What God Loves To Bless
John 13:1-17
Everything in Jesus’ life is moving him forwards to the cross, so he is intent on some special conversations with his closest allies, the disciples. Here in John 13, Jesus demonstrates clearly his love towards his disciples, grace towards Judas the betrayer, and obedience to his Father. We are left with a strong illustration of servanthood leading us to be willing to clean up the mess for each other.
But how do we create a culture of servanthood?
1. Come to grips with our identity so that we don’t have a problem with the idea of servanthood.
2. Come to grips with our mission so that we continue to do as Jesus did.
3. Come to grips with our rank so that we can reach all with our act of service.
4. Come to grips with the need / opportunity for service around us which is immense.
• The service of presence
• The service of availability
• The service of giving up
• The service of anonymity
• The service of receiving
Jim Bakker, having an aide massage his feet
John 13:1 gives an opposite picture
- Verse 1 tells us the hour had come, the time all of eternity had been pointing to
- Jesus was transitioning, preparing to leave
- No one knew but Jesus that this would be His last night with His followers
- And the focus was now on those He had invested in, those who chose to follow Him
- Those He loved “to the uttermost”
- Loved as much as anyone could be loved (eis telos)
- The advance of God’s kingdom, the hope of the church, would rest with these men
- So Jesus gathered them together to talk
- A conversation that is His longest one in the book of John (or any gospel for that matter)
- One we will engage with for several weeks
- At times it seems to ramble
- It is not systematic
- There is no clear outline, no smooth transitions
- Eight times the disciples will engage/interact/ask questions
- Some refer to it as a FAREWELL ADDRESS
- Over and over He tells them He is leaving
- But it might be more correct to say it was a FINAL BRIEFING
- Part of a closing MISSIONAL CHALLENGE
- While He is leaving, they are not coming because they have a mission to do, a work to complete
- And a Helper is coming; they won’t be doing it alone
- He is critical, for there is an enemy at work to destroy everything they are called to do
- Just as an enemy was at work to destroy Jesus, the devil and Judas were working in a conspiracy to destroy Jesus (verse 2)
- But nothing at all is spinning out of Jesus’ control, He had/has absolute rule (verse 3)
- HE DOES WHATEVER HE WILLS
- He could have devastated Judas with a mighty blast of His anger
- Instead, He devastated all of His disciples with a mighty blast of His SERVICE (verses 4ff)
- The One who had disrobed Himself of royalty to wear the garment of humanity, (what Christmas is really all about!) disrobed Himself even further to adopt the dress of a slave, doing what the lowest of the lowest did at meals (wash feet)
- AND as custom, people reclined, with feet pointing out, full of grime and sweat and dung and dirt, and those at the lowest rung would do the messy work of washing
- But THIS NIGHT, Jesus did it
- He got down on His knees and began to show them the full extent of His love
- By taking the hands with which He held all power and authority in the universe and began to wash their muck
- And suddenly things were upside down for these men
- And Peter would have none of this
- Students serve teachers
- Followers serve Masters
- “You shall not, absolutely not, wash my feet!!” (verse 8a)
- Peter, who often had a better plan for Jesus’ life
- But Jesus overrode Peter
- He is not discouraged by our humanity, turned off by our messiness
- “Unless you let Me wash you, you have no part” (verse 8b)
- Which remains true: If people will not let Jesus do His work of washing, cleansing lives of their dirt, they can have no part with Jesus…ever!
- And then Jesus put on His clothes, returned to His place (verse 12)
- And then asked them, asks us, a pointed question, “DO YOU GET IT?”
- Because they didn’t
- And all too often, we don’t either
- They didn’t get it because they had an ongoing argument over who was the greatest, who was alpha
- And where there is trouble over who is the greatest, there is conflict over who is the least
- Someone needed to wash the others’ feet
- So they sat, feet caked with dirt
- Until Jesus took a towel and redefined greatness
- Redefined leadership
- Greatness is about descending, not ascending
- Willing to do the menial task of cleaning up the dirt in the lives of those we live with
- All too often, we’d rather let someone else
- Worse, we would rather they take their messiness somewhere else
- But Jesus is teaching us this:
- If you’re going to be My community…
- If you want My blessing (verse 17)…
- If you intend to advance My kingdom, if you are going to change this world…
- Than you must create a culture of servanthood
- If we can’t do it here, we can’t do it there
HOW DO WE CREATE A CULTURE OF SERVANTHOOD?
