The Master Comes (Improv)
Notes
Transcript
Read John 11:14-28
Read John 11:14-28
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
Notice John 11:15 - “Nevertheless let us go unto him” (This might make a sermon)
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
The Master Is Come -
In March of 2009, Dutch artist Johan van der Dong decided God needed a telephone number. So, he got him one. A cell phone number to be exact—to show that God was "available anywhere and anytime." "In earlier times you would go to a church to say a prayer," Dong said in an interview, "and now [this is an] opportunity to just make a phone call and say your prayer in a modern way."
It seems a lot of people appreciate the opportunity Dong has afforded them with his "divine hotline." Within one week, over 1,000 people left God a message.
On one hand, it's pretty thrilling to know that over 1,000 people want to connect to God. On the other hand, you have to wonder how people will feel once the "connection" is made. You see, when you call the number Dong has set up for God, this is what you hear on the other side of the line: "This is the voice of God. I am not able to speak to you at the moment, but please leave a message." That doesn't exactly convey the idea of a God who is "available anywhere and anytime," does it? To make matters worse, Dong plans on keeping the line open for just six months.
When you think about it, Dong has really only managed to connect people to an altogether disconnected God.
Brian Lowery, managing editor, PreachingToday.com; sources: Associated Press, "Dutch leave messages on God phone," www.newsvote.bbc.co.uk (3-7-09), and Reuters, "Leave God a message at his Dutch answering service," www.reuters.com (3-2-09)
But in our reading tonight I picture Mary and Martha though surrounded by loving friends and acquaintances yet feeling abandoned by God - when suddenly through the tears and felt greif - He is there!!!
Jesus Came!!!!
I’m Glad the Master Comes
The master comes in our time of need
I'm sure most of you have heard of or even knew Bro. Coy McGinnis. If not you probably know his most familiar song, "He'll Furnish The Grace" I love the song the first two verses go:
When I came to Jesus I had nothing to bring
My substance I'd wasted on life's foolish things;
I wanted forgiveness and freedom from sin,
I bowed before the Savior and I said to Him.
I'll furnish the man if you'll furnish the grace
Let me take your hand, Let me look on your face
I'll do what you bid me your will I'll embrace
I'll furnish the man if you'll furnish the grace
The Lord has never failed me not even one time
He's Kept all his promises I've tried to keep mine.
Alone I can't make it but God has a plan
Unmerited favor for meritless men.
What I didn't know for many years was that it was sometime until Bro. McGinnis would write the third verse.
Bro. Coy McGinnis suffered a serious heart attack and went through quite an ordeal. A short time after that his son started having some health complications so they took him to the doctor only to find out he had a malignant brain tumor that would take his eyesight. He would lose a little girl. Then after quite a camp meeting in Florida Bro. McGinnis came home. Sometime around 1am the house caught on fire and burned to the ground. They lost everything they had in this world. I heard him tell, "I stood out in the snowbank not a cent to my name."
It was sometime after this that the third verse came to him and he jotted it down. It goes like this;
3. Sometimes I'm tested, sometimes I'm tried
Sometimes it feels like something's broken down inside,
but oh when I feel that I can't stand any more
that's when he pours out his Spirit my strength to restore. [10]
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
The master comes when we think its over - (Only to find out it hasn’t even begun)
Dallas Willard’s Last Words: 'Thank You'
The Christian writer and philosopher Dallas Willard died at 6am on May 8, 2013. In his biography on Willard titled Becoming Dallas Willard, Gary Moon describes Dallas’ last moments:
At 4:30 a.m. a nurse came in to turn Dallas in the bed. Her visit awakened [Dallas’ good friend Gary Black who was in the hospital room with him]. Moving Dallas awakened him too. Gary took Dallas’s hand. Dallas turned to him and told him to tell his loved ones how much he was blessed by them and how much he appreciated them. … Then, as Gary described, “In a voice clearer than I had heard in days, he leaned his head back slightly and with his eyes closed said, ‘Thank you.’” Gary did not feel that Dallas was talking to him, but to another presence that Dallas seemed to sense in the room. And those were the last words of Dallas Willard. “Thank you,” he said, to a very present and then finally visible to him God.
Source:
Gary Moon, Becoming Dallas Willard (IVP, 2018), page 240
You may not loose all you have, or your Lazarus, or your life this week - but I know you will face something -
I want you to know that even though it seems that its all over - God has something great in mind - He has a grave to open, he has some tears to shed, he HAS TO COME into your life.