Sunday Sermon

Jesus died for you and for me so we can not only live an abundant life in the here and now, but to live eternally with him in the heavens and worshipHim forever.

Church, this isn’t my table. It’s not your table. It’s not our table. But it’s the Lord’s table. And because it’s the Lord’s table all of us are welcome here. At this table, you don’t have to look a certain way. You don’t have to worship a certain way, look a certain way, or act a certain way. You just have to come, come to the table exactly as you are, seeking the One who is seeking you.

So after I pray come as the Holy Spirit leads you to the table, grab your cup and return to your seat and we will take it together.

Let us remember, that Communion is for those that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. So if you are a believer, please come to the table!

And remember church family, Paul teaches us in the 1 Corinthians 11 that we should examine ourselves so that we eat the bread and drink the cup in a worthy manner, so let us go to God in prayer. As I pray, I will pause so that we can allow the Spirit to search our hearts and then I will close.

Prayer

Lord Heavenly Father, as we take this bread, We remember that You are the bread of life. You feed our souls, you nourish our hearts, and enable us to run the race that you have set before us.

So as we take a moment now to allow your Spirit to examine our hearts we ask that if there is anything between us and you by word, thought, and deed, we ask that you would show us for it is our desire to eat of the bread and drink of the cup in a worthy manner. Let us allow the Lord to search our hearts now!

Pause

Thank you father for the sacrifice that you made for us all and for the forgiveness it has brought us. Thank you for rising from the grave and giving us the victory. Please remind us each and everyday that we do not fight for victory, but from victory. And thank you for your broken body and poured out blood.

IJN

Matthew 26:26–30 NKJV

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Let us open our Bibles to John 11

Today we are taking a break from Colossians and going to discuss the resurrection before the Resurrection.

The story of Lazarus is the icing on the cake when it comes to miracles.

This is the 7th of the 7 sign miracles that Jesus did in the book of John.

Why? Why did Jesus do these miracles?

So the Father would be glorified

So the disciples and people would believe

See the entire book of John is on the Deity of Jesus Christ, but also that those that would read John would believe.

John 20:30–31 NKJV

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

This is the thesis statement if you may, or the overarching theme throughout John.

Here in John 11 we witness the final public miracle that Jesus did, and it is the capstone of all His miracles because of the nature of the situation.

This is a remarkable miracle done at a very strategic time just prior to the Passover done in a place called Bethany, which is two miles east of Jerusalem on the road from Jericho that was literally filled with pilgrims heading to the Passover.

So everybody coming that way would have heard the story about Lazarus. It circulated through the whole city.

The raising of Lazarus strengthened, in a measure, the faith of the disciples and brought many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The resurrection of Lazarus gave a preview of the resurrection of Christ, which helped them to believe that it could happen because they had seen His resurrection power in the case of Lazarus.

Jesus after he fed the 5000 said, “I AM the Bread of Life!”

After He healed the Blind man Jesus said, “I AM the Light of the world!”

And here, before he resurrects Lazarus Jesus said, “I AM the resurrection and the life!”

Jesus did not say I might, I hope to be, not I was, but rather I AM church the resurrection and the life.

I think it is important for us to understand that Jesus was about 20 miles away form Lazarus beyond the Jordan in Perea because they wanted to kill him.

He was living somewhat in seclusion until this event occurred, which would actually start the process of moving Jesus back toward Jerusalem for His crucifixion.

Let’s pick up here:

John 10:39–42 NKJV

Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” And many believed in Him there.

Church, no matter where Jesus and the boys were, they were always doing ministry.

In fact, chapter 11 is where his public ministry comes to a close as Jesus is headed to the cross and the resurrecting of Lazarus is a precursor to that.

His ministry shifts after this from public to private as He needed to focus on the disciples that would turn the world upside down for Him.

Let us look at chapter 11 church

Read John 11

Lazarus is a shortened form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means “God has helped,” or “helped by God”—a fitting name in light of this story.

Since the name was a common one, John further identified him by the village where he lived, Bethany in Judea which was 2 miles from Jerusalem.

I think it is important for us to remember that the Passover is held in Jerusalem and Jesus shows up here on the Wednesday before passion week.

Because it is PASSOVER SEASON there are countless pilgrims headed to Jerusalem, therefore, the miracle Jesus did was not only witnessed by the multitudes, but also would spread rapidly and eventually put him on the cross.

