For God's Glory!
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I can’t believe it! You have got to be kidding me! You say, he didn’t go? You said, she didn’t stay with them? Why didn’t he go to the hospital? Why didn’t she give him the money? Why didn’t his family help him? Many people end these types of questions with a statement like, “And he call himself a Christian!” When people don’t act or react the way we expect, we look at them with a critical eye. We have the tendency to act as if we know what needs to be done in others lives.
I can imagine, in John chapter 11, that Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were wondering? Why didn’t He come? Didn’t He get the message? Who delayed Him? Does He care? I can also imagine the disciples, who knew Jesus had received their message, were wondering, “Why would you put yourself in harms way? or Why do You want to go back there?” Look with me at John chapter 11:4-8
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
What moves you?
What compels you?
Are you influence by your spouse?
Are you driven by self preservation?
Are you motivated by your circumstances? As a believer, it would be wise to find out what moved the Master. As people who are suppose to be following the example of Christ, it would be smart to find out what and who influenced the Son of God.
I. Should your Circumstance Drive You?
I. Should your Circumstance Drive You?
7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
Christ tells His disciple that he is going to go back to Judea, but listen to the response of the disciples. They reminded Him and warned Him about the threat of bodily harm.
Remember in
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Also remember what happen after His exposition of the Isaiah text in
28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.
30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
Jesus was not at all the one who ran in the face of danger.
Remember in
39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed.
Jesus did not have a problem with
Fleeing in the face of danger
Jesus did not have a problem with
Breaking in a bad circumstance
Jesus did not have a problem with
Slipping away in the midst of a sticky situation
And we now know that the Scribes and Pharisees meant business. We know that their intentions were real!
Why didn’t Christ halt in the face of this hazard?
. . . pause in the midst of this peril?
. . . draw back in the midst of this danger?
What about you what you my brothers and sisters? How do you know when to go or when to stay?
Are you just about Self preservation?
Are you just about watching out for number one?
What made the 3 Hebrew boys tell King Neberchadnezzar, No?
What made Daniel get on his knees to pray after knowing the decree was signed?
What made Paul go to Jerusalem even knowing that he would be imprisoned for going?
Why are some of you here and some at home?
II. Should your Companions Drive you?
II. Should your Companions Drive you?
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
John makes clear that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
When Jesus loves, love moves and motivates Him.
His love was shown in His
COMPASSION TO THE CONDEMNED (Woman at the well)
FORGIVENESS TO THE FUGITIVE (Zach)
ACQUITTAL TO THE ACCUSED (Woman caught in the act)
DELIVERANCE TO THE DOOMED (Nicodemus)
REDEMPTION TO THE REBELLIOUS (thief at the cross)
LOVE TO THE LONELY
Why didn’t Jesus, the One who has healed so many others, come immediately to heal his friend whom He loved?
Why didn’t His love for HIS FRIENDS OR COMPANIONS MOVE HIM TO GO?
WHY DID HE LINGER?
WHY DID HE DELAY?
WHY DID HE
What about you what you my brothers and sisters? WHAT MOVES YOU TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY?
Are you MOTIVATED BY YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR CHILDREN?
Are you COMPELLED BY YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR COMPANIONS?
III. Why? For the glory of God
III. Why? For the glory of God
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Lazarus sickness is not to death but for the glory of God
God's glory is the display of His greatness, goodness, and beauty so that persons are aware of Him through sensory experiences such as sight and sound.
Jesus is saying that God the Father is using Lazarus’ sickness to display His greatness, goodness, and beauty so that people become aware of Him.
God the Father used this situation to display His glory through Christ.
Christ was not concerned about delaying to show up with His companions
wrecking His Witness
marring His Ministry
misconstruing His Mission
tainting His Teachings
God desires to use you for His glory. God wants to put you on display and show just the beauty in His work, will, and ways. He want to show just how good He is and how great He is. This is why Paul declared in
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Your body and your spirit should give accolades to God because He is the Creator in Genesis, who has regenerated me. He is the Deliverer in the book of Exodus, who has saved and redeemed me. He is the High Priest in Leviticus, who has reconciled me. He is the Prophet in Deuteronomy, who teaches me. He is the Shepherd in Numbers that guided them with a cloud and guides me. He is the Commander in the book of Joshua who fights for me and makes me more than a conqueror. He is the King of all kings in the books of Chronicles and Kings, who has proven worthy to be Lord of my life. Which it should not be a surprise to anyone that we should
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.