God Knows Our Grief

1 A FELLA NAMED LAZARUS WAS SICK • NOT JUST A LITTLE SICK, SICK TO THE POINT OF DEATH • SO, HIS SISTERS SENT A MESSAGE TO JESUS • NOW JESUS LOVED THIS FELLA LIKE A BROTHER • JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES THIS SICKNESS IS NOT GONNA END IN DEATH • HE TELLS THEM IT IS GONNA BE FOR GOD’S GLORY • JESUS DOES NOT HEAD OFF TO SEE LAZARUS RIGHT AWAY • HE WAITS A COUPLA DAYS, WHERE HE IS • THEN OUTTA NO WHERE HE TELLS THE DISCIPLES • LETS HEAD OVER TO JUDEA WHERE LAZARUS IS • NOW, THE DISCIPLES ARE KINDA WORRIED ABOUT THIS • CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE OVER IN JUDEA ARE WANTING TO KILL JESUS • BUT JESUS TELLS THEM “WE GOT WORK TO DO • AND WE ARE GONNA DO IT WHILE WE CAN” • JESUS TELLS THEM LAZARUS IS A SLEEP AND I NEED TO GO WAKE HIM • THESE DISCIPLES MISUNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS MEANS ABOUT BEING ASLEEP • SO, JESUS IS REAL BLUNT, HE TELLS THEM LAZARUS IS DEAD • AND THOMAS, WELL HE SAYS; “LETS GO DIE WITH HIM” • WHEN THEY GET TO LAZARUS’ PLACE MARTHA COMES OUT • AND TELLS JESUS, “IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE MY BROTHER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED” • JESUS TELLS HER YOUR BROTHER WILL RISE AGAIN • AND OF COURSE, SHE MISUNDERSTANDS AND THINKS HE MEANS • AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE AT THE RESURRECTION • BUT JESUS SETS HER STRAIGHT BY TELLING HER • THAT HE (HIMSELF) IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE • MARTHA SAYS SHE BELIEVES • AND GOES TO GET MARY HER SISTER • WHO COMES OUT WITH A CROWD FOLLOWING HER • MARY TELLS JESUS THE SAME THING • ”IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE MY BROTHER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED” • JESUS SEES MARY WEEPING, • AND THE CROWD THAT FOLLOWED HER IS WEEPING • AND THE SIGHT OF THEM WEEPING MOVED JESUS GREATLY • SO, JESUS ASKS WHERE THEY HAVE LAID LAZARUS • NOW THE FOLKS IN THE CROWD NOTICE JESUS WEEPING • AND SOME OF THEM WONDER IF MAYBE JESUS • COULD HAVE SAVED LAZARUS IF HE HAD BEEN THERE… • JESUS AND THE SISTERS AND THE CROWD ALL GET TO THE TOMB • AND JESUS TELLS THEM TO MOVE THE STONE OVER THE TOMB • BUT MARTHA POINTS OUT THAT IT IS GONNA SMELL BAD • SO, JESUS REMINDS MARTHA THAT • SHE WILL SEE THE GLORY OF GOD IF SHE BELIEVES • THEY REMOVE THE STONE AND JESUS PRAYERS TO THE FATHER • THEN HE CALLS OUT IN A LOUD VOICE “LAZARUS COME FORTH” • AND OUT WALKS LAZARUS COVERED FROM HEAD TO FOOT • IN CLOTH WRAPPED AROUND HIM • JESUS TELLS THEM TO UNBIND HIM • AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE CROWD BELIEVE IN JESUS • BUT SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHO BELIEVE • GO AND TELL THE PHARISEES EVERYTHING JESUS HAD DONE… • IN LIFE WE ARE ALL GONNA ENCOUNTER GRIEF • NO LIFE IS WITHOUT LOSS… • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE SERVE A GOD WHO UNDERSTANDS GREIF • WE SERVE A GOD HE HAS COMPASSION FOR US IN OUR LOSS • WE SERVE A GOD WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING ABOUT GRIEF • A GOD WHO DEFEATED DEATH BY PAYING FOR OUR SINS ON A CROSS • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FINAL MIRACLE • IN THE BOOK OF JOHN THAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE CROSS • JOHN RECORDS OTHER MIRACLES THAT HAPPEN AFTER THE CROSS • BUT THIS IS