If You'd Been Here
IF YOU’D BEEN HERE – JOHN 11:21 HOMEGOING SERVICE FOR SIS. DEBORAH JONES / DAUGHTER OF SIS. PAULINE ALLEN JANUARY 12, 2008
INTRO: SMALL CHILD HAD ATTENDED CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND HAD A GRAND AND GREAT TIME IN THE LORD. THE SMALL GIRL KNELT BY HER BED AT BEDTIME TO SAY HER PRAYERS...AND WITH A TONE OF INNOCENCE AND DELIGHT...PRAYED, DEAR LORD, WE HAD A GOOD TIME IN CHURCH TODAY, BUT I SURE WHICH YOU’D BEEN THERE.
EXPL: IN OUR TEXT WE ARE INTRODUCED TO THE FAMILY OF MARY, MARTHA AND LAZARUS. THEY WERE A WELL TO DO FAMILY IN JERUSALEM; THEY HAD STATUS AND SUBSTANCE; THEY HAD REPUTATION AND RICHES AND MORE SO...JESUS FREQUENTLY CAME TO THEIR HOUSE. IT WAS A HAPPY HOME, A HOME OF LOVE AND DEVOTION, BUT IT WAS SHATTERED AS LAZARUS GOT SICK, THE DEVOTED DISCIPLES WERE CRUSHED AS THEIR BROTHER DIED.
DEVOTION – THE LORD LOVES MARY, MARTHA AND LAZARUS
DELAY – LORD RECEIVED WORD THAT HIS FRIEND WAS SICK...BUT DELAYED 4 DAYS.
DECISION – THE LORD FINALLY SAYS LET’S GO TO BETHANY
DIALOGUE – THE LORD DISCUSSES WITH THE DISCIPLES THEIR TREK
DESPAIR – THOMAS AGREES AND EXPECTS THE WORSE...THAT THEY TOO WILL DIE.
FROM SICKNESS, TO SORROW WE COME FACE TO FACE WITH THESE SISTERS.
INTER: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THESE SISTERS AS WE TOO SAY...LORD, IF YOU’D BEEN HERE? WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM MARY AND MARTHA?
TS: AS WE LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE WE HOPE TO GAIN STRENGTH FOR OUR HEAVY HEARTS.
MP I. THEY SAID THE SAME THING. V 21, 32
FRIENDS OF JESUS – WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS ALL OUR SINS AND GRIEVES TO BEAR
FAVOR OF JESUS – GOD’ S BLESSING JUST BY HIM BEING THERE..
IMP. ACCESS TO JESUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP AND FAVOR OF GOD WILL NOT CAUSE GOD TO COME TO OUR AID BEFORE HIS TIME. JESUS IS NOT OBLIGATED TO COME AT OUR BECK AND CALL.
FAITH IN JESUS – JUST LIKE THE NOBLEMAN’S SON SAID. IF JESUS JUST SAID THE WORD...MY SERVANT WOULD BE HEALED.
PRAYER OF THE DISCIPLES...ON THE SEA OF GALILEE...CAREST THOU WE PERISH?
DISCIPLES PRAYER...THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
APP: DENY DOESN’T MEAN DENIAL.
