Thanks, worship team.
Tell you what, it's a blessing to be able to come to the Lord's house and start a service
! The focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and what He's accomplished for us, remembrance of what
!
I'm going to segue into our passage this morning and then to be able to look at the Word of
God together and just sit underneath the ministry of the Scripture. And I realize that as a teacher,
as a preacher this morning, that this message is first for me. So, you get to be part of
the fringe benefits of what I've already been able to learn this week. And I understand that
really, the person who's really in the spotlight as I'm teaching is me, because that's the only person
I can change. And I trust that as God's Word teaches us, instructs us today, it'll be more than just
information. That as we walk out of the doors, as we enter the week, that it will be the beginnings of
transformation, maybe the continuation of transformation in our lives. We don't come here on a Sunday morning just to hear some good things from the Bible.
We come here for change. We come here to worship. There really is one audience today. There's one audience and that's the audience of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And as your life is held in the spotlight, and as you evaluate and kind of turn it over in your hands, as you
evaluate in light of the Scripture today,
it's my prayer
that there will be areas of life where we say, you know, Lord, I
need to be more like you here.
That's why we do this. We do this for worship. We do this
so that we can
represent Him in the world in which we live.
Represent Him in our homes.
Represent Him in our workplaces, in our communities,
our families.
And the more we look like Jesus,
the more profoundly we will
impact and influence
the world in which we live.
As I get myself out of the way
so that people are no longer
looking at Andrew Scheer,
but they're looking, hopefully, at Jesus Christ
shining through,
that's when we'll begin to make a difference in this world.
That's why
we come here on a Sunday morning.
And that's the joy
that we have throughout the week
as we take this
eternal Word of God home with us,
as we peer into the Scriptures,
as we learn what God would have
to tell us,
we continue
to refine, and we let the Holy Spirit
refine our lives,
so that day by day
we can look more like Him.
Then,
God will show up
in your community.
Then, students,
God will show up
in your school.
God will show up
in your family.
God will show up
in your workplace.
You have things to complain about
in your workplace?
Things aren't quite the way
you'd like them to be?
Well, the more you look like Jesus,
the more you will impact
your workplace for Christ.
Well, we have been looking through
the story of John chapter 11.
We've seen this account of Jesus
who has been asked by
some special friends to come
and to show up
and to do something significant for them.
John chapter 11,
which is this account of Lazarus
and his two sisters,
Mary and Martha.
Martha.
And Jesus is about
doing ministry
and He gets this message
from Mary and Martha.
Hey, our brother is sick.
Will you come
and will you help us
deal with this problem?
Now, Jesus had been ministering
for three years
and here we are
in kind of the final few days
of Jesus' ministry.
There's about two to three months
left before the cross.
We're in the home stretch,
really,
when it comes to Jesus' ministry.
And there's been plenty of evidence
that would suggest
if Jesus shows up
and Lazarus is still sick
and He's still with us,
Jesus can fix that problem.
He has shown,
wherever He goes,
whole communities
are transformed
by His touch.
Whole cities are changed
because of His ability
to influence
and impact
and heal diseases
and cast out demons.
Whether you're born
with a certain illness
or whether you come
with leprosy
or whether you come
with blindness
or whether you come
with withered limbs
or whether you come
with a hunchback
or whether this is something
that a doctor
has been trying
to fix for the last 18 years.
One touch,
one word of the Savior
will fix all those problems.
So Jesus,
you just show up
and we'll be okay.
So Jesus gets this word,
this word from special people,
Mary and Martha.
And what does He do?
What would you do?
You get this urgent request
from one of your kids,
please show up!
And you're in the car,
you're moving your way
to their house right away.
But Jesus,
for some reason,
decides to stay.
There is a profound lesson
that Jesus wants to convey.
There is something
more important
than just healing
another disease.
There is something
more important
in Jesus' mind
than just fixing
another problem.
Jesus wants to communicate
a message.
And now,
not just to communicate
that message privately,
He's healed
at least two other occasions.
He's raised two individuals
from the dead
in a private setting.
But now,
He's moving into the public.
Now there is a message
that cannot be missed,
especially considering the fact
that He's just months away
from the cross.
