Certainty in Times of Doubt part 2

Introduction

So, it was a fairly uneventful week, huh?

Behind all of the hoopla surrounding the SCOTUS decisions this week, I thought about the way people today react to news they don’t like.

I was chatting with my daughter Phoebe about it and pointed out that, in many ways, we have become a society filled with people who never matured past adolescence. So, when faced with situations they don’t like, many of them throw temper tantrums, lash out, and run to social media to find other adolescents to affirm their feelings.

I called it a Veruca Salt generation (patent pending).

As believers, we ought to be different. Why? Because the One we follow is different.

Because, in Christ, we have certainty, knowing that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.

As Jesus Himself said:

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

So, let’s continue developing our understanding of the One who gives real peace and has overcome the world.

Turn to John 11:28-44

Key Question: What can I be certain about, even in times of doubt?

Last week we saw the first three answers to this key question:

You can be certain that God uses all life’s circumstances as opportunities for His glory and our good.

You can be certain that God cares more about your faith than your circumstances.

You can be certain that God cares more about your future than you do.

This morning we will look at the second part of this chapter and see three more answers to this question.

Body: John 11:28-44

Verses 28-37

Two powerful statements:

…he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled...

The Greek term here is interesting because it’s means more than “deeply moved.” It actually means to become angry.

But not angry in the sense that He is angry at Mary or Martha. But angry from a righteous anger over the circumstances that would lead to this kind of pain and suffering in people whom, as was stated, He loves deeply.

Anger at death; and faithlessness; and sin, which leads to faithlessness and death.

As Bruce Milne puts it, “Jesus is not remote from the sufferings of his fellow humans. The fact that he is one with us in humanity means that he is one with us in agony.”

Jesus wept...

The shortest verse in the NT, yet so profound as we consider that Jesus weeps with His loved ones who mourn.

His weeping wasn’t for Lazarus, He knew Lazarus would soon live again. His weeping was for the pain His loved ones were feeling; a pain ultimately wrought by the introduction of sin into the human race.

Both of these point to Jesus compassion for His people.

More on that in a moment.

Ah, look at verse 37...more doubt!

This is a reminder that there were many standing around who did not yet have faith in Jesus.

Verses 38-39

This is the first time on record that I know of where sisters think a brother stinks!

Seriously, Martha was right to be concerned. By this time decay would have set in.

This also shows that, while Martha believed Jesus, she had yet to really understand the degree of power and authority Jesus really had.

Verses 40-42

“Did I not tell you...”

This subtle scolding it designed to challenge her to simply believe Him.

Jesus prayer here is short and has a dual purpose:

First, to give thanks for the Father, as is always proper.

Second, as an example to spur faith in those around.

Verses 43-44

Lazarus is raised from the dead, coming out of the tomb through His own power!

This is the seventh and greatest sign of Jesus in John’s Gospel.

It can only be attributed to one who has authority over life and death.

Think about what happens when you lay down for too long…how well do you walk?

If you’ve had major surgery you know how hard walking is afterward.

Now imagine being dead for four days!

When Jesus heals, He heals completely!

So What?

What can I be certain about, even in times of doubt?

You can be certain that God has compassion on you in the midst of your circumstances.

Don’t miss this, even though Jesus knew that Lazarus would rise from the dead, He mourns and weeps with the people who He loves.

Now, let’s not forget that when we want to know what God is like, we look to Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power...

So, what’s God response when we suffer? Look at how Jesus reacted to His people’s heartache.

He was compassionate to the point of tears.

But His compassion is greater than ours. Why? Because we have compassion without the power to do much for the people, outside of being present.

His compassion is such that He sees the big picture, He knows the reasons behind our circumstances, and yet He still compassionately cares for us in the midst of them.

This is why Peter could challenge us with:

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Are you burdened with something this morning? Come to the One who cares for you, bringing all those burdens to Him, knowing He compassionately cares for you.

You can be certain that believing the Lord is greatest pathway to experiencing God’s extraordinary blessings.

When Jesus says to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” He is challenging her to live a life of belief in His power, His goodness, His concern, His divine plans.

The call to believing Jesus is common throughout Scripture.

That’s hard in this day and time for many, because we’ve been indoctrinated with the idea that seeing is believing.

But, with Jesus, believing is seeing.

You see, God’s people are uniquely positioned to experience God’s wonderful works in our lives, church, and community.

As His people, we don’t put our faith in the things of this world; in money, position, power, governments, other people. We put our faith in the only God, who can raise the dead to life and still cares enough about our circumstances to respond to our needs and prayers.

Most importantly, you can be certain that Jesus is the Son of God, who gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.

There are a lot of lessons in John 11. But the most important lesson is that Jesus is exactly who He says He is:

John 11:25–26 ESV

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?”

Do you have certainty that you have eternal life because you believe Jesus?