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Sunday Morning Sermon Series - John 11 - Pastor Josiah Shipley
Good morning, you may be seated and good morning to all of you who are not here with us. But are with us on Facebook. Hey, everybody, would you please turn with me to John chapter 11? John chapter 11 now what I ask Is that whether you're in here you're at home or wherever you're at.
I Asked that you remove all distractions. Put in front of you the Word of God. If it's on your phone put it on. Do not disturb. Do whatever you got to do. John chapter 11. I want you to focus on the Word of God.
I don't even care if you listen to anything I say, but here what God has to say to you. There are two Greek words. I want you to know today. The first one is a word pronounced they are new sauce. It's a long word.
They are new sauce. They Oh meaning God. New stuff's meaning breathe. The word they are new sauce means God breathe. Second Timothy 316 says all scripture is God breathe. They are new stops. I Want you to think about that for just a moment before we get to John 11.
If I put my hand over my mouth while I talk I can feel my breath on my hand. When we call this right here the Word of God. What we are saying is that was literally breathed out by God. In the same way that he spoke the world to existence.
That's how this word was written. Through the pens of 40-something men, but all breathed out by God Almighty. If you hear nothing else today forget anything I say. But here what God has to say because this word is breathed out by him and him alone.
John chapter 11 is the account remember we prefer to not say stories is the account of Lazarus. When Jesus spoiler alert raises him from the dead. Many of you have heard that before. But maybe you have read over some details that I find pretty important here in this chapter.
John chapter 11. I'm gonna start in verse 1. I'm gonna read through verse 15. So stay with me and have the word in front of you as we read John 11 1 now a certain man was ill. Lazarus of Bethany the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sister sent to him saying Lord he whom you love is ill, but Jesus heard it. He said this illness does not lead to death.
It's for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it now. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard Lazarus was ill he stayed two days longer in the place he was.
Then after this he said to the disciples. Let us go to Judea again. The disciples said to him rabbi the Jews were just seeking to stone you and you're going there again. Jesus answered are not there 12 hours in a day.
If anyone walks him a day, he doesn't stumble because he sees the light of the world. But if anyone walks him a night he stumbles because the light is not in him. After saying these things he said to them My friend Lazarus has fallen asleep and I will go and awaken him.
The disciples said Lord if he's falling asleep He'll recover now. Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought he meant he was taking a rest and sleep. So Jesus told them plainly Lazarus has died verse 15 and for your sake I am glad I Was not there.
So that you may believe. Let us go to him. Now Lazarus ends up being raised from the dead. But this chapter is not about Lazarus. It's about Jesus and let me show you what I mean here. Why did Lazarus die?
Well on the one hand you could rightly and accurately say he died because he was sick. That's what verse 1 says doesn't tell us anything about the disease, but he died from some type of illness. We live in a fallen depraved sinful cursed world.
The Bible calls this world cursed because of our sin, by the way. So he died from disease. That would be a true statement. But what I'd like to point out to you this morning. As I believe there is a greater purpose.
There's a greater purpose to what happened to Lazarus beyond simply the result of a fallen world. And that whatever disease sickness or sin Desires to happen God's purpose will always win out in the end.
Always and every time there's another Greek word. I want you to see today and that is the word henna. Henna you can practice saying it if you need to henna h i n a is one of my favorite words in the Bible all henna means is so that.
Now if you're zoning out right now, I need you to check back in because this is so critical. The word henna means in order that or so that. All it does is tell you the reason for what just happened. And I want everyone to look at verse 15 one more time here.
What Yahweh says not what Josiah says verse 15 for your sake I Am glad I was not there henna so that You may believe the reason. That Jesus is glad He was not there to heal Lazarus before he died is Henna, so that the disciples may believe.
Is that not an amazing statement to think about. Jesus can smile and say I'm glad I wasn't there to heal Lazarus and when you first hear this, especially if you have a Cookie cutter picture of Jesus you may say well that doesn't sound nice.
But the reason is so that they may believe and Christian listen real close in case you think this is talking to the lost. They have already believed. But just like all of us Lord, I believe help my unbelief sometimes I need to be reminded of what he has shown us before just like David said restore unto me the joy of my salvation in The same way here.
Jesus is glad he was not there to heal Lazarus so that They may believe. We'll get to more than that in just a moment. I wanted to show you one other example this before we continue in chapter 11 flip over a couple pages to chapter 9 verse 1.
So still in the Gospel of John chapter 9 Verse 1 a very similar situation here the Word of God as Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. Keep that in mind and His disciples asked rabbi who sinned?