What is that message?
What does Jesus want to convey
to you and to me
this morning?
No, I have to admit
that when I come
to the Scriptures
and especially come
to stories like this,
I have to admit
that sometimes I wonder,
what's the point?
I like the fact
that this narrative
is here.
I appreciate the fact
that Jesus is ministering
to this family
and He's showing up for them,
but what does that do for me?
How does that help me?
What do I do with that
and take that with me
in this week
so that my life
will be different?
We've all memorized
the two words,
Jesus wept.
We know this story well.
And if you haven't memorized it before,
now you have.
You've got John 11.35 down.
But there's an account here
of this running narrative
of Jesus' life
and I think at times
we're in the danger
of just scooting right through
because we've already
heard this story
so many times.
But I've come to see this story
this week with new eyes.
I've come to believe
that this story,
as with other stories
in the scripture,
should infuse within us
fresh enthusiasm
and energy
and passion
for Jesus.
Not only in what He came
to accomplish,
but in how He came
to accomplish it.
That's what makes this story
truly remarkable.
So I want to answer
this question this morning.
What does Lazarus'
resurrection
mean for you?
What does Lazarus'
resurrection
mean for you?
And I'm going to take it
step by step.
These three pieces.
Lazarus,
resurrection,
and you.
And we're going to look at that
this morning.
So let's take a look
briefly then,
or initially,
at the life of Lazarus.
Who was this guy,
Lazarus?
And why is he so important
in this narrative?
First,
I want you to know
that he was an ordinary man.
Lazarus was an ordinary man.
And if you turn back with me
to chapter 11,
verse 1,
you'll see that.
The first few words
of that verse say,
now a certain man.
Now I know this might seem
a little obvious.
Okay.
I get it.
He's an ordinary man.
Big deal.
Here's the big deal.
If you,
like Lazarus,
consider yourself
to be ordinary,
this story is for you.
If you,
like Lazarus,
just seem to kind of
fit in with the crowd,
and there's really
nothing quite remarkable
or noteworthy
about your life,
this story is for you.
Jesus shows up
in this story.
We find that Lazarus
is just a passive player.
Matter of fact,
Lazarus is a lifeless player
in this story.
This story is significant
not because of Lazarus.
It is significant
because of what Christ does
through Lazarus.
So,
if you,
like me,
and like Lazarus,
consider yourself
to be ordinary,
this story is for you.
It's for us today.
Lazarus was ordinary.
He wasn't an apostle.
He wasn't a prophet
like John the Baptist.
As far as we know,
he wasn't a priest.
He wasn't distinguished
in any way.
He was just
an ordinary man,
just another player
in this story
of Jesus Christ.
We do find
that he was a friend
of Jesus.
A special friend,
the kind of friend
that Jesus would actually
spend time with.
And we find
at least one account
before this situation
that Jesus showed up
in the home
of Mary,
Martha,
and Lazarus
in Luke 10,
verse 38.
That's a familiar story too
where Martha's about service
and Mary is about listening
and Jesus commends
the listening part
of Mary.
Lazarus
must have been there
seeing this scene
as well.
Jesus traveled
and spent time
with his family.
It was a special family.
We find even
in our chapter
this morning,
John chapter 11,
in Mary's plea
for Jesus to come,
she says,
your brother,
excuse me,
so the sisters
in verse 3
sent to him
saying,
Lord,
he whom
you love
is ill.
There was
this affection.
Affection
for Jesus
and affection
from Jesus
to this family.
They felt
a special bond.
we'll find
in chapter 12
as we continue
to make our way
through the gospel
of John
that Jesus shows up
in their house again.
And during the entire
Passover week,
there was situations
where Jesus
would spend time
with his family.
They had a special bond.
But like any
other ordinary man,
we find
in verse 1,
there was a certain man,
now a certain man
was ill.
You ever get sick?
Lazarus
got sick.
He was just like
any other person.
He got sick.
Nothing sets him apart
from you or I.
The impact
of this event
was not due
to Lazarus,
but it was due
to Christ.
And as friends
of Lazarus
and Martha
and Mary,
Jesus
begins
to make
this trek.
But what we find
the people
that preceded him
were friends
of Lazarus
and Martha
and Mary.
