[0:00] Let us commence our worship by singing to the Lord's praise from Psalm 77 on page 322 at verse 11. Psalm 77 at verse 11 on page 322.
[0:17] Yea, I remember will the works performed by the Lord, the wonders done of old by thee I surely will record. I also will of all thy works my meditation make, and of thy doings to discourse great pleasure I will take.
[0:34] O God, thy way most holy is within thy sanctuary, and what God is so great in power as is our God most high. Thou art the God that wanders us, by thy right hand most strong.
[0:49] Thy mighty power thou hast declared the nations among. To thine own people with thine arm thou didst redemption bring, to Jacob's sons and to the tribes of Joseph that do spring.
[1:02] Shall I sing these verses to the Lord's praise from Psalm 77 verse 11 to 15. Yea, I remember will the works performed by the Lord.
[1:13] Sugar能量 It was aということ on the good of the world. Yeah, for it by the Lord.
[1:30] The wonders of all thy king I surely will record.
[1:47] I also will uphold thy works, my meditation may, and all thy good news to destroy, take pleasure thy will gain.
[2:23] O God, I'm with more holy years, with my sanctuary.
[2:41] And what God is so great in power, as it's all for most part, the warm and warm that were there shall fly by thy light and gold strong.
[3:20] By thy gift thou hast given, the image comes among.
[3:40] To thy Lord give them with thy hand, thy gift thou hast given, to give us us, and to the light of joy, say, thou hast given.
[4:17] Let us unite together in prayer. Let us pray. Let us pray. Eternal and ever blessed Lord, we thank thee this day for the great privilege that thou hast given to us when we are able to gather together in thy name, to praise thy name, to offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to thee, for thy goodness and for thy kindness to us.
[4:54] And as we come together in this act of worship, we seek, O Lord, that we would be mindful of the one in whose presence we come.
[5:05] As thy servant of old, when the veil was taken, and saw that there was a throne, and upon that throne was one that was majestic and glorious.
[5:18] But blessed be thy name that he also saw a rainbow around the throne, the symbol of the covenant. And we give thanks, O Lord, that all thy dealings with mankind is covenantal in nature.
[5:36] And so we come before thee this day with boldness and confidence to seek thy grace, to help us in our time of need.
[5:49] And as we come before thee confessing our sins, we give thanks for the great promise that thou hast given to us that if we confess our sins, that thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[6:10] We give thee thanks, O Lord, especially at this time, for the reason of our coming together, to fulfil thine own command to thy people, to remember thy death until thou shalt return.
[6:27] We pray, O Lord, that we would be mindful of the cost of our salvation, and that we would afresh dedicate ourselves to serve thee, and to be faithful witnesses for thee in this world.
[6:46] We give thanks, O Lord, for the gift of thy Son, that thou did send thy Son into this world, that he took our nature unto himself, and that he in his own body, that he received what our sins deserved, that he died and that he was buried, but that he rose again and ascended to thine own right hand.
[7:14] And today we give thee thanks for his continual ministry there, in the intercession that he makes on behalf of those given to him by thee in the covenant of redemption, and for whom he came into this world to purchase their redemption.
[7:32] And we give thanks to thee, O Lord, for the great promise that thou hast given to us, that he will return again, not to offer himself as a sacrifice for sin, but to engather his people, and to bring them to be home with himself.
[7:51] That is his great desire, and it is the longing of thy people. We give thee thanks, O Lord, for all the promises that are in thy word, that they have been sealed for us through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
[8:10] We give thanks to thee, O Lord, for the privilege that is ours today to come alongside the people here. And we give thanks, O Lord, for the way that thou has helped them and been with them.
[8:23] And we give thanks, O Lord, that thou hast placed an undershadow over them. And we pray for thy servant, and pray that he will see fruit for his hire here.
[8:37] O Lord, we pray for those who profess thine own name among the people. We pray, O Lord, that they may be faithful witnesses for thee, wherever thy providence will set them in the workplace, in the community here.
[8:56] O Lord, that they may be as lights that would shine out in the midst of the darkness of the world that is around us. We pray for the community here, and pray, Lord, that it may please thee to bring days of blessing among the people.
[9:13] We pray, O Lord, for those who are ill, and pray that thine own healing hand may be upon them, if that is in accordance with thy sovereign will. And if it be otherwise, we pray, O Lord, that thou would draw near to them, that thou would be a comfort to them.
[9:31] And we pray, Lord, for those who are anxious regarding their loved ones. We pray, O Lord, that they may be able to cast their burden upon thee, knowing that thou art the God who, out of the riches of thine own grace, is able to meet with them at their point of need.