1) COME TO GRIPS WITH OUR IDENTITY
- Verse 3 is more than informational
- It helps explain Jesus’ actions
- Jesus, knowing His mission, origin, destination, and authority
- Knowing who He was, Jesus could get up and take a towel
- People who have the hardest time serving are often those who are insecure in themselves
- Who fear they will be labeled
- But those who find it easiest to serve are those who know who they are in Christ
- Creating an ethos of service involves something else
2) COME TO GRIPS WITH OUR MISSION
- If we are unwilling to serve, it is because we do not understand that our mission is to continue what Jesus began
- What He has done, we are to do
- “As I have loved you, love one another” (John 13:34)
- “As I have done the Father’s work, you must be about doing the will of the Father” (John 14:12)
- “As I have lived life to the full, you must live in all of My fullness” (John 14:19)
- “As I have born much fruit, you must bear much fruit” (John 15:8)
- “As I was hated, you must anticipate to be hated (John15:18)
- “As I have served, you must serve (John 13:16)
3) COME TO GRIPS WITH OUR RANK
- If anything gets in the way of service it is pride
- Self-interest, self service, self-centeredness plagues all of us
- But Jesus tells us our rank; we are not above our Master (verse 16)
- If there is anything beneath us, we have placed ourselves above Jesus
4) COME TO GRIPS WITH THE NEED/OPPORTUNITIES
- For the need to be a servant is everywhere
- But service is not so much a list of to do’s, it’s broader
A. THE SERVICE OF PRESENCE
- Lots of service begins here
- The ministry of presence might mean getting up in the middle of the night to sit beside the bed of an older, frail, and frightened friend who is dying
Illustration – Prison/Paul
- Going abroad where others are unwilling to go, the fringe
- The marginal, economically deprived places
- Palestinian camps of Beirut, the forgotten places like the
Congo, Darfur, the people in need in Dalkeith, Woodburn, Eskbank
- To simply say, “I am here with no other agenda but to be with you”
Illustration - Bishop in Uganda, interviewed in CT
- We can easily forget that Jesus was most often present at the margins
- And lots of us are unwilling to go there
- And if we are, it is as go-and-fix-it people
- As people who have the answers, and tragically, we just let you fix things, maintaining our lack of confidence
- But what is needed is to come and be with, with no other agenda than to be with us
- Such that we gain our confidence and move forward
B. THE SERVICE OF AVAILABILITY
- The service of interruption
- Taking the latch off the door, in order to pray with someone deeply troubled in spirit
- It is an opportunity of service offered to us countless times each day
- To be always available is to be not worth much when we are
- But servants know when to be available, when they must be
C. THE SERVICE OF GIVING UP
- Giving up your seat, giving up your rights, giving up your place, giving up the fact it has to be your way, giving up your agenda on Friday night
- It may even mean giving up your career
- Robert McQuilkin, a seminary/university president shifted to care for his wife Muriel, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
- Henri Nouwen, author and priest, who left the academic community to move to a community of mentally impaired people to minister to their needs
- They both had been washed by Jesus, and so they made the decision to give up their place and “wash the feet” of others
D. THE SERVICE OF ANONYMITY
- Doing something that needs to be done without needing to be acknowledged, without wanting to be known
- Such as prayer
One could go on…
E. THE SERVICE OF GUARDING THE REPUTATION OF OTHERS
F. THE SERVICE OF SHARING OUR GIFTS
- Right here at St John’s, everyone bringing a brick to the wall, giving your time, talent, your passion
G. THE SERVICE OF RECEIVING
- Part of servanthood is letting someone else wash our feet
Point - This is footwashing, not some church rite, some institutional service of literally washing feet
- Which means little in our culture
In the book, “The Rise of Christianity”, sociologist Rodney Stark set out to understand how Christianity rose from 12 to a few hundred to… in just 300 years, half the population of the Roman Empire were believers
- And this is what he discovered: That Christians chose to live in the cities, and when terrible conditions and epidemics took hold
- Many left, except the church
- That chose to stay and provide basic care, wash the feet of others
- And out of this culture of servanthood, paganism was powerfully impacted
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
What would Jesus say to Buffett and Gates?
The celebration at Bethany where Martha was working in the kitchen, Lazarus was the focus of attention, and Mary was pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet. There was concern on the part of the disciples, especially Judas Iscariot, about the expense of her action related to the needs of the poor.
Three perspectives of the story:
• Everything is His – we really own nothing
• Everything is His to serve His purpose – he was being anointed for burial and the word “intended” seems to indicate this was a well thought out action
• Everything has been given so that we might seize the moment – recognize the eternal significance of each moment. Mary seized the moment of course not aware that Jesus’ death was just days away.
How does this story relate to you and I so many centuries after it happened?
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 12:1-8
“What Would Jesus Say to Buffett and Gates”
INTRO
-Weddings, I have discovered, are a mix of both great joy and subtle sadness
-Joy over the fact two people are cleaving
-But there is that certain sadness when you watch the slide show of their lives
-And realize they are also leaving
-A new chapter is beginning—an old one is ending
-Some years ago, another July wedding
-one wedding I once witnessed the mother wailing uncontrollably at the thought of losing her daughter
-The kind you see in the Middle East—in a funeral procession
-I thought—this man’s in for a long ride
In John 12—it must have been a very emotional time as well. (Vss. 12:1-8)
Like a wedding banquet—people from all around came to celebrate
-And it too had its mix of emotions
-This was Jesus—the Resurrection
-But this was Jesus—the wanted Man (11:57)
-This was Saturday night—the end of Sabbath—time for feasting
-But this was Saturday—before Sunday—the triumphal entry
-That would lead to Thursday the arrest
-And Friday—the execution
-Time for sadness
But for this moment—there would be celebration
-For one of the most incredible miracles in history occurred
-Lazarus, at the command of Jesus, came out of a tomb he had been sealed in for fours days
-So a dinner was held in Jesus’ honour
-Mark 14 tells us Simon the leper—possibly the Father of Lazarus and Mary and Martha, hosted the dinner
-Verse 2 tells us Martha was in the kitchen—where else?
-Up to her elbows in garbanzo beans
-Making sure enough humus was on the table
-The bread, olive oil and vinegar and wine—everything adequately prepared, served
Meanwhile—there must have been a festive atmosphere out in the main room
-It’s not often you have a “Back from the Dead” Party
-Live band—maybe the Grateful Dead or
People must have hovered around Lazarus—like someone just back from spending the night in the number 10 downing st
-What was it like—who did you meet—how was the food?