THE LAST MIRACLE JOHN RECORDS BEFORE THE CROSS • TURN TO JOHN 11:1 • JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES HAD LEFT JERUSALEM • AFTER THE JEWS WERE SEEKING TO SEIZE HIM • THEY HAD GONE BEYOND THE JORDAN • WHERE MANY HAD BELIEVED IN HIM • WHILE THEY WERE THERE • A MESSAGE CAME TO THEM FROM SOME FRIENDS LAZARUS, A FRIEND OF JESUS WAS SICK, SO HIS SISTERS SENT A MESSAGE TO JESUS • THE MESSAGE WAS VERY SIMPLE • “BEHOLD, HIM WHOM YOU LOVE IS SICK” • NOTICE THEY DID NOT ASK JESUS TO COME • THEY DID NOT ASK JESUS TO HEAL • THEY JUST TOOK THE PROBLEM TO JESUS….. • WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO • JUST TAKE THE PROBLEM TO JESUS AND LET HIM • RESPOND IN THE WILL OF THE FATHER JESUS SAYS THIS IS NOT GONNA END IN DEATH BUT IN GLORY FOR GOD • THIS SOUNDS GOOD… WE ALL WANT GLORY FOR GOD • BUT, THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND • SURE JESUS SAID THE SICKNESS IS NOT GONNA END IN DEATH • BUT REALIZE HE ALSO JUST SAID THAT THE SICKNESS • IS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD • IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS SICK • THAT MIGHT NOT SOUND SO GOOD • IT CAN BE A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW • BUT THE TRUTH IS GOD CAN • “CAUSE ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.” • BUT FOR GOD TO CAUSE ALL THINGS TO WORK FOR GOOD • SOMETIMES GOD HAS TO SLOW THINGS DOWN A BIT SO, JESUS DELAYED GOING BECAUSE HE LOVED LAZARUS AND HIS SISTERS • WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE SICK TO THE POINT OF DEATH • THE LAST THING WE WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN • IS FOR SOMEONE TO DELAY • BUT NOTICE HOW JOHN WORDS THIS JOHN 11:5–6 NOW JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS. SO WHEN HE HEARD THAT HE WAS SICK, HE THEN STAYED TWO DAYS LONGER IN THE PLACE WHERE HE WAS. • THAT LITTLE WORD “SO” MEANS THAT THE REASON HE DELAYED • WAS BECAUSE HE LOVED THE SISTERS • JESUS KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN • HE KNOWS HOW THEIR FAITH WILL GROW • HE KNOWS THE IMPACT OF THE MIRACLE HE IS ABOUT TO DO • AND IN THAT PERFECT KNOWLEDGE HE KNOWS HE NEEDS TO DELAY… • IT IS SO HARD TO TRUST GOD WHEN WE HAVE LOVED ONES WHO ARE SICK • WE NEED TO LEAN ON THIS UNDERSTANDING • WE HAVE A GOD WHO KNOWS AND LOVES US • DOES THIS MEAN THAT EVERY DELAY WE ENCOUNTER IS GOD’S WILL • NO… BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL • NOTHING IS BEYOND HIS POWER • WE NEED TO TRUST IN THE LORD • WITH ALL OUR HEART AND NOT LEAN • ON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING… • BUT ON HIS UNDERSTANDING • SO AFTER WAITING A COUPLA DAYS JESUS ANNOUNCES HE IS GOING TO JUDEA, BUT HIS DISCIPLES REACT IN FEAR, • OUTTA NO WHERE AFTER WAITING TWO DAYS • JESUS SAYS LET’S GO… WERE HEADING TO JUDEA WHERE LAZARUS IS • NOW, THE DISCIPLES SEEM TO GET A LITTLE WORRIED HERE • THE DISCIPLES SAID TO HIM, “RABBI, THE JEWS WERE JUST NOW SEEKING TO STONE YOU, AND ARE YOU GOING THERE AGAIN?” • AND JESUS RESPONDS BY TELLING THEM • THAT THERE IS WORK TO DO AND WE GOTTA DO IT WHILE WE CAN • HE DOES THIS WITH THE PHRASE; “ARE THERE NOT TWELVE HOURS IN THE DAY?” • NOW THIS DOES NOT MEAN MUCH TO US • BUT IT WAS A COMMON PHRASE THAT MEAN • “HEY WE AINT DONE WORKIN YET THE SUN IS STILL UP” • AND THE WORK JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT