WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.360 Father, we ask that you would pour the Holy Spirit deep within us as we open your Word. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:10.660 Father, you know which ones of us here this morning, even at this time, are struggling 00:00:10.660 --> 00:00:15.660 with disappointment with you, who are just wondering where you are, why you don't seem 00:00:15.660 --> 00:00:21.839 to show up in their lives. Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would gently but powerfully 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:28.440 work in our midst as we open your Word. Father, draw us to Jesus, draw us to yourself. Write 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:34.939 your Word on the command centers of our lives. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. 00:00:35.660 --> 00:00:36.579 Please be seated. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:54.880 So Jesus let Lazarus die. That's what happens in the story. Jesus let Lazarus die. He let 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:01.200 his friends, Mary and Martha, down, whose brother it was, who died. Obviously, he let 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:09.620 Lazarus down, didn't he? So they, and we're going to see in a moment, they get upset with 00:01:09.620 --> 00:01:16.780 Jesus. Jesus could have done something, and he didn't. So what's up with this? Why is it 00:01:16.780 --> 00:01:21.980 that, I don't know if you notice in the text, it says very particularly that Jesus loves them, 00:01:21.980 --> 00:01:28.260 so he doesn't go? Like, what's up with that? How does that make any sense whatsoever? So it'd 00:01:28.260 --> 00:01:32.079 be a great help if let's open the Bible together, and let's look and see what it is that the Bible 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:40.580 says about Jesus and him letting these people down, how they respond to Jesus. In fact, it's one of 00:01:40.580 --> 00:01:46.340 the things which is interesting in this story is three times in this story, Jesus is told off for not 00:01:46.340 --> 00:01:53.920 acting. So it's a very, very powerful story, and let's look at it ourselves and see what's up. Why 00:01:53.920 --> 00:02:00.480 did Jesus let this man die, and why did he disappoint Mary and Martha as well as Lazarus? So it's John 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:07.640 chapter 11, if you're trying to find it in your Bibles, and it's, John is one of the four ancient 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:14.759 biographies of Jesus that are either written by or a direct product of eyewitness testimony of the life 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:20.120 of Jesus and the words of Jesus. This is one of the four ancient biographies written within the 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:25.840 lifetime of many eyewitnesses to Jesus, and the story here, if you go and you read the book from 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:30.859 the beginning to the end, and you sort of notice the different Jewish feasts, the story takes place 00:02:30.859 --> 00:02:38.979 somewhere between Hanukkah and Passover. So somewhere between the end of December and the beginning of 00:02:38.979 --> 00:02:44.500 April, this story takes place. We don't know exactly when, but it happens somewhere in between that time 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:50.199 period, and it also happens somewhere between the time period. It's going to be the, well, we now, 00:02:50.419 --> 00:02:55.259 it's going to be the final Passover for Jesus as well. It's going to be the time when he is betrayed 00:02:55.259 --> 00:03:02.759 and when he dies. And here's how the story goes. Verse 1 of chapter 11. Now a certain man was ill, 00:03:03.539 --> 00:03:11.560 Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Just pause here for a second. One of the 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:17.240 things which is really interesting about this miracle is that they keep, John writes it with lots 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:23.420 and lots of detail, very important detail, historic detail, geographic detail. And one of the things 00:03:23.420 --> 00:03:29.159 which is also very important in this is, I think there's about 20 times in the text it mentions that 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:36.259 Lazarus is either ill, over 20 times that he's either ill or that he's dead. So it really, it isn't like, 00:03:36.259 --> 00:03:42.179 it really emphasizes this particular fact. And Bethany, as we're going to see in a moment, it's a 00:03:42.179 --> 00:03:48.699 known place about two miles just outside of what, of the boundaries of Jerusalem in the day. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:56.579 So verse 2, it was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:01.959 whose brother Lazarus was ill. Just pause here for a second again. I don't know if there's anybody here 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:06.280 who's a seeker, but for many Christian, non-Christians, one of the worries they have 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.960 about becoming a Christian is that if they become a Christian, they're going to have to do weird stuff. 00:04:12.600 --> 00:04:18.000 And like wiping people's feet with their hair, like that's weird. We're actually going to look 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:22.540 at this in, I think, either a week or two. So I'm not going to talk about it now other than don't worry. 00:04:22.840 --> 00:04:28.780 If you become a Christian, you won't have to do unreasonable weird stuff. I just let you know that 00:04:28.779 --> 00:04:34.179 up front. You might do reasonable weird stuff, but that's a whole other topic of conversation. 00:04:35.299 --> 00:04:41.799 But at least we'll be reasonable. Verse 3, so the sisters sent to Jesus saying, 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:52.099 Lord, he whom you love is ill. But when Jesus heard it, he said, this illness does not lead to death. 00:04:52.239 --> 00:04:57.239 It is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 00:04:57.240 --> 00:05:04.160 And just sort of pause here for a second. So some of you might say to yourself, well, what's up with 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:13.040 this? Does Jesus get it wrong? Like, doesn't the story say that Lazarus dies? So here Jesus seems 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:19.060 to say one thing that doesn't lead to death, and yet later on we find out that Lazarus dies. So 00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:26.500 what's up with this? Did Jesus make a mistake? Well, if I don't talk about this by the end of the 00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:30.540 sermon, like if I say, you know, the ending prayer, and I haven't dealt with it, I want one of you to 00:05:30.540 --> 00:05:35.259 wave at me, and I'll go back to it and talk about it, okay? Like, I'll either know you're having a 00:05:35.259 --> 00:05:40.639 charismatic moment, or I forgot to talk about it, or both. So please wave. But, you know, what's up? 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:47.879 Why is it that Jesus says this and it doesn't seem to come true? Well, let's keep reading as the story 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:52.019 sort of unfolds. We'll make it clear what Jesus meant and what he didn't mean. Verse 5. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:57.740 Now, Jesus loved Martha, and these two verses are really important for everyone here who struggles 00:05:57.740 --> 00:06:05.419 with disappointment with God. This story is really, these two verses are really important. 