[9:50] Remember the housebound, those who are confined to their homes and to care homes, and pray, O Lord, that thou wouldst be near to them, especially those of their number, who are thine own.
[10:01] We remember them, O Lord, and that they would be strengthened in the fact that they know of thy great promise, that when others would forsake and when others won't remember them, that they are not true of thee, for thou hast promised that they would never leave or forsake thine own.
[10:22] We pray, O Lord, for the young of the congregation, and pray that thou would raise up a generation that would fear thine own name, and who would be witnesses for thee in this world.
[10:35] We pray for thy work among our young people, and that what they are taught may be embedded in their hearts, as they go out and face many pressures and challenges in this world, that they would be able to withstand, and they'll overcome all the pressures and challenges that face them.
[10:55] We pray, Lord, that thou would be with us as we come around, preparing ourselves for thy table. O Lord, may thy spirit come upon us, for we acknowledge that without thee we can do nothing, that we are dependent upon thy spirit.
[11:15] Bless the office bearers of the congregation, and the one who leads us in the praise. And we pray that everything that we do this day may be to the glory of thine own name, and all that we ask for the forgiveness of our many sins, is in Jesus' name and for his sake.
[11:34] Amen. We shall sing again from Psalm 40. Psalm 40 on page 259. Psalm 40 on page 259.
[11:45] I waited for the Lord my God, and patiently did bear at length to me, he did incline my voice and cry to hear. He took me from a fearful pit and from the mighty clay, and on a rock he set my feet, establishing my way.
[12:02] He put a new song in my mouth, O God, to magnify. Many shall see it and shall fear, and on the Lord rely. O blessed is the man whose trust upon the Lord relies, respecting not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies.
[12:20] O Lord my God, full many are the wonders thou hast done. Thy gracious Lord, to us what far above all thoughts are gone, in order none can reckon them to thee, if them declare and speak of them I would they more than can be numbered are.
[12:38] Psalm 40, verse 1 to the end of the double verse marked 5, to the Lord's praise. I waited for the Lord my God, and patiently did bear. I waited for the Lord my God, and patiently did bear.
[13:09] God's voice and cry to hear.
[13:26] He took me from a fearful pit and from the Lord, and from the mighty king, and on a rock he set my feet, establishing my way.
[14:02] God's voice and cry is that évidemment 자꾸 stumbling for theúnión. The Santa agora is through the ark of the vorberenya. I plan to decline man, and I get changed my way to earth.
[14:17] I hope to rise to the lest... And Similarly spotted the24 Jamesvit gel como cción degliância, theحhed tab attestination che rust September users, and the early trip, and the父 who has ventured into science, And on the Lord relight O blessed is the man who trows Upon the Lord relight Respecting all the proud Your son just turned aside to life O Lord my God
[15:22] O where the hour The wonders of the sun Like nations all To the world where the world Walks upon the Lord Who borderland Can wreck on them To thee in them Be clear And speak of them I will live more than can be
[16:26] Never done We shall now read the word of God From the New Testament From the Gospel of John And we'll begin our reading in chapter 11 At verse 17 And continue on to chapter 12 Verse 11 John's Gospel Chapter 11 Beginning our reading at Verse 17 Jesus has now Arrived in Bethany And we read Now when Jesus came He found that Lazarus Had already been in the tomb For days Bethany was near Jerusalem About two miles south 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
[17:26] 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 But even now I know That whatever you ask from God God will give you 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 Whoever believes in me Though he die Yet shall he live And everyone who lives And believes in me Shall never die Do you believe this?
[18:12] She said to him Yes Lord I believe that you are The Christ The Son of God Who is coming Into the world When she had said this She went and called Her sister Mary Saying in private The teacher is here And is 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 When Jesus saw her weeping And the Jews Who had come with her Also weeping He was deeply moved In his spirit
[19:12] And greatly troubled And he said Where have you laid him They said to him Lord come and see Jesus wept 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 Also have kept this man From dying Then Jesus Deeply moved again Came to the tomb It was a cave And a stone lay against it Jesus said Take away the stone Martha the sister Of the dead man Said to him Lord By this time There will be an order For 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 lifted up His eyes And said Father I thank you That you have heard me I knew that you Always hear me But I said this
[20:13] On account of the people Standing around That they may believe That you sent me When he had said These things He cried out With a loud voice Lazarus Come out The man who had died Came out His hands and feet Bound with linen strips And his face Rocked with a cloth Jesus said to them And bind him And let him go Many of the Jews Therefore who had come With Mary And had seen what he did Believed in him But some of them Went to the Pharisees And told them What Jesus had done So the chief priests And the Pharisees Gathered the council And said What are we to do?
