1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,040 You would please remain standing for the reading of God's Word 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:08,640 from John Chapter 11, Helen Hickman and Henry Hours, two of 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,200 our seniors, Henry Hours, are going to share from this 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:12,880 passage. It's the middle of where we've 5 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,520 been in our study in the Gospel of John. 6 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,160 It's the continuation of the story of Lazarus being raised 7 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,320 from the dead. Thank you both for reading the 8 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,480 Word of God. So they took away the stone, and 9 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,960 Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that 10 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,720 you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, 11 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,880 but I said this on account of the people standing around, that 12 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:35,640 they made believe that you sent me. 13 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,760 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice. 14 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,640 Lazarus, come out. The man who had died came out, 15 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,760 his hands and his feet bound with linen strips, and his face 16 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,320 wrapped in the cloth. Jesus said to them, Unbind him, 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,840 and let him go. Many of the Jews, therefore, who 18 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,760 had come with Mary, and had seen what he had did, and what he 19 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,040 did, believed in him. But some of them went to the 20 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,360 Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 21 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,800 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council 22 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,920 and said, What are we to do? For this man performs many 23 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:16,320 signs. If we let him go on like this, 24 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,920 everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:20,760 take away both our place and our nation. 26 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,320 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, 27 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,320 said to them, You know nothing at all, nor do you people 28 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:30,840 understand that it is better for you that one man should die for 29 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,400 the people, not that the whole nation should perish. 30 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,080 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest 31 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,880 that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 32 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,520 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:45,760 children of God who are scattered abroad. 34 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,440 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. 35 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,560 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went 36 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,360 from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called 37 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,280 Ephraim. And there he said with the 38 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,120 disciples, This is the word of the Lord. 39 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:02,880 Thanks be to God, please be seated. 40 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,000 Helen Henry, thank you both so much, so grateful. 41 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,160 Father in Heaven, as we open your word, I pray that you would 42 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,200 illuminate Holy Spirit, our hearts and minds that we would 43 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,120 believe the truth of the gospel. We would receive it and not 44 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,240 reject it. Overwhelm us with this good 45 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,560 news. For the sake of your glory and 46 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,080 our good, we pray in the name of Jesus, Amen. 47 00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:33,840 It is a sweet day for us as a church to remember the 48 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,600 generations. I couldn't help but notice when 49 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,520 we were recognizing the seniors that there was a child in the 50 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,400 back, maybe one of my own grandchildren, making noise. 51 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:46,760 And I want you to know that's sweet noise. 52 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,840 Some of you might get, you know, frustrated about that at times. 53 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,520 But it's it's the generations. It's the generations. 54 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,200 And it's sweet the same time. We have a dear sister, Carolyn 55 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,240 Hunt, who celebrated her 96th birthday last Sunday here. 56 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,000 Praise the Lord. And tomorrow, Bill Nichol turns 57 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,440 100, and he is right here with us this morning as well. 58 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,760 That's a remarkable thing, to be a part of a church that really 59 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,840 does expand the generations. And that's one of the most 60 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:22,360 incredible gifts that we have with such wisdom and such hope, 61 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,760 with such encouragement and such incredible devotion. 62 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,800 It really is quite beautiful this morning as we come to this 63 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,920 passage. This is where the Gospel of John 64 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:35,760 really begins to swing on a hinge. 65 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,200 Everything is now moving towards Jesus going to the cross. 66 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,080 And one of the things that John is doing is he's going to show 67 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,320 that there really are two responses to Jesus. 68 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,440 You either receive him and rest in him alone for salvation, or 69 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,240 you reject Him. It's simple. 70 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,320 You either receive him or you reject him. 71 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,360 And in our passage, you see that and you're going to see it 72 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,040 continue as the Gospel unfolds. Next week, we'll be looking at 73 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,680 Mary, who was anointing Jesus with the expensive perfume. 74 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:11,080 She was overwhelmed by his love and His Holiness. 