HERE IS • WAKING UP LAZARUS….BUT THE DISCIPLES MISUNDERSTAND • THEY THINK JESUS MEANS LAZARUS IS TAKIN A NAP…. • HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED • FOLKS MISUNDERSTOOD JESUS A LOT • AND THE TRUE IS PEOPLE STILL MISUNDERSTAND HIM TODAY • LET’S NOT BE TO HARD ON THE DISCIPLES • UNLESS WE ARE FOLLOWING EVERYTHING, JESUS SAID PERFECTLY • WE SHOULD PROBABLY CUT THE DISCIPLES SOME SLACK • CHANCES ARE IF HE TOLD ME WE WERE GONNA GO WAKE HIM • I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT JESUS MEANT LAZARUS WAS TAKING A NAP JESUS CORRECTS THEM, • SAYING BLUNTLY THAT LAZARUS IS DEAD • NOW, I DON’T WANT US TO MISS SOMETHING HERE • AFTER TELLING THEM LAZARUS IS DEAD JESUS SAYS; • AND I AM GLAD FOR YOUR SAKES THAT I WAS NOT THERE, SO THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE; BUT LET US GO TO HIM.” • THIS IS A MAJOR CLUE TO THE POINT OF THIS MIRACLE… • JESUS DOES NOT MEAN THAT DON’T BELIEVE IN HIM NOW • AND THEY WILL LATER • HE MEANS THAT THEIR BELIEF… THEIR FAITH… • IS GOING TO BE INCREASED… GOING TO GROW • AS A RESULT OF WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN… • AFTER THIS DISCUSSION THEY HEAD BACK TO BETHANY • WHICH IS IN JUDEA ABOUT TWO MILES FROM JERUSALEM JESUS ARRIVES AFTER LAZARUS HAS BEEN IN THE TOMB 4 DAYS • BEING IN THE TOMB 4 DAYS DOES NOT MEAN MUCH TO US • BUT TO THESE FOLKS 4 DAYS IN THE TOMB WAS SERIOUS BUSINESS • THE COMMON BELIEF WAS THAT THE SPIRIT STAYED NEAR THE BODY • FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS AND YOU WERE NOT REALLY DEAD… DEAD • UNTIL THE FOURTH DAY. • THIS MAY BE THE REASON JESUS DELAYED BEFORE COMING • TO MAKE WHAT HE IS ABOUT TO DO EVEN MORE AMAZING…. • AND AS SOON AS HE ARRIVES MARTHA TELLS JESUS IF HE HAD BEEN THERE LAZARUS WOULD NOT HAVE DIED • NOW, THERE ARE TWO WAYS WE COULD LOOK AT THIS • IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SHE IS BLAMING JESUS • FOR LAZARUS DYING, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO SEE THIS • I THINK MAYBE SHE IS EXPRESSING HER FAITH IN JESUS • THAT HE CAN HEAL • ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE SAYS NEXT • “EVEN NOW I KNOW THAT WHATEVER YOU ASK OF GOD, GOD WILL GIVE YOU.” • THAT IS AN AMAZING STATEMENT OF FAITH • NOW NOTICE SHE IS STILL DOING A FANTASTIC JOB • OF NOT TELLING JESUS WHAT TO DO • SHE DID NOT TELL HIM TO COME AND HEAL • SHE JUST SAY THE ONE WHOM YOU LOVE IS SICK • AND NOW SHE DOES NOT TELL JESUS TO RAISE LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD • SHE JUST SAYS SHE KNOWS GOD WILL GIVE WHATEVER HE ASKS • WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO COME TO GOD • I TRUST YOU GOD TO HANDLE THIS HOWEVER YOU THINK BEST…. JESUS TELLS MARTHA, LAZARUS WILL RISE AND SHE MISUNDERSTANDS, • ONCE AGAIN, WE SEE SOMEONE MISUNDERSTAND JESUS • SHE THINKS JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT SOME FUTURE RESURRECTION SO, JESUS EXPLAINS THAT HE IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE • WHEN WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HE JUST SAID IT CHANGES EVERYTHING • HE DID NOT SAY HE PREFORMS RESURRECTIONS • HE DID NOT SAY HE GIVES LIFE • HE SAID HE IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE • WHEN CHRIST IS PRESENT RESURRECTION AND LIFE ARE PRESENT • IF CHRIST IS NOT PRESENT RESURRECTION AND LIFE ARE NOT PRESENT • THERE