[20:55] For this man Performs many signs If we let him Go on like this Everyone would Believe in him And the Romans Will come And take away Both our place And our nation But one of them Javas Who was high priest That year Said to them You know nothing At all Nor do you understand That it is 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 high priest That year He prophesied That Jesus would die For the nation And not for the nation Only But also to gather Into one The children of God Who are scattered abroad So from that day on They made plans To put him to death Jesus therefore No longer walked Openly among the Jews But went from there To the region Near the wilderness To a town Called Ephraim And there he stayed With the disciples
[21:56] Now the Passover Of the Jews Was at hand And many went up From the country To Jerusalem Before the Passover To purify themselves They were looking For Jesus And saying to one another As they stood In the temple What do you think That he will not Come to the feast At all Now the chief priests And the Pharisees Had given orders That if anyone Knew where he was He should let them know So they might arrest him Six days before The Passover Jesus therefore Came to Bethany Where Lazarus was Whom Jesus Had raised from the dead So they gave A dinner For him there Martha served And Lazarus Was one of those Reclining with him At table May their effort Took a pound Of expensive ointment Made from pure nerd And anointed The feet of Jesus And wiped his feet With her hair The house was filled With the frankness Of the perfume But Judas Iscariot
[22:56] One of his disciples He who was about To betray him Said Why was this ointment Not sold for three hundred Tenaria And given to the poor He said this Not because he cared About the poor But because he was A thief And having charge Of the money back He used to help Himself To what was put Into it Jesus said Leave her alone So that she may Keep it for the day Of my burial For the poor You always have With you But you do not Always have me When the large crowd Of the Jews Learned that Jesus Was there They came Not only On account of him But also to see Lazarus Whom he had raised From the dead So the chief priest Made plans To put Lazarus To death as well Because on account Of him Many of the Jews Were going away And believing In Jesus And so on May the Lord bless And to us The reading Of that portion Of his word We shall now sing
[23:56] To the Lord's praise From Psalm 116 On page 395 Psalm 116 On page 395 I love the Lord Because my voice And prayer She did hear I while I low Will call on him He bowed to me His ear Of death accords And sorrows Did about me Compass round The pains of hell Took hold of me And grief I've trouble found Upon the name Of God the Lord Then did I call And say Deliver thou my soul O Lord I do thee Humbly pray We shall sing down To the verse Mark 8 Psalm 116 Verses 1 to 8 To the Lord's praise I love the Lord Because my voice And prayer She did hear The joy and near Who fills the universe And prayer
[24:57] When you are elvesterly And prayer Is Thank you.
[25:46] Thank you.
[26:16] Thank you. Thank you.
[27:16] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[28:18] Thank you. Thank you.
[28:30] Seeking the Lord's help and blessing, let us turn back to the portion of scripture that we read together in the Gospel of John and chapter 12.
[28:45] And we'll read from the beginning. Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
[28:59] So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table.
[29:14] Our main focus today will be on the last part of verse 2. Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
[29:29] Lazarus who died and was raised by Jesus as we read in chapter 11, he is now found with Jesus at a feast.
[29:44] A miracle had taken place. Lazarus had died and was buried and was raised by Jesus. Now I am of the opinion that just like the parables, that the miracles that are recorded for us in the Gospels are meant to teach us, not only that Jesus is truly the Son of God, but that they are also to teach us some things about ourselves.
[30:13] Those miracles certainly took place. People were healed, even raised from the dead. But I am of the opinion that they all have a spiritual lesson to teach us all.
[30:28] Let us remember that Jesus did more miracles than what we have recorded for us. The Apostle John in his Gospel here testifies and says, Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.
[30:46] Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Now as we have noted, the miracles are to teach us something about ourselves.
[31:02] For example, the healing of the blind teaches us what we are in our sinful human nature. We are blind until the Lord opens our eyes.
[31:14] We cannot see those things that are spiritual and eternal. We are unable to see our sin or the remedy for our sinful state.
[31:26] We are blind until the Spirit of God opens up our understanding. That we are able to see those things that are necessary for us to see for our salvation.
[31:39] To see ourselves as sinners under the condemnation of God. Outside of a saving relationship with God. And to see Jesus as the cure or remedy for our state.
[31:54] As the one who can cleanse us from our sin. As the one who can reconcile us to God. The healing of the deaf again teaches us what we are by nature.
[32:08] For we cannot truly hear until the Spirit of God comes and opens the ear of our understanding. And causes us to hear his word.
[32:19] Until then, we are deaf to the good news of Jesus Christ and his salvation. The healing of the lame reminds us that we do walk in this world not aright.
[32:35] But that we do not walk in the ways of the Lord. Until the Lord touches us and restores us to walk aright.