75 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,640 That's all she knew to do. And at that same place, you're 76 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,560 going to see Judas, who is now beginning to reject the reality 77 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,240 of who Jesus is and will soon turn him in for money. 78 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:28,080 Today we see that Lazarus truly walked from the grave. 79 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,800 There are those who received him as Lord and those who rejected 80 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,120 him. That's what we're going to 81 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,440 unpack. First, we need to admit this. 82 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,760 If you're new to our church, we don't believe that this is a 83 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,800 nice story or a metaphor. We really believe in the Holy 84 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,080 Word of God. We believe that it's God 85 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,600 breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, 86 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,480 and training in righteousness. So what that means is we believe 87 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:54,800 that there was a man put in a grave who was truly dead. 88 00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,000 He wasn't mostly dead. He wasn't sick, gravely ill. 89 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,280 He was dead. There was no heartbeat. 90 00:05:02,280 --> 00:05:05,080 His life, physical life, had ceased to exist. 91 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:10,320 Lazarus was in the grave. The tomb had been closed. 92 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:16,160 Then Jesus, as our two friends read to us, cries out with a 93 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,920 loud voice after praying to the Father. 94 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,640 And he says in verse 43, Lazarus come out. 95 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,080 And he did. Because we know the end of the 96 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,280 story and most of us are familiar with it, I think we'd 97 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,080 lose the profound reality of what happened. 98 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,840 They were mourning a brother. They were mourning a friend. 99 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,440 They were mourning for friends who had lost a brother. 100 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:45,520 Lazarus was dead. But when Jesus said Lazarus come 101 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,120 out, the stone had been taken away, it had been moved. 102 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:53,440 Lazarus rose, he was resurrected. 103 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,520 This man who was dead is now walking out of the tomb with the 104 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,680 grave clothes wrapped around him, the linen wrapped around 105 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:07,200 him. And Jesus says, remove the 106 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:12,240 linen, the strips from his face, unbind him and let him go. 107 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,840 And it really happened. Now, there were people who were 108 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:19,160 there just like us. We've been to memorial services. 109 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,560 We've been to graveside service. It would have been just as 110 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,680 shocking as if we were to graveside service. 111 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:30,600 And me or another minister said, with power, come out and the 112 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:35,040 deceased truly rose. That's what happened. 113 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,720 You might think if I was there, I would never need anything else 114 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,560 to believe, but that wasn't the case. 115 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:49,600 In the Gospel, verse 45, John tells us many of the Jews, 116 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:55,160 therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what He did, 117 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:57,680 believed in Him. Many of them did. 118 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,040 And here's what happens. There's more than one 119 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,800 resurrection that took place for the Jews that were present, who 120 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,480 had simply come to mourn with Mary and Martha, those who had 121 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,280 not believed in Jesus before. Suddenly they see Lazarus 122 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:15,320 walking out, this man who's resurrected. 123 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,400 Those who believed had their own resurrection. 124 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,760 This was a resurrection, the same kind of resurrection that 125 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,440 takes the place in any person who places faith in Jesus, Any 126 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,640 one of us who would say, I'm a Christian, I've rested in Jesus 127 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,480 alone for salvation. It is because there was a 128 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,560 resurrection in your life. At whatever age the Lord called 129 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:44,480 you to Himself, it was because He caused your heart that was 130 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,400 dead. Not just sick, not a little bit 131 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,120 of moral, but dead to begin to beat for Him. 132 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,960 Here's what that means. If you're a person here today 133 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,920 worshipping the Lord, and you know you have been saved, you 134 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:03,040 must remember constantly with great humility, I didn't deserve 135 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,160 it. I did nothing to earn it. 136 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,080 It was simply His grace and His favor. 137 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,760 How do I know? In the book of Ephesians chapter 138 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:16,480 2, here's what Paul says. And you were dead. 139 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:21,440 This is to all people, and you were dead in your trespasses and 140 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:27,000 sins in which you once walked, following the course of the of 141 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,680 the air. The power that is now at work 142 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:36,240 among the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived, 143 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,000 carrying out the passions of our flesh and the desires of the 144 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,280 body and mind. And we were by nature children 145 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,680 of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 146 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:52,360 Now here's the hinge. But God, but God. 147 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:54,560 Bill Lambert's favorite 2 words in the Bible. 