00:06:05.420 --> 00:06:12.680 In fact, it shows why the story as a whole is a profound story to meditate upon if you are wrestling 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:21.740 with disappointment with God. Now, Jesus, verse 5, loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 00:06:22.379 --> 00:06:28.879 So, in other words, that's a causal thing, or therefore, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:34.000 he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Isn't that odd? 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:40.319 Like, what's up with that? Wouldn't most of us normally expect that if we hear that somebody's 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:45.139 ill and we have the power to heal them, we'd say, gosh, I better go right away and try to help them. 00:06:45.699 --> 00:06:53.800 But he hears that they're ill, and it says so. And the so is that he stays two extra days. 00:06:54.100 --> 00:06:57.180 Two extra days. What's up with that? 00:06:57.180 --> 00:07:00.800 Verse 7. 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:06.199 Then after this, he said to the disciples, let us go to Judea again. 00:07:06.860 --> 00:07:12.420 The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jewish leaders were just now, just a month or two ago, 00:07:12.579 --> 00:07:16.300 seeking to stone you. And are you going there again? 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:19.920 Jesus answered, are there not 12 hours in the day? 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:24.100 If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. 00:07:24.100 --> 00:07:28.080 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him. 00:07:29.400 --> 00:07:32.439 Basically, he's, you can preach a whole sermon just on that. 00:07:32.500 --> 00:07:34.040 But basically, he said, I know what I'm doing. 00:07:35.020 --> 00:07:35.720 Verse 11. 00:07:35.860 --> 00:07:39.620 After saying these things, he said to them, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, 00:07:39.980 --> 00:07:41.400 but I go to awaken him. 00:07:42.100 --> 00:07:45.360 The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. 00:07:46.320 --> 00:07:48.720 Now, Jesus had spoken of Lazarus' death, 00:07:49.200 --> 00:07:52.400 but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:57.219 Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:02.539 And for your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:03.919 But let us go to him. 00:08:04.539 --> 00:08:08.120 So Thomas called the twins, said to his fellow disciples, 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:12.459 let us go, also go, that we may die with Jesus. 00:08:13.479 --> 00:08:17.000 So some people might wonder, is the reason that Jesus didn't go right away, 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:19.959 is that because he had some type of divine knowledge, 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:24.120 and he knew that if he had gone right away, he would have been captured and stoned, 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:28.500 but he knew that there was a bit of a window of opportunity for him to go now. 00:08:28.899 --> 00:08:33.779 I mean, many of us would understand why it would be that if, I mean, 00:08:34.460 --> 00:08:37.720 I don't know, most of the people wouldn't view somebody as blameworthy 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:41.860 if you could heal somebody, but you didn't go because it was too dangerous 00:08:41.860 --> 00:08:43.100 and you were going to get killed. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:44.720 And we'd say, okay, well, that makes sense. 00:08:44.800 --> 00:08:48.800 I mean, it's really sad, it's really tragic, but that makes sense. 00:08:48.940 --> 00:08:50.759 Is that sort of what's going on here? 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:55.840 Well, actually, as we see, that's not what's going on here at all, actually. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:09:00.000 In fact, as we're going to see later on in the story, 00:09:00.700 --> 00:09:06.840 the story happens in such a way that enemies of Jesus are actually present 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:09.320 when he shows up in Bethany. 00:09:10.040 --> 00:09:12.820 And we're not going to read about it, but the end of the story, 00:09:13.019 --> 00:09:15.240 if later on you read the next few verses, 00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:18.879 you'll see that some people were so mad at Jesus for what he'd done 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:23.220 that it, in fact, begins the process which will culminate in Jesus dying, 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:29.420 that it accelerates the plot to have Jesus killed. 00:09:30.779 --> 00:09:32.800 And so, in fact, that's not what's going on. 00:09:33.340 --> 00:09:35.220 We're still puzzled about what's going on. 00:09:35.300 --> 00:09:37.460 Why on earth is it if Jesus loved, did he wait? 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:43.160 And it's all of these aspects which is going to lead to three separate rebukes of Jesus, 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:47.740 two of them by his friends and one of them by his enemies. 00:09:48.740 --> 00:09:51.139 And we're going to see how it is that Jesus responds. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:52.960 So let's see verse 17. 00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:59.720 Now, when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:03.540 Back in those days, they would have buried him almost immediately. 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:05.240 So he's dead four days. 00:10:06.220 --> 00:10:08.680 But the importance is that, as we're going to see, 00:10:08.860 --> 00:10:12.060 that by saying that he's in the tomb, it means he really is dead. 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:16.660 Like, they touch the dead body, they wrap the dead body, 00:10:16.660 --> 00:10:18.240 all of the embalming things. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.600 I don't know how many of you here have touched a dead body, 00:10:21.340 --> 00:10:23.320 but dead bodies feel different. 00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:30.779 And I know the first time I touched a dead body, it was a shock to me how different it felt. 00:10:30.779 --> 00:10:38.639 So this talk about it being in the tomb is emphasizing the deadness of Lazarus. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:41.199 So verse 18. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:43.920 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:50.320 and many of the Jewish people and Jewish leaders had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:53.440 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:57.100 she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:10:58.980 Martha said to Jesus, 00:10:58.980 --> 00:11:05.779 Like, right to his face. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:10.399 Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:14.519 Like, why not? 00:11:14.860 --> 00:11:15.779 Why are you not here? 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:19.840 We don't know exactly where Jesus was when he got the message. 00:11:20.800 --> 00:11:25.639 And he was somewhere between a one to a one and a half day, two day walk, 00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:28.779 they estimate from the other parts of the story. 00:11:29.379 --> 00:11:31.159 But he definitely waited too long. 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:33.379 And for readers of the gospel, 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:34.919 and as you're going to see in another moment, 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:36.639 one of the things about this is that 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:39.259 Jesus was able to perform miracles from a distance. 00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:40.519 He didn't even have to be there. 