There is
some significance
in this gathering.
These influential
individuals
who came,
we find that
in verse 19.
It says,
and many of
the Jews
had come
to Martha
and Mary.
Now,
throughout
the Gospels
we find
this title,
the Jews.
It's used
five times
in Matthew,
six times
in Mark,
five times
in Luke,
but 66
times
in the Gospel
of John.
And in the Gospel
of John,
this title,
the Jews,
is referring
to those
who would be
Jewish leaders.
Those who
had headship
and oversight
over the Jewish
people.
We saw
that in our
recent
discovery
of Jesus
and that
blind man
who was healed.
Remember
the response
of his mom
and dad
who were
afraid
of what
the Jews
would do?
It says,
his parents
kind of
deferred
responsibility
because,
it says,
they feared
the Jews.
For the Jews
had already
agreed that
if anyone
should confess
Jesus to be
Christ,
he was to be
put out
of the synagogue.
This was not
just a
collection
of Jewish
people.
That's described
several other
ways.
A crowd
or the people
or the masses.
But specifically,
the Jews
referred to
those who
were Jewish
leaders.
I love
this.
Jesus
would capitalize
on this
fact.
Somehow,
the influence
of this
family had
reached into
this leadership
of the Jews.
Jesus was
now giving
them one
last
opportunity,
extending
grace one
more time
to this
group of
Jews who
continued to
reject him
time and
time again.
Jesus is
setting up
this awesome
opportunity.
It was by
design so
that God
could use
this family
to showcase
his glory.
Lazarus,
though an
ordinary man,
was a means
of showcasing
God's glory.
That should
bring incredible
joy to your
heart this
morning.
Why did
Jesus delay?
Why a death
and then
subsequent
resurrection?
Was it
simply for
Jesus to
show one
more way
that he
had power
over the
affairs of
life?
Was it
just simply
to convey
his continuing
compassion and
love and
care for
individuals?
Or was it
to make a
definitive
statement?
Was it
to state
categorically
something new
about his
identity?
We find
that Jesus
actually tells
us what
his intention
of this
is.
In verse
4, he
says this,
this illness
does not
lead to
death.
It is
for the
glory of
God, so
that the
Son of
God may
be glorified
through it.
And then
in verse
40, several
verses later,
Jesus says
to her,
did I not
tell you
that if you
believed,
you would
see the
glory of
God?
Jesus is
interested.
In staking
his claim,
in helping
to provide
full vision
to his
identity
as God,
establishing
once and
for all
that he
was from
God and
that he
was God.
The only
role that
Lazarus would
play is
that he
would be
dead.
He would
be lifeless.
He would
be just the
subject,
just the
instrument
by which
God's
glory would
show up.
You think
he can do
that?
God's
power can
shine through
ordinary
people.
Amen?
That brings
us to the
resurrection.
Lazarus,
this ordinary
man, and
now this
spectacular
event that
takes place,
this
resurrection.
We find
in verse
45, let me
read this
for us.
This is
kind of the
beginning of
our passage
for this
morning, from
45 to
verse 57.
What is
the result?
The result of
this resurrection?
It says in
verse 45,
many of the
Jews,
therefore,
who had
come with
Mary and
had seen
what he
did,
believed
in him.
Many
of the
Jews
believed.
Now we
understand that
this is kind
of the running
narrative, the
running purpose
of the
apostle John
in relationship
to the
writing of
these words,
in the
account of
this gospel
narrative.
As we've
heard many
times in
John 20,
31,
these are
written so
that you
may believe
that Jesus
is the
Christ, the
Son of
God.
Jesus
stakes his
claim here
in this
passage,
I am the
resurrection and
the life,
I am God.
And up to
this point,
many have
believed in
Jesus.
We find his
disciples believing
in him in
chapter 2.
We find that
many in
Jerusalem believed
when he performed
miracles in
chapter 2.
We find the
Samaritans
believing in
chapter 4.
We find that
many of the
people believed
when they heard
and saw him do
these signs in
John chapter 7.
We see that
even in chapter
8,
some of the
Jews,
some of these
religious leaders
had this
superficial faith
that wasn't
quite adequate.