This man or his parents that he was born blind. Jesus answered it wasn't that this man sinned or his parents but That there's that word again. But that the works of God may be Displayed in him we must work the works of him who sent me wild as day night is coming when no one can work.
I want you to listen to that one more time in case you just missed what just happened. The disciples see a man who's been blind from birth and they start taking side bets. Saying I wonder if he's blind because of his sin or his parents sin.
They don't realize that we live in a fallen world. They think it's a direct result of someone's sin. So they say Jesus settled bet. Is that guy since you know, everything is that guy blind because of his sin or his parents?
Listen to Jesus's response. He is not blind neither because of his sin nor his parents. But what does the Bible say right here in John 9 verse 3? So that The works of God might be displayed in him. You know why that guy was blind from birth.
Yes, because of the fallen world. But the greater purpose than that is so you and I can sit here and read about him in the Word of God right now. Do you grasp that? Do you understand that? The Bible right here says that guy was blind from birth.
So that The works of God may be displayed in him. In other words, Jesus walked down and healed him in front of all those people. That's what happened. And that guy's suffering and believe me blind from birth.
I think we can safely assume he dealt with some suffering. Can't we? He's a full-grown man. He's been blind since birth. And the greater purpose behind that is so that the works of God could be displayed in him and You and I 2 ,000 years later are still talking about that.
That is beautiful. Do you think during that guy's life? He understood the greater purpose the whole time ladies and gentlemen, I do a lot of things out of love for my children and. And They rarely ever see the love that I have in my heart for them when I do them most of time.
They don't like the actions I take but it's not their job. To understand why I do what I do. It's their job to obey and trust. There's a greater purpose in the end. Children God. We don't always get to immediately see the greater purpose that God is working out the tapestry that he is making.
The symphony he is writing. But our job is to trust that he is writing one and we will see it in the end one day rest assured. But until that comes. Just like here. We trust that though we live in a fallen world.
There is a greater purpose that will be worked out in the end. It will be worked out in the end. Back to chapter 11. Back to chapter 11. Verse 1 now certain man was ill. Lazarus of Bethany the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
You may have heard of these ladies before. I Would imagine you've probably heard an analogy of how Martha was caring about the little things of the household one time and Mary was listening to Jesus. And we should follow Mary's example because she was perfect.
Of course and Martha was worried about the little things that don't matter, right? You've probably made that analogy a bunch of times before there's truth in that that's from Luke. That is that is a fair Analysis of the story, but this is actually before any of that happened.
John mentions it here. But it doesn't actually happen in chapter 12. This is before any of that and just as brother Jeff has done a good job making sure everyone understands that these Quote unquote Bible characters are regular sinful heathens just like me and you let's remove That mask off of these people and see that they are Sinful people just like me and you and you'll see that with Mary and Martha's attitude in just a moment.
Which Jesus corrects in a way only Jesus can. Verse 2 it was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. His brother Lazarus was ill. So we have Lazarus Mary Martha. They're all siblings.
Lazarus is definitely ill and they sent word to Jesus now. Let me explain what just happened. Jesus is across the Jordan River. Roughly 10 to 15 miles east of where Lazarus is 10 to 15 miles. I'm I got that Jesus was just in Bethany a few days before this.
Okay in chapter 10 verse 33. Excuse me verse 34. He calls himself God because he is. The Jews do not like that and pick up rocks to stone him. Jesus says it's not my time to die yet and walks away unscathed.
Now he was just in Bethany in Judea. And now he has walked 10 to 15 miles east across the Jordan River. Now he gets word back from Bethany that Lazarus is there and sick. Are y 'all following me? Okay now Verse 3 the sister sent him saying Lord he whom you love is ill.
But when Jesus heard it, he said this illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God so that Hannah. So that the Son of God may be glorified through it. What is the reason? So that the Son of God may be glorified through it verse 5.
Maybe one of the strangest verses in the gospel of John. If you don't have a right view of God, or maybe you've just read over this and never paid attention verse 5. Here we go. You ready? Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus and that's not the strange part.
He loved them, right? So now what stop right there don't even read verse 6 yet. Listen. The Bible just said Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. So now if we were to put our human goggles on and finish the Bible for God.
We would probably think the next verse would say. So he took the first flight to Bethany. So he panicked and rushed over there. So he ran as fast as he could to save the day. Look at what the Word of God says verse 5 again.
Now Jesus loved Martha and his sister her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard Lazarus ill he stayed two days longer in the place he was. How many times you read past that not paid attention right there?
Read that again. He loved Martha Mary and Lazarus and the Bible does not lie. He loved them. So He stayed where he was for two days. What happened here in those two days? Ladies and gentlemen, do you understand the love of God?