00:11:40.659 --> 00:11:43.279 I mean, Martha doesn't sort of nail Jesus on this, 00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:44.799 but we know from the story, 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:46.939 if you go back and read the story from the beginning to now, 00:11:46.939 --> 00:11:51.019 we'll see that there's one famous incident where Jesus just says to a guy, 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.399 You want me to heal your servant? 00:11:54.259 --> 00:11:55.080 Just go. 00:11:55.780 --> 00:11:57.740 And Jesus was like 20 clicks away, 00:11:57.940 --> 00:11:59.820 and the servants healed. 00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:01.220 Jesus doesn't even have to be in the room. 00:12:01.340 --> 00:12:04.960 And Jesus already shows supernatural knowledge of Lazarus' death. 00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:08.000 So Jesus has supernatural knowledge. 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.960 He has the power to heal from a distance. 00:12:10.060 --> 00:12:12.259 He also had the power to potentially get there in time. 00:12:12.660 --> 00:12:15.960 And Martha nails Jesus on it, doesn't she? 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:19.259 Verse 20. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.700 So when Martha, or back 21 again, 00:12:21.800 --> 00:12:23.680 Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:27.099 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. 00:12:27.699 --> 00:12:30.559 Now just sort of pause here for a second before I read 23. 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:36.939 How many of us have confronted a powerful person about not doing the right thing? 00:12:36.940 --> 00:12:39.300 How's that gone for you? 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:47.140 Did you end up finding out that you didn't get a promotion later on because you confronted the powerful person? 00:12:47.920 --> 00:12:49.700 Did they just humbly repent? 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:51.520 Did they get mad? 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:56.240 How many of you have confronted a close friend before about when they've done something which is just wrong? 00:12:56.319 --> 00:12:57.340 How's that gone for you? 00:12:58.199 --> 00:12:59.419 Did they stay your friend? 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:02.399 Well, some of us they did, and some of us they didn't. 00:13:03.079 --> 00:13:08.179 Martha is overwhelmed with grief, and she just, I mean, she goes at Jesus. 00:13:08.460 --> 00:13:14.139 She tries to soften the blow a little bit, you know, but she goes right at Jesus. 00:13:14.279 --> 00:13:15.720 So here's a really interesting thing. 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:20.660 We all know what it's like to confront a powerful person and see how they react. 00:13:21.500 --> 00:13:24.600 And we all know what it's like to confront a friend and see how they react. 00:13:24.660 --> 00:13:25.700 How does Jesus react? 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:32.019 Like one of the things that's going to be very, very interesting here is that what happens with Jesus 00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:38.440 is that Jesus listens, but he doesn't react. 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:42.420 Jesus listens and acts, but he doesn't react. 00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:48.919 By that I mean, you know, what happens is when you get confronted or something, we react, right? 00:13:48.959 --> 00:13:49.740 We get angry. 00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:50.779 We maybe get guilty. 00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:57.639 We get red in the face and want to try to excuse away, and then we attack or whatever it is. 00:13:57.719 --> 00:14:05.599 But Jesus doesn't react in terms of it, wow, he acts, but he doesn't react. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:10.360 If you get the distinction, it's going to be true of all three of the different rebukes. 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:12.800 He acts, he speaks, he listens. 00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:14.820 He speaks, he acts, but he doesn't react. 00:14:15.180 --> 00:14:18.440 Just as a complete aside, this is really important for those of us who are Christians. 00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:22.580 One of the things, it's the most important thing you can do, prayer. 00:14:22.800 --> 00:14:26.399 I say in the blog today, prayer is an honest conversation with God. 00:14:27.460 --> 00:14:29.740 Not a make-believe conversation with God. 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:35.019 Not a Stepford Wives conversation with God, but an honest conversation with God. 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:37.980 If you're disappointed with God and you try to pretend that you're not, listen, 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:40.159 God knows you're disappointed with them. 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:44.180 It's probably better for you spiritually just to say to him, 00:14:44.620 --> 00:14:46.279 Jesus, I'm really disappointed. 00:14:46.420 --> 00:14:47.320 I don't know why it is. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:50.980 It just, you don't seem, it just, like, you know what, you're thinking it. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:53.220 You might as well say it. 00:14:54.740 --> 00:14:55.460 And you know what? 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:56.620 Jesus can handle it. 00:14:58.420 --> 00:14:59.519 He'll listen and he'll act. 00:14:59.580 --> 00:15:00.420 He won't react. 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:02.100 He'll listen and he'll act. 00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:05.899 That's what we see modeled here very powerfully in the story. 00:15:07.040 --> 00:15:07.920 So where was I? 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:09.720 Verse 23, I think, wasn't I? 00:15:10.420 --> 00:15:14.899 So verse 22, but even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. 00:15:15.300 --> 00:15:19.320 Verse 23, Jesus said to her, here we hear Jesus' response, 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:21.000 your brother will rise again. 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:26.779 Martha said to him, and Martha answers like a good, observant Jew. 00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:30.379 I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:33.179 And then Jesus says something really shocking. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:34.559 We're going to look at this a little bit more. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:38.159 This is, in many ways, the key to the whole text right here. 00:15:38.659 --> 00:15:40.519 It's our memory verse for the week. 00:15:40.779 --> 00:15:44.980 It's a verse which is really precious that every single Christian should memorize. 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:49.200 And he says, I am the resurrection, the life. 00:15:49.939 --> 00:15:54.139 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. 00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:57.899 And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. 00:15:57.899 --> 00:15:59.279 Do you believe this? 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:03.259 And throughout the centuries, Jesus speaks to us right here this morning. 00:16:03.339 --> 00:16:04.259 Do you believe this? 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:13.379 Now, we're going to come back and talk about this and unpack it. 00:16:13.459 --> 00:16:14.579 But the main thing is this. 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:15.419 You look at it again. 