F4F | Steven Furtick and The Lazarus Factor

Narcissus and Twisting God’s Word

Welcome to another installment of fighting for the faith. My name is Chris Roseboro. I'm your servant in Jesus Christ. This is the channel that compares what people are saying in the name of God to the Word of God.

Now, have you ever heard the phrase Narcissus if so, or even if you haven't. Go ahead and hit the subscribe button down below. Don't forget to like the video and ring the Bell. Narcissus is a very very pervasive way of twisting God's Word and We're the ones who coined the term here at fighting for the faith.

Narcissus takes two words narcissism and is a Jesus and smooches them together and In narcissism, we all know what that is the love of self and I said Jesus it's a kind of a technical term, but it means to read something into a biblical text and.

And so the idea is is that when you read something into the biblical text and ain't there you're twisting God's Word and Narcissus is the sticking of yourself into the biblical text when you're not there and one of the most astute and amazing Narcissus on the planet and this is not a good thing is is none other than Stephen Furtick of Elevation Church, let's head over there and we're gonna be listening to a Sermon sermon sermon a Sermon titled the Lazarus factor.

Have you considered the Lazarus in your life? Sitting there going what? Yeah, I know it this is so let me kind of give you the standard way in which this works so somebody will tell you the story of David and Goliath, right and and so You become David.

You're the hero of the story you become David and You've got to find your five smooth stones in order to slay your giants and stuff yeah, that Totally misses the whole point of the story of David and Goliath.

I feel like we're gonna have to do very soon a you know wrote pirate Christians guide to the Old Testament and take a look at the story of David and Goliath to see how it relates back to Christ because it does but that's a whole other segment.

But the king of the Narcissus one of the kings, you know, he's you know He's like way up there in the royalty of Narcissus. Stephen Furtick, and so we'll be listening to the Lazarus factor. I've got several segments of the sermon queued up for your enjoyment.

But let's get to it and we'll let Stephen Furtick set this up because he's going to read referencing a recent release single from Elevation Worship and. And that will then lead him into Some really really bizarre twisting of God's Word.

He can't do this with these biblical texts and when you read yourself into the biblical text you miss the whole point. But I'll point that out. Sorry. I'm getting worked up getting worked up. But let's get to it.

Here we go.

We're so excited about our new single never lost that we were just singing.

The never lost single. Yeah, we're so excited about our single.

I pray that you'll get that song and what I want to do today is I actually want to take something that was in that song that you were just singing and Bring it to your life. At a really practical level today.

So something we were singing in that song. We're gonna bring it to your life in a practical way. Wow.

What a great swell guy he is. And the song says that God still shows up at the tomb of every Lazarus.

Okay, how many Lazarus's are there. God still shows up at the tomb of every Lazarus. There was one.

One.

One one who Jesus raised from the dead. So I mean this this is just really awful and Well, you will know that right off the bat he's engaging in Narcissus because Lazarus will then become symbolic of something in your life That died because Jesus didn't answer your prayer and stuff.

And so do you have enough faith when Jesus delays and raising your Lazarus? I'm not making that up I really am NOT. Let's just let him do it and.

I want to show you the scripture that that line came from today and Then I want to speak to the Lazarus in your life, which kind of begs the question.

I mean who is Lazarus's Lazarus? Oh, this is so bad.

Okay.

So we're gonna have to front load some actual Bible teaching on this because the story from the gospel of John Chapter 11 is amazing. It really is amazing. And by the way, I just Upgraded to Accordance Bible 13 and.

And so they have the dark modes now. And so that's why I'm the screen is dark because it's a little easier for me not having the you know. The the bright whites glaring at my old eyes, but anyway, so John chapter 11.

Let's take a look at the story. We're gonna read it in context in its totality and I endeavor to show something to you in this biblical text that you may Never have seen before and so let's get to it.

John chapter 11 verse 1 now a certain man singular man, by the way. Was ill Lazarus of Bethany the of 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 sisters said to 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 the Son of Man may be glorified through it now.

There's your really important statement by Jesus. This is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. So if I were to say what's the reason why the story of Lazarus is written?

It's written so that Christ may be glorified through it. This is the reason why the miracle took place. So there's your reason it's all about. You know Jesus right. I know that seems kind of quaint but let me duplicate this real quick here.

And we're gonna note that in the Gospel of John chapter 20 We get a similar statement from John and that is that. You know that he talks about the reason why Jesus did is his Miracles and why he wrote his gospel and and here's what it says.

Gospel of John chapter 20 verse 30. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book. But listen, these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.