-What is death like—what do you see, hear, smell?
-Did you meet Him?
-Was it hard to come back?
-Curiosity seekers, necks craning to hear
-Get some hint of what the big day will be like when they all die
But John wasn’t interested in reporting this
-It was Mary who captures John’s attention
-Mary-the quiet one
-Usually found in the vicinity of Jesus
-Hanging on to His words—amazed at Jesus’ wisdom
-Overcome with gratitude for the love Jesus had shown in raising her brother
-Impressed—with HIS POWER—that raises the dead
-So Mary did a most remarkable thing
-She grabbed the most expensive thing in the house
-The family heirloom
-Perhaps the dowry kept for Mary’s wedding day
-The pint of pure nard
-The treasured scent found only in the mountains of Nepal
This was like grabbing imperial majesty by Clive Christian—sold for nearly £1500
an ounce. Or yours for £150,000 a bottle (What I typically buy for Donna at Christmas
-Only more expensive
-For this was pure oil worth about one year’s earnings
-20-30,000 pounds —and she broke the seal and poured it out—all 12.375 ounces
-And in this moment emptied out all of her inheritance—perhaps her ticket to marriage
-And if this were not enough—she poured it on His feet
-Which for most would have been a degrading act
-Only the most menial of servants touched the dirt ridden, smelly, callous feet of another
-But Mary more than touched His feet with her expensive perfume
-She bathed His feet with the symbol of her glory—her hair
-This was a woman acting with extravagant abandon
-Laying aside all propriety and restraint
-For in her mind—this was Jesus—the Deliverer—the Resurrection—the
Light of the world—the Bread of Life—the Living Water
-Whose value to her eclipsed everything she owned—everything she was
The conversation, the eating—everything appears to have stopped like a car in busy traffic.
-This was adoration to behold—this was gratitude overflowing—this was worship at its finest—this was…WASTE!!
-Verses 4-5 tell us a spirit of indignation took over the room
-It was one thing to provide a meal in Jesus’ honour
-But to waste good perfume on Him
-Parallel accounts tell us nearly everyone, including the disciples, were disgusted (Mark 14:4; Matthew 26)
-Judas voiced what others were thinking, what some of us might have thought—“why this misuse of funds”?
-Do you realize how many starving people there are in Africa?
-What we could be doing to help the Dalits in India?
-WHAT IS THIS WOMAN THINKING?
Maybe Mary was thinking this—
1. If He can raise someone from the dead—can He not provide?
2. If He has come to offer life—life abundantly—life in all of its unrestrained fullness
-Is it too much let loose in unrestrained worship?
3. Maybe she was thinking this—wondering this—
-So how do you measure the worth of Jesus?
-How did you arrive at your small price tag?
Illustration: Sophie has inherited from her Dad the issue of struggling to share, mine, mine, mine, Seagulls Finding Nemo
What was Jesus thinking at this moment?
-The One who came to preach to the poor
-Bring mercy—call for justice—teach the parable of the Good Samaritan
-Would He not agree that this is excessive?
-Mary—next time—a simple thank you will be enough
But Jesus did just the opposite. (Verses 7-8)
So what is He saying?
-Perhaps He at this moment placed things back in perspective—
A. EVERYTHING IS HIS
-Nothing is really ours
-What all of them failed to see is that Mary was only bringing to
Jesus what already was His
-Every square inch of this whole universe has written on it—“Mine”
Is that how you see things?
B. EVERYTHING IS HIS TO SERVE HIS PURPOSE
-Everything and everyone has a divine purpose
-Mary seemed to get this
Jesus underscored this in verse 7
-It was intended—for this purpose—the day of My burial—that she kept it
-i.e., from eternity past—this Nard was set apart in this field—in this home—to be used by this woman
-On this night
-That My body might be prepared for this burial
-That this death, burial, and resurrection might save your lives
-Is this not a reminder that all of our gifts, talents, resources, passions— are ultimately His—for His purpose
-And our wisdom is to willingly submit—fit in to His purpose?
Were Jesus speaking to Warren Buffett or Bill Gates—two of world’s richest men
-Who have teamed up to create the world’s largest charitable foundation Would He not say something like this?
-I am impressed by your efforts to alleviate human misery—rather than spend it all on yourselves
-To create a foundation that will hand out more money per year than the
GNP of 40 nations is commendatory
-Resources that could radically reduce poverty, address HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and poor education
-But if this is more about fulfilling your purpose than finding MY PURPOSE
-Treating it as if it is yours to give—rather than Mine to manage
-You might miss the opportunity to most impact the world
-You might become so focused on your solutions that you miss the heart
-From which all the world’s problems emanate
-You might perpetuate the poor because you miss the structures that create poverty
-Sinful inclinations, self-centeredness, and greed
-WHICH ONLY I CAN CHANGE
You might miss what I want to do through you—for life is about My purpose—not yours
Here’s a final perspective—
EVERYTHING IS TO SEIZE HIS TIME
-In this story, God placed a moment in front of Mary
-The hour had come—and no one at the table knew
-No one but Mary—so she seized her moment
-For the moment would soon pass to anoint His body
It is the same for us—we must also seize what is in front of us—and here’s what will not be there much longer—
-The opportunity to give our lives to Jesus, invest in His kingdom, steward whatever He has given us—whatever gifts, passions, talents
-Realizing that the day will come we can no longer do this
-Entering into eternity will not provide a second chance
Three perspectives of the story:
• Everything is His – we really own nothing
• Everything is His to serve His purpose – he was being anointed for burial and the word “intended” seems to indicate this was a well thought out action
• Everything has been given so that we might seize the moment – recognize the eternal significance of each moment. Mary seized the moment of course not aware that Jesus’ death was just days away.