00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:17.740 We're going to unpack it a little bit later on. 00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:20.059 But notice it's an unbelievable claim. 00:16:20.179 --> 00:16:21.360 I shouldn't say an unbelievable claim. 00:16:21.939 --> 00:16:24.220 This is a big, big, big, big, big claim. 00:16:25.079 --> 00:16:25.299 Right? 00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:28.819 I am the resurrection and the life. 00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:36.279 Whoever, whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. 00:16:36.339 --> 00:16:39.959 And everyone, that's people in Kenya. 00:16:40.199 --> 00:16:41.199 It's people in Taiwan. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:42.740 It's people in Russia. 00:16:42.939 --> 00:16:44.159 It's people in North Korea. 00:16:44.419 --> 00:16:45.419 It's people in Ottawa. 00:16:46.219 --> 00:16:50.319 It's people who are struggling with gender dysphoria. 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:52.580 It's those who are same-sex attracted. 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:53.920 It's heterosexuals. 00:16:53.940 --> 00:16:55.320 That's what everyone means. 00:16:56.280 --> 00:16:58.680 And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. 00:16:58.760 --> 00:16:59.520 Do you believe this? 00:16:59.540 --> 00:17:00.540 It's an unbelievable claim. 00:17:00.660 --> 00:17:07.660 What on earth could possibly warrant or justify a human being making such a claim? 00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:12.600 Well, let's see what happens. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.220 Verse 26. 00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:19.640 So at verse 27, she said to him, here's how Mary responds, Martha responds. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:24.380 She said to him, yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:25.279 It's very important you notice. 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:28.540 She doesn't say that I believe that Lazarus will rise. 00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:33.200 But she makes some pretty good claims about Jesus. 00:17:35.019 --> 00:17:35.859 Verse 28. 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:44.940 When she had said this, when she gives a pretty high type of belief about Jesus, but nothing at all about whether Lazarus will rise. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:52.779 When she had said this, verse 28, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, the teacher is here and is calling you. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:57.039 And when she, that's Mary, heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:02.799 Now, Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Mary, where Martha had met him. 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:14.759 When the Jewish leaders and Jewish people who were with her, Mary, 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. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:23.920 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. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.480 Rebuke number two, right to his face. 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:45.359 Now, apart from the rebuke, one of the things which is very interesting here is, remember I said to you that if you thought that what was going on with the story was that if Jesus had gone right away, he was going to get in front of all the authorities and they'd know and maybe he, no, no. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:48.219 You see, what's just happened now is there's a crowd. 00:18:48.939 --> 00:18:52.599 The Jewish leaders, the Jewish people, all the mourners, they follow Mary. 00:18:52.819 --> 00:18:55.199 Jesus is no longer just come in secret. 00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:56.779 Everybody sees him. 00:18:56.839 --> 00:19:00.019 There's a big crowd of people all wailing and crying. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:01.679 He's drawn a crowd. 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:02.959 Mary rebukes him. 00:19:04.099 --> 00:19:05.399 How does Jesus respond? 00:19:05.979 --> 00:19:06.679 Verse 33. 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:08.419 Remember I said he listens and acts. 00:19:08.679 --> 00:19:09.679 He doesn't react. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:11.340 Verse 33. 00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:21.580 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. 00:19:21.580 --> 00:19:27.299 And in the original language, it's a profound emotional response that he has. 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:33.400 A deep inner groaning at the very center of who he is. 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:34.900 And verse 34. 00:19:35.060 --> 00:19:36.940 And Jesus said, where have you laid him? 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:37.840 That is Lazarus. 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:39.940 They said to him, Lord, come and see. 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:42.600 They said to him. 00:19:42.700 --> 00:19:44.960 And then when they come, here's the shortest verse in the Bible. 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:46.140 Jesus wept. 00:19:48.300 --> 00:19:54.860 And in the original language, the weeping, the word for weeping that's going on all around him is howling. 00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:58.820 Like just uninhibited. 00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:01.620 Uninhibited. 00:20:01.619 --> 00:20:07.379 Roaring, yelling, crying. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.759 Zero inhibitions. 00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:10.599 The same word isn't used here of Jesus. 00:20:11.919 --> 00:20:15.739 It's, you know that he's deeply moved. 00:20:16.379 --> 00:20:20.419 And what you would have seen if you saw him, you wouldn't have seen him yelling or screaming. 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:23.959 But you would have seen the tears pouring down his face. 00:20:25.199 --> 00:20:29.319 The tears pouring down his face without the yelling and screaming. 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:34.579 The uninhibited, the collapsing that goes on with uninhibited weeping and grief. 00:20:34.579 --> 00:20:41.619 But you would have just seen him standing and the tears just falling down his cheek. 00:20:41.619 --> 00:20:44.659 Into his beard. 00:20:45.379 --> 00:20:46.879 Maybe dropping on the ground. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:53.960 So the Jewish people and the Jewish leaders said, see how he loved him. 00:20:53.960 --> 00:21:02.180 But some of them said, could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying? 00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:03.480 Third rebuke. 00:21:04.840 --> 00:21:07.920 And this one in the original language, this is said by his enemies. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:13.960 There's a bit of a different sense in the original language that there's a bit of scorn put there. 00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:18.700 It's the Mary and Martha, they're just being honest. 00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:20.759 They're just pouring out their heart. 00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:23.420 This is the dagger twisted. 00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:26.740 But still, how does Jesus react? 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:29.620 He doesn't react. 00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:30.519 He listens. 00:21:31.080 --> 00:21:31.820 He acts. 00:21:31.819 --> 00:21:31.899 He acts. 00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:33.359 Verse 38. 