Sermon 08 - John 11 - Why bad things happen to good people
INTRODUCTION:
1. ((illus)) When the phone rang in the early morning hours some 30 years ago next month, I had no idea that it would launch me into the wild blue yonder of faith and trust.
a. Truths I had studied and taught for years were suddenly challenged.
b. An official from the VA hospital in Tampa had called to tell me that my father had just passed away.
i) When he went into the hospital two weeks before, it was for a non-life-threatening issue.
ii) His original length of stay was guesstamated at from a few days to a week.
iii) But over the days, things went from bad to worse and then to death.
2. I also had to try and relate to a mother who was also ill and a full-blown alcoholic, although she would never admit it.
a. I had tried an intervention with her and she totally and categorically denied the struggle.
b. Four months later I buried her beside dad.
c. She had died suddenly from sclerosis of the liver.
d. She was only 54 years of age.
3. Yet in the midst of these storms that hit, as suddenly and as fiercely as a series of devastating tornados, I experienced an unprecedented peace!
a. I wish I could stand here this morning and say the same about every storm that has struck my life.
b. In fact, it is often the seeming small storms that throw me off.
c. But I know this, that when I respond in the right way, there is good and glory that comes out of every storm.
d. Sometimes I see the good and sometimes I don’t.
4. Which brings us to the question of the morning – WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?
a. We all try to do what’s right, be good citizens, live the Christian life.
i) So why do the storms keep coming?
ii) Why do some of them seem to just “hang around?”
b. I could tell of many other personal challenges and struggles, but you have them too – none of us are immune.
c. What storm of suffering (physical & emotional) has swept into your life?
i) The storm of disease?
ii) Of a death?
iii) Of a divorce?
iv) Of debt?
d. A feud in your family?
i) The betrayal in a friendship or marriage?
ii) The loss of a job?
5. And how have you reacted to the storm?
a. ((illus)) Did you know that a turkey and an eagle react in different ways to the threat of a storm?
i) A turkey reacts by running under the barn, hoping the storm won’t come near it.
ii) On the other hand, an eagle leaves the security of its nest and spreads its wings to ride the air currents of the approaching storm, knowing the wind will carry it higher in the sky than it could soar on its own.
b. So, which are you – a turkey or an eagle – in the way you react to the storms of life?
c. Isaiah 40:31 - But those whowait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
6. I choose to be an eagle.
a. How about you?
b. In the midst of the storm, are you willing to spread your wings of faith to embrace the “wind” by placing your dependency upon Jesus and Jesus alone.
c. That’s one exciting adventure as you experience the faithfulness of a loving God.
7. So, Why do bad things happen to good people?
a. As we continue to examine the life and teaching of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of John,
b. We find some answers to this question.
8. I invite you to John 11:1
a. Much of John’s Gospel involves the final week of Jesus prior to the crucifixion – Passion Week.
b. Here Jesus moves to establishes his final base of ministry, prior to that week of passion, at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazurus.
c. Bethany – a small town about two miles from Jerusalem on the road down to Jericho and the Dead Sea.
d. On the SE side of the Mount of Olives.
John 11:1-15
A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. (Luke 10:38-39) 2 This is the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. (John 12:1-10) Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, the one you love is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this.” 5 Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days and did not go to them. 7 Finally after two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.” 8 But his disciples objected. “Teacher,” they said, “only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you. Are you going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. As long as it is light, people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 Only at night is there danger of stumbling because there is no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, that means he is getting better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was having a good night’s rest, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 Then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let’s go see him.”
John 11:20-27
20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 “Yes,” Martha said, “when everyone else rises, on resurrection day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. 26 They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”
John 11:32-44
32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell down at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him.” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?” 38 And again Jesus was deeply troubled. Then they came to the grave. It was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, said, “Lord, by now the smell will be terrible because he has been dead for four days.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE
John 11:1-44
a. there are many lessons taught in this chapter about the “why” of bad things or storms as we’re calling them.
i) Because of time, we can only deal with the obvious ones.
b. Here in this chapter is the greatest storm we will ever face – death, the death of a loved brother – Lazarus.
i) But it could be our own or the death of loved one.
ii) Nothing can be more contrary to our own personal comfort or more challenging.
iii) Joseph Bayly writes in The Last Thing We Talk About
1. STORMS DEVELOP OUR FAITH
a. :15 - And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in me.
b. The growth of a Christian in depth and strength and consistency and fruitfulness and ultimately in Christlikeness is only possible when the winds of life are contrary to our personal comfort.
i) :15 - That word “glad” intrigues me.
ii) I can only believe that Jesus was glad for his delay because it meant that he could then do an even greater miracle than healing Lazarus.
iii) He could resurrect him.
c. But right now, he had to deal with an alive Martha and Mary.
d. Jesus was also “glad” because He could grow up Martha and Mary in heir faith.
i) Martha’s an “in your face” sort of person.
ii) :20,21 - When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
iii) Mary was more gentle.
iv) :32 - When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell down at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
¨ How many times have we said “if only”
¨ If only
(a) We hadn’t moved here
(b) I hadn’t married him/her
(c) I hadn’t listened to him/her
(d) We had more money
v) What’s so beautiful about Jesus is that we can be like Martha and Mary and bring our “if onlys” to Him.
e. One reason for His delay was to allow time for Mary and Martha to exhaust every other avenue of help,
i) So that they would come to the conclusion that without a doubt they were totally helpless without Him.
ii) And our faith is not developed until it rests in Christ and in Christ alone.
f. He did this with:
i) ((illus)) Joshua who lead the Israelites into the Promised land only to face the fortified enemy city of Jericho.
