Does God Care?

March 29 Sermon (Pandemic Series)  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 172 views
Notes
Transcript

Introduction

In times like we’re in - a time of isolation, for some its a time of personal tragedy, for our country…for our world, this is a time of panic, confusion and crisis.
Maybe for some they are fearful, afraid of the unknown, of what’s next…of getting sick themselves. Don’t forget there are thousands and thousands of people who are actually sick.
And maybe there are those who are sick and tired of this whole thing and can’t wait for it to be over.
And when to come to hard times in life, whether it’s personal tragedy or a global pandemic like we’re in - our nature as human beings is to start asking a lot of questions…important questions, theological questions.
In times like we’re in - even as Christians we begin to ask conflicting questions - we begin to make conflicting statements. “God I know you are in control of everything, but why are you allowing this to happen? This seems be a place where faith and blame intersect.
Times like we are in - national crisis, personal crisis, personal tragedy - in these times we ask a lot of questions. in fact, there are 3 fundamental questions that most ask - questions we’ll explore today.
Question #1 - Does God understand what’s happening? In other words, can God relate?
Question #2 - Does God care about what’s happening?
And Question #3 - Is God still in control?
Usually, when faced with questions like these, we tend to give pat answers. “I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD,...” “God works all things together for good...”
And while I truly and wholeheartedly believe in God’s plans, while I believe that God works all things together for good…pat answers won’t due in times of crisis.
So instead of giving pat answers…instead of trying to make sense of our circumstances…this morning we are simply going to focus on the never changing nature and character of God..as it is revealed to us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Today we’ll be focusing on one scene in particular - it’s a painful but a powerful scene. It’s a scene where faith and blame intersect. It’s a scene that answers the 3 questions we asked earlier.
Does God understand what’s happening? Does God even care? Does God still reign? The scene we’ll look at answers these 3 questions with the shortest verse in the Bible…Jesus wept.
If you have a Bible in front of you - open it up to . We aren’t going to be reading the whole thing because it’s a long chapter. Just bits and pieces of it.
After we’re done today, I would encourage you to read this scene over in its entirety in light of what’s been said.

The Scene

The scene is a painful one…a confusing one. Perhaps it causes more questions than it gives answers, but the scene is ultimately a triumphant one.
In this scene, Lazarus - one of Jesus’ friends, gets sick…and he dies. But Jesus, though he could have…doesn’t rush to Lazarus’ bedside to prevent him from dying.
Jesus doesn’t, as he did earlier in his ministry - heal Lazarus from a far. Instead, the scene plays out tragically as Lazarus dies…and Jesus waits 4 days to visit his bereaved friends Mary and Martha. He waits 4 days to come to Bethany…the town where they lived.
It’s a scene where Jesus is twice asked why he didn’t prevent this from happening. It’s a place where faith and blame intersect. It’s a scene where Jesus’ power and his divinity is on full display - he does, after all, raise Lazarus from dead by speaking.
But is also a scene where the humanity of Jesus is on full display. Jesus, coming to Bethany - seeing the weeping and wailing that’s taking place. Jesus, seeing the pain and confusion and heartache in both Mary and Martha…Jesus, comes to the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus…and he weeps.
And in his tears, we see the answer to our questions.

Does God Understand?