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:39.179 And by the way, this is, just before I read the next verse, 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:43.139 it's sort of really important to the story. 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:56.079 There's a thing in The Citizen a couple of weeks ago about a man who exercised his right under Canadian laws 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:58.779 to ask a doctor to put him to death. 00:21:58.779 --> 00:22:03.660 Which, of course, as you know, is part of the law here in the country. 00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:10.700 And one of the things in The Citizen feature that it said about him was that this man lived his life, 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:14.319 he died as he lived his life, unbowed. 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:19.759 Now, that's a very interesting choice of words, and it's completely untrue. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:22.200 Because you know what? 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:28.920 I mean, we can come to the moment of death screaming, yelling, being in defiance, 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:32.080 but the fact of the matter is, is death makes everyone bow. 00:22:32.840 --> 00:22:33.420 Doesn't it? 00:22:36.100 --> 00:22:39.160 Death doesn't say, whoa, wow, George is mad at me. 00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:44.799 Death doesn't say, whoa, wow, George is filled with self-esteem. 00:22:46.019 --> 00:22:47.799 Death takes us on its own terms. 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:49.680 And when we die, we die. 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:52.560 Death's foot on our neck. 00:22:55.840 --> 00:22:57.440 Everyone bows to death. 00:23:01.380 --> 00:23:02.960 Everyone bows to death. 00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:07.539 And to think that you don't is just to be mistaken. 00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:10.819 So what happens here with Jesus? 00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:17.899 Is Jesus just sort of venting and raging and frustrated that there is nothing he can do? 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:23.139 That he, like all, will have to bow to death and Lazarus has bowed to death? 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.519 Well, let's see. 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.680 Verse 38. 00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:33.019 Then Jesus, deepening again, came to the tomb. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:35.019 It was a cave. 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:37.940 And a stone lay against it. 00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:38.880 Okay? 00:23:38.940 --> 00:23:39.720 It's sort of tipped. 00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:40.840 It's a... 00:23:40.840 --> 00:23:43.640 There must have been a slight angle like this of the cave. 00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:46.120 And the stone is laying on top of it like this. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.500 That's how it's described in the original language, if you can sort of see my hand. 00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:51.140 It's not a door like this. 00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:51.840 It's like this. 00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:53.279 The opening must be like this. 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:55.420 And the stones laid across it. 00:23:56.660 --> 00:23:59.420 And Jesus said, verse 39, take away the stone. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.960 Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an odor. 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:10.500 My brother will now stink, for he's been dead four days. 00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:15.359 Jesus turns to her and says, why on earth did you rebuke me? 00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:16.539 No, that's not what it says here. 00:24:17.639 --> 00:24:18.859 Why do you have no faith? 00:24:18.899 --> 00:24:19.859 That's not what he says here. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:20.720 What does he say? 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:25.600 Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? 00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:28.720 So they took away the stone. 00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:31.200 This is going to be really important. 00:24:32.819 --> 00:24:37.299 There's going to now be a nose evidence that Lazarus was dead. 00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:43.380 Nose evidence that Lazarus was dead. 00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:46.900 So they took away the stone. 00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:52.500 And Jesus, verse 41, lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 00:24:52.580 --> 00:24:55.019 I know that you, I knew that you always hear me. 00:24:55.080 --> 00:24:59.600 But I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:03.220 Notice that Jesus does not ask the father to raise Lazarus. 00:25:03.320 --> 00:25:08.300 What he does is he said, Father, you and I know that everything I do, we do as one. 00:25:08.299 --> 00:25:11.759 We are not in any type of conflict. 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:14.339 It isn't as if you're the God of judgment and wrath. 00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:15.759 I'm the God of life. 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:19.299 It isn't as if you're the God of people to death. 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:22.440 And I'm the one who I'm a different God who raises people to life. 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:26.639 It's not as if there's any type of disagreement or disharmony. 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:29.820 You and I are at one, Father. 00:25:30.340 --> 00:25:41.720 And I am taking this moment to speak to you so that everyone here knows that you and I are at one in everything that goes on. 00:25:41.840 --> 00:25:46.480 And that you sent me and I willingly obeyed you sending me. 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:49.860 That's Jesus speaks to the father and says that. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:54.460 And then in verse 43, when he said these things, he cried out with a loud voice. 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.480 And why does he cry? 00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:59.279 Why? Not because Lazarus needs to hear him. 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:06.279 But over the weeping and the wailing, I organized the crying in the background just for that point right now. 00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:10.039 People can stop pinching the poor kid. 00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.019 No, sorry. 00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:17.420 But over the sound of the weeping and the wailing, that's why Jesus cries out with a loud voice. 00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.660 He doesn't call out to God to act. 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:21.620 He speaks directly to Lazarus. 00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:26.799 And he says to Lazarus, verse 43, Lazarus, come out. 00:26:27.699 --> 00:26:36.699 Verse 44, the man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. 00:26:36.700 --> 00:26:39.620 By the way, that alone would have suffocated him. 00:26:39.620 --> 00:26:40.940 If he had just been in a swoon. 