We find that
in chapter 8
verse 30 and
31.
In chapter 10,
we find that
he went his
way across
the Jordan
and many
came to him
and many
believed in
him there.
People are
coming to
faith in
droves
because they
are beginning
to see
Jesus is the
person he
claims to be.
now Jesus
in grace
and mercy
shows up
once again
to these
Jews,
these leaders,
those who have
invited him
into their
homes and
those who
have repelled
him in the
temple,
those who
have sought
to disrupt
and sought
to discredit
his ministry.
ministry.
And Jesus
continues to
extend grace
to this
group of
men.
And now
we see
that many
believe.
They believe.
It is a
pivotal moment
for them.
Up to this
point, what had
been private
is now pushed
into the
forefront.
Jesus' ability
to raise
the dead
and in
seeing this
sign and
seeing this
miracle and
understanding
that only God
is the author
of life and
seeing Jesus
who identified
and connected
himself with
the Father
in this act
of resurrecting
Lazarus,
making a
definitive statement,
I am God,
some believed.
What grace.
Remember,
this was not a
question of
future resurrection.
resurrection.
Jesus was
trying to help
them understand
this is an
issue of
present resurrection,
present life
that I give
to you.
In him
was life
and the life
was the light
of men.
And Jesus
now shows up
to say,
I am life.
I am resurrection.
If you were
standing in the
audience,
what other
proof would
you need?
What else
is there
to do?
What other
sign could
you even
ask for?
Only God
is the author
of life
and Jesus
deliberately
makes this
hard connection
between himself
and the
Father
immediately
before this
miracle.
We see that
in verses
41 and 42.
His prayer
that says,
I am praying
to you
so that those
who are watching
this know
where this
is coming
from.
It's coming
from the
Father.
No one
asks their
gods to raise
the dead.
No one
even dares
go there
because they
know it
would be
futility.
Only God
the Father
is the
author of
life.
And Jesus
in a
previous
discussion
in John
chapter 10
says,
The thief
comes only
to steal
and kill
and destroy.
But I am
come that
they might
have life
and that
they might
have it
abundantly.
Have you
ever
considered
what kind
of life
God
has given
to you?
Have you
ever thought
about that
resurrection
life that
those of you
who have
because of
faith,
what has
that life
accomplished
in you
and for
you?
He is
abundant
life.
He is
eternal
life.
He is
godly
life.
But he
is also
the source
of the
redeemed
life.
the kind
of life
that has
meaning
and purpose.
The kind
of life
that provides
fulfillment
and true
gratification.
The kind
of life
that propagates
life in the
world around
you.
It's the kind
of life
that experiences
life to the
full because
it's able
to conform
to the
design of
the Father
for us
and for
our lives.
Just as a
hammer,
will find
its greatest
fulfillment
in driving
a nail.
You will
find your
greatest
fulfillment
as a
Christian
as you
submit
yourself
to the
giver
of life
and as
you are
living
the abundant
life,
the design
of life
that God
has entrusted
to you.
And we'll
talk about
that more
in a
moment.
Notice
here it
says in
the end
of verse
45,
it says,
Many of
the Jews
therefore who
had come
with Mary
and had
seen what
he did,
believed.
Isn't that
neat?
God uses
instrumentally
Mary.
Whatever
compassion
and love
that she
poured out
and then
received from
this group,
she's the
one who
they're coming
out with
and they
see this
miracle that
takes place
and it's
a result
of the
impact,
some impact
that she
had in
their life,
that they're
there at
the tomb
and they
see Jesus
show up
and they
believe.
I wish I
could say
that that
was true
of the
entire
group,
but there
was another
response,
not only a
result in
faith that
we see in
point number
one,
but also a
result in
frustration,
result in
faith and
now a
result in
frustration.
We see that
show up in
verse 46,
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?
For this
man performs
many signs,
meaning the
rest didn't
believe and
provides another
confirmation of
the fact that
these are part
of the
religious
establishment
who now
make their
way,
they have
connections with
the Pharisees
and now
they're ratting
out Jesus.
How is this
possible?
How is it
possible that
they saw
Lazarus' body
wrapped?