I Promise you fully you don't. But do not put on God. Do not put on God the false sense. Whatever this world tells you love is Jesus loved them. So he stayed two days longer. Now. Do you think they understood what he was doing was love at that moment?
As you question during those two days. Do you think some suffering happened? You think there was some grieving? Some mourning death. Did God Almighty have a purpose behind it and they just hadn't seen it yet?
They just hadn't seen it yet now. Again, I go back. The reason Lazarus died is because he was sick. Because we live in a fallen sinful world and we are reaping the benefits of our rejection of God that is what Genesis 3 says the ground is cursed because of us and yet There is a greater purpose.
There is a greater purpose orchestrated by God Almighty and his greater purpose will. When out in the end it will not it might it will and it is now in Christian just because you can't see it now Doesn't mean it's not happening.
You just have to trust that it is in one day. You will be able to look back and see that symphony. He's been orchestrating all along. See. Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus, so he stayed where he was for two more days.
Let's keep reading. Then after this he said to disciples. Okay, let's go to Judea again. The disciples said rabbi they were just trying to stone you and you want to go back. You can tell how concerned my disciples are about Lazarus.
Jesus says the same thing. He said when the blind man was sick. There are 12 hours in a day I've got work to do while it's daytime. It's funny four or five times on the gospel of John we see the church leaders, by the way.
Trying to stone Jesus and John 7 30 and 8 20 makes it crystal clear. The reason they did it. It's because quote it was not his time to die yet. That's what John 7 30 and 8 20 says. It's because it was not his time.
That's why their plan did not prevail. You ever wonder? And maybe you haven't. The whole Judas betrayal thing how many times did they see Jesus before that event? Oh. They found him in a garden as if he had been hiding out the whole time.
You know when Jesus died exactly when he planned to. Exactly when he planned to that's when he died. He said himself. Nobody takes my life from me. I lay it down willingly and I will raise it up again.
What we're reading is About a week before Jesus's death. But a week before Jesus's death and just as he's about to raise Lazarus from the dead. He is trying to show these people that he has power over the grave so that when he predicts his own resurrection, they remember.
Oh, yeah, he said he had power over this grave. We keep reading verse 14. Jesus told them plainly Lazarus has died and for your sake I am glad I was not there so that you may believe but let us go with him verse 17.
Now when Jesus came he found Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem about two miles off and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning the brother.
When Martha heard Jesus was coming she went and met him but Mary stayed seated in the house. Probably some bitterness. Yeah, Martha and Mary here. Jesus finally decided to show up. Mary stayed seated in the house.
Martha went out to meet him. But look at Martha's opening statement 21. Lord if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died but even now I Know that whatever you ask God God will give you. Jesus said to her your brother will rise again.
Martha said I know he'll rise again at the resurrection of the last day. See when Jesus said he will rise again. She thought he was talking about the resurrection at the end. Daniel chapter 12 first Thessalonians for the resurrection of the dead and Jesus.
Realizing she's not understanding what he's saying says this. I Am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though He died yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this? She said yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ the Son of God coming into the world. Ladies and gentlemen, please remember. This physical body is not you. Physical body is not you.
The body get gets put in the casket is not you. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The reason Jesus can save the one who believes in me will never die is because you are not contained by this physical body however at the resurrection God will be claiming all that he paid for.
Which includes that body which will be resurrected and glorified because he will be getting all that he paid for. Verse 39. Skip on down to verse 39. Mary finally decides to come out and talk to Jesus and Oh, I'm sorry verse 32.
She says the exact same thing. Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Now verse 39 Jesus says this take away the stone. Martha the sister of a dead man Said Lord by this time there will be an odor for he has been dead for four days.
Remember Jesus waited two days makes you wonder how long he took walking there. Lazarus has not been dead for four days. Jesus said to her did I not tell you that if you believed you'd see the glory of God.
So they took away the stone and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said now check out this prayer from Jesus. Father, I thank you that you have Heard me. What tense is that? Has he raised Lazarus yet. So You have heard me.
I knew that you always hear me. But I said this on account of the people standing around that Hannah that they may believe. You sent me. Why is Jesus praying right now? Because he needs power from above.
He's praying out loud right now. So the others hearing him will believe. This reminds me one time pastor Ben and I were evangelizing At some apartment complexes in North Memphis and We went up to to witness to God to tell him about Jesus and he said hey, man.
You might have talked to you a little bit about God and he's well I won't repeat exactly what he said, but he basically said no, how about that? Is that fine? He said no, so we said, okay. So I said pastor Ben you want to come over here.