148 00:08:54,760 --> 00:09:01,800 But God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with 149 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:08,920 which He loved us, made us alive in Christ. 150 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:16,720 By grace you have been saved, and raised us up with Him, and 151 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,840 seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ. 152 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:26,120 Jesus raised us who are in Christ up with Him and set us 153 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:31,840 with Him in the heavenly places. If you have received Jesus just 154 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,880 as the Jews that day dead, it's because there was a resurrection 155 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:40,880 that happened in your life. You and me dead in our hearts, 156 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,000 spiritually unable to believe Jesus. 157 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,440 Suddenly the work happened just as Jesus said to Lazarus, 158 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,440 Lazarus, come out. The Holy Spirit spoke to us. 159 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,520 We didn't hear those words, but through irresistible grace we 160 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:58,160 say, I need a Savior. I've got a problem, I've got a 161 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,520 disease that is terminal called sin. 162 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,400 We all do. The only way, the only hope is 163 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,240 to receive Jesus. That's a resurrection and all 164 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,640 who are in Christ had that resurrection today. 165 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,880 If you're here and that has not been your story, it might be 166 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,320 because today is the day you will hear His voice through his 167 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,240 word and Spirit say come, come out, come alive. 168 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:28,440 I alone can save you. But there were those who were 169 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:34,760 there who saw the same thing, who saw the stone that covered 170 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,920 the tomb where the body had been for four days rolled away. 171 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,840 They heard Jesus pray the prayer that he prayed to the Father. 172 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:48,480 And then they heard Jesus in a loud voice say Lazarus come out, 173 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,160 every eye fixed on that tomb, and suddenly that man that they 174 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,360 knew was dead came walking out. It really happened. 175 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:02,120 Some, verse 45 tells us, believed they had their own 176 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,720 resurrection, but some did not. They saw the same thing. 177 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,160 They heard the same thing, but they didn't receive Him. 178 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,840 They didn't believe verse 46, but some of them went to the 179 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,560 Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 180 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:26,240 You either receive Christ for who He is as Lord and Savior, or 181 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,760 you reject Him. Many rejected Him. 182 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:37,040 Many continue to reject Him. Those who saw a dead man walk at 183 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:43,000 the command of a man named Jesus still rejected who He was. 184 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,600 So they go to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a very 185 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,560 religious group. The Pharisees were the ones that 186 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,440 actually added to the word of God many rules and believed that 187 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,240 they could obey it. Sometimes when we talk about 188 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,280 legalism, we call it Phariseeism because there's this, there's 189 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,680 this belief that I can be good enough if I obey all these rules 190 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:07,480 to enter the Kingdom. There was another group called 191 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,360 the Sadducees. The Sadducees were far more 192 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,880 political than the Pharisees. In fact, these two groups 193 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:18,160 actually hated each other, but they're about to come together 194 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,880 because of a common hate that's born out of a common threat. 195 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,680 And together they will form the Sanhedrin. 196 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:30,120 And as they come together, they are going to make the decision 197 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:35,080 to kill this man who was the very one who was innocent. 198 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,280 Never send who said Lazarus come out. 199 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:44,040 Why? There is always a why underneath 200 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,720 the reason why people reject who Christ is. 201 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,360 So let's see there. Just look with me at verse 47. 202 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,080 The Jews that didn't believe and receive Jesus move to the 203 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:55,560 Pharisees. They tell them what has 204 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:57,640 happened. And verse 47 continues. 205 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:01,920 So the chief priest and the Pharisees gathered the counsel 206 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:06,720 and said what are we to do now? That basically means they're 207 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,720 saying we've been trying to stop this man. 208 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,960 His miracles are becoming more and more known, raising a dead 209 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:21,280 man to life. If this continues to happen, 210 00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:24,400 everyone is going to begin to follow him. 211 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:30,240 What are we to do? What are we to do? 212 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,200 For this man performs many signs. 213 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,920 Verse 48. If we let him go on like this, 214 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,040 everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and 215 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:44,480 take away both our place and our nation. 216 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:54,400 There's the why do you see it? If Jesus, the man who's done all 217 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,400 these miracles, this is really important. 