[32:45] The healing of those possessed with demons is a picture of us under the power, dominion, control of the devil. Until the Lord sets us free.
[32:57] And brings us out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of his dear son. The healing of the man with the withered hand.
[33:07] That's a picture of powerlessness, weakness and inability. All those things are true of us as sinners. As we are by nature, we are powerless, weak and unable to save ourselves from what our sin deserves.
[33:25] The raising of the dead to life as what happened to Lazarus here again represents what the Lord does in power and in grace.
[33:37] When he comes to us as those who are dead in trespasses and sins and quickences. And brings us spiritually alive by his power and by his grace.
[33:51] So that all the miracles that are recorded for us in the gospels are meant to teach us spiritual lessons. This morning we come to the Lord's final journey.
[34:05] Going up to Jerusalem. Not simply to keep the Passover, but to give us life. As the true Passover lamb who alone can deal with sin.
[34:18] This week is going to be one of the most meaningful weeks in the history of this world. And one of the most significant weeks in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[34:33] That comes and climaxes with his crucifixion and death at Golgotha. While on this journey he comes to a small town or village about two miles from Jerusalem named Bethany.
[34:48] And to a certain home in Bethany. We are told six days before the Passover. Jesus therefore came to Bethany where Lazarus was.
[35:00] Whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
[35:13] Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure dirt. And adored the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. Now from the gospel of Matthew and Mark.
[35:28] We learn that the events recorded for us here took place in the house of one called Simon the Leber. Now we know that a similar event of anointing Jesus took place as recorded for us in the gospel of Luke and chapter 7.
[35:45] That anointing appears to have taken place in Galilee earlier in Jesus' ministry. And is located in the house of a Pharisee called Simon.
[35:56] The woman who carried out the anointing is called a sinner. She first wet Jesus' feet with her tears. Then wiped them with her hair. Kissed them and finally anointed them.
[36:08] This led the Pharisees to think that Jesus could not even be a prophet. As this opened the way for Jesus to speak of the greatness of the woman's love.
[36:19] However, since Simon was a very common name. There is no need to think of this Simon as identical with the Simon the Pharisee mentioned in Luke's gospel.
[36:34] There are those who even think that Simon the Leber was the father of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. However, on this occasion in Bethany there was a feast prepared for him in the home of Simon the Leber.
[36:49] Now obviously Simon is not still a leber. For if he was, he would not have a house and he would not be entertaining people in it.
[37:01] But he obviously was a leper. And that name had stuck to him even if the disease of leprosy did not.
[37:13] There is a possibility that Simon was one of the lepers that had been healed by the Lord. And now he wants to show his gratitude to the Lord Jesus. Here we are told that Jesus arrived six days before Passover.
[37:29] While in Matthew and Mark it is said that it was two days before the Passover. And when people read these accounts in Matthew and Mark and the account here in John, immediately the shout of contradiction goes up.
[37:44] I don't find any problems with that. Because John doesn't say that immediately on his arrival at Bethany that they made him a dinner. The way that I understand these passages in Matthew and Mark is that he came to Bethany six days before Passover and was there for a few days.
[38:04] And then two days before the Passover they made him a dinner. So there is no contradiction. The scene before us is quite remarkable.
[38:17] For many reasons. But let us be mindful that it was a very brave and courageous thing to be doing at this time. Because the previous chapter ends with these words.
[38:31] Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know so that they might arrest him.
[38:43] Nevertheless, Simon the leper prepared a feast. And he held that feast quite openly. Lazarus' own life was also in danger.
[38:54] For we read in verses 10 and 11, So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well. Because on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
[39:08] In Simon's womb, there was Jesus and his disciples along with Mary and Martha, who had seen their brother Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead prior to this.
[39:21] And they were very grateful to the Lord. And so Adonai was prepared to show their appreciation and to honour Jesus for what he had done to Lazarus, their brother.
[39:38] Lazarus himself was also present and is seen as one reclining with Jesus at the table. We as the people of God always ought to strive to honour him.
[39:54] We owe the Lord a great debt of great gratitude. And we should do all in our power to acknowledge that. And to show in a tangible way that we're thankful to the Lord for what he has done for us in our salvation.
[40:12] In bringing us spiritually alive. Martha is here serving. And she's doing this out of a willing and joyous heart.
[40:23] In contrast to a previous occasion. When she was found distracted and complaining. But now she's doing this out of a willing and joyous heart.
[40:37] When we read this narrative, our attention is very often drawn to the act of Mary. Of whom we are told that she took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nerve.
[40:52] And anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. So that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But what I want to focus upon this morning is the fact that Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table.
[41:11] We are going to draw parallels or focus on the similarities that we encountered here in Simon's home in Bethany.