Let's pray real quick. Pastor Ben and I prayed out loud. The man I rate was just standing there off to the side. Pastor Ben and I prayed out loud and basically said this Lord, we love you and we pray that anyone within earshot of us right now.
Experience The love of you in a way they never had before and that they understand that your son came to die for their sins. There's only one hope on this planet. We use that prayer as an evangelistic tool or at least tried to.
Jesus doesn't even have to do that much. He is openly declaring out loud. To everybody that's listening. I am praying out loud so that those around me can hear and believe. Verse 43 when he said these things he cried out with a loud voice.
Lazarus come out. The man who had died came out his hands and feet were bound with linen straps his faith wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said unbind him and let him go. Guys Lazarus had been dead for four days.
Jesus opens his mouth and says Lazarus come forth and that body the decaying process already started. The neurons started firing in his brain again. His heart started beating again. His blood started circulating again.
He came out of that grave but ladies and gentlemen Understand this. That this was Lazarus being raised from the dead. Yes. The Lazarus had not yet received a new body. At our resurrection that Jesus referenced before our bodies will be resurrected glorified in a blink of an eye.
From mortal to immortal. But that's not even the most amazing part about this. I want you to think about something. Lazarus come forth met. Chemical makeup. The dirt the carbon the oxygen the flesh. Heard and remembered the voice of their Creator the Creator that said let there be light.
And let the earth bring forth vegetation. They remembered the voice of their Creator remember John 1. Jesus was the agent of creation and They obeyed the voice of their Creator. And they came back to life.
And then verse 45 look again. Many of the Jews therefore who had come with Mary and seen what he did believed. Why did people get saved that day. Think why did people get saved that day because I saw Jesus for a miracle, right?
Let me ask you a question. Had Lazarus not died. Would that miracle have been performed? Obviously not. You understand my point. They believed why. Because I saw Jesus lays Razzle. When Jesus said back in verse 15 the reason that he's glad he wasn't there was so that they would believe.
Do you understand that in the midst of suffering and pain. That sin brought into this world God still works out his greater purpose. And again, I say his greater purpose will win out every single time.
The reason that these Saints right here in verse 45 will meet you in glory the reason that they will see you in heaven is Because they saw Jesus perform a miracle on a dead man that Jesus waited two days before he went to heal him that amount of glory.
That I'm out of Providence that amount of sovereignty. Martha and Mary did not understand at first. But they do now. I Promise you they do now their job Was not to understand Jesus's plan in fullness.
But the trust he had one and follow the commands he had given in the meantime. That's their job. Ladies and gentlemen, that's our job. You see throughout this chapter Jesus saying yes. Yes, he is dead because of illness because of sin.
But yet my greater purpose will still win out so that Many will believe. So that many will believe. And right now in this room we are still talking about this event. Why? Because Jesus waited two days.
Because Jesus waited two days. And my heart is full of confidence and assurance right now. Because Jesus waited two days. Do you understand what I'm saying right now you understand what God is conveying right now that right here right here.
There is no way for the people in that circumstance to see the tapestry. He's working out. But now looking back we can see it one day that will be us. And we will be able to look back and see that Providence working out all the while long.
Brother Andrew, I'm gonna ask you to come up here. Whoever's doing the final song I want to end with with one more passage. Please if you would before you close that Bible go to Ephesians chapter 1 the book of Ephesians chapter 1.
By the way, I know some of you said you're still learning the books of the Bible. So go towards your right. Go towards your right. Ephesians chapter 1. Brother Lee was reading from this chapter a moment ago before one of the songs and he stopped at verse 10, which is If I believed in coincidence coincidental because I wanted to read verse 11 Ephesians chapter 1.
Verse 11 in him we have obtained an inheritance. Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works All things according to the counsel of his will again. In him we have obtained an inheritance.
Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will one more time in Him we have obtained an inheritance. Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
What does all things mean? Does it mean things that happen in your life? My life? Things in the past? Things happening right now? What about things in the future? Does that count as all things? Does all things include things that happen in the nations?
Does all things include things that happen in the natural world? Does all things include things that happen in the spiritual world? Does all things mean all things? If it does, there should be very few other sentences in the entire Bible that give you more hope than that right there.
Listen one more time. He works all things according to the counsel of His will. And His will is perfect, good, pleasing, and loving. Even when we can't see it yet. And just like He loves Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, so He waited two more days.
Child of God, He loves you. He loves you. And according to Deuteronomy 7, He loves you because He loves you. That's what the Bible says. He loves you because He loves you. And He's working all things according to the counsel of His will, not ours.
His will, not ours. Let that message of the God-grieved Word sink into your heart right now as it's sinking in mine.
