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Title - Let him Go! (John 11.17-44) Part 1
Title - Let him Go! (John 11.17-44) Part 1
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away,
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”
When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”
And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him.
Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.
He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”
Jesus began to weep.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”
Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me.
I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Intro:
“Do the thing and you shall have the power”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Just do it!”
- Nike
(pause)
Freedom I am under the impression that God wants us to “Live Up” to the level in which we were created.....
I do not believe that we always understand how vital we are in our purpose.....
.......because if we did
..........we would more consistently “Live Up” to what God has designed for our impact while here on earth!
(pause)
And what I am suggesting to you is that we.......
“Live Up” in every area of our lives for remarkable outcomes....
(pause and expound)
In todays text......
A family is grieving their way through an extreme misery......
And according to the text.....
Jesus has a very noticeable friendship with the brother that they are weeping about in the name of one Lazarus....
(pause)
Lazarus’s very name when translated means......
“God help's”
And according to beginning of this biblical narrative......
Jesus has been asked to come and help.
(slight pause)
There is this.......amazing tension that forms in the text.
..........because when Jesus is requested to come and help
.......instead of rushing to their rescue
..........he delays responding by until his sick friend is now his dead friend 2 days later
(pause)
And I believe that Jesus is already teaching here in the text through this action by helping us to see that....
......sometimes “Living Up” means dong the opposite of what others think you should be doing.
(pause)
Because the reason Jesus waits, instead of hurrying to get to his friend Lazarus......
....is so that God might be glorified.
In other words.....
So that the people in this community would be able to see how great God is when it comes to being the “giver” of life, and the “Resurrection” of life.
(pause)
Jesus says to the disciples in verses 14,15
“Lazarus is dead, and for your sakes I am glad that I was not there, so that you might believe!”
meaning.......
Lazarus is Unresponsive.........
physical death - unresponsive to physical things. (Temperature.....etc)
spiritual death - unresponsive to spiritual things (prayer life......etc)
And......
When someone is Unresponsive like Lazarus is here, they are a premier selection to experience new life in Christ!
......and Jesus says to the disciples,
“for your sakes, I'm glad I was not there to stop him from dying”
(pause)
Because what Jesus understands is.......
It's one thing to accept somebody else's story about who God is.......
But it's completely different....
.......when you have watched with your own eyes how God can take an unresponsive life or situation
.........and bring it back to life!
(pause)
and Jesus is saying......
You're going to be able to “Live Up” after this....
(slight pause)
As a matter of fact in verse 16.....
Thomas starts “Living Up” with a mindset that Jesus has forced to move forward in terms of thinking.....
(slight pause)
And....
Jesus does this by refusing the objection of the disciples....
and....
The result is that Thomas now has enough courage and love to move past his fears......
and so.....
Thomas tells the other disciples,
“Come on, let's go too........and die with Jesus!”
(pause)
And I know you're probably thinking Pastor.....
How is Thomas “Living Up” when he's telling the disciples let's go, and die too with Jesus.....?
(pause)
But until you are ready to die........you don't know what it really means to live!
(slight pause)
Freedom,
May I suggest something to you........
(slight pause)
Because....
.....maybe we need Jesus to refuse our objections based on our fears
because.......
........that's what keeps stopping us from “Living in the Up” position
and so......
......we keep objecting
and Jesus is saying.....
“I refuse to accept your objection!”
And so the whole time we screaming stop because of fear......
....God is saying I'm going to push you until you get to a,
“Ride or Die status” like Thomas!
(pause and expound)
look at it.......
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away,
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother.
These verses open by helping us to see the “Certainty” of death.....
because for the reader of John's gospel in this time, they understand due to tradition that for 3 days the soul hovers over the body.......
.........but after that there was no hope of restoration of life.
and so.......
this fourth day points to certainty of death in their minds.
(slight pause)
Look at it now....
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”
According to the text.....
Martha is the first to respond to Jesus arriving
........while Mary is mourning over Lazarus.......