How does this story relate to you and I so many centuries after it happened?
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 12:1-8
“What Would Jesus Say to Buffett and Gates”
INTRO
-Weddings, I have discovered, are a mix of both great joy and subtle sadness
-Joy over the fact two people are cleaving
-But there is that certain sadness when you watch the slide show of their lives
-And realize they are also leaving
-A new chapter is beginning—an old one is ending
-Some years ago, another July wedding
-one wedding I once witnessed the mother wailing uncontrollably at the thought of losing her daughter
-The kind you see in the Middle East—in a funeral procession
-I thought—this man’s in for a long ride
In John 12—it must have been a very emotional time as well. (Vss. 12:1-8)
Like a wedding banquet—people from all around came to celebrate
-And it too had its mix of emotions
-This was Jesus—the Resurrection
-But this was Jesus—the wanted Man (11:57)
-This was Saturday night—the end of Sabbath—time for feasting
-But this was Saturday—before Sunday—the triumphal entry
-That would lead to Thursday the arrest
-And Friday—the execution
-Time for sadness
But for this moment—there would be celebration
-For one of the most incredible miracles in history occurred
-Lazarus, at the command of Jesus, came out of a tomb he had been sealed in for fours days
-So a dinner was held in Jesus’ honour
-Mark 14 tells us Simon the leper—possibly the Father of Lazarus and Mary and Martha, hosted the dinner
-Verse 2 tells us Martha was in the kitchen—where else?
-Up to her elbows in garbanzo beans
-Making sure enough humus was on the table
-The bread, olive oil and vinegar and wine—everything adequately prepared, served
Meanwhile—there must have been a festive atmosphere out in the main room
-It’s not often you have a “Back from the Dead” Party
-Live band—maybe the Grateful Dead or
People must have hovered around Lazarus—like someone just back from spending the night in the number 10 downing st
-What was it like—who did you meet—how was the food?
-What is death like—what do you see, hear, smell?
-Did you meet Him?
-Was it hard to come back?
-Curiosity seekers, necks craning to hear
-Get some hint of what the big day will be like when they all die
But John wasn’t interested in reporting this
-It was Mary who captures John’s attention
-Mary-the quiet one
-Usually found in the vicinity of Jesus
-Hanging on to His words—amazed at Jesus’ wisdom
-Overcome with gratitude for the love Jesus had shown in raising her brother
-Impressed—with HIS POWER—that raises the dead
-So Mary did a most remarkable thing
-She grabbed the most expensive thing in the house
-The family heirloom
-Perhaps the dowry kept for Mary’s wedding day
-The pint of pure nard
-The treasured scent found only in the mountains of Nepal
This was like grabbing imperial majesty by Clive Christian—sold for nearly £1500
an ounce. Or yours for £150,000 a bottle (What I typically buy for Donna at Christmas
-Only more expensive
-For this was pure oil worth about one year’s earnings
-20-30,000 pounds —and she broke the seal and poured it out—all 12.375 ounces
-And in this moment emptied out all of her inheritance—perhaps her ticket to marriage
-And if this were not enough—she poured it on His feet
-Which for most would have been a degrading act
-Only the most menial of servants touched the dirt ridden, smelly, callous feet of another
-But Mary more than touched His feet with her expensive perfume
-She bathed His feet with the symbol of her glory—her hair
-This was a woman acting with extravagant abandon
-Laying aside all propriety and restraint
-For in her mind—this was Jesus—the Deliverer—the Resurrection—the
Light of the world—the Bread of Life—the Living Water
-Whose value to her eclipsed everything she owned—everything she was
The conversation, the eating—everything appears to have stopped like a car in busy traffic.
-This was adoration to behold—this was gratitude overflowing—this was worship at its finest—this was…WASTE!!
-Verses 4-5 tell us a spirit of indignation took over the room
-It was one thing to provide a meal in Jesus’ honour
-But to waste good perfume on Him
-Parallel accounts tell us nearly everyone, including the disciples, were disgusted (Mark 14:4; Matthew 26)
-Judas voiced what others were thinking, what some of us might have thought—“why this misuse of funds”?
-Do you realize how many starving people there are in Africa?
-What we could be doing to help the Dalits in India?
-WHAT IS THIS WOMAN THINKING?
Maybe Mary was thinking this—
1. If He can raise someone from the dead—can He not provide?
2. If He has come to offer life—life abundantly—life in all of its unrestrained fullness
-Is it too much let loose in unrestrained worship?
3. Maybe she was thinking this—wondering this—
-So how do you measure the worth of Jesus?
-How did you arrive at your small price tag?
Illustration: Sophie has inherited from her Dad the issue of struggling to share, mine, mine, mine, Seagulls Finding Nemo
What was Jesus thinking at this moment?
-The One who came to preach to the poor
-Bring mercy—call for justice—teach the parable of the Good Samaritan
-Would He not agree that this is excessive?
-Mary—next time—a simple thank you will be enough
But Jesus did just the opposite. (Verses 7-8)
So what is He saying?
-Perhaps He at this moment placed things back in perspective—
A. EVERYTHING IS HIS
-Nothing is really ours
-What all of them failed to see is that Mary was only bringing to
Jesus what already was His
-Every square inch of this whole universe has written on it—“Mine”
Is that how you see things?