[41:23] And what shall be true of all those who God willing will sit at the Lord's table tomorrow. In the previous chapter of John's Gospel we read that an unwelcome intruder entered the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
[41:41] That turned their joyous home into a place of mourning and grief. First the suffering of illness and then of death followed by the suffering of grief.
[41:55] Their brother Lazarus was sick. In fact the word is that he was sinking fast. And in the hour of their need the sisters sought the Lord and unburdened their hearts to him.
[42:06] They sent messengers to him with the message, Lord he whom you love is ill. Or he whom you love is sinking fast.
[42:18] The basis of their message was focused on Jesus' love for Lazarus. Lord he whom you love is sinking fast.
[42:32] The message made no demand. There is no instruction. They didn't say you must come immediately to heal him. They just rolled their burden, casted their burden over onto the Lord.
[42:44] And Lazarus must have died very soon after the sisters had sent the messengers away to Jesus to tell him that Lazarus was sinking fast.
[42:54] And by the time that Jesus and the disciples arrived, Lazarus has died and has been buried for four days. Now four days may be significant because there was a Jewish belief that the morning reaches its height on the fourth day and that all hope of any restoration to life is banished.
[43:22] So it means that the time had been reached when the only hope for Lazarus was a divine act of power. Lazarus in the grave.
[43:35] But he was raised to life by the word of Christ. And that gives us an illustration of God's mighty work of power and grace in the hearts of those whom the Lord brings spiritually alive.
[43:50] What happened to Lazarus physically is a good illustration of what happens to the Lord's people spiritually when a person puts their trust in Jesus Christ and is given a new life.
[44:08] The first point I want to note this morning is the love of Christ for Lazarus and for all his people. We are told in the previous chapter, now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
[44:29] Was his love in any way lessened because Lazarus died? Well, we read that as he came to the tomb, we are told that Jesus wept.
[44:43] So that the Jews said, see how he loved him. What the tears of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus teaches us is that we are loved and that we are precious in the sight of God.
[44:59] The Lord appeared to Jeremiah and he said, I have loved you with a now everlasting love. Therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.
[45:15] A love that grows in the heart and in the sovereign will of God. His love flows on through eternal ages without a beginning or an end.
[45:32] His love to us is infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and unsearchable. We often read about the electing love of the Father, the redeeming love of the Son and the sanctifying love of the Holy Spirit, the triune God, electing love, redeeming love and sanctifying love to his people.
[46:05] Can it be any wonder to us that Paul wrote to the church and he says, For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else, in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God and Christ Jesus, our Lord.
[46:36] There was nothing with us to draw his love towards us. He loves us not for what we were or what we are, but in spite of what we were.
[46:52] Paul wrote to Titus and he said, But when the goodness and loving kindness of God, our Saviour, appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us and righteousness, but according to his own mercy.
[47:10] Another thing we notice here is not merely the fact that Lazarus was loved by Christ and that Christ loves all his people, but here we see that this love was very personal.
[47:26] It is intimately personal. The words of Jeremiah again, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
[47:43] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus with an intimate, personal love, just as he loves me and you.
[47:55] If we have put our trust in Jesus, he loves us and he loves us with a personal love. Paul speaks of the great love with which he loved us and he finds it so overwhelming and he says, And the life I now live and the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
[48:22] Personal pronouns are very important when we read Scripture. And what is it to me if he loved you and gave himself for you?
[48:33] What makes it so personal and so intimate is that he loved me and gave himself for me.
[48:47] So Lazarus was loved and precious to Jesus and that is all true of all his people. The second point I want us to note this morning is that at the table was Lazarus who had been brought to life by Jesus.
[49:07] He had been physically dead. Not only was he dead but he had been buried for four days. He had no hope of making any physical recovery.
[49:21] But when Jesus entered the scene everything changed. he raised him from the dead.
[49:33] And just as Lazarus was physically dead what is true of all mankind is that we all are spiritually dead. The Bible teaches this when it declares and you were dead in the trespasses and sins.
[49:50] What is true of us is that we are dead. we are spiritually dead. And to be dead is to be without life.
[50:06] It is the opposite of life. Paul gives us in his letter to the Ephesians the characteristics of the features that belongs to those who are spiritually dead.
[50:19] They are a people who walk according to the course of this world. And the word world there is not speaking of the physical world of trees and rivers and so on but the mindset that is in the world.
[50:36] There are people who are walking according to the mindset of the world. And the mindset that is in the world is a mindset that leaves God out of the reckoning and forgets that the individual must face eternity.
[50:57] Man by nature is not interested in spiritual things and spiritual blessings. In fact he probably finds them rather boring.