00:26:42.539 --> 00:26:43.720 That would have killed him. 00:26:46.600 --> 00:26:50.220 And Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go. 00:26:50.220 --> 00:27:02.460 They now have witness of the eyes, the ears, of touch and of nose that Lazarus had died. 00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:18.180 And that Jesus not only called Lazarus back, his soul back to his body, but that Jesus, by a mere act of command, gave Lazarus a healthy body for his soul to return to. 00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:21.460 All still wrapped in the grave cloths. 00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:27.980 And he stumbles out like that. 00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:32.980 Wow. 00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:36.559 So here's the first thing. 00:27:37.019 --> 00:27:37.660 Is it true? 00:27:39.900 --> 00:27:42.660 Like if this is, and is it true if it doesn't matter? 00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:43.579 Here's the first thing. 00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:45.579 This is the Christian claim that this is true. 00:27:46.420 --> 00:27:56.099 That's why I began by saying all four of the, what we now call gospels, all four of these were written as biographies of Jesus with the claim that they were true. 00:27:56.099 --> 00:28:01.659 And John didn't die a martyr's death, although John did die in exile. 00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:06.679 And every one of the writers of these texts died a death, going to their death. 00:28:07.159 --> 00:28:14.019 Even in the case of some of them, all of them of persecution and some of them of martyrdom, claiming that what they wrote was true. 00:28:14.399 --> 00:28:20.639 The claim of the Christian church, the claim throughout the centuries was that this actually happened in space and time. 00:28:21.219 --> 00:28:22.119 And that it's real. 00:28:22.719 --> 00:28:23.719 And does it matter? 00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:23.799 Sure. 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:31.860 Well, first of all, it matters because at least partially vindicates Jesus' claim. 00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:34.460 Andrew, could you put up the first point? 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.019 We're going to, I'm going to unpack it in a moment. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:42.460 But it, and you'll notice that the version which is up here is a little bit different than the one I read. 00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:48.079 What I've done is I've, I've taken the ESV text, which is an essentially literal text. 00:28:48.420 --> 00:28:57.220 But in four different places, I've made some tiny changes to the text to give it a literal translation because the grammar isn't as good. 00:28:57.220 --> 00:29:01.220 But it, it actually brings out the power of what's said. 00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:06.240 And remember I said, who on earth, what human being could possibly make a claim like this? 00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:09.940 Well, this, he's partially vindicated this claim, hasn't he? 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:13.600 By this spectacular miracle. 00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:21.279 And it's a spectacular miracle, not just in a little hidden corner and only amongst his friends. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:28.799 It's a spectacular miracle after he's been rebuked three times, twice by his friends and once by his enemies. 00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:30.920 His friends and his enemies are present. 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:37.000 And there's a large crowd and he performs this spectacular miracle and at least partially vindicates. 00:29:37.539 --> 00:29:44.859 If it actually happened, then only a man or a woman, in this case a man, who's made such a claim and done such a miracle, 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:49.099 might we say that maybe in fact this claim is partially true. 00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:56.240 But it becomes even more important when we consider why we are called Christians and not Lazarusians. 00:29:58.039 --> 00:30:02.619 If you think about it for a second, why do we worship Jesus rather than Lazarus? 00:30:03.179 --> 00:30:04.779 Jesus was only dead three days. 00:30:05.559 --> 00:30:06.659 Lazarus was dead four. 00:30:07.699 --> 00:30:08.779 Isn't that a greater miracle? 00:30:11.559 --> 00:30:12.859 It's a very, very good point. 00:30:13.199 --> 00:30:14.779 You know, here's the thing. 00:30:14.779 --> 00:30:20.559 Jesus can only be the life if he is also the resurrection. 00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:25.899 Jesus can only be the life if he is also the resurrection. 00:30:26.399 --> 00:30:28.440 See, why is it that Jesus is worshipped? 00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:31.940 Why is it that we trust and follow Jesus and not Lazarus? 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:35.099 Well, because first of all, it was Jesus who raised Lazarus. 00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:39.700 And in a sense, it's Jesus who raises himself or the father raises himself. 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:43.059 Lazarus was completely dependent upon Jesus to do the raising. 00:30:43.059 --> 00:30:47.379 But the other thing, which is far more significant, is that Lazarus came... 00:30:47.379 --> 00:30:50.899 In a sense, what happened with Lazarus is he enters into what we now know of as death. 00:30:51.879 --> 00:30:57.359 And after he is in death for four days, he returns to this side of death, but he still has to die. 00:30:59.220 --> 00:31:05.000 And what we understand and believe about Jesus is that Jesus entered into death and tasted everything there is to taste of death. 00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:09.899 But on the third day, he did not come back to this side of death, only have to die again. 00:31:09.900 --> 00:31:16.400 But tasting all there is to taste of death, he emerges on the far side of death, having defeated death. 00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:27.460 And he defeats death by dealing with human sin and rebellion and alienation against God, which is what has caused death. 00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:31.460 Jesus does not have to die again. 00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:41.600 And that's why, if you look up again, you see, to say that if Jesus was just life, but still death was going to eventually defeat us. 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:47.579 Well, that's nice, but death is still going to defeat us. 00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:53.259 And that's nice, but that which causes death is still present in our lives. 00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:56.379 But Jesus makes a spectacular claim. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:02.220 He says, I am, which, as some of you know, is in fact a bit of a claim towards divinity. 00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:06.519 I am the resurrection and the life, both of them. 00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:11.879 Whoever believes into me, that's actually what the original word means. 00:32:11.960 --> 00:32:15.720 We use in, it's a fine word, and it's more grammatical in English than into, 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:17.779 but that's actually what the original word is. 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:20.039 We believe into Jesus. 00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:23.480 We believe into him. 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.339 There's growth. 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:25.200 There's development. 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:28.359 We, in a sense, lean into him to begin. