin we see - and the suffering we see and the difficulty we see are all an opportunity to see the Glory of GOD - To see Jesus Revealed to the world -

But we must not be pursue safety as the disciples did -

We must not think they are Just asleep like the disciples did

We must not think they will get over it like the disciples did -

We must view it with the severity that Jesus viewed it - It is death -

Loved ones - we must also not loose hope -

When the sin and death of this world is all around us - effecting in very serious ways - Those who we love most dearly - Out families and our Children -

When we see sin and death happening in our communities, in our homes, in our neighborhoods and in our culture.

It is very easy loved ones to say As Mary and Martha both say “Lord, if you had only been here”

Loved ones we must remember the Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation -

It is still the power of God to take anyone and everyone who was dead in their trespasses and sin and make them alive again

No matter how loge they have been dead -

No matter how stinky the life is -

No matter how ingrained the habits of sin and pain and drama are

No matter how ingrained the addiction or co-dependency Is -

No matter how long the habits of abuse have been

No matter the length of suffering at the hands of others -

No matter the length of time sin and death have been wrecking a life -

The Good news of Great Joy is that Jesus is the resurrection and the life!

He came to bring life - Life abundantly - Life forever with Him and Life of freedom from sin and death today!

The Great news is that He came to bring it to whoever believes in Him -

TO Anyone who believes in HIM -

Whoever believes Can be made alive in HIM -

Anyone who believes Can be made alive in HIM

Jesus is our Hope

The Gospel is our proclamation

“Come to Him” is our CRY

To Go with Him is our calling -

To Obey Him is His command

Loved ones!

He saves us by HIs grace - Calling us out of Death into His marvelous Light

Makes us alive in Him - though we too were once dead men walking.

He calls us to an adventure with Him - A quest with each other and His spirit to bring HIM, the Resurrection and the Life, to the lost and dying world around us -

This is the power of our salvation that we Are Raised to walk in this new life that Jesus came to give us.

This morning you may be here - you may be watching on live stream - and for the very first time in your whole life you are hearing the voice of God calling you to “come out”

TO come out of the death of sin -

To come out of the death of Old habits

To come out of Old addictions -

To come out of the bindings of the enemy

TO COME out and step into being alive in Christ -

To Come OUT and be set free -

Fully Surrendered to Him

Washed clean from guilt by His blood when He gave His life for you.

A Live by His resurrection.

If this is you loved ones-

Don't let the hour pass -

Surrender to Christ as Lord -

Receive Him as Savior -

Confess Him and join into adventure and quest of being His ambassadors of HIS

With the work of reconciliation to the world

and loved ones - We will all know Him and Enjoy Him forever and ever

AS we live our life for Him because He was the one who died for us and was raised -

- Representing Him to the world and Making Him knows to anyone - anywhere - anytime -

PRAYER TEAM