And whether
hovering out of
the tomb or
hopping out of
the tomb,
but it was
clear that he
had been dead.
They had been
sitting with
Martha and
Mary,
they had been
consoling them,
comforting them
for the last
four days.
Lazarus smells
like rotting
flesh.
And this
miracle takes
place in front
of their eyes.
And Jesus'
enemies,
these individuals
that go back
to the Pharisees
confirm that
what has been
claimed to
happen has in
fact actually
taken place.
He has done
many signs.
people
who are
not
in the
world.
They do
not believe.
How are
such things
possible?
Well, it's
possible because
as we find in
1 Corinthians 2,
verse 14,
the natural
person does not
accept the
things of the
spirit.
For they are
foolishness to
him and he is
unable to
understand because
they are
spiritually discerned.
There is
something broken
inside that we
are not able to
understand the
truth that
stares us in
the face because
the spirit of
God hasn't
activated our
life to be
able to
perceive what
can only be
perceived in a
spiritual way.
But in
addition to
that, we
find in 2
Corinthians 4
that Satan
has blinded the
minds of those
who believe not.
Satan also
kind of stands
in the way,
blinding eyes,
keeping us from
seeing the
beauty of the
gospel.
And here's
another clue
that these
Pharisees,
these religious
leaders,
although they
see the
evidence,
it's smacking
them in the
face.
They reject.
Their hearts
are hardened.
So it says
in verse 47,
so the chief
priests and
Pharisees gathered
the council.
Here we see
the meeting of
the minds,
those,
the greatest
intellect perhaps
in the known
world meeting
together.
We understand
that those who
know God's
law are those
who, it says
in the Proverbs,
the fear of the
Lord is the
beginning of
wisdom.
They knew God's
law.
They had it
memorized, the
first five books
of the Old
Testament.
They had
committed to
heart.
They had gone
to temple,
they had
performed
sacrifices,
they had
attended feasts,
they had known
the history of
God's people,
they offered
confession for
sin, they
provided spiritual
leadership for
the people.
They were it.
and yet they
missed the
most important
truth that they
could ever
embrace.
What will be
the outcome
of such news?
What will be
the result of
such divine
power?
What will we
see in their
life?
Will they call
for revival?
Will they say
let's worship,
let's celebrate?
No, we find
in the next
section, verses
49 to 57,
it resulted
in finality
for them.
Resulted in
finality.
One of them,
Caiaphas, who
was the high
priest, this is
verse 49,
said to them,
it is better
for you that
one man should
die for the
people, not
that the whole
nation should
perish.
You get that?
Here is the
high priest.
Here is the
one who
represents
righteousness
for the
people.
Here is the
one guy who
enters every
year, once a
year, the
holy of holies,
to act as a
mediator for the
people, and
what is he
doing?
He's calling
for a breaking
of the ten
commandments.
Let's murder.
Let's take care
of this Jesus.
He calls this
council, we
find this later,
it's better
that one man
should perish
for the people,
not that the
whole nation
should perish.
What is the
issue for
Caiaphas?
Well, we find
in verse 48,
the Romans,
they're afraid
the Romans will
take away both
our place and
our nation.
We find from
Caiaphas' own
words in verse
50, that it's
better for one
man should die
for the people
and not that
the whole nation
should perish.
They're worried
about the
nation itself.
They're worried
about the
traditions and
they're worried
about their
system.
Jesus was a
threat to the
religious
establishment.
The writing
was on the
wall.
Jesus represented
something completely
different.
He had a
different view
of the law,
a different view
of the temple,
a different view
of righteousness,
a different view
of the heart,
a different view
of the Sabbath,
a different view
of God.
Jesus shattered
everything that
was familiar.
Jesus shook
the foundations
of their
traditional
understanding.
Jesus, in
all of his
I am
statements,
was helping
these group
of people to
understand that
what was
symbolized in
the Old
Testament was a
reality in
him.
It was
pointing to
him, but
they had
loved the
symbol more
than they
loved the
object that
that symbol
was pointing
to.
He says,
I am the
bread of
life.
Before,
they had
received the
manna in
the wilderness
and it was
sustenance and
they thought of
themselves as
providing this
or being the
owners of the
word and
those who
could dispense
this word to
others.