[51:10] He is only interested in the life of this world in things that can be touched and felt and handled. He is totally ignorant regarding the things of the spirit.
[51:22] Totally ignorant of love to God. Totally ignorant of holiness. And just as Lazarus was physically dead, man by nature is spiritually dead.
[51:38] Our third point is that when Jesus intervened, things changed. It shows us what Christ can do in the realm of death.
[51:50] In the case of Lazarus, we are told that after Jesus lifted up his eyes and prayed to the father, that he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out.
[52:02] And the man who had died and was buried came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped to the cloth.
[52:15] At the sound of the voice of Jesus, death and the grave gave up its prey. A miracle occurs. A miracle occurs.
[52:29] And this miracle occurred without Jesus even touching him. For in the very act of calling him is the miracle. people may ask, when did Lazarus receive life?
[52:47] And the only answer we can give is that with the word came life. So as it was for Lazarus physically, it is also for us spiritually.
[53:03] With the word of God comes life. That is why we lay so much emphasis on the preaching of the gospel.
[53:15] On the word being declared and preached upon because with the word comes life. Paul puts it very eloquently in Ephesians.
[53:31] He says, but God been rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
[53:43] By grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness touts us in Christ Jesus.
[54:00] As Paul says, but God, God, but God. We were dead in trespasses and in sin, spiritually dead, but God and everything changes.
[54:17] We are reminded of the movements of God towards us. We have a God that dealt with us in the sad condition we were in and has brought us to life.
[54:33] Has brought us to life. He has quickened us together or brought us to life in relation to himself. He has quickened us. What does that mean?
[54:43] It means that the Holy Spirit comes and quickens the person and begins there an enlightening process, giving the person an insight into spiritual things so that the person sees himself as he threw liess as a sinner.
[55:04] The bad person is quickened or born again. The catechism answer to our effectual calling is effectual calling is a work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel.
[55:35] The movements of God the Spirit, towards us and bringing us from being spiritually dead to be spiritually alive.
[55:47] Notice also how this call from death into life was personal. Lazarus, Lazarus, come out. He names him.
[55:59] If he hadn't named him, it was quite possible that others would have been raised from the dead. But this is personal. This is to one man. Lazarus, come out.
[56:13] So Lazarus, reclining at the table, was once dead, dead, but he is now alive. And that is true of all Christians in a spiritual sense.
[56:25] He sits at the Lord's table tomorrow. They were dead, but they are now alive. Lazarus was loved with an everlasting love, and that is true of all Christians who will sit at the table tomorrow.
[56:42] you may ask, why should I sit at the Lord's table? Because like Lazarus, you shall be witnessing to that new life that the Lord has given to you.
[57:00] And notice, when Lazarus was brought alive, there was a movement within the tomb, there was a movement within the cave, and the movement was towards the light.
[57:16] Towards the light. We have a red here that he was bound, but still he struggled, and his struggle was towards the light.
[57:30] It couldn't have been easy for him, because the Lord had to tell him to let him loose. But still there was this along with receiving life, this movement towards the light.
[57:45] And that is true of the Lord's people. When they receive life, there is a movement towards the light. There is a movement towards Christ, who is the light of the world.
[57:59] There is a movement towards holiness. There is a movement towards the light. God's life.
[58:11] The fourth point is that Lazarus sitting at the table is evidence and witness of life. It would have been absolutely making no sense placing a dead person at this dinner table.
[58:28] This feast table was for living persons. In the same manner, the Lord's table is not meant for dead souls, but it's meant for living souls.
[58:41] The careless, the ignorant, the willfully wicked, the self-righteous are no more fit to come to the Lord's table than a dead corpse is fit to sit down at a feast.
[58:57] To enjoy a spiritual feast, we must have a spiritual heart, we must have a spiritual life, taste, we must have a spiritual appetite.
[59:11] To suppose that the Lord's table can do any good to an unspiritual man is as foolish as to put bread and wine into the mouth of a dead person.
[59:23] Lazarus here was a living witness, he was alive, he was loved, he was once dead, but is now alive.
[59:36] He's alive and he's a living witness to the power and the grace of God. And as we prepare to come to the Lord's table to dine with him, we examine ourselves and ask, is there evidence in my life that I have been raised from the dead spiritually?
[59:56] is there a movement in my life towards the light? Is there a movement in my life towards the Lord? Is there a movement in my life towards holiness?
[60:10] Our truth point is that Lazarus was sitting at the table with him. What a contrast we have here from what we read in chapter 11.
[60:23] on his earlier visit to Bethany when Jesus asked, where have you laid him? And he was taken to the tomb where Lazarus had been buried. And Martha cried out, Lord, by this time there will be an odour for he has been dead for four days.