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:34.539 And the whole, and part of the Christian life is this ever-deepening journey into Jesus 00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:37.639 with more faith and more belief. 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:40.899 It means that we can start off with our faith and our trust. 00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:48.379 And Jesus is very confused and very imprecise and very tiny and maybe filled with doubts. 00:32:48.380 --> 00:32:51.140 Yes, we believe into Jesus. 00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:55.700 And he says, whoever believes, I am the resurrection and the life. 00:32:55.780 --> 00:33:01.000 Whoever believes into me, though he die, and I've used he, it could also put there she if you wanted. 00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:02.780 I wanted to make it singular. 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:08.720 Though he or she die, yet he or she will come to life. 00:33:08.900 --> 00:33:11.120 And that's what the text is saying in the original language. 00:33:11.760 --> 00:33:13.360 Jesus isn't saying that we don't die. 00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:19.159 He says that if you believe in me, because I am resurrection and life, you put your hand in mine. 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:23.979 You share in my victory over sin, my victory over death. 00:33:24.139 --> 00:33:25.740 And so you will come to death. 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:28.759 But when you come to death, it's like a door that you go through. 00:33:28.839 --> 00:33:31.419 And you go through the door into resurrection and life. 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:39.180 And then he doubles down on it to make sure that we understand. 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:43.279 He says, listen again, I am the resurrection and life. 00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:49.820 Whoever believes into me, though he or she die, yet he or she will come to life. 00:33:50.320 --> 00:33:55.820 And everyone who believes into me will never die forever. 00:33:55.819 --> 00:34:00.740 And that means that that which deals, he's dealt with sin. 00:34:00.939 --> 00:34:05.559 It means that the second death, the judgment and wrath of God will not fall on you. 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:12.819 Because even when you come to death and pass through death into resurrection and life, 00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:16.579 you enter into resurrection and life, there's no second death. 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:17.860 There's no judgment. 00:34:18.779 --> 00:34:23.360 The judgment and the doom that you and I deserve has fallen on him. 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:32.519 And the resurrection and life that he deserves is given to us as a gift that we receive by faith. 00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:36.660 That, my brothers and sisters, is the gospel. 00:34:43.460 --> 00:34:46.740 Now, just to really wrap it up, it's 34 minutes. 00:34:46.860 --> 00:34:48.820 Just to wrap it up, a couple of final things. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:52.280 Remember I said, did Jesus get all that wrong at the beginning? 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:58.660 And why is it that he waited two days and didn't come and acted and all of that? 00:34:58.740 --> 00:35:01.720 Well, if you could put up the next point, Andrew, that would be very, very good. 00:35:03.120 --> 00:35:10.280 Life is different when the gift of resurrection and life is the final truth about you. 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:21.680 See, we're not used to thinking there's a Greek word called telos, which implies that there's an end. 00:35:21.780 --> 00:35:26.880 And it just tells us that sometimes the way things are, if you know what the end is, 00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:29.960 it makes everything in the process completely and utterly different. 00:35:30.280 --> 00:35:32.080 Two very simple and brief examples. 00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:35.380 The first one would be, and I know some people here don't like surprise parties. 00:35:35.380 --> 00:35:42.260 But if you do like a well-done surprise party, not a surprise party where you end up showing up at the party 00:35:42.260 --> 00:35:45.900 and everybody's all, you know, dressed really nice and you're all sweaty and grubby 00:35:45.900 --> 00:35:50.059 and you needed a shower and you needed a shave and you needed all that stuff. 00:35:50.200 --> 00:35:52.140 But a well-done surprise party. 00:35:52.539 --> 00:35:57.820 You know, and so what it would be is, you know, it's your birthday and none of your friends say happy birthday to you. 00:35:57.820 --> 00:36:02.340 And then you've sort of gotten roped into doing a favor for one of your friends 00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:07.220 and the favor just seems to drag on and on and on and it seems to be this and there's a difficulty 00:36:07.220 --> 00:36:10.260 and you're thinking to yourself, this just really sucks. 00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:11.760 Nobody remembers it's my birthday. 00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:12.860 I just want to go home. 00:36:13.080 --> 00:36:17.900 I just want to go home, have a couple of beers or a glass of wine and just have a pity party all by myself 00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:19.519 because nobody remembers it. 00:36:19.820 --> 00:36:21.760 And finally, you go to one last thing. 00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:24.380 Your friends just bug you and they say, there's one last spot. 00:36:24.460 --> 00:36:27.059 We stop and then we'll go and we promise it'll be good. 00:36:27.059 --> 00:36:29.519 And you go in and all of a sudden everybody else surprised. 00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:35.799 And in fact, all day they've thought about you and they wanted to honor you. 00:36:37.440 --> 00:36:43.219 And your friends have gone to great bother to give you a wonderful surprise and a wonderful day. 00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:46.860 Better example. 00:36:47.079 --> 00:36:52.759 A couple of years ago, my wife and I, we moved from our house that we've lived in for 12 years and a bit into a different house. 00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:57.840 Most of our nine kids, by the time we moved out of the house, when we moved into the house, 00:36:57.900 --> 00:36:58.980 our nine kids were with us. 00:36:59.040 --> 00:37:01.140 When we moved out, we only had three kids with us. 00:37:01.680 --> 00:37:03.500 We had lots of junk. 00:37:04.580 --> 00:37:11.180 We had enough hockey sticks and bicycles and stuff for nine kids and their friends. 00:37:11.179 --> 00:37:18.299 We had, you can just imagine the decades and decades of kids' art supply, artwork. 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:25.099 It was the most miserable move of my life. 00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:31.879 It seemed to go on unending and unending and unending. 00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:35.700 And we had problems trying to sell our house on time. 00:37:35.820 --> 00:37:39.140 We had to drop the price of the house and all of that type of stuff. 00:37:39.820 --> 00:37:45.200 And it seemed like the move itself took like four days or five days and it was just such a bother. 00:37:45.660 --> 00:37:50.840 But those of you, you know, my wife, if you haven't come to our house yet, we'd love to have you at our house someday. 00:37:51.059 --> 00:37:57.019 But by, you know, even a week after we'd moved in, all I could do is I kept pinching myself and saying, 00:37:57.340 --> 00:37:59.019 I can't believe I'm in this house. 