218 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,120 They didn't deny that he did the miracles. 219 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:02,840 They didn't deny that Lazarus was alive. 220 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:04,880 In fact, they knew what had happened. 221 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,840 What's underneath all of it? What's underneath two groups 222 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,640 that really despise one another coming together against this 223 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,600 common threat? It's that there is something 224 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,600 they're afraid of losing, and that which they are afraid of 225 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,680 losing is their primary identity and their primary security. 226 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:32,640 And John tells us what it is. If this man continues, there is 227 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,160 going to be an uprest. There is going to be so many 228 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,240 people following him that the Romans are going to respond. 229 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,440 And if the Romans respond, they are going to take away, by the 230 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:49,160 way, the exact same word use it use when John tells us Jesus 231 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:53,760 said take away the stone, they're going to take away. 232 00:14:53,760 --> 00:15:00,640 What does it say? Our place and our nation, their 233 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:05,400 place, the temple, but also their position in that place 234 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,680 with power. The Romans are going to come and 235 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,880 they're going to take away our place and they're going to take 236 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:18,240 away our nation. The man that they want to kill 237 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:25,160 just raised someone from the dead with just his words. 238 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,800 What should have been going on in that conversation with 239 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,840 religious people present, people who knew the Old Testament 240 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:38,960 should have been We don't need to fear anyone if we would trust 241 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,560 who He told us He is. And now, because we've seen what 242 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,400 he's done, we don't need to fear the Romans. 243 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,360 We don't need to fear any nation. 244 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:53,160 We don't need to fear anything or anyone because He is the one 245 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,800 we've been waiting for. He has the power. 246 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,880 He's who he said he is. He is the Son of God. 247 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,640 But that's not what they said, because that man who did that 248 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:08,800 was a threat to what was more important to them, their place 249 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:13,560 and their nation. It can happen to us. 250 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:18,480 It does happen to us. What happens is that anytime we 251 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:24,600 take a secondary or lower identity and say in order to 252 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:30,800 keep this place, this position, this nation, we must do this. 253 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:35,520 And suddenly the willingness to compromise, to turn away from 254 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:40,120 what's truth, to embrace something that's not true is 255 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,760 evil. And it's exactly what was 256 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,160 happening there. They couldn't imagine a life 257 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,400 without the place that they were used to, the positions that they 258 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,360 had. They couldn't have imagined 259 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:58,880 losing their nation when what Jesus is saying to the Jews that 260 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:04,680 had believed and to any Gentile who had believed is that I am 261 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:12,440 your place, I am your nation. There is no nation on earth that 262 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,040 is more powerful or eternal like my nation. 263 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,760 There is no identity in any citizenship in any nation that's 264 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,520 greater than the fact that you belong to me, your King. 265 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,680 But through the people of God, it's always been we want a king, 266 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,360 we want someone like them. The temptation is to put our 267 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:36,440 security and insecure things. And that's what they had done. 268 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:41,720 Their security was in a place that brought them peace and 269 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,440 prosperity. This man was threatening to undo 270 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,640 all that. And in doing that, they saw that 271 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:53,360 there was only one way. And that came through the voice 272 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:57,360 of their leader, Caiaphas. Look with me at verse 49. 273 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,760 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, 274 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,680 by the way, Caiaphas who was the high priest for a long time, 275 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,360 this was a, a term that was not just one year, John simply 276 00:18:09,360 --> 00:18:13,000 saying it was this year that Caiaphas was the high priest. 277 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,080 Caiaphas who was high priest that year said to them, you know 278 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,520 nothing at all, essentially saying everything I've heard so 279 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:24,440 far, you're foolish. You know nothing at all, he 280 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:28,120 says. Nor do you understand that it is 281 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:32,240 better for you that one man should die for the people, not 282 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,320 that the whole nation should perish. 283 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,720 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest 284 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,520 that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation. 285 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:47,800 He prophesied this unwittingly. He has no idea ultimately what 286 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,480 he's saying, because what he's saying is true. 287 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,680 This man, Jesus, is going to die. 288 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:01,880 This one man is going to die for his nation, for his people, for 289 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,720 his church, and for all who receive that. 290 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,720 They now have their permanent identity this side of heaven and 291 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:11,600 their permanent identity in heaven. 