¨ And just what kind of military strategy did God give Joshua for this fight?
¨ March around the city.
¨ Can you imagine the thoughts in Joshua’s mind.
¨ But He obeyed and trusted God and God along and their was victory.
ii) ((illus)) Gideon lead his nation against tens of thousands of Midianites.
¨ He put together a force of 32,000 troops.
¨ But God cut his army down to 300
g. I don’t know who you’re Lazarus is but I’m here to tell you that Jesus wants you to take the winds of adversity and,
i) Soar higher in your relationship to Him
ii) Fall deeper in love with him
iii) Grow stronger in your faith in him
iv) Be more consistent in your walk with him
v) To trust in him and him alone.
h. And I’m here to tell you as Martha and Mary learned: Jesus is never late.
i) He often delays His response, but he is never late.
ii) His watch is set to a different timetable, calibrated to eternity.
i. Here’s what you and I need to do, if we want to soar like an eagle on the winds of adversity.
i) Find a promise in God’s Word to rest your faith on.
ii) He did that for Martha:
iii) :25-26 - Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. 26 They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?”
iv) Romans 10:17 - Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
¨ Phil 4:13
¨ Romans 8:28-29
¨ Psalm 23:1,6
j. Jesus asked Martha if she believed this.
i) Are you focused on Christ and Christ alone?
ii) Do you believe who He is when
¨ There is no answer
¨ No help
¨ No way
¨ No remedy
¨ No solution
¨ No body?
iii) :27 – Martha’s focus shifted from her own suffering and grief, pain, problems, despair, to Him.
¨ “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”
Why do bad things happen to good people?
STORMS DEVELOP OUR FAITH
2. STORMS DISPLAY HIS GLORY
a. :4 - 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this.”
b. :40 - , …“Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?”
c. I love :33-36 - When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him.”
i) I don’t think Jesus was angry because of others weeping.
ii) I think He was grieving and angry because in the beginning of His creation, as the Creator, He never intended for people to die.
¨ Death was not a part of God’s original plan.
¨ He created you and me for Himself.
¨ To have uninterrupted, permanent, personal, loving relationship with Him.
iii) But the enemy came and we bought his lie and suffer the consequences of sin.
iv) John 10:10 - The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
v) Romans 3:23; 6:23
d. When a loved one dies and your grief is framed in anger,
i) Don’t direct your anger at God.
ii) Direct it towards sin.
iii) Dedicate yourself to the Good News of Jesus.
¨ Praying for others affected by sin.
e. I am touched by God’s love in all of this.
i) :3 - “Lord, the one you love is very sick.”
ii) Here in :33-36
f. Storms display the glory of His love
i) He is touched with the feelings of our weaknesses
ii) Jesus weeps with you because He loves you.
g. Storms display the glory of His lordship
i) :43 - Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
ii) If Jesus can raise Lazarus rom the dead after four days of being in the tomb, what can he do for you and me?
¨ Jesus challenged Martha in the end
¨ :40 - “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?”
¨ And Martha gave the command, in faith, to roll the stone away and there was life.
(a) The glory of Hs lordship is displayed, not only in our dependence, but also our obedience.
(b) What stone is Jesus commanding you to remove so that He can give you life and set you free?
(i) Stone of jealousy?
(ii) A nagging tongue?
(iii) Stone of unkindness?
(iv) Hypocrisy?
(v) Predjudice?
(vi) Prayerlessness?
(c) Obey and there will be resurrected life to His glory.
(d) The old grave clothes of doubt, pride, and bad relationships and habits will be taken off.
h. One day this same voice will thunder with a loud command and “the dead in Christ will rise”.
i) Regardless of whether our bodies will have been buried for 4 days or a thousand years,
ii) Regardless of whether they have been
¨ Burned at the stake
¨ Eaten by wild animals
¨ Frozen in an avalanche
¨ Sunk in an ocean
¨ Displayed in a velvet-line casket
¨ Entombed in a mausoleum
¨ Or sprinkled to the wind
iii) One day He will call us forth from the dead and we will rise again!
iv) Praise God – there is no one else we need.
i. Rest assured that while bad things happen to good people
i) He uses the storms to develop our faith
ii) And to display His glory and lordship.