I am the Resurrection and the Life

Intro

I am. Jesus in his own words.

(story)

one time I was on a trip to Romania. In a home and they cooked dinner for us.

Brought out a cheese and meat tray. and then they brought out this amazing bowl of soup. I asked for another.

I didn’t realize that was just the 2 course of a 4 course meal. The main course came out after, It looked and smelled incredible!!

But I was too full.

And I missed the best part.

You may have experienced that, had the power go out during the greatest play of the century!

Had to go to the bathroom and missed the climax of the movie.

That’s the thought I had as I studied the scripture for today,

Don’t miss the best part!

John 11.

(THE PLAN)

Jesus has some friends from a town called Bethany. About a days journey from where he was.

We’ve been introduced to the ladies before, mary and martha.

They have a brother named Lazarus. He has gotten very sick., diagnosis doesn’t look good.

The sisters put together a plan. We know just what to do.

John 11:3

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

We know Jesus, he’s our personal friend. He heals people.

lazarus, you’ll be fine. We’ll send a letter to Jesus.

They had it all figured out...

We do that. Create our plans. How it should go, flow, look.

Dads some of you have plans today. That plan, if I know most of you, means doing nothing, but that’s a plan.

Often we bring these plans to Jesus. Jesus bless these plans.

Here’s what I want, Lord I trust you to make it happen....

John 11:4

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Sounded pretty promising!!

In the midst of this, something bigger is brewing, happening.

this is a moment for God to get Glory.

This is Jesus plan, that God get ultimate glory!

And it can begin to feel like their plan and Jesus don’t line up.

Ever had a moment, where your plan and someone else’s don’t seem to align.

Your spouse, your kids, your boss...

In your plan, we can miss the best part. Ultimate glory to God.

This is a story of God’s glory.

There isn’t one area of your life that God doesn’t want and can’t get glory from.

John 11:5-7

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

He loved them… So he decided to stay where he was for 2 more day. CURIOUS

That sure wouldn’t have felt very loving.

the messenger gets back and Jesus isn’t with them. Why didn’t he come?!!?

they may have felt betrayed.

I’m sure a lot of us have felt this tension.

God I though you loved me!

Are you even listening?

Has God ever felt absent or late to you?!?

Jesus waits until Lazarus has died before he decides to head back...

Jesus it’s like you don’t even know the plan.

Unless his is different.

His plan is God’s ultimate glory.

Mary and Martha planned for a healing.

Jesus was planning for a resurrection.

have you ever been guilty of holding God accountable to our plan, not realizing maybe he has a different one.

Because I love you, I don’t want you to miss the BEST part.

He didn’t delay because he disliked Lazarus, but because even death was powerless before him.

It’s his incredible love for you, that compels him to not just grant you your plan, but to align you with his.

To see his ultimate glory revealed in and through your life.

some of you are frustrated with God’s timing today.

Just because he feels delays doesn’t mean your denied.

I may just mean he’s up to something different and doesn't want you to miss the best part.

If God always met your expectations, he’d never be able to exceed them.

If he always followed your plan, it’d mean his wouldn’t get done.

But sometimes that difference is painful.

mary and martha understood that pain.

John 11:17

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

Not just dead, but dead dead.

You’re a little late now Jesus!

John 11:20-22

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

If you would have Just been here Jesus!!!

Sometimes changed plans are uncomfortable, inconvenient

but sometimes they are painful.

I thought this would happened, I needed this to change, I expected this...

What do we do with that?

We can run in frustration. You didn’t do what I wanted God.

Or worship in the waiting.

Like martha.

I wish you would’ve, but I know...

I trust. I run to you.

You must be working a greater plan.

John 11:23-26

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

yeah Jesus I know there is a future resurrection (theological/head)

No you don’t get it, it’s not an event, it’s me. (relational/heart)

Martha and mary, I’m not just part of the plan, I don’t just have a plan, I am the plan.

Jesus offers a life that even death can’t steal!

The greater glory God wants to reveal in yoru life only happens in me...

Most of us would choose to skip all of the pain and struggle of life.

But if we do, we may just be missing the best part as well.

Because it’s in those moments, surrendered to him that he does his greatest work. In us and through us.

If you never trusted Jesus through the pain, you’ve never let it go from your head to your heart.

Don’t give up, press in.

His ways are higher.

He is the hope, he is the life, he is the plan.

John 11:32-35

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.

Before Jesus fixes their problem he steps into their pain.

he understands, he cares and you’re not alone today.

There was the plan, there was their pain, but then there was His Power.

John 11:38-40

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Show me whats beyond the stone.

But jesus it’s dead. That’s the stinky stuff of my life.

Show me what’s there and i’ll show you what I can do.

When jesus shows up, dead things start coming back to life.

Hopes, dreams, purpose.

God may have allowed somethings to die in your life so that he can resurrect something greater, for a greater glory.

John 11:41-44

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Jesus had to be specific because his power would have had all of the dead walking!

Jesus waited, not because he didn’t love them.

But because his power couldn’t fit perfectly into their plans.

today we have a choice to trust our plans or his.

It may not always make sense, but don’t miss the best part.

His love wants to see you victorious, but the goal is his ultimate glory to be displayed in and through you.

Jesus I choose to trust, because you ARE the Resurrection. You are the Life.

Even death doesn’t stand a chance.

CONCLUSION

Jesus says I am the resurrection, do you believe that?

What is Jesus calling out in you today?

He has not abandoned you, his delay isn’t denial, his ways are just higher.

He’s here.

Don’t miss the best part because it may look different than your plan.