So if you were to sit there and go, okay. What's the reason why John wrote his gospel? So that you would believe that Jesus is the Messiah the Christ and that by believing that you might have life not only just life.

But life eternal in his name and the specific Miracle of the raising of Lazarus. Let Lazarus. Yeah, I hate when I do that. Anyway, the the specific reason why the Lazarus was raised from the dead and we learned this from Christ before he even dies is.

So that the Son of Son of God may be glorified through it. Got it. Good. Alright, all of that is foundation. Let's now continue. So Jesus loved Martha. And her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed two days longer in the place where 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 now seeking to stone you and are you going there again? And Jesus answered are there not 12 hours in the day if anyone walks in the day He does not stumble because he sees the light of the world.

But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him. So after saying these things he said to them our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. But I go to awaken him. So Jesus, you know gets the request and no sooner does he get the request well, he decides that he's gonna stay for a couple of days and.

And now Lazarus has met his demise. He's died. And so in Jesus. He's the guy who has the right to kind of call death sleep. Just saying that's something about him that he's a he's able to do because he's able to wake anybody from the dead like, you know.

Like your wife or your spouse wakes you from sleep. Anyway, so he's fallen asleep. And so the disciples said to him Lord if he's fallen asleep, he will recover now. Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest and sleep.

So Jesus told them plainly Lazarus has died and for your sake I'm glad that I was not there so that you may believe but let us go to him. So Thomas called the twin said to his fellow disciples will let us go that we may die with him.

Which is one of the more bizarre Statements in all of Scripture, I think Thomas kind of overcooked his piety by about half there. But that's a different sermon. Anyway, so Jesus came when when Jesus came he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for 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 their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming she went and met him but Mary remained seated in the house.

Martha said to Jesus Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died and this is most certainly true. Okay, quick quiz here. What's the reason why this miracle takes place? So that the Son of Man may be glorified that so Jesus would be glorified.

Got it. Good. Okay, and John wrote his gospel so that you would believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that by believing in him. You might have life in his name. Got it. Okay, so though that's three.

It's not about you finding your Lazarus, by the way. So Martha said to Jesus if you have been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God God will give you so 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 and now here's one of the definitive statements of Christ a go a Me. I am the resurrection a go a me.

Hey, Anastasis.

I.

Am the resurrection and Kai a Zoe and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though. He died yet. Shall he live? Now I I'm gonna make a point here that if you want to find your Lazarus Your Lazarus is you.

Okay, cuz the wages of sin is death and unless Jesus returns in our lifetime You gonna die me too. We're all gonna die so this is kind of good news a whole point is the Son of Man the Son of God is going to be glorified by This miracle and you'll note here.

The emphasis is on Whoever believes in me though. He died yet. Shall he live? That's kind of a big deal. I don't know me raising from the dead. Big deal you raising from the dead big deal. Right because I mean isn't death the thing that that like stalks us all so whoever believes in me though He died yet.

Shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? That's a great question, do you believe this then and this question comes all the way across the pages of time and Rings in our ear and let me ask you do you believe this?

So she said to him yes Lord, I Believe that you are the Christ the Son of God who is coming into this world.

Yeah.

What did John say? These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that by believing you might have Life in his name. Ooh, ooh Martha sounds like she. Yeah, she believes and she's got life in Jesus name just saying Okay, so when she had said this she went and called her sister Mary saying in private The teacher is here and he's calling for you.

And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him now. Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw Mary rise quickly and go out.

They followed her supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him She fell at his feet saying to him Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

Now this next part is a little challenging and I'll have to show you something in the Greek. Can you kind of get it now when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her also? Weeping he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled now.

Here's the issue. The issue here is that the Greek word for moved or deeply moved.

Embry Maomai.

Let me show you what that means. Okay, let's see here. I'm gonna Pull this up double triple click. There we go. And boy, is that small? Let me make that a little bit bigger.

Embry Maomai and.

We're gonna note some of its meanings an expression of anger and displeasure mm-hmm of scolding or censure. To feel strongly about be deeply moved. All right, and you'll note that it has a very negative Connotation one of apparent harshness of the expression and but a model my he Jesus was really.

Angry.

Now this kind of begs the question for the exegete when you see Embry Maomai being used like this is Is it saying that Jesus is angry at Mary? For Scolding him and for her weeping. That's not what's going on because it's gonna show up a second time shows up two times in this text.

So I'm gonna just kind of leave the you know, leave it out there in outer space at the moment Jesus was. Maybe a good way to put it in English was he was torqued. He was really ticked off. Okay, but the question is who's he ticked off at?

All right, what's he what's he angry about? So when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping he was Torqued he was really upset in his spirit and he was greatly troubled and he said where have you laid him?

