Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Alexander M. Sanders, Jr. (who was at one time the Chief Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals) spoke to the graduating class of the University of South Carolina in 1992.

His daughter, Zoey, was a member of that class.

He told a story about when Zoe was 3 years old.

Sanders came home to find a crisis.

Zoey’s pet turtle had died, and she was crying her heart out.

His wife turned the problem over to him to solve.

First, Mr. Sanders explained that he would go to the pet store and get her another turtle.

He got nowhere with that idea.

Zoe knew that life couldn’t be transferred from one turtle to another.

She wanted her turtle alive.

She continued to cry.

Then Mr. Sanders said, “I’ll tell you what, we’ll have a funeral for the turtle.”

Being three years old she didn’t know what a funeral was.

“A funeral,” he said, “is a great festival in honor of the turtle.”

She didn’t know what a festival was, so he said, “A funeral is like a birthday party.

We’ll have ice cream and cake and lemonade and balloons, and all the children in the neighborhood will come over to play, all because the turtle has died.”

Zoey’s tears began to dry up and she returned to her happy self.

Then, an utterly unforeseen thing happened!

They looked down, and the turtle began to move.

He was not dead after all.

In a matter of seconds, he was crawling around as lively as ever.

Mr. Sanders didn’t know what to say.

But Zoey appraised the situation perfectly.

With all the innocence of a three-year-old little girl, she looked up at her father and said, “Daddy… let’s kill it.”

We read this story this morning.

And laugh at the perspective of little Zoey… and yet, there is also an underlying idea that is here.

A key word that we could kind of take away.

And that word is perception.

You see, for a moment, this sweet little 3-year-old was upset, here perception of the situation was that here dearly beloved turtled had died… when her father came to her aid and encouraged her saying that there would be a party thrown, as most 3 years old would do… she quickly forgets about the turtle and shifts her attention to the party.

(Her perception of the situation changes) Only to realize, that when the turtle moved again, and the party was not going to happen after all, that she had to do something to end the life of the turtle.

You see, if we think about it this morning.

Our walk with Christ has a little bit of the similarities to Zoey’s perception of the turtle.

Here’s what I mean by that.

We all go through life, each of us with our ups and downs.

Each of us with our highs and lows.

And as we navigate through life, the question becomes, it good seasons and in bad…who is Christ to us? Think about that question to yourself for just a moment… who is Christ to you?

You see, for a number of years.

Many scholars, many theologist, many atheists even have wrestled with the idea of who is Jesus?

To an atheist, he was perhaps a myth or a maybe a wise man who lived upon this earth.

To some, he they would say that Christ created the earth, and then simply allowed us to remain in this earth to figure things out for ourselves.

Yet to others, to a recovery addict, he is their rescuer, to an abandoned child, who never had a father, perhaps that child grows up and realizes that they have a loving heavenly father who cares about them.

So much so, that this father would send his only son for their sins.

You see, this very question that is in view this morning, is the very question that Jesus would ask of his disciples in Matthew 16.

We’re told

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked.

“Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it.

You see friends, over the next 7 weeks.

Regardless of your current perspective of Christ.

We together, will look at this idea of who do you say I am?

And then together we will look at the 7 I am statements of Jesus, so whatever your perspective of Christ is, my prayer is that we would have an even deeper love and appreciation of the father as we go through this study together.

If you have your bibles with you, turn with me this morning to the book of John 11.

The 7 I am statements are taken from John.

This morning, we see that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

And from this scripture I want us to see that Jesus wants us to – 1. Believe. 2. To see his love & compassion 3. To see his Power

1. Believe

If you’re not already in John chapter 11, turn with me there this morning.

And as your turning there.

You may recall that the book of John was written by john.

It is of course one of the 4 gospels, but unlike the other 3 gospels which are considered the synoptics “which stems from the Greek word meaning “to see together” and they’re named this way because much of these 3 gospels are similar.

But in the book of John, more than 90 percent of what we read is not found in the synoptics.

And this story that we read together this morning, involves his dear friend Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.

And what we find, is that despite the love that Jesus has for Lazarus and his family, that here, a major problem is going on as Lazarus is sick.

So sick in fact, that as we’ll see Lazarus would not only endure the pain and sorrow of the sickness, but he would end up dying as a result.

To that, we jump ahead to our sermon point this morning.

All the while asking why would Jesus allow this to happen?

And we see:

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick.

He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

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.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight?

Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.

10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”

13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.

But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

I want us to notice for a second that this event takes place towards the end of Jesus earthly ministry, not long before his death.

And at this time, he was largely hated by many of the devote Jews.

So much so, that by Jesus going out and making a public demonstration of his work.

It could cost him his life.

Knowing that this is the case, Thomas Speaks up in a moment of great faith and states, let us also go that we may die with him.

But If we go back to verses14 and 15.

Jesus said: “14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.

But let us go to him.”

And in the Greek the word believe – is the word pisteuō, which means:

I.to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in

In Acts 16, we read about Paul and Silas as they are in prison, and we see this keyword: believe show up.

We’re told:

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.