Source SM Recap: Volume #18

Current Series: “I AM: changes who I am”Title: Week 3 – “The Resurrection and Life” Main Thought: Jesus’ resurrection reveals hope eternally and in everyday pain.  Scripture:  John 11:17-24, John 11:25-33, 28-35, 41-44.

Message explanation: Up to this point in the book of John we have seen Jesus walk on water, heal the blind, heal the cripple, feed the 5,000 and more. Jesus has performed many miracles and now He is about to set up the pinnacle miracle! We are going to look at a family that Jesus loved.

I.       The Death of Lazarus  (vv. 1-16)

Jesus waits. Although Jesus cares for Lazarus, Jesus waits and doesn’t make it in time to heal him. Why doesn’t Jesus do what we expect and hope for Him to do?

II. Jesus meets Martha – Read John 11:17-27

John 11:17-24 ^“When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days.

Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

In a hopeless situation, Martha runs towards Jesus. She had learned to be dependent upon Him. Weeping at His feet, she looks at Him in brokenness.

John 11:25-27, Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. ²⁶ Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 

III. Jesus meets with Mary – Read John 11:27-35

Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” So Mary immediately went to him. Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,^[f] and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept."

Jesus is 100% God and 100% man - Jesus Wept. In John 11:33 it says Jesus was, “deeply moved. (anger, outrage, emotional indignation). It means in the Greek to silently bursting into tears in contrast to a loud cry. Jesus was not broken over the death of Lazarus, but the cause of sin is death. Jesus was broken over the effects of sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. It also says in Isaiah 53:3 says Jesus was a, “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”  Sin brings death.

 IV. Lazarus and Jesus – John 11:41-44.

 Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

 Jesus has come and death has lost its grip. Jesus never attended a funeral. Jesus and death are in opposition, and Jesus always wins!

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

  Grieve toward God. Embrace the pain so God can heal you. Stop running and listen to God’s heart. Many find relief in working, school, drinking, depression, or just giving up. Our culture tells us to push away pain. Instead of moving towards the healing of God, we are drifting backwards away from healing. May and Martha were grieving towards God.

Testing our faith through pain: -       Bitterness (I can’t believe you allowed this God). -       Bargaining (Ok God…If you heal my friend/family I will…). -       Brokenness (Hitting your knees before God in surrender to His Will. It is resting our inability to handle the situation. In brokenness, God does not cast us out but carries us with His strength. Never measure God’s love for you based upon your health, circumstances or comfort. His love is constant and unending. 

 Connect in community. God never intended for us to walk through life alone. Community is about being present. Jesus’ words to Martha “I AM the resurrection and the lift’ changed everything! On this statement stands the entire foundation of the faith in Christ.

Forget the grave clothes. A relationship with Jesus offers life instead of death. Jesus, THE resurrection and the life conquered death completely for all time on the cross!

Have you found life in Jesus? If so, are you living with hope towards life’s situation and pain? Lazarus took off the grave clothes. What are some of the “grave clothes” you still have on?

Element of Fun: We played a "minute to win it" game with the Middle school students called, "This Blows." It was a fun game! 

 Music: We Unite, Your Love Never Fails, How He Loves, Your Presence is Heaven to Me (closing).

 Favorite Moment: Watching students worship and be teachable in big group time and breakout groups.

What’s Next: We continue the “I AM” series into John 14. We will discover the next statement of Jesus’ identity as the way, the truth and life!

Do you need a Faith Lift?

2 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. ² Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, ³ four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. ⁴ They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. ⁵ Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven." ⁶ But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, ⁷ “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” ⁸ Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts?⁹ Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? ¹⁰ So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ¹¹ “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” ¹² And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” Mark 2:1-12.

I often hear these statements from students, “I cannot wait to grow up!” or “I cannot wait to receive my license and graduate!” We all face milestones in our lives, whether that is your first steps, bike ride or college graduation. What does a growing faith look like? Is growing in our faith just a class, memorizing scripture, or church attendance?  To have faith in God we must STOP having faith in our own power.

What does growing faith look like?

Growing faith is active (v. 3-4) "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17

The four men cared about their friend. They cared more about a person than a building. Jesus did not come to establish a building of people who look, smell and act like each other. He came to set the captives free ! Faith is moving from knowing facts to trusting a person.

Growing faith is believing (v. 5) "Without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6.

Jesus “saw their faith.” Too many people live as practical atheists. They recognize God, even call themselves Christians, but their lifestyle screams that God does not exist. Faith is moving from knowing to doing. They are intimately connected. A growing faith grows from impersonal to personal. It is placing all of who you are into all of who God is. It is surrendering our all into the hands of Jesus.

Growing faith is visible (8-12)

The four men refused to give up hope for their friend! We need to reach out to the world and not get so focused upon ourselves. What you and I do with our life REVEALS who or what we put our faith in. Are we known for our undying and unrelenting faith? Does your faith cost you anything?

God wants to build our faith. The greater the faith, the greater the relationship! 

Jesus > Religion

Jeff Bethke has shared another great video that is powerful and filled with convicting truth. He posted this video a few days ago and already it has over 6 million views. Many people are still mixed up about Jesus. Following Jesus is a relationship not a religion! My prayer is that we understand the gospel is not earned by good deeds but only through Jesus' payment of sin on the cross. My prayer is that true Christianity will shine through the facade of religious ritual and man-centered theology. Great job Jeff!

"Now let me clarify: I love the church; I love the Bible, and, yes, I believe in sin. But if Jesus came to your church, would they actually let Him in?" Bethke asks in his video message.