B. EVERYTHING IS HIS TO SERVE HIS PURPOSE
-Everything and everyone has a divine purpose
-Mary seemed to get this
Jesus underscored this in verse 7
-It was intended—for this purpose—the day of My burial—that she kept it
-i.e., from eternity past—this Nard was set apart in this field—in this home—to be used by this woman
-On this night
-That My body might be prepared for this burial
-That this death, burial, and resurrection might save your lives
-Is this not a reminder that all of our gifts, talents, resources, passions— are ultimately His—for His purpose
-And our wisdom is to willingly submit—fit in to His purpose?
Were Jesus speaking to Warren Buffett or Bill Gates—two of world’s richest men
-Who have teamed up to create the world’s largest charitable foundation Would He not say something like this?
-I am impressed by your efforts to alleviate human misery—rather than spend it all on yourselves
-To create a foundation that will hand out more money per year than the
GNP of 40 nations is commendatory
-Resources that could radically reduce poverty, address HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and poor education
-But if this is more about fulfilling your purpose than finding MY PURPOSE
-Treating it as if it is yours to give—rather than Mine to manage
-You might miss the opportunity to most impact the world
-You might become so focused on your solutions that you miss the heart
-From which all the world’s problems emanate
-You might perpetuate the poor because you miss the structures that create poverty
-Sinful inclinations, self-centeredness, and greed
-WHICH ONLY I CAN CHANGE
You might miss what I want to do through you—for life is about My purpose—not yours
Here’s a final perspective—
EVERYTHING IS TO SEIZE HIS TIME
-In this story, God placed a moment in front of Mary
-The hour had come—and no one at the table knew
-No one but Mary—so she seized her moment
-For the moment would soon pass to anoint His body
It is the same for us—we must also seize what is in front of us—and here’s what will not be there much longer—
-The opportunity to give our lives to Jesus, invest in His kingdom, steward whatever He has given us—whatever gifts, passions, talents
-Realizing that the day will come we can no longer do this
-Entering into eternity will not provide a second chance
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
is Jesus only future?
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 11:17-27
“Is Jesus Only Future?”
DiagnosisA woman went to a walk-in clinic, where she was seen by a young, new doctor. After about three minutes in the examination room, the doctor told her she was pregnant. She burst out, screaming as she ran down the hall.An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him what had happened. After listening, he had her sit down and relax in another exam room. The doctor marched down the hallway back to where the first doctor was and demanded, ‘What’s the matter with you? Mrs. Terry is 59 years old, has four grown children and seven grandchildren, and you told her she was PREGNANT?!’The young doctor continued to write on his clipboard, and without looking up, asked, ‘Does she still have the hiccups?’ You have power as well!
Jesus is in a conversation with Martha concerning the death of her brother Lazarus and the fact that she thought Jesus should have come sooner to help him, so perhaps he wouldn’t have died.
Jesus is saddened by the lack of understanding of who really gives life and when he gives it. By his words, he emphasizes the thought that resurrection is not just a future hope but also a present reality.
How often we live knowing the power of God to save us in the future but denying the power of God to carry us today. Paul emphasized this to the churches he visited, too:
Ephesians 1:19-20 “incomparable power working within you”
Colossians 2:13 “God has raised us to live an empowered, transformed life”
Romans 5:17 “raised up in Christ, he has given us the same authority, power”
We have a tendency to act like Martha, seeing resurrection life as only something future. Our faith is attacked on a regular basis to keep us in a fog about living the resurrection life now.
Lazarus came out as Jesus’ proof that he was the present day resurrection.
INTRO
My bottle goes when under pressure,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
-But as one writer put it—he collapsed like a cardboard wind tunnel
I would have wondered:
-God, where were you when I needed you?
All of us ask this question from time to time
Where were you? When my car decided to die?
-When my faith was put on the line, and I didn’t know what to say?
-When the world seemed to turn against me—and I needed to know you cared?
-When I lost my job, when depression struck
-When my loved one died
-In the story of John 11—Martha wondered, “Where were you?”
-Her brother Lazarus was dying
-They assumed Jesus would come immediately
-After all—Mary and Martha and Lazarus were like Jesus’ extended family
· -But Jesus did not come-read (verse 4-6) Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days
-The text could better read—
-Jesus loved Lazarus and Mary and Martha—“so then”—He stayed
-Makes you wonder if He did not like them what He would have done
-This is not making sense
-God is never late for appointments
But then—as in every story of Jesus
-Something is going on that goes beyond the layer of human comprehension
-Something bigger than our wants—something bigger than Lazarus
-Something even beyond the intellectual capacity of His disciples (verses 7-8)
-For them—it was—WHY WOULD YOU GO?