In our world today with COVID-19 running rampant through our world - with people getting sick by the thousands…does God understand what’s happening here?
Well - look at . In this scene, not only did Jesus know and understand what HAS happened, he understands what WILL happen. And he still weeps.
Picking up the scene in .
John 11:11–15 ESV
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Listen to again.
John 11:11 ESV
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”
Lazarus has fallen asleep. Jesus knew what happened. He knew that Lazarus was sick, that he did. Apparently his dim-witted disciples didn’t clue in. They thought Jesus was talking about waking Lazarus up from a nap.
But Jesus explains to them that Lazarus wasn’t sleeping…he died from his illness. But Jesus said Lazarus died so that the disciples, and others, would believe the truth about who Jesus is.
And when Jesus finally does get to Bethany, we see Jesus interacting with Mary and Martha - Lazarus’ sisters.
And in both of the conversations, we see this convergence of faith and blame. They both acknowledge Jesus’s power to heal, but at the same time they question his timing - why didn’t he come sooner and stop this from happening?
And isn’t it true - that when times of crisis arise - whether its personal crisis or a national one - we often find ourselves making these very statements. We see this convergence of faith and blame.
God, I know you are all-powerful, but where were you when this happened…what that happened. When the markets tanked, when the illness spread, when he died?
But here’s what we must remember - God understands what has happened…and he understands what will happen.
Ever before arriving at Lazarus’ tomb - Jesus knew he was going to raise him from the dead. But he cried anyway. Why? Because even though he knew he would ultimately provide a glorious outcome…Jesus was still acknowledging the pain and heartache of the situation.
It’s like watching the same movie multiple times. There are some movies that tug on your heart strings and make you cry. And no matter how many times you see the same movie, the same scene makes you cry…even though you know the end of the movie and you know that the sad situation eventually gets resolved.
The same thing happens in this scene in . Jesus knows the outcome - but he enters into the hurt and pain anyway. His tears show us his understanding or our tragedies without denying that he knows what will come.
Gain comfort form this truth - Jesus, in his humanity knows tragedy. he is able to understand joy - and he is able to understand pain. Jesus is not blind to our situation or experiences…Jesus gets it.
But Jesus, in his divinity - knows what will happen. He knew what would happen for Lazarus, for himself, for you…for this whole COVID-19 situation we’re in now.
God is not guessing…there’s not comfort in a God who guesses. No, no - He understands. He gets it. He understands what has happened and what will happen.

Does God Care?

Secondly, let’s focus on this question…Does God even care? We’ll again, the shortest verse in the Bible answers that question with an emphatic “Yes.”
Does God care??? Jesus wept. This is where we see the depth of God’s care.
When Jesus wept, he let us know that he cares - really cares - about our tragedies.
in the vulnerability of our Saviour - in the tears of our Saviour - we hear and see the undeniable message that our God cares.
His willingness to involve himself in our world, in our mess, in our misery, in our pain…testifies of our God’s care. The evidence of God’s care is not found in our circumstances, but in his character.
We can turn to God because his care for us in unquestionable…the tears in his eyes prove this…the cross of Jesus proves this.
Because Jesus didn’t simply shed tears for humanity - he didn’t only shed tears to show he cares, but he shed his blood.
In the ultimate act, Jesus, who know now sin, became sin for us. Jesus - lived a sinless and perfect life…but he died a criminals death on a cross…so that our sins could be forgiven.
As we read - as we gaze deeply into our Saviour’s eyes - the one who created us, the one who gave himself for us - when we see the tears in his eyes…we see the care he has for us.
John 11:35 ESV
35 Jesus wept.
His compassion is present in each tear that falls.

Does God still rule?

Does God understand? Jesus wept at a funeral? Does God care? Jesus wept in the face of personal crisis.
Finally a third fundamental question we ask in times of crisis is this…Does God still rule?
The answer to this question is a resounding “Yes!” But remember in this passage there was a delay. Jesus know Lazarus was sick. He knew Lazarus was going to die and indeed did die. Jesus knew all that…yet he STILL waiting 4 days after Lazarus died to make an appearance.
Here’s what we can learn from this - the triumph took time, but this did not mean that God’s purposes were not being fulfilled.
We live in a cultural of instant gratification. We want it now…or sooner. We want this self-isolation and social distancing thing to end. We want this worldwide health crisis to end immediately.
But none of that is going to happen. Time is needed. And gives us a lens to see things through.
The events of is a lens for us to look over all time and all events to understand not only that God’s triumph may take time, but also that God’s triumph will ultimately come.
In times like were’ in, I take comfort in the fact that there is a throne in heaven. There is a throne in heaven and it is occupied. There’s a throne in heaven and it is occupied by God Almighty.
Remember this description in . John is given access to the control room of heaven - and in the middle of all the action is a throne - and one sitting on the throne.
When we studied Revelation, we spent a couple digesting all that is taking place in this scene. I’m going to read these words to you. They are beautiful and powerful and a great reminder that there is STILL a throne in heaven, and it is STILL occupied by God Almighty.
.
Revelation 4 ESV
1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Revelation 11 ESV
1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come. 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” 19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Conclusion

We are living in uncertain times. Things will never be back to normal - we’re going to have to find a new normal. These are chaotic, surreal, painful, stressful and tragic times…where can we turn?
We can still turn to God…who understands, cares, and is still ruling and reigning from his throne in heaven.
We know this because Jesus wept.
Each tear in this tragedy is a lens to understand the power and love God has for his creation. This is how we know God is still love and still in control in the midst of trying circumstances…Jesus wept.
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more