IS ONLY ONE RESURRECTION, • THERE IS ONLY ONE LIFE… JESUS CHRIST • THERE IS NO OTHER LIFE AVAILABLE… • AND MARTHA’S RESPONSE IS THE GOAL OF THE BOOK OF JOHN • JOHN SAYS; “THESE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN SO THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD;” • AND MARTHA’S RESPONSE WAS • YES, LORD; I HAVE BELIEVED THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST, • THE SON OF GOD, EVEN HE WHO COMES INTO THE WORLD. • AFTER SAYING THIS MARTHA GOES TO GET MARY….. MARY COMES TO JESUS, FALLS AT HIS FEET • AND SAYS THE EXACT SAME THING HER SISTER HAD SAID • “IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE MY BROTHER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED” • JESUS SEES MARY WEEPING, HE NOTICES THE CROWD WITH HER IS WEEPING • AND THEN THE TEXT SAYS JESUS WAS DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT • AND HE WAS TROUBLED • NOW UNDERSTAND JESUS KNOWS WHAT HE IS ABOUT TO DO • HE KNOWS HE IS GOING TO RESURRECT LAZARUS • AND WHEN IT SAYS HE IS DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT AND TROUBLED • THIS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT JESUS BEING SAD • THESE WORDS MEAN HE WAS ANGRY, UPSET, STIRRED UP OR EVEN AGITATED • BUT WHAT IS JESUS UPSET ABOUT • MOST BIBLICAL SCHOLARS AGREE • THAT JESUS IS ANGRY AT DEATH AND SUFFERING • AND WHAT SIN HAD DONE TO THE WORLD • AND THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME • HE HAD COME IN TO THE WORLD • TO BRING AND END TO SIN AND DEATH • AND HERE HE SEES DEATH CAUSING THESE PEOPLE SO MUCH PAIN • SO, HE ASK WHERE THEY HAVE LAID LAZARUS…. • AND THEN WE SEE THE SHORTEST VERSE IN THE BIBLE • JESUS WEPT…. • THESE TWO LITTLE WORDS MEAN SO MUCH • FROM THIS SHORTEST VERSE WE LEARN • THAT WE HAVE A GOD WHO ACTUALLY FEELS FOR US • A GOD WHO ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT US • A GOD WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE • EVERY TIME WE WEEP, WE NEED TO REMEMBER JESUS WEPT… • THE CROWD NOTICES HOW JESUS LOVED LAZARUS • AND SOME WONDERED IF JESUS COULD HAVE SAVED HIM • THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE SEE SOMEONE • POINT OUT THAT JESUS COULD HAVE • SAVED LAZARUS IF HE HAD BEEN HERE • WE HUMANS LOVE TO TELL GOD WHAT HE COULD HAVE DONE… • MAYBE WE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME • DOING WHAT HE TELLS US TO DO • AND LESS TIME TELLING HIM WHAT HE COULD HAVE DONE JESUS CAME TO THE TOMB AND TOLD THEM TO REMOVE THE STONE • PRETTY MUCH EVERY TIME WE SEE A MIRACLE • THERE IS A COMMAND CONNECTED TO IS • IF THE COMMAND IS NOT OBEYED THE MIRACLE DOES NOT HAPPEN • THEY HAVE GOT TO MOVE THE STONE SO THAT LAZARUS CAN WALK OUT • BUT MARTHA POINTS OUT THERE WILL BE A BAD SMELL • AND YOU KNOW SHE HAS A POINT… IF JESUS DID NOT DO WHAT HE • WAS ABOUT TO DO THERE SURE WOULD BE A SMELL • BUT JESUS HAD JUST TOLD HER HE WAS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE • SO, JESUS REMINDS HER THAT SHE WOULD • SEE GOD’S GLORY IF SHE BELIEVED • THAT IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER… • WE WILL SEE GOD’S GLORY IF WE BELIEVE… • IF WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST • THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD • THAT HE DIED TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • IF WE TRUST THIS WE WILL MOST CERTAINLY SEE