-But for Martha—it would soon be—WHY DID YOU STAY? (verses 17-21)
-You remember Martha—Mary is the stay at home type -the one in the living room, ministering to people-available when Jesus comes in to sit at His feet
-Martha is the one in the kitchen -preparing the food -Mashing the tatties
-Taking particular note of who has come—and Who has not
-And while she expressed faith in Jesus-one can hear a tone of slight disappointment-even accusation-at Jesus’ delay (verse 21)
-The language could fairly be translated this way—
-Lord-if you had been here (which you weren’t), my brother would not have died (which he did)
-This is a grieving person desperately wishing it could have been different
-Who in effect said-“Lord, you could have been here--should have been here”
-Because she knew Jesus could have healed her brother
But she did not give up on Jesus (verse 22)
-She knew that Jesus was intimately connected with the Father
-Jesus can do something—what it is—she is not sure
-Say a little prayer—“Father-receive Lazarus into Your care”
-Comfort hearts—Jesus was good at this
Jesus’ response offered no explanation for His delay
-Just a simple statement (verse 23) Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
-On the surface, these must have appeared as nice words
-Jesus does not tell Martha anything she did not know
-For most Jews believed in a future resurrection
-Your brother will rise again was like saying—we will see him in heaven
-It’s all “religiously correct” small talk
-We know what it sounds like—we’ve heard it often
-Words meant to fill the vacant space
-Comfort words
Martha was good at small talk as well (verse 24) Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
But none of this probably addressed the profound disappointment Martha was feeling:
-In her mind—Jesus had missed a pastoral moment
Pastors are notorious for doing this
-Illustration-missed someone—I was there—but I wasn’t weeks later
-I would call—send cards—but she needed more than words—she needed my presence
-Grief had turned to anger—and I wasn’t there to listen
-I missed a pastoral moment
But this is not about Jesus failing at pastoral care
-Rather—it was all leading up to the pastoral moment Jesus had determined in eternity past for Martha (verses 25-26) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
-Suddenly, Martha was pressed to a deeper level of discussion
-Martha—healing people is not My highest objective
-It’s not about your well being—but My glory
-Teaching you who I am is far more important
-And this is who I am—I am the resurrection and the life
-Jesus was shifting Martha from abstract belief to personal trust
-From doctrine to a Person
-Martha was suddenly confronted with how she perceived Jesus
And on the surface—it would appear Martha got it (verse 27) "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world
-She declared this creed like confession
-End of story—end of conversation—THE END!
But in truth—the conversation was not over
-Martha’s statement came up short--she didn’t really get it
-But then—neither did others (verse 32)
All of this moved Jesus (verses 33, 35, 38)
-A God who weeps when we weep
- God is not remote from our sufferings
-He is nearer than we are to ourselves
But that is not just what these words are saying
-These are words that mix grief with anger—outrage even
-Words that picture a soul in turmoil—gut wrenching emotion
-All chiseled down to two words—the shortest verse in the Bible—Jesus
WEPT
-The same language used when Jesus wept over Jerusalem
But what is Jesus grieving over—outraged over?
1) In part, this is Jesus standing before the door of death—grieving over the human condition
-And the devastation death brings
-Viewing it like a playground bully—interfering with the world as it should be
2) But more-this was Jesus grieving over a people who chose to be overcome by defeat rather than overwhelmed by His power
-Saddened, angered over those who refused to see Him for who He really was—and what He can really do
-That what He provides in the future—He can do in the present
-He could see in Martha—that despite this great confession of faith (verse 27)
-Still did not get it
-In fact—she is the first one to object over moving the stone
She believed in Jesus’ future work—but was not expecting anything in the present
APPLICATION
Could that be us?
-Like Martha—we too can declare our creed—but miss this—
-That the resurrection isn’t some distant truth—it is a present experience for every person in Christ
-With powerful implications
This seems to be the truth Paul wanted the church to get as much as any—
1) To the Ephesians:
-Eph 1:19-20-I pray that you might know the incomparable power working within you
-That experiencing His power and presence and wisdom be a daily reality—and not some mere future hope
2) To the Colossians:
-Col 2:13-God has raised us (now!)—that we might live an empowered, transformed life
-A life in which the Christlike life will eventually become more natural than an un-Christlike life
3) To the Romans
-Romans 5:17-because we are raised up in Christ (who has placed all things under His feet), He has given us the same authority, power to reign with Him
-He sits at the right hand of the father-transfusing us with His Spirit, adorning the church with gifts, restraining sin, holding all power in heaven and earth
-So that we might do even greater things because He has gone to the Father and sent His Spirit
So why is this missing so often in us?
1) In part because we make the same mistake of Martha—of seeing resurrection as something only future—when it is present
But living that way is like saying getting married means—
“Because I’ve given you this ring, you will be taken care of in retirement”
-No, there’s something to be experienced in the present
2) In part because we are in a war that chips away at our convictions, undermining our belief that God intends for us to live at this level
-A fog that keeps us from seeing who we really are—what we could really be—as people of the resurrection
Satan and his emissaries bank an awful lot of their work on the fact that Christians don’t know the power and authority we now have in Christ
-And keep them in the dark
-Deceiving them into seeing the spiritual life as all about forgiveness and grace—and not so much about empowered, Christlike living
SO WHAT’S NEEDED?
-Take Jesus’ resurrection power, authority seriously
-Quit settling for A LIFE OF RESIGNATION
-Assuming so little—domesticated faith, some ritual—
-Quit accepting life at ground level
live in the power!! We are to live the normal Christian life, you know what that is? To have an appetite for the impossible, In Redding California, a couple were having a wedding, they sent out buses to the neediest and poorest part of the city and invited the homeless and the poor to their wedding meal, on their gift list was not the usual, but coats, hats, gloves, sleeping bags for those in need, his name was Luke, he walked with difficulty, he wore braces on his arms, a brace around his neck, he had carpal tunnel syndrome, some people prayed for him, he felt the numbness and pain go, one leg was shorter than the other due to an accident and the surgeon repairing a break, they prayed the leg would grow and it did, as he stood he said “yes that is about right as if he was trying on a new pair of shoes, his limp was gone, he also had cancer, the muscles in his neck had gone, they prayed for his neck, commanding muscles to grow, when they finished he removed his brace, the lumps in his neck were gone, his doctor gave him a clean bill of health, the healings continued after the physical, he got a job for the first time in 17 years, Jesus heals the whole person.