Okay, and He said where have you laid him? So they said Lord come and see. So Jesus.

Wept.

He now in his Upsetness and he's torqued.

He wept.

Again kind of get it begs the question. What's he angry about? So the Jew said see how he loved him, but some said well could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man Also have kept this man from dying so then Jesus deeply moved and there it is again.

Ember my oh my. He's torqued. He's really upset. He's mad. He came to the tomb. It was a cave and a stone lay against it and Jesus said take away The stone and you have to kind of say it like that because the Greek tells you that.

So, what's he upset about. Answer the complete mess that we find ourselves in as a result of the devil's deceptions. Jesus is deeply moved by humanity's condition. It was never meant for human beings to die.

For them to be separated from their loved ones for their loved ones to have to mourn and weep their loss. So note then coming back where it says deeply moved. What their first time it says when he saw her weeping the Jews had come also weeping.

He was deeply moved in his spirit and he was greatly troubled and he said where have you laid him? It's as if Jesus is well heard that you know if Jesus the Good Shepherd has heard that a lion has come and Taken up one of his his dearly beloved sheep and has run off with it and where have you laid him?

I'm gonna go and I'm gonna snatch this sheep out of the jaws of the lion. I'm gonna go and snatch and rescue Lazarus from the jaws of death itself. See, he's angry. At what has happened to us because of the devil's deception and so notice his empathy then.

What's going on, but not mere empathy. He has the power to do something about it and quick quiz here. What's the reason for this miracle? So the Son of God would be glorified. Mm-hmm. That's the reason not me glorified not you not Stephen Furtick for sure.

You know, so you'll note that Jesus wept and so he went to the K deeply moved he's angry and he said take away the stone and So Martha seeing Jesus's determination just basically. You know said to him Lord by this time there will be an odor for he's been dead for four days.

I always loved the King James because it says he stinketh, right? So 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 lifted up his eyes and he said father.

I thank you that you have heard me. I Understanding around that they may believe that you sent me a hot note here. The reason for the miracle is again Son of God would be glorified. These things are written so that you may believe that the Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and by believing you might have Life in his name.

So Jesus says in their presence He's praying that that he knows the God that you always hear me. But I pray this on account of the people standing around so that they may believe that you sent me. So then he said these things when he said these things he cried out in a loud voice.

Lazarus come out. The man who had died Came out his hands and his feet. Bound with linen strips his face wrapped with a cloth and Jesus said to them Unbind him and let him go. He's just been freed from death.

It's a big deal. This is an amazing Miracle all of this to glorify Christ. So that you will believe that he was sent from the father. That by believing in his name you might have life in it and look what happens next.

So many of the Jews therefore who had come with Mary and had seen what he did they believed in him, right. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. And so the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council together and said what are we to do for this man performs many signs?

If we let him go on like this. Like you're gonna stop him. He's the Son of God. Everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place in our nation. But one of them Caiaphas who was the high priest that year said to them.

You know nothing at all.

Nor do you understand that it's better for you that one man should die for the people. Not that the whole nation should perish. He did not say this of his own accord. But being a high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.

Oh, and he did. Yeah, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So that on that day they made plans to put him to death. You raised people from the dead.

I kill you. I kill you. All right. So there's the account. You've got a little bit of the insight as to what's going on. Quick quiz. What's the reason for the miracle? So the Son of God would be glorified so that people would know that he was sent by the father.

So that you would believe That he's the Christ the Son of God and by believing you have my might have life in his name. I couldn't think of a more Poignant passage that explicitly says it's all about, you know Jesus.

Well, apparently Furtick missed those little cues in the text. Because he thinks that you know. It's all about him. So let me back this up a little bit because and we'll Rework our way through this because it just gets absurd at this point, but let's listen again.

And I want to show you the scripture that that line came from today. And then I want to speak to the Lazarus in your life. Everybody in here has a Lazarus.

About the only takeaway I make this I'm my own Lazarus. Why. Because I'm gonna die. You know, I Kind of need to be able to be raised from the dead. Otherwise, I I perish he's kind of get the idea.

Man this is absurd and everybody in here has a God and Today we just want to bring these things into God's presence for a few moments. John chapter 11 is the scripture.

Welcome to our eFam around now. He's gonna read it out. We'll let him on the world.

There are tens of thousands of people right now who are joining us on their devices and let's thank God for them as well. But this word would be received in your life. I got smart to beat up brought my iPad today my Bible I'm preaching from John 11 and I'm covering quite a few verses of Scripture and my Bible yesterday kept blowing.