[60:40] And the AV, it is put, behold, he stinketh. And I like that because that's really the meaning of the word. He stinketh. He stinks. Lazarus is dead.
[60:52] He's in the tomb. But now in chapter 12 we read Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. He has come from the tomb and he's at the table here as evidence of new life.
[61:09] He's a witness to the new life that has been given to him. He has been raised from the dead. He has been brought out of the grave and now he is enjoying this new life.
[61:22] And as you come to the Lord's table God willing tomorrow you will be a witness to the power and the grace of God. You have been raised from being spiritually dead.
[61:36] You have been taken from that fearful pit and from the mighty clay. He has given you life and now you are enjoying this new life.
[61:46] he is sitting at the table with him that is with Christ. He is seated with Christ and as we noted earlier that is our position as those brought alive by Christ.
[62:06] Made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
[62:18] We are with him. We are in him. We are accepted in him and we are as near to God as he is. And that is our position spiritually.
[62:32] We are with him. We are with him. The emphasis here is that Lazarus is showing evidence of this new life and position.
[62:45] Sat at the table with him. The emphasis of this new life is focused on Christ. He is sitting at the table with him.
[63:00] Lazarus wanted to be with the one that gave him life. And for every Christian here today they want to be at the table with the one that gave them life.
[63:13] they want to be at the table with him. Lazarus wanted to be in fellowship with him. And that is true of the Christian. He wants to be in fellowship and communion with Christ.
[63:28] The person who has no desire of being in fellowship with Christ has no warrant to say that they have received new life from the Lord because this comes with a new life.
[63:39] a desire to have fellowship with Christ. To have fellowship with one another. And in having fellowship with one another we have fellowship with Christ.
[63:59] We noted earlier that to enjoy a spiritual feast we must have a spiritual heart, a spiritual life, a spiritual taste, a spiritual appetite.
[64:11] Paul writes if or since then you have been raised with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God set your mind on things that are above not on the things that are on earth.
[64:27] Lazarus is feasting with Christ. He is a living man and he needs to be fed. We need to examine our spiritual appetite for Jesus says bless it are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied.
[64:45] Lazarus is sitting at the table with him, with him. The focus is on Christ, being in fellowship with him, being in communion with him, being in union with him.
[65:02] It is always important for us to remember our union with Christ. If you were to ask the apostle Paul how he identified himself as a believer, he would not use the ancient term that was used in his day, follower of the way.
[65:22] He wouldn't even use the term Christian. He would say that he identified himself as a person in Christ, united to Christ, with Christ.
[65:37] For example, in 2nd Corinthians, where Paul writes of his vision and thorn in the flesh, this is the way he begins, I know a man in Christ, who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven.
[65:51] I know a man in Christ, who is this man in Christ? He is talking about himself. He is writing about himself.
[66:02] And he calls us to describe himself as a man in Christ. And for every Christian here today, that is the way that you have to describe yourself. You are a person in Christ, a man or a woman in Christ.
[66:18] You are a brother or sister in Christ. In Christ. Ought to be sitting in fellowship, communion, and union with Christ.
[66:33] Lazarus was one of those who climbed with him at table. He was physically with Christ at the table. Now, although we cannot all sit with Christ physically at a table, we can spiritually sit with him at the table.
[66:50] In this world, we walk by faith and not by sight. For the Christian, the Spirit of Christ, indwells within him.
[67:02] For we are not the Spirit of Christ. We do not belong to him. The Spirit indwells in him or her. The Spirit indwells within the Christian.
[67:14] And there is a sense in which everyone who comes to the Lord's table tomorrow will bring Christ with them. Every individual will bring Christ with them because the Spirit of Christ is in them.
[67:31] It's indwelling in them. And they bring Christ with them. You do not come on your own. You come with Christ to the table tomorrow because his Spirit indwells in you.
[67:48] And so we can say that we are with them at the table. As for Lazarus and for me and you, it is indeed a feast of anticipation.
[68:04] Jesus was going to move on to Golgotha and the day would dawn when Lazarus would no longer see him with his physical eyes as he was at this moment but he would see him with the eye of faith in anticipation for the day when he again would sit with him at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
[68:27] Now the effect of this new life, we read in verse 9 that many of the Jews came to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. And in verse 10 so the chief priest made plans to put Lazarus to death as well because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
[68:47] People came to see Lazarus and there were those who conspired to kill Lazarus, conspired to silence Lazarus. What a contrast we have here.
[69:00] Lazarus was under attack. His old life brought no persecution but the moment he was given this new life, persecution began.