-You know our problem? We do not expect, we assume little and receive little, the problem exists between our ears! A renewing of our mind is needed.
-God does not heal always he is sovereign, we do not know his plans, but you know what if we do not ask for the power of God to move in our lives, we will not receive any, neither will anyone else, but if we ask, if we pray God will not ignore our pleas, God will move! Lives change
-What is God’s will? Jesus told us quite simply, “may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, God wants the things of heaven here on earth, love joy peace, wholeness, wisdom, health and all the other good promises we read of in the bible, these should be free to operate on earth, in your home, in Church, in your work, in your school.
That is our job here on earth, defeat the devil, live for God, this is normal for Christians, it is in our DNA, we have it from Jesus, He has defeated sin for us, so it is not a barrier, but he was completely dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit working through him, How dependent are we upon him for life? Trust in him, seek him, delight in him and discover what Jesus has in store for you!
John 11:17-27
“Is Jesus Only Future?”
DiagnosisA woman went to a walk-in clinic, where she was seen by a young, new doctor. After about three minutes in the examination room, the doctor told her she was pregnant. She burst out, screaming as she ran down the hall.An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him what had happened. After listening, he had her sit down and relax in another exam room. The doctor marched down the hallway back to where the first doctor was and demanded, ‘What’s the matter with you? Mrs. Terry is 59 years old, has four grown children and seven grandchildren, and you told her she was PREGNANT?!’The young doctor continued to write on his clipboard, and without looking up, asked, ‘Does she still have the hiccups?’ You have power as well!
Jesus is in a conversation with Martha concerning the death of her brother Lazarus and the fact that she thought Jesus should have come sooner to help him, so perhaps he wouldn’t have died.
Jesus is saddened by the lack of understanding of who really gives life and when he gives it. By his words, he emphasizes the thought that resurrection is not just a future hope but also a present reality.
How often we live knowing the power of God to save us in the future but denying the power of God to carry us today. Paul emphasized this to the churches he visited, too:
Ephesians 1:19-20 “incomparable power working within you”
Colossians 2:13 “God has raised us to live an empowered, transformed life”
Romans 5:17 “raised up in Christ, he has given us the same authority, power”
We have a tendency to act like Martha, seeing resurrection life as only something future. Our faith is attacked on a regular basis to keep us in a fog about living the resurrection life now.
Lazarus came out as Jesus’ proof that he was the present day resurrection.
INTRO
My bottle goes when under pressure,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
-But as one writer put it—he collapsed like a cardboard wind tunnel
I would have wondered:
-God, where were you when I needed you?
All of us ask this question from time to time
Where were you? When my car decided to die?
-When my faith was put on the line, and I didn’t know what to say?
-When the world seemed to turn against me—and I needed to know you cared?
-When I lost my job, when depression struck
-When my loved one died
-In the story of John 11—Martha wondered, “Where were you?”
-Her brother Lazarus was dying
-They assumed Jesus would come immediately
-After all—Mary and Martha and Lazarus were like Jesus’ extended family
· -But Jesus did not come-read (verse 4-6) Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days
-The text could better read—
-Jesus loved Lazarus and Mary and Martha—“so then”—He stayed
-Makes you wonder if He did not like them what He would have done
-This is not making sense
-God is never late for appointments
But then—as in every story of Jesus
-Something is going on that goes beyond the layer of human comprehension
-Something bigger than our wants—something bigger than Lazarus
-Something even beyond the intellectual capacity of His disciples (verses 7-8)
-For them—it was—WHY WOULD YOU GO?
-But for Martha—it would soon be—WHY DID YOU STAY? (verses 17-21)
-You remember Martha—Mary is the stay at home type -the one in the living room, ministering to people-available when Jesus comes in to sit at His feet
-Martha is the one in the kitchen -preparing the food -Mashing the tatties
-Taking particular note of who has come—and Who has not
-And while she expressed faith in Jesus-one can hear a tone of slight disappointment-even accusation-at Jesus’ delay (verse 21)
-The language could fairly be translated this way—
-Lord-if you had been here (which you weren’t), my brother would not have died (which he did)
-This is a grieving person desperately wishing it could have been different
-Who in effect said-“Lord, you could have been here--should have been here”
-Because she knew Jesus could have healed her brother
But she did not give up on Jesus (verse 22)
-She knew that Jesus was intimately connected with the Father
-Jesus can do something—what it is—she is not sure
-Say a little prayer—“Father-receive Lazarus into Your care”
-Comfort hearts—Jesus was good at this
Jesus’ response offered no explanation for His delay
-Just a simple statement (verse 23) Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
-On the surface, these must have appeared as nice words
-Jesus does not tell Martha anything she did not know
-For most Jews believed in a future resurrection
-Your brother will rise again was like saying—we will see him in heaven
-It’s all “religiously correct” small talk
-We know what it sounds like—we’ve heard it often
-Words meant to fill the vacant space
-Comfort words
Martha was good at small talk as well (verse 24) Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
But none of this probably addressed the profound disappointment Martha was feeling:
-In her mind—Jesus had missed a pastoral moment
Pastors are notorious for doing this
-Illustration-missed someone—I was there—but I wasn’t weeks later
-I would call—send cards—but she needed more than words—she needed my presence
-Grief had turned to anger—and I wasn’t there to listen
-I missed a pastoral moment
But this is not about Jesus failing at pastoral care
-Rather—it was all leading up to the pastoral moment Jesus had determined in eternity past for Martha (verses 25-26) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
-Suddenly, Martha was pressed to a deeper level of discussion
-Martha—healing people is not My highest objective
-It’s not about your well being—but My glory
-Teaching you who I am is far more important
-And this is who I am—I am the resurrection and the life
-Jesus was shifting Martha from abstract belief to personal trust
-From doctrine to a Person
-Martha was suddenly confronted with how she perceived Jesus
And on the surface—it would appear Martha got it (verse 27) "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world
-She declared this creed like confession
-End of story—end of conversation—THE END!