The pages kept blowing. It wasn't the Holy Spirit. It was the the air vent and it just kept blowing to different scriptures. And so I brought it on the iPad today. I hadn't preached from it in a long time and it's locked and loaded and charged and I want to preach to you.

Well, it's not locked. It's going horizontal. There's some old man stuff right here. You know every preacher gets persecuted. Paul had shipwrecks and I have iPads that go horizontal. It's kind of on the same level, don't you think?

But we're gonna look at something today together. From John chapter 11 verse 1 now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 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.

So the sister sent word to Jesus Lord the one you love is sick. When he heard this Jesus said the sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it.

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus everything up until this point by the way makes total sense to me. We're given the name of this man Lazarus. His name literally means the one who God helps.

Have you ever had God just help you out of a mess that you got yourself into or a mess that you couldn't get yourself out of. His name means the one that God helps and his sister was Martha. She's the one who made the mortgage payment.

His other sister was Mary. She was a good listener and Jesus liked going by and visiting because Martha made these incredible lemon pepper wings he liked to eat her food and Mary would sit at his feet and be disciple and there's nothing better than somebody.

Well I was gonna say there's nothing better than a good listener. But a good cook is better than a good listener. And if you ever find a good cook and a good listener marry him marry her. Okay, and Jesus loved to go to this little place two miles outside of Jerusalem.

And he would often be refreshed there in his ministry travels. But now they need his help and it says that he loved them. He loved all of them. He loved Lazarus. He loved Mary. He loved Martha and as Lazarus sickness begins to overtake the affairs of the family Martha issues not necessarily an invitation to Jesus, but a request for help Lord.

The one you love is sick. I love how she phrased it. You know send him a message say Lazarus. No, no say the one you love is sick because he's very busy and we need to get him here. So let's just remind him of how much he loves Lazarus and get him here real quick.

So he can do that healing thing that he does for us and everything makes sense. You know that he loves them. So he would come to them and he would visit them and he would help them because Lazarus name means help.

Could you get on with it already read the text? Hey now you're gonna note a couple of things. I'm gonna point this out. Stephen Furtick is Speaking while music is playing in the background. Yes. Yes. Yes.

That's a form of emotional manipulation. Mm-hmm. Yeah, he's mastered that technique as well, but there's another form of emotional manipulation that takes place that's quite overt there at Elevation and that is is that Stephen Furtick employs the use of Part of the audience called the bullpen.

These are volunteers who get those really nice VIP seats right up next to the stage and Their job is to go.

And go ah.

And and make it sound like you know that he's just dropping pearls of wisdom from heaven on them. And every time they get a pearl from heaven from Stephen Furtick, they they they. They clap and applaud and say hallelujah and all this kind of stuff see if you can listen to them doing their shtick because this is this is all part of the manipulation that takes place at.

Elevation. So it's in his very nature to expect the help that his name Identifies. Just like as a child of God you call on your father and you expect him to help you. And everything up until here makes sense.

But the next verse is something that I want us to talk about for a few moments today. Because some of you are in a place in your life that doesn't make sense anymore. And it's that I want to speak to.

It says that he loved them that Jesus loved them. He really loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. Verse 6 so when he heard that Lazarus was sick He stayed where he was two more days and. That's what I wanted to work on together today.

Because it would be one thing if the Bible said he loved them, but he stayed where he was two more days. Because that would mean that he couldn't come. He had other people to help. But it says this this interesting word so.

So he stayed where he was two more days, and that means that verse 6 flows directly from verse 5. He loved them. So he did not come when they wanted him. And I want to talk about this today from my heart, I'm gonna title this message the Lazarus factor.

Yeah, um.

Okay.

So Jesus loved Martha and her sister so when he heard Lazarus dead he stayed two days. Longer in the place where he was. Yeah. Yeah, so okay we got that but notice he's kind of missed this this whole point here.

This illness does not lead to death for it is for the glory of God so the Son of Man may be glorified through it. He really hasn't you know? Keyed in on that in fact. Did he skip. Did he cut that out?

Hmm, you know. I I'm gonna.

I'm gonna.

Change the playback speed to two times, and I'm going to back this up. And we're gonna go back. Oh, maybe a minute and a half. And let's see if he skipped that part.

Let's see invitation to Jesus, but a request for help. Lord the one you love is sick. I love how she phrased it. You know. Send him a message. Say Lazarus. No, no say the one you love is sick because he's very busy when he did him here.

So let's just remind him of how much he loved Lazarus and get him here real quick so he can do that healing thing. That he does for us and everything makes sense. You know that he loves them. So he would come to them and he would visit them and he would help them.

