Just Believe
Notes
Transcript
In a world where people want to see it before they believe it I want to tell the church this morning to JUST BELIEVE!
Can we Christians, Disciples, Followers of the Way just believe that Jesus is who He said He is and if we beleiev that can we live a life that gives fruit from that belief?
Is that asking to much from the church today?
You know why local churches are failing today and end up closing their doors? Because they have failed to “Believe” and carry out what Jesus told his church to do.
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This is not the Great Suggestion this is the Great Commandment from the living God who created all things! (Just in case you did not know who gave this command)
You are commanded to make disciples of all peoples not just the ones who look like you.
We are commanded to make disciples of all peoples not just the ones who look like us.
You are commanded to baptize them (act of obedience) in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are commanded to teach them to observe all that Jesus has commanded you.
These all require the same thing from each of us: ACTION
I hear some of you now, man pastor is taking this personal and you would be absolutely correct.
absolutely correct.
It is personal because I believe that Jesus is who He said He is and that means He will be with me until the end of this age.
Jesus said, Behold (v) see or observe (a thing or person, especially a remarkable or impressive one).
See/observe that I am with you always to the end of the age.
That is Jesus saying He will be with us here on this Earth till He calls us home. (That is a promise for the Believers)
That brings us to the Scripture for the message today, .
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 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.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 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.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 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.”
John 11:
The Grave
The Grave
The grave is seen as a place of loss or perhaps it a memorial for some that gives comfort. It holds the shell of what remains of one’s life who has met death.
The grave can be a cave, a hole, an urn or where ever they spread your ashes!
But can I tell you that many living people are stuck inside of graves! The grave of addiction, the grave of self seeking, the grave of depression/anxiety, the grave of false religion and any thing else that keeps us from following Jesus as disciples.
However, There is a way to break free from any grave including the grave of death. The way is Jesus!!
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The grave was closed with a stone.
Remove the Stone
Remove the Stone
As Jesus came to the tomb, he saw that it was closed with a stone in the door way and Jesus commanded that the stone be taken away.
It did not take long for Martha to give Jesus an excuse for not removing the stone.
English Standard Version Chapter 11
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.”
Excuses to why we can not and should not do what the Lord has commanded always seem to pop up instead of faithful obedience.
Excuses to why we can not and should not do what the Lord has commanded
I understand that things seems impossible with us but we are not talking about just any person here. This is Jesus, the savior of the world who has commanded the stone be rolled away.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Let us not be to hard on Martha because we too make excuses as to why we can not follow the command of Jesus when he calls us to “Follow Me”. As disciples that is the call to all of us who have said yes but yet we are loaded with reasons of why we can not or will not follow. At the end of the day it is disobedience.
Jesus said to Martha, Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?
Church we are asked to believe in Jesus not explain everything that he commands.
A Thankful Heart
A Thankful Heart
The stone was removed and Jesus lifted his eyes and gave thanks to the Father. Jesus thanked the Father for hearing his prayer.
As the stone was Jesus gave thanks to the Father
He knew that the Father always heard him but said it out loud so the crowds could hear him so that they might believe the Father had sent Jesus.
Have you thanked the Father for hearing your prayers? Privately and Publicly
Cry Out
Cry Out
When Jesus finished thanking the Father, He cried out for Lazarus to come out of the grave! “Lazarus, Come Out”
Come on somebody, this is shouting time in heaven!
Notice what took place:
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.”
Praise be to God, church if we will just believe that Jesus is who he said he is and He has power over hell, death and the grave.
Church there should be no reason for any of us not to follow the commands of Jesus. “Repent, Believe and Follow”
Just Believe
Just Believe
Do you just believe?