Jesus says,
I am the
bread of
life.
I am the
light of
the world.
Those who
had been the
light to the
Gentiles was
now represented
in Christ
himself.
And on and
on it goes.
Jesus was the
fulfillment of
all that had
been pointed to
in the Old
Testament.
There is no
wonder why the
Pharisees hated
Jesus.
Those who were
given the
responsibility of
overseeing the
religious practices,
they were seeing
Jesus as a
legitimate threat.
but let's
not get too
haughty.
Let's not get
too proud because
are there not
times in our
own lives where
God has had to
confront us with
the doctrinal
premises that we
once had because
of heritage and
tradition but now
God has woken us
up and helped us
to see the
deficiencies of
those views.
Whether it be our
system of religion,
our ideas of
spirituality,
our structure of
church, our
pursuit of getting
attention, our
priorities in life,
our desires are to
go perhaps to the
motions and get
credit for it
somehow.
In many ways we
are not a whole lot
different than the
Pharisees.
We need Jesus to
change everything in
our lives.
Jesus.
Interesting, it says
in verse 51 that
Caiaphas did not say
this on his own
accord.
Unwittingly,
Caiaphas is
prophesying of the
substitutionary death
of Jesus that would
not only be for the
Jewish nation but
would be for all of
mankind.
I find it
interesting that in
this event, the
event that pushed
these men over the
edge was the event
where life shows up
front and center.
And their response
to the God of life
was, kill him!
Life shows up and
their hearts are
exposed.
Jesus has already
pinpointed it.
In John chapter 8 he
says, you are from
below, I am from
above, you are of your
father the devil and
your will is to do
your father's desires.
He was a murderer
from the beginning
and has nothing to
do with the truth.
I'm life.
Who will you
follow?
Who will you
embrace?
And they made
their final decision.
We're going with
death.
We're following our
father, the devil.
We're pursuing the
murder of Jesus.
We're getting rid of
this threat.
It says in verse
53, from that day
they made plans to
put him to death.
This was the moment
of finality.
Grace was expended
for these men.
It says in verse
54, 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 his
disciples.
A ministry that was
public.
a ministry that was
accessible.
The word that had
been close to them
is now withdrawn.
They had made up
their minds.
We don't want this
Jesus anymore.
Up to this point
we have seen the
remarkable response
of faith across
the board.
We see if you
chronicle and if
you've been taking
notes and underlining
in the scriptures
many believed,
many believed in
almost every chapter.
From this point on
we don't see those
words again.
Except for in
chapter 12,
verse 11 that
refers to this
event.
But from this point
on we don't see
many believing
anymore in the
gospel of John.
Finality had been
rung.
This marks a
radical shift in
Jesus' ministry.
It moves from the
public now into the
private.
And now the city
is on high alert.
We find that in
verses 56 and 57.
They were looking
for Jesus and
saying to one
another as they
stood in the
temple,
what do you
think?
That he will
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.
The city is put on
high alert.
If Jesus comes in
privately, if he
comes in secretly,
let us know we
want to deal with
him.
Isn't it amazing
that Jesus picks
that moment to
parade himself in
with grand array?
The triumphal
entry?
You don't have to
worry about missing
me.
Another statement
that he'll make in
chapter 12.
So what about you?
What does
Lazarus' resurrection
mean for you?
What do we do
with this information?
First, it's been
sung about and
talked about through
our worship service.
We know that
resurrection power
is for you.
It's offered to
you.
Have you
embraced,
received,
accepted the
resurrection power
in your life?
It is available for
you.
Paul talks about
our previous
status.
In Ephesians
chapter 2, he
says,
you were once
dead in
trespasses and
sins.
You were once
like Lazarus.
You had no
hope.
You contributed
nothing to
spirituality.
It was lights
out for you.
There was
nothing you
could do.
It was over.
But, it
says, but
God, being
rich in mercy
because of the
great love with
which he loved
us, even when
we were dead in
trespasses, made
us alive together
with Christ.
The invitation
that was available
on that day when
Lazarus was
raised from the
grave and two
categories of
individuals were
there, those who
believed and those
who rejected,
it stands front
and center.