But in truth—the conversation was not over
-Martha’s statement came up short--she didn’t really get it
-But then—neither did others (verse 32)
All of this moved Jesus (verses 33, 35, 38)
-A God who weeps when we weep
- God is not remote from our sufferings
-He is nearer than we are to ourselves
But that is not just what these words are saying
-These are words that mix grief with anger—outrage even
-Words that picture a soul in turmoil—gut wrenching emotion
-All chiseled down to two words—the shortest verse in the Bible—Jesus
WEPT
-The same language used when Jesus wept over Jerusalem
But what is Jesus grieving over—outraged over?
1) In part, this is Jesus standing before the door of death—grieving over the human condition
-And the devastation death brings
-Viewing it like a playground bully—interfering with the world as it should be
2) But more-this was Jesus grieving over a people who chose to be overcome by defeat rather than overwhelmed by His power
-Saddened, angered over those who refused to see Him for who He really was—and what He can really do
-That what He provides in the future—He can do in the present
-He could see in Martha—that despite this great confession of faith (verse 27)
-Still did not get it
-In fact—she is the first one to object over moving the stone
She believed in Jesus’ future work—but was not expecting anything in the present
APPLICATION
Could that be us?
-Like Martha—we too can declare our creed—but miss this—
-That the resurrection isn’t some distant truth—it is a present experience for every person in Christ
-With powerful implications
This seems to be the truth Paul wanted the church to get as much as any—
1) To the Ephesians:
-Eph 1:19-20-I pray that you might know the incomparable power working within you
-That experiencing His power and presence and wisdom be a daily reality—and not some mere future hope
2) To the Colossians:
-Col 2:13-God has raised us (now!)—that we might live an empowered, transformed life
-A life in which the Christlike life will eventually become more natural than an un-Christlike life
3) To the Romans
-Romans 5:17-because we are raised up in Christ (who has placed all things under His feet), He has given us the same authority, power to reign with Him
-He sits at the right hand of the father-transfusing us with His Spirit, adorning the church with gifts, restraining sin, holding all power in heaven and earth
-So that we might do even greater things because He has gone to the Father and sent His Spirit
So why is this missing so often in us?
1) In part because we make the same mistake of Martha—of seeing resurrection as something only future—when it is present
But living that way is like saying getting married means—
“Because I’ve given you this ring, you will be taken care of in retirement”
-No, there’s something to be experienced in the present
2) In part because we are in a war that chips away at our convictions, undermining our belief that God intends for us to live at this level
-A fog that keeps us from seeing who we really are—what we could really be—as people of the resurrection
Satan and his emissaries bank an awful lot of their work on the fact that Christians don’t know the power and authority we now have in Christ
-And keep them in the dark
-Deceiving them into seeing the spiritual life as all about forgiveness and grace—and not so much about empowered, Christlike living
SO WHAT’S NEEDED?
-Take Jesus’ resurrection power, authority seriously
-Quit settling for A LIFE OF RESIGNATION
-Assuming so little—domesticated faith, some ritual—
-Quit accepting life at ground level
live in the power!! We are to live the normal Christian life, you know what that is? To have an appetite for the impossible, In Redding California, a couple were having a wedding, they sent out buses to the neediest and poorest part of the city and invited the homeless and the poor to their wedding meal, on their gift list was not the usual, but coats, hats, gloves, sleeping bags for those in need, his name was Luke, he walked with difficulty, he wore braces on his arms, a brace around his neck, he had carpal tunnel syndrome, some people prayed for him, he felt the numbness and pain go, one leg was shorter than the other due to an accident and the surgeon repairing a break, they prayed the leg would grow and it did, as he stood he said “yes that is about right as if he was trying on a new pair of shoes, his limp was gone, he also had cancer, the muscles in his neck had gone, they prayed for his neck, commanding muscles to grow, when they finished he removed his brace, the lumps in his neck were gone, his doctor gave him a clean bill of health, the healings continued after the physical, he got a job for the first time in 17 years, Jesus heals the whole person.
-You know our problem? We do not expect, we assume little and receive little, the problem exists between our ears! A renewing of our mind is needed.
-God does not heal always he is sovereign, we do not know his plans, but you know what if we do not ask for the power of God to move in our lives, we will not receive any, neither will anyone else, but if we ask, if we pray God will not ignore our pleas, God will move! Lives change
-What is God’s will? Jesus told us quite simply, “may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, God wants the things of heaven here on earth, love joy peace, wholeness, wisdom, health and all the other good promises we read of in the bible, these should be free to operate on earth, in your home, in Church, in your work, in your school.
That is our job here on earth, defeat the devil, live for God, this is normal for Christians, it is in our DNA, we have it from Jesus, He has defeated sin for us, so it is not a barrier, but he was completely dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit working through him, How dependent are we upon him for life? Trust in him, seek him, delight in him and discover what Jesus has in store for you!
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