Pastor continued his sermon series on the 11th chapter of John. Today in this chapter Jesus called
Lazarus from the dead. Likewise each one of us has been called from the dead by the same voice. We
were not physically dead of course but we were spiritually dead. We lived in graves of sin, guilt and
shame. We heard his call and we responded and we are no longer afraid of death. Jesus is and always
will be the resurrection and the life. He offers new life to all who will receive and accept his call. The
world needs to hear this message. That is our job. Yes it is true that missionaries, pastors and evangelists
are called to share the Word but that is our job as well. Pastor talked about the spiritual decline that has
become so evident in our public schools. Our world needs to know that there is a better way than the
way it has chosen.
The first point of the sermon is of the great objection of faith. Taken from versus 38 and 39 we see now
that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Martha objected to the disturbing of her brother’s
tomb that day. The King James it says, “by now he stinketh.” There are things in our world that are a
stench in God’s nostrils. Many believers today want to maintain their status quo. Jesus on the other
hand wants to disturb the sin that is a part of our lives. He wants us to grow. Our objection to the
leading of the Lord is responsible for us not growing in the Lord. Why do some refuse to go? The object
to God’s leading. God wants us to see the whole picture.
The second point is the great promise of faith. In verse 40 Jesus looks at Martha says, “Did I not tell you
that if you believe you would see the glory of God?” God’s glory is manifested in his power his mercy his
love and his care. We need to begin to trust God and his word. We will see his glory manifested in every
part of our lives. We need to step out in faith and begin to see the results that he has promised.
When you trust in someone you are confident in that person’s ability. Pastor used the analogy of driving
over a bridge. When we do so we trust the engineers, the workers and the material. Despite the stability
of the bridges around us there are people who are still afraid to cross. We need to trust God at all times.
That is part of Christian growth. We trust in him and we trust in his strength. Ask yourself, how far does
my trust go? There are people in whom we trust who let us down. That is not the case with God. God’s
word also says that without faith it is impossible to please God.
The third point is the great purpose of prayer. When Jesus told the people to roll away the stone He
began with a prayer to His father. He began by addressing His father as his father. He prayed with
purpose. As a reminder our 2013 focus is to pray hard, work hard and to trust God, and our Scripture
reference has been James 5:16. Church, nothing will change unless we pray.
Pastor noted that there are several purposes in this brief prayer that Jesus prayed just before rolling the
stone away. The first purpose is to honor and worship God. We can now use the word Abba. We can
pray directly to our heavenly father. The next purpose is to ask for whatever we need just as Jesus did in
this short prayer. Another purpose is to thank and praise God. Psalm 150 at the end of that great book
says that everything that has breath will praise the Lord. The final purpose is to prove our faith in God.
Pastor mentioned that the great leader John Wesley prayed two to eight hours per day.
Then there is a great shout of power. In this verse Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave.
Lazarus walked out still wrapped in his burial cloths. Despite what people must have been thinking,
Jesus ordered that the dead man rise again and walked out. But why the shout? Maybe it matched the
enormity of the miracle. Maybe it was because Jesus spoke into two realms - the spiritual and the
physical. Maybe it was purely to show His great power.
Remember that the religious leaders wanted to kill not only Jesus but Lazarus as well. The man who had
died was now alive and was a living, walking reminder to all of Christ’s power.
Church, will you have a limited faith that questions God? Or will you have a resting faith-one that trusts
in Him? When you have a resting faith you have one that trusts in the same God who raised Lazarus
from the dead and taught his two sisters – and us - many valuable lessons.