John 11:17-26

PRAY

I GOT THIS

The Phrase “I Got This” is actually “TRUST ME!”

Trust is not always easy.

Trust Quotes - To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.

Maya Angelou - “I don't trust people who don't love themselves and tell me, 'I love you.' Trust is Hard, but knowing WHO to trust is even harder.

Today, I want to talk about YOUR TRUST. Do you really take Jesus at His word when He says “I Got This.”

To understand the sermon you have to think SYMBOLICALLY not LITERALLY.

Story Background

Mary and Martha were women of faith. Martha = worker, a good servant; Mary abider, a good listener. Both are valuable to the Kingdom.

Lazarus = humanity (in all conditions.) Jesus’ FRIEND; Family relationships (Brother); experienced life (party, illness, death).

FORMER TRUST

v. 21-“Lord, if you would have been here my brother would not have died.”

All Past Tense - What Could Have Been; Hopeful.

HOPEFUL that JESUS WILL COME SOON AND MAKE EVERYTHING ALIGHT!

“We did all we could;” “We called on you but YOU DELAYED.”

Former Trust is not good when you dealing with Jesus.

See, with Jesus, “Delay is not Denial.”

DELAY can be a sign of Love - to strengthen our TRUST.

FUTURE TRUST v.24 - I know he will rise at the last day.

This is futuristic talk...What Will Be.

Futuristic hope is good and often shows where our TRUST really is.

Our trust is in The “Sweet BY and By.” We don’t know HOW or WHEN but we believe.

Perhaps, futuristic TRUST is good for things outside our understanding/control.

As servants of God, we sum things up to His Will and live with unanswered questions about our present.

FACTUAL TRUST - Right Now Faith

Martha said “the last day.” FUTURE TRUST

That’s when Jesus turned to Martha and STATED THE FACT; I AM…THE (not A) resurrection (get better) and THE life (temporary fix).

Factual Faith caused Jesus to ask, “Where have you laid him?” They took Him to the grave.

The GRAVE is the place for the dead; The place of finality; It’s all over.

RELATIONSHIPS; MARRIAGE; PARENT/CHILD; EMPLOYMENT.

“Never put a PERIOD where God puts a COMMA.”

The PERIOD was DEATH.

But at the GRAVE JESUS SAYS “I GOT THIS.”

“Take away the stone.” (Obstacle to your Trust).

STONE OF Doubt; Fear; Defeat; Excuses Time (It’s been 4 days.) His body is stinking.”

Jesus Said, “Trust Me...I GOT THIS.”

LAZARUS COME FORTH!

Factual Trust calls to life what you thought was dead.

Because Jesus is saying I GOT THIS.

CLOSE:

You’ve done all you could. Don’t give up. I GOT THIS.

You’ve tried imagining a better future. That’s good. I GOT THIS.

Understand that Jesus is moving in the NOW.

John 10:10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Abundance of JOY, PEACE, TRUST - I GOT THIS.