That decision is
offered to you
this morning.
Have you
embraced,
received,
taken hold of
the power of
the resurrection
that's available
for you today?
It's available
through faith in
Jesus Christ.
As you confess
your sin, as you
make him the
Lord of your
life, the
miracle was
not in question
for these men.
It was the
implications of
this miracle.
that were in
question.
Resurrection power
is offered to
you.
Number two, the
resurrection power
for those in
faith is in
you.
Romans chapter
six talks about
this.
It says, if we've
been united with
him in a death
like his, we will
certainly be united
with him in a
resurrection like
his.
It says, if we
have died with
Christ, we believe
that we will also
live with him.
Death no longer
has dominion over
us.
You don't have to
be enslaved to
sin anymore.
You don't have to
perform the
rituals and the
duties and the
bondage that sin
has once placed
over you.
You can be free.
You can live the
abundant life that
God has called you
to live.
Free from guilt
and free from
self.
Free from despair.
Free from
enslaving sin.
Freedom from the
pressures of this
life.
Freedom from the
burden of
performance.
In pleasing
people, you are
free to live
in Christ.
His power
working in and
through your
life.
And finally,
there's
resurrection power
through you.
Resurrection
power through
you.
That you can be
a conduit of
God's power to
others.
As the power
of God shows up
in your life and
people notice
God, not you.
They notice God
shining through.
Wonderful example
of this is the
church of
Thessalonica.
This group of
individuals that
just were broken
in every way.
And Paul
talks about the
power of the
gospel that
came to them
and he noticed
it and because
of the power of
the resurrection
working in their
life, it says
that the word of
God not only
sounded forth
among them,
but in Macedonia
and Achaia.
Does our life
evidence the
power of his
life?
Does our life
evidence the
priority of his
life?
I came,
Jesus says,
that they may
have life and
that they might
have it abundantly.
Or is it
possible that the
priorities of our
life actually give
way and seem to
point to the
father, the devil?
are we of the
father of life or
do we represent the
father of death?
I just want to
make a brief
comment to the
teens, to the
singles, to those
of you who are
younger.
father, I see
this tendency, this
tendency to be
caught up with
the grotesque, this
tendency to be
caught up and
involved in those
that are exalting
violence and
brutality, those
that are grisly and
horrifying.
The games that we
play, the video
gaming that we do,
the music that we
listen to, the
things that we
watch on TV, the
things that we do
on Halloween, the
ways that we dress
up, the athletics
that we enjoy to
watch, that exalt
brutality, exalt
death, which is
from the author of
death and not from
the author of life.
Does our life
advocate life?
Does life show up
in us?
the life of God
showing through, that
we treasure life, we
have a love for
life that dominates
our focus, our
service, attention,
resources, affection,
prayers, leisure,
passion, and
priorities.
That we must
promote life as a
representative of
God, who is the
God of resurrection
and life.
Let's pray.
Lord, as we look at
the life of
Lazarus, and we
see that although
an ordinary man,
you showed up and
you made his story
truly amazing.
And not because of
Lazarus, but because
of your resurrection
life that transformed
his dead status,
God of
God, you
could be a
testimony to what
you could accomplish.
And as we'll see in
chapter 12, it was a
testimony that
continued to smack
the Pharisees in the
face.
And this morning, as we
evaluate our own
lives, God, I pray
that we would be
conduits of life.
I pray that our lives
would demonstrate the
power of God working
through, helping us
to overcome the
dead works of
unrighteousness and
moving forward to
abundant life and
obedience so that we
can exalt the God
of life.
So this morning, if
you don't know
Jesus, if you've
not experienced that
power, that
resurrection power
that transforms life,
that helps to
establish fellowship
with God, we would
love to invite you to
experience that.
God, and maybe you
have accepted Christ
as your Savior, but
you know that there
are things in your
life that mimic the
old life that you
once had.
Conformity to dead
works and not
demonstrating conformity
to obedience to
Jesus.
We would love to pray
with you.
So Lord, we pray.
We pray that you
would do a work in
us this moment.
help us to be a
church that reflects
the life-giving
words, message, and
testimony of our
Savior.
We pray in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
Let's pray.