An Expectation of Resurrection
Notes
Transcript
An Expectation of Resurrection
INTRODUCTION
Back to the Future
Sports Almanac
We would sit through games differently if we already knew the ending.
Hebrews 11:1
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Disciples did not have assurance or conviction concerning Lazarus.
They never really doubt Jesus, they just didn’t expect anything to happen.
Didn’t think it was worth the risk.
John 11:1-16
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.
3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so 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 Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer 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, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
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.”
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
The events of Palm Sunday happen because of Lazarus.
All of a sudden expectations for Jesus, the Messiah, skyrocketed.
Disciples’ expectations had died before Lazarus.
Thomas’ statement in last verse
John 11:16
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
4 Ways to Live in Expectation
1- Trust Jesus’ Purpose (1-4)
1- Trust Jesus’ Purpose (1-4)
John 11:1-4
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.
3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Jesus’ perspective was different than disciples.
He knew the reason for Lazarus’ death.
Don’t dwell on present reality- know God knows end result.
Purpose: Lazarus’ life or God’s glory?
Jesus did not heal every sick person or raise every dead person.
But those he did heal or raise were in order to bring glory to God.
2- Trust Jesus’ Timing (5-7)
2- Trust Jesus’ Timing (5-7)
John 11:5-7
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
Jesus loved Lazarus so much he waited two more days.
2 Peter 3:8-9
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Who are we to question God’s timing.
God sees beginning, ending, and everything in between at same time.
Mary and Martha questioned Jesus’ timing.
John 11:21
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
John 11:32
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
3- Trust Jesus’ Way (8-10)
3- Trust Jesus’ Way (8-10)
John 11:8-10
8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
Following Jesus is not always safe.
Egypt was not the safest place for Moses.
Goliath was not the safest place for David.
The palace was not the safest place for Daniel.
The streets were not safest place for Paul to preach.
Light and darkness
They were choosing fearful condition of the night instead of realizing Jesus was the light.
The light seemed dark to disciples. - because they didn’t trust Jesus was the light.
Stumbling
ILL- Playing capture the flag in the dark during youth camp out.
Full moon- running across open field - looked flat- it wasn’t.
Term has deep meaning.
=failing to accomplish the goal.
Romans 9:32-33
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Stumbling is the result of failing to walk in the light of Christ.
Jesus is stumbling block for those in darkness.
The cross is stumbling block.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
4- Trust Jesus’ Reality
4- Trust Jesus’ Reality
Philippians 1:21
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
To die is gain (11-15)
John 11:11-15
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.”
Maybe it isn’t as bad as it seems.
Why risk our life to go and wake someone up from sleep?
Sleep= death- because it is temporary.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8
8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Death is real- but it is temporary.
To Live is Christ’s (16)
John 11:16
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
They were willing to follow Jesus but didn’t believe he had something miraculous in mind.
Problem with Thomas’ statement...
Not that he was willing to die.
It was a pessimistic statement that came from a lack of faith.
Thomas had a problem with unbelief.
John 14- how do we know the way?
After resurrection- I have to see it.
We are called to live victorious lives. Change your attitude about it.
1 John 5:4-5
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 Corinthians 15:54-57
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We live in victory if through life or death.
Romans 14:7-8
7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
CONCLUSION
Are you living your life in expectation of God working through you?
Have you surrendered to Jesus’ will for your life?