00:37:59.019 --> 00:38:03.000 I mean, there's no way, it's a whole other story. 00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:05.280 There's no way, it was a miracle that we got that house. 00:38:05.380 --> 00:38:07.300 There's no way we could afford that house. 00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:10.599 Like, literally, there was no way we could afford that house. 00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:14.500 And it backs onto the green belt like it was a gift from God. 00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:20.380 And, you know, after you're in for a week, you sort of almost forget all the bother because of the end. 00:38:21.699 --> 00:38:23.639 And that's what Jesus is saying here. 00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:24.659 This is what's going on. 00:38:24.659 --> 00:38:28.860 Do you think Lazarus a day after, a week after? 00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:33.380 Was saying, Jesus, I'm still so mad at you for letting me die. 00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:36.579 No. 00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:46.320 You see, if you live your life like most Canadians, and it's just one dang thing after another, and then you die, 00:38:47.259 --> 00:38:49.800 then when bad things happen, it sucks. 00:38:49.800 --> 00:38:59.940 But if the final truth about you is resurrection and life given as a gift, it changes everything. 00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:02.519 It begins to change everything. 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:07.320 And some of you might say, George, I can't believe that. 00:39:07.400 --> 00:39:09.200 This is what's so wonderful about this story. 00:39:09.280 --> 00:39:10.720 If you could put up the final point, Andrew. 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:13.960 This is what is so wonderful about the story. 00:39:14.220 --> 00:39:17.019 I had a really hard time putting this point, so I've done it twice. 00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:20.539 It's one for one group of people and the other for a different group of people. 00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.059 Okay? 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:22.500 It's the same point. 00:39:23.739 --> 00:39:30.239 And for those, if you think about the story, Mary and how many people, how many people, like, read the story. 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:33.940 Martha and Mary did not believe that Lazarus would rise. 00:39:33.940 --> 00:39:36.599 How big was their faith? 00:39:37.340 --> 00:39:39.519 The space between my finger and my thumb. 00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:46.099 You know how hard it is to have kids laugh at the exact right time in a sermon illustration? 00:39:47.380 --> 00:39:49.380 We are such a well-organized church. 00:39:49.480 --> 00:39:50.260 It's astounding. 00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:54.599 The space between the finger and the thumb. 00:39:54.720 --> 00:39:56.820 Their faith was minuscule. 00:39:57.420 --> 00:40:00.440 And it was all mixed up with the fact that they just blasted Jesus. 00:40:01.579 --> 00:40:03.700 Jesus, you let us down. 00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:07.400 Here's the thing. 00:40:07.900 --> 00:40:11.179 Their faith was minuscule and mixed. 00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:12.700 But you know what's so important? 00:40:13.420 --> 00:40:15.480 The fact is their faith was in Jesus. 00:40:16.940 --> 00:40:18.300 So Lazarus rose. 00:40:19.639 --> 00:40:22.519 Or another way, if you're a bit more philosophically inclined, 00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:27.700 is the object of my faith matters more than my emotional strength, 00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:30.940 my emotional purity, my emotional consistency, 00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:36.720 or my intellectual ability to grasp and comprehend and be constant. 00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:40.740 And the fact of the matter is, is that all of us at different times in our lives 00:40:40.740 --> 00:40:43.000 have put our faith and hope in something that's unworthy. 00:40:43.380 --> 00:40:44.760 And we've been really confident. 00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:46.480 I really believe in this stock. 00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:49.039 I really believe in the market. 00:40:49.719 --> 00:40:53.139 And then on one day, you lose 30% of all your assets. 00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:55.099 But you were really convinced. 00:40:56.219 --> 00:41:00.940 What matters isn't so much what's in us as what we put our faith and trust in. 00:41:00.940 --> 00:41:06.400 And Jesus will take your flickering, mixed faith. 00:41:08.019 --> 00:41:13.000 He will take it that you want to put your hand in his and it's sort of like this. 00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:19.500 And what matters isn't, what matters is who you put your faith in. 00:41:19.659 --> 00:41:22.039 That's what this story shows so wonderfully, doesn't it? 00:41:24.199 --> 00:41:24.980 Please stand. 00:41:28.780 --> 00:41:32.480 I want to just encourage you if you're here and you haven't put your faith and trust in Jesus, 00:41:32.599 --> 00:41:36.400 there is no better time than right now, before I even say this prayer, 00:41:36.400 --> 00:41:39.380 just to say, Jesus, I'm all mixed up. 00:41:39.680 --> 00:41:44.720 My faith is minuscule, but I want to put my faith and trust in you 00:41:44.720 --> 00:41:50.700 as the resurrection, the life, the one who will take me and never let me go. 00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:55.559 There is no time better than now to call out to Jesus as your prayer. 00:41:57.019 --> 00:41:58.119 And let's just pray now. 00:41:58.180 --> 00:41:59.559 Father, thank you for Jesus. 00:42:00.200 --> 00:42:03.320 Thank you for his death upon the cross and his mighty resurrection. 00:42:03.740 --> 00:42:05.480 Thank you for the miracles he did. 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:10.380 Thank you, Father, for this powerful miracle of the raising of Lazarus. 00:42:11.280 --> 00:42:14.719 Thank you, Father, that when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, 00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:19.780 who he is and what he's done, that Jesus will never let us go, 00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:22.719 that he will take anyone who puts their faith in him. 00:42:22.780 --> 00:42:26.920 He'll even take you and me when we put our faith and trust in him. 00:42:26.980 --> 00:42:30.679 And Father, thank you so much that our destiny does not depend upon 00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.960 the intellectual power or purity of our faith. 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:38.860 or the emotional integrity or purity of our faith, 00:42:38.920 --> 00:42:43.720 that what matters is that our faith is in Jesus and who he is and what he's done. 00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:45.480 Father, thank you for this. 00:42:46.380 --> 00:42:50.860 Help us, Father, to grow as followers of Jesus, 00:42:51.420 --> 00:42:56.179 gripped by who he is and what he's done for us. 00:42:56.179 --> 00:43:00.159 And the promise, the unshakable promise, 00:43:00.159 --> 00:43:05.039 that the final word about every person who puts their faith and trust in Jesus 00:43:05.039 --> 00:43:07.159 is resurrection and life. 00:43:07.319 --> 00:43:08.719 Father, thank you for this. 00:43:08.819 --> 00:43:10.399 Make us disciples of Jesus, 00:43:10.859 --> 00:43:12.039 gripped with this truth, 00:43:12.460 --> 00:43:15.739 learning to live day by day for your glory. 00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:18.079 And this we ask in Jesus' name. 00:43:18.599 --> 00:43:18.980 Amen.