Scholars are not sure what type of sickness that Lazarus had, but one thing for sure is that he was sick church, sick...

Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus with an unfailing love.

There home was a place of refuge for Jesus at times and in fact the text mentions three times that he loved them not only with phileo which is a brotherly love, but agape love which is unconditional and self-sacrificial .

We can see a few of them here:

John 11:3–6 NKJV

Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 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.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Did you catch what Jesus said here church?

Jesus said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, and that the Son of God may be glorified through it!

Note: the text says a second time here that He loved them, but notice that he did not run to Lazarus, but rather stay two more days!

Two more days!

What goes through your mind when you hear that Jesus stayed tow extra days, rather than quuckly going to Lazarus in Bethany?

Before moving on we must observe that God does permit people He loves to get sick. Sometimes the purpose is to raise the person up from the sickness, so the person may give glory to God.

Other times it is for the purpose of taking the believer home.

The fact that He loves us, and we love Him is no guarantee that we will be sheltered from the problems and pains of life. After all, the Father loves His Son: and yet the Father permitted His beloved Son to drink the cup of sorrow and experience the shame and pain of the Cross. We must never think that love and suffering are incompatible. Certainly they unite in Jesus Christ.

Mary and Martha could have turned away from Jesus, but they did not! They pressed into Jesus even though they did not get what they wanted immediately.

God operates on His time schedule, nor ours. Keep in mind that Jesus loves these three very much but He still operates on His time schedule.

What they would ultimately experience by waiting would be far better than just a healing of a sickness.

Church remember, that when prayers aren’t being answered immediately, God may have something far better in store a little later on.

When we find ourselves confronted by disease, disappointment, delay, and even death, our only encouragement is the Word of God. We must live by faith and not by sight. Their situation seemed hopeless, yet the sisters knew that Jesus was the Master of every situation.

The promise in Psalm 50:15 finds a parallel here:

Psalm 50:15 NKJV

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

John 11:8 NKJV

The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

Rabbi here means teacher and notice what little faith the boys have at this time.

Church even if they get stoned by the Jews, Jesus can raise them up to life again, but they did not believe.

John 11:9–10 NKJV

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. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

The Lord replied with a proverbial saying meant to reduce the disciples’ fears:

The Jews divided the daylight period into twelve hours, which unlike modern hours varied in length at different seasons of the year. The twelve hours in the day symbolize the duration of the Lord’s earthly ministry as allotted by the Father. Just as no one can lengthen or shorten a day, so the disciples’ concern could not extend the time allotted to Jesus, nor could the Jews’ hostility shorten it. The one who walks in the day need not fear that he might stumble; thus Jesus was perfectly safe for the prescribed time of His life (7:30; 8:20). The night, signifying the end of His earthly ministry (cf. 12:35), would come at the precise time set by God’s eternal plan, and only then would the Lord stumble in death

John 11:16 NKJV

Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

Look at the courage of Thomas here! Let’s go that we might die with him.

Although he has courage to die, Thomas quickly forgot that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead as we see in John 20:

John 20:24–25 NKJV

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

John 11:17 NKJV

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.

Lazarus had been dead 4 days church and there is great significance here for the Jews.

The Jews believed that the soul hovered around the body for three days after death, hoping to reenter it.

But on the fourth day, after noticing that the body was beginning to decompose (cf. v. 39), the soul departed.

Only then would a death be considered completely irreversible. Lazarus had been dead for four days, and his body had already started to decompose (v. 39).

The Jews therefore would have recognized that only a divine miracle could restore him to life.

The Jews did not embalm. The Jews did nothing to stop the decay. They wrapped the body and sprinkled spices on it to mitigate the smell. That's it. Here's what happens in four days, pretty grisly stuff. The heart has stopped beating. The body cells are then deprived of oxygen, and they begin to die. Blood drains from throughout the circulatory system and pools in the low places. Muscles begin to stiffen in what is known commonly by the Latin, rigor mortis. That sets in after three hours.

By 24 hours, the body has lost all its heat. The muscles then lose their rigor mortis in 36 hours, and by 72 hours rigor mortis has vanished. All stiffness is gone and the body is soft. Looking a little bit deeper, as cells begin to die, bacteria go to work. Your body is filled with bacteria, but that's another subject. The bacteria in the body of a dead person begin to attack, breaking the cells down. The decomposing tissue takes on a horrific look and smell and emits green liquids by the 72nd hour. The tissue releases hydrogen sulfide and methane as well as other gases. A horrible smell is emitted. Insects and animals will consume parts of the body if they can get at it.