[69:13] You see, when you were in your sin, you didn't have to face any kind of mockery and persecution. that you have to face nowadays.
[69:24] People rising against you and hating you for your faith. He manifested, Lazarus manifested this new life in Jesus Christ. He was the pillar of showing forth and manifesting the Lord's mighty power and grace.
[69:44] And opposition began. Opposition began immediately. And that is true for those who receive new life from Christ.
[69:56] Nevertheless, Lazarus was a witness for Christ. Nothing is recorded of anything he did or said, but the people went away and believed in Jesus.
[70:09] Nothing is recorded of anything that he said, although we believe that he must have spoken. And nothing is recorded of what he did. And yet we read on account of him that many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
[70:24] And you may ask, well how did Lazarus do this? He just allowed the new life he received to testify of the power and the grace of God.
[70:39] You know a Christian's life is the world's Bible. and the only Christianity that the people know is what they see in me and what they see in you as the people of God.
[70:56] He was a witness. He never, nothing is recorded that he spoke or that he did anything. He just let the new life manifest itself and people went away and believed in Jesus.
[71:19] The world doesn't need a definition of Christianity. What the world needs is a demonstration of Christianity. And who can give them a demonstration of Christianity?
[71:32] Every child of God can give a demonstration of Christianity to the glory of God. Our hustle and bustle and activities may achieve very, very little.
[71:53] But let our transformed lives bear witness. And you know it can and will affect others.
[72:06] It's not what he said. It wasn't what he did. But his new life affected others. And let my new life and your new life affect others.
[72:19] We don't need all this hustle and bustle and activities and running around. What we need is for our transformed lives to witness the power and grace of God.
[72:32] If lips and life does not agree then our testimony will not amount to much. The name Lazarus means God is my help.
[72:46] So here is a person sitting at the table with the Lord whose very name testifies that God is his help. In Simon's home that day there was that which is required of the church at all times.
[73:00] Martha was serving Mary was worshipping and Lazarus was witnessing to a new life. Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
[73:16] He was loved. He who was dead was brought alive. He was sitting at the table in fellowship communion and united with Jesus.
[73:27] he was a witness to the power and the grace of God. J.C. Ryle says that this is a faint type of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
[73:40] Christ will be there and those believers who have died and raised again at the second coming will be there and those who never died but are found alive and believing will be there.
[73:51] Then the number of the guests will be complete. Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table.
[74:03] And that will be true of myself and yourself God willing if we are able to come and sit at the Lord's table tomorrow. We will be reclining.
[74:16] We will be with him. We will sit with him at his table tomorrow. Witnessing of one who is loved.
[74:31] Witnessing of one who has been brought alive by the power and the grace of God. Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
[74:48] May the Lord bless our thoughts. Let us pray. eternal and ever blessed Lord. We give thanks to thee for the work of thy grace in the hearts of sinners such as we are.
[75:08] And we give thanks O Lord that when thou does that work in the hearts of sinners that thou come to a board in the hearts of sinners.
[75:19] O Lord grant to us that we would be always mindful of who we are that we are in Christ that we are with Christ and that wherever we go we bring Christ with us.
[75:38] O Lord we pray that thou would bless thy people here that thou would bless those who will come to sit at thy table.
[75:49] O Lord that thy spirit would be among us. That thy spirit would touch our hearts. That thy spirit would touch our understanding.
[76:01] That thy spirit would touch our wills. That we will become more devoted to thee. We pray Lord that thou would be with those who will be in a prayer meeting this evening.
[76:15] O Lord that thou art the hearer of prayer and we give thanks. That we can come and that we can lay out our petitions before thee knowing that thou art the God who truly cares.
[76:28] Bless us in our homes. Bless us in all our fellowships and all that we ask with forgiveness of our sins in Jesus name and for his sake. Amen. We shall conclude our service at this time by singing from Psalm 145 and the first version of the Psalm which you'll find on page 442.
[76:50] Are thee extol my God O King and bless thy name always. Thee will I bless each day and will thy name forever praise. God is the Lord much to be praised his greatness such exceeds.
[77:04] Race into race shall praise thy works and show thy mighty deeds. Psalm 145 and the first version of the Psalm and we shall sing verse 1 to 6.
[77:17] I'll re-extol my God O King and bless thy name always. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[77:27] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[77:37] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[78:10] Amen. Amen.
[78:43] Amen. Amen. Amen.
[78:57] Amen. Amen. Amen.건 Take off all thy mighty works, which wondrous are, O Lord.
[79:21] My name is the man's soul, thy name is the dreadful heart, and thy life, O Lord.
[79:48] Take off all thy greatness, holy name.
[80:04] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all, now and forevermore. Amen.
[80:18] Amen.