The Purpose of God

Intro: Suffering

Sometimes, when we suffer an almost unbearable loss,

when life seems to take us on an unexpected turn,

when the abscense of that special love one for the first time becomes a reality,

we may tend to start questioning the things that we believed or believed in our entire life.

When reality begans to set in that the voice that has always been on the other side of that phone number is no longer there.

When the room that she once slept in is so eerily quiet and empty

We may find ourselves beganning to question our faith.

Why God? Why are you allowing me to go through this now?

Why after I’ve been so faithful to you that you would allow me to suffer this?

Loneliness has the tendency to cause the most ardent believer to began to question even God, who loves us unconditionally.

Relationship

Well in our passage today, John 11, we see that Jesus had a special bond with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

Most scholars will agree that Mary, Martha, and Lazurus were some of Jesus best friends. In John 11:5 “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”

Oh what a joy it must have been to be able to say I am best friends with Jesus.

Mary Martha and Lazurus were Jesus best friends. They knew that they could call on Jesus whenever a situation came up in their lives that they could’nt handle.

So when Lazarus got sick, the sisters called on Jesus, because they knew that he would respond in their favor.

For it says in John 11:1-3 “Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.””

The sisters makes it clear that this ain’t just anybody that’s taken sick. Marry and Martha stressed that the one whom you love is sick. You see, they had witnessed Jesus healing strangers. So if he’s doing all that for strangers surely he will do the same for us, right?

And on top of that the Scripture validates the fact that Jesus had a special love for them, verse 5 says John 11:5 “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”

So they were confident in knowing that Jesus would come and tend to their brothers needs before it get’s worse. amen?

The Contradiction

But according to the text when Martha and Mary sent for Jesus, his responce didn’t jibe to well with what their expectations were.

Waco, we have a problem.

For it says in vers 4 ( John 11:4 “But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death…)

We have a problem here. Because though Jesus said this illness does not lead to death, Lazarus died.

Also 10 verses later Jesus, who just said the illness does not lead to death clearly says that Lazarus died.

There seems to be a contradiction here. But here is the deal brothers and sisters. Any true bible student will tell you that when you see a contradiction in the text that inside the contradiction is all the good things that God has for us that can’t easily be seen. All you see is the contradiction, but those of us who dare to believe can see whats on the inside.

When you go to the grocery store and buy some of those little pies, that’s all you see is the crust on the outside. But only when you are willing to bite into it, do you discover that there are some goodies on the inside.

You see my brothers and sisters you have to taste and see that the Lord is good. Situations may look a little crusty on the outside. Sometimes life seemingly contradicts the promises God has in store for us. We seem to suffer the same as anybody else. Our stuff look just as crusty as anyone elses stuff.

Mary and Marthas situation looked a little crusty. Because their friend Jesus when he heard that Lazarus was sick delayed his coming, told his disciples that Lazarus sickness was’nt unto death, but then he died.

But here is the deal. Inside any seemingly contradictory statement is the truth. The truth of God contains his will, his purpose. And Gods purpose can’t be understood nor seen with the necked eye. But it can be seen through revelation.

Jesus gave Mary and Martha a revelation that day.

In verse 23 Jesus told Mary and Martha that Your brother would rise again.

In verses 25 Jesus revealed to the sisters John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

And here is the filling inside of what seems to be the contradictory in verse 4. It say’s “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.””

The Purspose

The reason Lazarus had to suffer, for a little while,

The reason why Mary and Martha had to suffer for a little while

The reason why you _____ family have to suffer for a little while is so that God through the glorification of the Son Jesus Christ may be glorified.

Now make this make since preacher

My pastor, Dr. Ron Cook called me and said “I got some information that I need to tell you. I know that you’ve never met Sister Deniece mother. But I have. And what some people don’t know is mother _________ joined our church from her living room. And I ministered to her from afar.”

So I asked pastor so she’s a believer. He said yes. So I said thank you that’s all I needed to know.

So I turned to Romans 8:30 and it says “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

So today I can confidently report to you family, that momma is seated at the right hand of power, in Christ Jesus. The death of a saint is an opened door to glory.

So family __________ sleeps now, resting in the bossom of Christ.

Conclusion: The late poet Maya Agelou once said “A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”

Brothers and sisters if you wish to see ________ again I just wan’t you to know that she’s with Jesus, and in order to be with her you gotta go through him.

So it’s up to you to taste and see for yourself that the Lord is good, and when you do that, glory awits you as well.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. - Romans 8:30 .

Sister Deniece, momma answered her call, she has been justified, for the purpose of glorification

May her soul rest in peace

And may her memory be a blessing.