Lazarus is really dead church and not only will Jesus ressrect him, but he will also need to do some Creative work in him for his body was decaying, brain matter gone, eyes gone, he stinketh as the King Jimmy puts it.

We must remember, Gods timing is everything here and that he is not working on Mary or Marthas time table.

And God does not work on ours either!

Also, the stone over the cave or the grave served a purpose of keeping the smell in and animals and bugs out!

John 11:33–35 NKJV

Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

Weeping- klaio- to weep v. — to cry freely and profusely from sadness or distress, to lament loudly.

Here we see Jesus being groaning in the Spirit and this means

to restrain oneself ⇔ rebuke one’s spirit v. — to subdue or curb one’s emerging emotions forcefully; conceived of as severely censuring one’s emotional disposition and being troubled.

Troubled- to shake v. — to move or cause to move back and forth. The picture here is that of a horse making a snorkling sound church.

Jesus wept church he wept!

This is not the same weeping that was going on in verse 33 with Mary

Wept-dakryo- v. — to shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain.

Men you were lied to! Real men do cry! God gave us tear ducts and we were told a lie, the culture says we cannot cry, tradition says we cannot cry, but God cry’s church, he cry’s.

When is the last time you cried? I can tell you, it was when Leah our puppy passed just a few weeks ago, it was when Daniel graduated from the rebuilders program at the mission. One was from loss and the other cry was our of joy and excitement church as to what the Lord has done!

So cry, its ok to cry!

Jesus wept! He has tears running down his cheeks church, tears flowing like a river of living waters.

We see here the humanity of Christ intersecting with the Divinity of God!

Jesus and God are One Church!

Why was Jesus weeping?

Sin- he was weeping over the brokenness and death that sin brings to humanity.

Unbelief- he was weeping over the unbelief of his disciples and those that were there at the grave and for all.

The word believe is used a total of eight times in John 11, therefore, the emphasis is to believe.

Believe- pisteuo- to accept as true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in, to entrust , to rely upon.

Do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised on the third day?

Because there were many that had walked with Jesus and there are many who witnessed this miracle and did not believe church.

Notice that the Jews came with her weeping.

There was actually paid mourners during this time.

They would mourn for about seven days generally.

But the real mourners would emerge because they would stay around for up to 30 days after the death of a loved one.

If you want to know a church that loves well, it is one that mourns well with those who suffer loss.

Please, when you grieve with those who grieve, allow them to feel. For you don’t change how someone feels, but rather hear what they are feeling.

Our job is to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

We cannot force are way into someone grieving space, but we can let them know we care.

John 11:38–44 NKJV

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

The stone is laying against the tomb church to keep the smell in and the animals and insect out.

Remember, the Jews did not embalm but rather wrap the bodies in grave clothes with spices like myrrh and frankincense to keep the smell down.

Jesus says, “Take away the stone to those that are there witnessing this resurrection and today he is saying what stones need to be rolled away from our hearts?

I think it is extremely important to realize that God uses humanity to aid in the resurrection of others even though he does not need to.

If we need a stone rolled back in our lives, maybe we need others to come alongside us.

God is Sovereign, but man has responsibility!

What stone can’t you roll back on you own? Is the Lord calling you to connect with others that can?

Jesus prays and then says: Lazarus come forth!

The Lord resurrects him and he comes forth church, he come forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes.

Note: Jesus did not unwrap him, but rather call to those around him to loose him and let him go!

There are some of us here today that still have on stinky grave clothes and the Lord desires other to unwrap us and let us go.

What about your grave clothes? Are they all gone or are you still held hostage by your past?

John 11:45–46 NKJV

Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.

Many came to believe through this miracle, but many ran to the Pharisees in unbelief.

Religion cannot save, only Jesus can!

Will you let him resurrect you?

John 5:28–29 NKJV

Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

One day church, Jesus will say just like the judge in the court room:

“All rise!” Some to resurrection of life and others to the resurrection of damnation.

Is today, the day of salvation for you?

Do you believe?

Have you been resurrected?

Prayer

Announcements

Are there any announcements?

1 Corinthians 15:55–58 NKJV

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

The Lord Bless You!

Your Mission Starts Now!

He is Risen???

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