GOD’S GLORY • UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL… FOR ALL ETERNITY…. • THEN JESUS PRAYS TO THE FATHER… • NOW, SOME PEOPLE HAVE WONDERED WHY • JESUS WOULD PRAY TO THE FATHER • IF JESUS IS GOD, AND THE FATHER IS GOD, • IF THE TRINITY IS THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT • WHY WOULD JESUS PRAY? • WELL, JESUS SAYS RIGHT HERE WHY HE PRAYS THIS PRAYER • FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT YOU HAVE HEARD ME. “I KNEW THAT YOU ALWAYS HEAR ME; BUT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE STANDING AROUND I SAID IT, SO THAT THEY MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU SENT ME.” • JESUS IS NOT PRAYING SO THAT THE FATHER WOULD HEAR HIM • HE IS PRAYING SO THAT THE CROWD WILL BELIEVE • THAT THE FATHER SENT HIM… • AND THEN RIGHT AFTER PRAYING JESUS CALLS OUT IN A LOUD VOICE • “LAZARUS, COME FORTH” • SOME FOLKS HAVE WONDERED • IF JESUS HAD NOT CALLED LAZARUS BY NAME • WOULD EVERYONE IN A TOMB HAVE COME FORTH • THAT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION • CHRIST HAD JUST SAID THAT HE IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE LAZARUS COMES OUT WRAPPED FROM HEAD TO FOOT, • JESUS TELLS THEM TO REMOVE THE WRAPPINGS • AND THEN WE SEE THE RESULTS OF THIS MIRACLE • THE POINT… WHY JOHN PUT THIS MIRACLE IN HIS GOSPEL • FIRST, JOHN SAYS • “THEREFORE MANY OF THE JEWS WHO CAME TO MARY, AND SAW WHAT HE HAD DONE, BELIEVED IN HIM.” • THAT WORD THEREFORE TELLS US THAT THE REASON THEY BELIEVED • IS THAT JESUS RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD • ONE OF THE RESULTS OF THIS MIRACLE IS • THAT MANY JEWS BELIEVED IN JESUS • THAT IS AN AMAZING RESULT • BUT THERE IS A SECOND RESULT, JOHN GOES ON TO SAY • BUT SOME OF THEM WENT TO THE PHARISEES AND TOLD THEM THE THINGS WHICH JESUS HAD DONE. • NOW I ALWAYS READ THAT LIKE • THERE WAS TWO GROUPS HERE • ONE GROUP BELIEVED AND THE OTHER RAN TO THE PHARISEES • BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT CLOSE • IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IT IS CLEAR • THAT MANY BELIEVE… AND SOME OF THOSE THAT BELIEVED • WENT AND TOLD THE PHARISEES • I AM NOT SURE WHY THEY WOULD DO THIS.. • JOHN DOES NOT TELL US WHY, ONLY THAT THEY DID IT • MAYBE THEY WERE TRYING TO HELP THE PHARISEES UNDERSTAND • THAT JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH • I HOPE THAT WAS THE CASE… • THE RESULT OF THEM TELLING THE PHARISEES • IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS… • JOHN INCLUDED THIS MIRACLE IN HIS GOSPEL • TO SHOW PEOPLE COMING TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST • HE ALSO INCLUDED IT TO SHOW THE EVENTS • THAT LEAD UP TO THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST GRIEF IS PART OF LIFE • WE ALL ENCOUNTER LOSS, • WE CAN BE SO THANKFUL THAT WE SERVE A GOD • WHO UNDERSTANDS GRIEF… A GOD WHO • WHO HAS COMPASSION FOR OUR LOSS • WE SERVE A GOD WHO NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS OUR GRIEF • WE SERVE A GOD WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING BOUT OUR GRIEF • A GOD WHO DEFEATED DEATH BY PAYING FOR OUR SINS ON THE CROSS • WHEN WE HAVE FAITH... BELIEVE… TRUST... IN HIS WORK ON THE CROSS • WE WILL MOST CERTAINLY SEE THE GLORY OF GOD • AS WE STAND IN HIS PRESENCE FOR ALL ETERNITY • IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST… 84