Because Lazarus name means help so it's in His very nature to expect the help that his name identifies. Just like as a child of God you call on your father. And you expect him to help you. And everything up until here makes sense.

But the next verse is something that I want us to talk about for a few moments today because some of you are in a Place in your life that doesn't make sense anymore, and it's that I want to speak to it.

Says that he loved them. That Jesus loved him. He really loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. Verse 6. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick He stayed where he was two more days.

Yep, he skipped it. He just flat-out skipped it. Yeah, I want you to see that. He told so so the sister sent to him saying Lord he whom you love is ill. And then Verdict said the next verse says now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

So when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed two days longer. He flat-out left out this part. This illness does not lead to death. Jesus said it is for the glory of God. So the Son of God may be glorified through it.

Jesus Totally threw out not Jesus Stephen Furtick. Stephen Furtick totally threw out Jesus's words that explain what the purpose of the miracle is going to be for and It ends up on the cutting room floor.

Uh-huh, because if he had put it in there, he couldn't be doing what he's doing. Wow, this is Blasphemy, let me come back here and let's keep it at two times speed until we catch up to where we were.

And that's what I wanted to work on together today. Because it would be one thing if the Bible said he loved them. But he stayed where he was two more days because that would mean that he couldn't come.

He had other people to help but it says this this interesting word. So so he stayed where he was two more days and that means that verse 6 flows directly from verse 5. He loved them. So he did not come when they wanted him.

And I'm gonna talk about this today from my heart. I'm gonna title this message the Lazarus factor.

All right, so he's gonna title it the Lazarus factor. Now, let me go back to regular speed. Wow, he totally took out Jesus's words this illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God. Absolutely sick sick.

The Lazarus Factor and the Missing Glory of God

The Lazarus factor.

And Lord, I just pray that you would in yeah the Lazarus factor. All right now let's fast forward a little bit in the sermon because the next thing he does is talk about when he was in high school he worked for a pet crematorium.

Yeah, why. Because he wanted to talk about having bad jobs, you know, and so now we're at the 9 minute 26 Second mark, let's keep going as he tries to talk about what a tough job would be.

You know what? I think that one of the worst jobs would have been to be the PR manager for Jesus Christ.

To.

To have to explain his actions or To have to give a press conference for Jesus.

Especially.

When John chapter 11 says things like He loved them. He received hospitality from them. But when it came time for him to help them he stayed away two extra days. Because he loved them.

Well, yeah you again I point out you you missed this part Steve. This illness does not lead to death. It's for the glory of God. So the Son of Man may be glorified through it. You just kind of left that out and as a result of it now, you're you're kind of sitting there going well.

You know, it'd be pretty tough to be Jesus's PR guy. Well, no no difficulty at all because Jesus explained what was gonna that all this was for the glory of God.

So the people would believe in him. It's an interesting construct and we come to find in all of our lives The difference between God's job and our job. See God's job is outcome. Your job is process.

What are you talking about?

This has nothing to do with any of that. Can I preach a little bit to the three?

So the reason why John 11 was written and Jesus performed the miracle is so that you can learn that God's job is outcome and your job is process. That's not what Jesus said. You people who are awake.

The longer that you think you can control outcomes in your life the more frustration you are going to experience in this journey of faith. And Many of us were taught starting out that faith was a way of controlling outcomes.

It was like if you pray this and do that then you can expect this. But everybody in here has a Lazarus I.

I'm gonna have difficulty. Getting through even the short segments that I've queued up for this installment of fighting for the faith.

This is absurd. The Lazarus factor is the thing in your life that made the formula fall apart. The Lazarus factor is the thing in your life that caused you to question the very nature of faith and. Start to see at this point in this passage that faith is rarely a form of manipulation By which we get God to keep our schedule.

I've got news for you. God will not be manipulated.

Yeah, that's right. God won't but the people there at elevation they are every single weekend. You know the bullpen whoo, and you know the sappy music in the background, ah. Yeah, yeah. God won't be manipulated.

But the people at elevation are God will not be moved just because we get uncomfortable in a situation. And I hate to break it to you, but faith is not a means of manipulation. It is a patience with mystery the kind of mystery that can say on one hand God can do anything.

But in that very same breath that you say God can do anything. There is something in your life right now that God will not do that. You see in his word that he did for somebody else, but he has not done for you yet.

I'm simply trying to say that everybody in here has a Lazarus.

You see when you know what the text is really about and you know the part that he like left out. You realize this guy is Demonic, I mean, this is sick. And not only is it sick. It's stupid. What he's saying is so narcissistic and so self-absorbed.