ILL: GOD HAS A PLAN OF PROVIDENCE..AND PROVIDENTIAL CLOCK WHERE HE GET ST HE GLORY. THE CLOCK OF PROVIDENCE (JOHN 7:6) THERE IS A CLOCK WITH WHICH PROVIDENCE KEEPS TIME AND PACE, AND GOD HIMSELF SETS IT, SO THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS WITH DIVINE PUNCTUALITY. ISRAEL CAME OUT OF EGYPT ON THE SELF-SAME NIGHT IN WHICH THE REDEMPTION WAS APPOINTED, AND AFTERWARDS WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS TILL THE HOUR HAD COME WHEN THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES WAS FULL. OUR TIME IS ALWAYS COME, FOR WE ARE IN SELFISH HASTE; BUT OUR LORD WHEN ON EARTH HAD HIS SET TIMES AND KNEW HOW TO WAIT FOR THEM. GOD IS NEVER BEFORE HIS TIME, AND NEVER TOO LATE. WE MAY WELL ADMIRE THE PUNCTUALITY OF HEAVEN. OUR TRIALS COME IN DUE SEASON, AND GO AT THE APPOINTED MOMENT. OUR FRETFULNESS WILL NEITHER HASTEN NOR DELAY THE PURPOSE OF OUR GOD. WE ARE IN HOT HASTE TO SET THE WORLD RIGHT, AND TO ORDER ALL AFFAIRS: THE LORD HATH THE LEISURE OF CONSCIOUS POWER AND UNERRING WISDOM, AND IT WILL BE WELL FOR US TO LEARN TO WAIT. THE CLOCK WILL NOT STRIKE TILL THE HOUR; BUT WHEN THE INSTANT COMETH WE SHALL HEAR THE BELL. MY SOUL, TRUST IN GOD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY WHEN HE SAYS, “MY TIME IS NOT YET COME” (JOHN 7:6).
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MPII. THEY BELIEVED THE SAME THING V. 22-31
THEY KNEW THEOLOGY – REMEMBER MARY SAT AT JESUS FEET TO HEAR THE WORLD OF GOD; BETHANY SEMINARY AS JESUS TAUGHT THE MYSTERIES OF THE AGES. MARY AND MARTHA KNEW....
THEY KNEW GOD’S ANSWER’S PRAYER AND THE FATHER WOULD HEAR THE SON.
THEY KNEW THAT CHRIST WILL RESURRECT THE DEAD ON THE LAST DAY.
IMP. CHRIST KNEW THAT THEIR FAITH AND LOVE NEEDED TO BE STRENGTHENING.
2 SAMUEL 22:33 GOD IS MY STRENGTH AND POWER: AND HE MAKETH MY WAY PERFECT. {MAKETH: HEB. RIDDETH, OR, LOOSETH}
KJV NEHEMIAH 8:10 THEN HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YOUR WAY, EAT THE FAT, AND DRINK THE SWEET, AND SEND PORTIONS UNTO THEM FOR WHOM NOTHING IS PREPARED: FOR THIS DAY IS HOLY UNTO OUR LORD: NEITHER BE YE SORRY; FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.
KJV PSALM 27:14 WAIT ON THE LORD: BE OF GOOD COURAGE, AND HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART: WAIT, I SAY, ON THE LORD.
KJV PSALM 27:1 <A PSALM OF DAVID.> THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION; WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE; OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?
APP: BRING YOUR CASE TO CHRIST....
LOOK PAST YOUR PRESENCE CIRCUMSTNCES AND
KNOW GOD IS AT WORK IN THE DARKEST HOUR.
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD.
ILL;
MPIII. THEY SAW THE SAME THING.
THEY SAY JESUS LOVE AND COMPASSION
THEY SAW JESUS GRIEF OVER THE LOSS – JESUS WEPT
THEY SAW THE POWER OF GOD OVER DEATH...
IMP. HOPE DIED AND WAS BURIED BUT THEY WERE TO SEE THE POWER OF THE GREAT I AM.
THEY WOULD SEE THE AWESOME GLORY OF GOD.
JESUS IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE. – I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY. JOHN 10:10.
THE LESSON IS THAT DEATH IS neither THE END NOR THE ULTIMATE TRAGEDY...
THE LORD JESUS IS THE ONE WHO BRINGS DEATH OUT OF LIFE...
JAIRUS DAUGHTER
WIDOW OF NAIN SON
LAZARUS...LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO....
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE...WHEN LAZARUS CAME FORTH...FROM THE TOMB
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN JESUS WENT FORTH INTO THE TOMB...
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE...THAT THURSDAY...UPPER ROOM, IN THE GARDEN, AT THE CROSS, EARLY SUN MORN.
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[1] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)