And while John's Gosple mentions Mary sitting at the house,
I believe the emphasis is on Martha's words that come next......
“Lord if you would have been here....my brother would not have died!”
.......her regret is bouncing off of the pain that's coming out of her throat
(pause)
.........and at the same time her faith is dancing right beside it.
(pause)
You can't talk to me about “Living Up!” to it......
.....until you have had moments where your pain was choking you......
but your faith was helping you to breathe!!
(pause)
Martha says,
“Even now, I know God will do whatever you ask”
(pause)
look at it now......
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Now.....
Jesus answers her on a level so high that.......
.....even though Martha said she believed Jesus could do whatever he asked,
....it was higher than her thinking.
(pause)
Because......
.....she thought Jesus was talking about the Resurrection of all believers on the last day
And so......
her faith level had no immediacy ingredients.....
even though she uttered the words,
“Even Now”
But Jesus corrects her in verse 25....
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live,
In other words....
I am the one who raises people from the dead, and gives them life.
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
......and no living person who believes in me will ever die.
and in my spiritual imagination I got to ask you this question Freedom,
Can your faith “Live Up” to this level that suggests,....
The believer who is spiritually alive will never die spiritually!
(pause)
Martha responds in verse 27 by saying....
She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”
and sometimes............
all that is needed is to give Jesus a “Yes Lord!”
(pause/expound)
When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”
And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him.
What I like about this scripture is that by going to get her sister to come and see Jesus......
.......she is Repositioning her by calling her away from mourning with the rest of those that are there with her at the house.
......and trust me
........there is nothing wrong with grieving
(pause)
But you always need somebody who can trigger your next “Living Up” moment by letting you know.....
“Jesus is here!”
(pause)
look at it now.......
Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
The text says....
Mary gets up and gets over to where Jesus is....
and she repeats the same words of her sister Martha........
..........showing us that their faith levels are in identical places in terms of Jesus ability to keep Lazarus from dying.
(pause)
But watch this now....
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.
He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”
Jesus began to weep.
Freedom.....
.....what I wanted to know was,
Why is Jesus getting angry while the people are weeping?
and.....
What is it that drives him to tears?
(pause)
And I believe that.....
Jesus is frustrated with the unbelief of the people on one hand....
but also......
Jesus is empathetic towards their grief on the the other hand......
(slight pause)
.......which leads me to believe that when we are “Living Up” even as Christ shows us here
......it's ok to experience a wide range of emotions in the process.
(pause)
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
And so right here we are watching two different responses towards Jesus by the crowd gathered.....
See how he loved him...
Couldn’t He have kept Lazarus from dying.
and so......
Some noticed the power of compassion....
........while others missed his glory due to limited thinking
(pause)
and for those who walked away saying how much Jesus loved Lazarus.....
.....those are the ones who figured out that LOVE always influences POWER!
(pause)
See some people think Power.......influences love........
but when you start “Living Up” you realize that.......
Love is your main ingredient...............for POWER!
(pause and expound)
Watch it, it's in the text......
Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”
And......
....the significance of these verses rests on the intensity of Christ’s emotions here in the text.
and....
I Believe Jesus is love for God's glory and his love for Lazarus has intensified everything for him at the tomb...
(pause)
and for me......
Jesus is both angry, and disappointed because he CARED!
because he cared about........what might be!
(pause)
and I wonder........
If there's anybody or anything you care enough about.......
........that causes you to “Live Up! In a way that says,
......I’m mad because I want to see you come out of this.....
and.....
......I’m crying because you're still going through this!
(pause)
and from a place of CARING.....
Jesus says,
“Roll the stone away!”
(pause and expound)
Now watch Martha....
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.”
Freedom....
......whenever we are “Living Up” limited thinking is not just going to let go without a fight!
(pause)
Now....
.......this is the same Martha that just said, “Yes Lord, I believe”
But....
........here she is now PROTESTING against opening the grave that her brother is inside of
(pause)
Freedom.....
I got to make sure y'all hear me....
