The Faith Of Martha
Notes
Transcript
Setting The Scene
Setting The Scene
A great mourning is happening at the home of Mary and Martha
Lazarus has been in the ground 4 days
all hope of him getting better are over
all hope of Jesus doing anything are over
there is a migration from the tomb to the home, back an forth
Jesus arrives with His disciples
Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
Jerusalem 2 miles away
Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
John wants us to know Just how close the danger is
And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
a lot of friends came from Jerusalem to be with Mary and Martha
And many of the Jews; spiritual leaders, the ones who want Jesus dead
Maybe another reason for the delay is, so the people from Jerusalem would be there
So then..
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
Martha things have to be done, the worker, the active one
Jesus told her at one time you worry about many things
to many things you need to prioritize
Martha was like this leader I once had who put a ton load of work on the shoulders of an employee. the employee said that she wanted the leader to prioritize what should be done first ,second, ect. the leader said its all on the same line. all has 1st priority.
But Jesus wanted her to put God as her 1st priority, not self
so, Martha went to meet Jesus
But Mary waited, knowing her time would come
Martha’s Faith
Martha’s Faith
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Martha lamenting the fact that Jesus could not be here
because if you were here you could have done something
Just if, what if,
what ifs are futile thoughts
not only are the disciples learning about faith, but also the the girls.
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
They got the message that the “sickness is not unto death”
but by the time they recieved that message he was already dead
Jesus promised that he would live
but that was something they could not comprehend
So was Martha expecting Jesus to bring back Lazarus?
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
this answer was limited by her faith
she did not expect Jesus to bring back her brother
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
It’s to late, the time for miracles is over,
her past reference to being here - shows her limited faith
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
Again Jesus says he will rise
and again she misunderstands
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
over and over Jesus told her that her brother would live
but she could not believe in Jesus doing a miracle here and now
In the past you have done great things — also in the future
I believe in the resurrection, I know I will see him again,
We too sometimes have the same faith
God has helped others done great things in the past
In the future He will also do great things
but here and now —not so much
Jesus’s promises to us we kind of disregard (don’t take personally)
We want to shrug them off as not having a relation to this situation .. or time
God’s Promises To The Believer
God’s Promises To The Believer
Ted Witzig, Jr, PhD Article, Gods promises to the believer
Ted Witzig, Jr, PhD Article, Gods promises to the believer
Identify the promise from the Scripture as the truth.
Make the choice to affirm it as truth over your life. That is, believe that the promise is true for you.
Ask yourself, “If I lived like this promise was 100% true, how would I live? What type of difference would it make in my life?”
Make the choice to live like the truth is truly true even if your feelings don’t match. Remember, when your feelings and the truth are in conflict, always follow the truth of the Word.
Because of salvation through Jesus
Because of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me
I am a child of God, Thus an Heir
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Because of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, God has given me a purpose even-though I am weak
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Because of what Jesus did on the Cross, God will not leave me in this crisis, and will overcome all obstacles
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
With Jesus as our Savior, The Holy Spirit in us, and the Father in control of all things; nothing will separate us from Him
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thes promises are all truth. we must internalize them. make the real.
we cannot use them if we like Martha only look at God’s miracles in the past, the great things to come. but the present we are on our own, God can do nothing.
Emotions and feelings get in the way of God’s promises
when you have feelings saying this, and God’s promises saying the truth
Follow the truth every time.