To Protest......means to make a statement or action of disapproval....
(slight pause)
So Martha is literally trying to get in the way.......
.......of her brothers Resurrection
.......because she thinks on a limited pattern.
(pause)
her thinking says...........
The smell of his death is going to be greater than him getting up from the dead!
(pause)
And so her focus is so misguided......
.......that she is trying to choose results
......and not choose the process
(pause)
Martha wanted the results.......
........until she understood the process!
She wanted him to rise......
........but she forgot you got to move the stone to get him out of the grave!
(pause)
And.....
.......the biggest hurdle between Gods resurrection power, and our dead situations is that
.......we don't agree when Jesus wants to roll our stones away.
(pause)
But.....
........you cannot protest the process
and at the same time think you can see a miracle of Resurrection!
(pause)
I don't care how bad the smell is.........
ROLL the stone away!
(pause and expound -option)
And here's why we have to have confidence in the Resurrection!
Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
(EXPOUND on Jesus’s words)
Watch the text.......
So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me.
I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.”
Freedom.....
.......the greatest part of this verse is that Jesus prayed out loud!
(pause)
.....and when Jesus speaks out loud he says he did it for the sake of the people standing around.
(slight pause)
Freedom.......
I think that maybe we should start “Living Up” in such a way that all of the people standing around....
..........can see the whole story!
(pause)
Jesus says.
“I wanted YALL to hear me!”
Barrel - Harriet Tubman at the river........and the slave catcher boy sees her praying to God
(pause and expound on being “out loud” for God)
When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
In my spiritual imagination....
I hear Jesus saying,
“ Lazarus I want you to live up to what I am declaring right now for your life.”
and some of you are getting ready to walk out of that grave.......
you're getting ready to....
Come out of.........
Limited mindsets
Feelings of insignificance
Unhealthy lifestyles
whatever else is dead in your lives spiritually
(pause)
And........
I came to tell somebody......
“Live Up” in a way that says.......
“I'm Walking out of this........even if I still got grave clothes on!”
(pause)
Freedom........
.....Here it is!
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
What I wanted to know is..........
Why does verse 44 call Lazarus a dead man........
......when in verse 43 Jesus calls him by his birth name to Resurrect him!
(pause)
And what I discovered in my spiritual imagination is.......
.........when others tell your story
......they talk about your PAST in REAL time!
(pause)
And so what do you do........
........when Jesus just raised you from the dead,
......but John is still calling you a dead man in his story!
(pause)
and that's when I hears the Holy Spirit say,
You “Live Up” to the voice that called your name in the first place..........
(pause)
and this is why the next two words describing action after the words “dead man” are....
“Came Out”....................
because Lazarus is “Living Up” to the words of Jesus that resurrected him one verse earlier!
(pause)
and if Lazarus could tell his story....
In my spiritual imagination....
he would Encourage you and I by saying,
There may be some things on you still from the grave.......
........ but don't let that stop you from walking out in a way that says,
“I'm Living Up” regardless to whats still trying to bind me!
(pause)
but watch the text Freedom......
Here it is.....
....because Jesus says,
“Unwrap him, and let him go!”
(pause)
Freedom this is why you cannot “Live Up” in isolation...........
Lazarus is walking out of this grave.........
.......but he is still tied up with the grave clothes
(pause)
But when he gets out of the grave and is standing outside.....
........that's when Jesus tells everybody to go and do what he can't do for himself
(pause)
and so.....
Jesus challenges the community surrounding Lazarus........
.........to reach their hands towards what's holding him back
..........so that he can be released to walk in Freedom!
and watch this closely...
Because,
I see them using their STRENGTH to set Lazarus free!
(Pause)
And so Freedom family,
......we got to be ready to “Live Up” to it when Jesus tells us to,
Untie our Lazarus!
(Pause)
I don't care how long they have been bound.......
what Jesus is telling Freedom to do is.....
“Let him Go!”
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Our responsibility is to.....
Release.......the Lazarus's that Christ has Resurrected!