292 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:16,680 It's primary and it's permanent. There's no other identity like 293 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:23,880 that but this side of heaven. You and I are constantly tempted 294 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:32,160 to put our security in places and nations in citizenship and 295 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,280 belonging. I told the high school students 296 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:41,200 who are here at 9:30, seniors, you're about to enter into a new 297 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,520 place, whether you're in the work field or you're going to 298 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,880 college, and they're going to be people that you meet who have 299 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,200 received Jesus, and they're going to be people you meet who 300 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,760 have rejected Jesus. Deep down. 301 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,920 The ultimate reason why is that they are seeking to put their 302 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,840 identity in a place and a nation. 303 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,800 It might be a fraternity or a sorority that says you must do 304 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:11,000 this in order to belong. And if you're willing to do that 305 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,440 in order to belong, what you were saying is there is a 306 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:18,400 greater identity in my life right now belonging to this 307 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,480 place, belonging to this group, belonging to this nation is 308 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:28,640 greater than being in Christ. And that continues. 309 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:35,040 Think about this. Throughout history there have 310 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,040 been churches, we're from the pulpit. 311 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,960 The word of God has been proclaimed in many places all 312 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,800 over the world where that once was happening. 313 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,480 They would never have said what I said at the beginning about 314 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,280 this book. Lazarus would be a metaphor, 315 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,200 Jonah being swallowed by the well, that didn't really happen. 316 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,160 It's just a story. We don't believe that. 317 00:20:55,920 --> 00:21:00,720 But if history continues and we're not careful, one day when 318 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,680 this place is threatened because someone like me says what I just 319 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,920 said, somebody's going to say you can't say that we'll lose 320 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,520 our place, we'll lose our nation. 321 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:14,280 It could also come in the reverse way where it's a little 322 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:21,360 bit sneakier when suddenly we have put a nation, a 323 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:25,800 citizenship, A belonging somewhere this side of heaven 324 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,800 above Christ, and all of a sudden His word is not ultimate. 325 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,960 His word is not foundational. His word is not giving us peace 326 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,120 and hope because we're so afraid of what's happening. 327 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:42,120 Jesus is the head of his church. He rose Lazarus from the dead. 328 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:48,520 He himself rose from the dead. We absolutely have nothing to 329 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,720 fear. But if we live in fear, we are 330 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,560 going to look to protect a place and to protect the nation. 331 00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:01,680 When we don't belong eternally to this, we belong to Him who is 332 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:06,960 our place, who is our nation, now and forever. 333 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,640 How do I know? Paul says. 334 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:13,480 Don't you yourselves know people who are in Christ? 335 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:18,920 Don't you yourselves know that you are God's temple and that 336 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:27,560 his Spirit lives in you? The same God, the same Spirit 337 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:33,320 who showed the resurrection power when Lazarus came out, 338 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:36,680 lives in us. We have our place. 339 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:42,960 We have our nation. It will last forever for those 340 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,880 who are in Christ. If you're in Christ, and this is 341 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:52,280 good news to you, and it should be, it's because of His grace. 342 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:58,760 He brought you in, you received Him. 343 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:05,280 Give Him praise. If today that's not your story, 344 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:08,640 that means you have rejected Him. 345 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:14,120 And some people, I especially said this to, the students, have 346 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:20,600 this idea that one day I'll get it together, one day I'll deal 347 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,760 with Jesus and that stuff. But right now I wanted to find 348 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:28,400 my life the way I want to. What they're saying is I want my 349 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:32,200 place and I want my nation to be what I want it to be. 350 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,600 And the thought is one day I'll deal with that. 351 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:40,920 But here's the truth. You don't know, as they were 352 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:46,920 unwrapping the linen off of the dead man Lazarus, who's now 353 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,680 alive. It's as if those who didn't 354 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:54,840 receive him but went to the Pharisees who met with the 355 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:59,040 Sadducees and formed the Sanhedrin, were having linen 356 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,160 wrapped thicker and thicker around their eyes. 357 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:09,880 It's as if they were becoming more blind, more death, harder. 358 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:17,440 So much so that the high priest, Caiaphas would say, you fools, 359 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,360 there's only one way this man must die. 360 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,920 And that's what they set their intentions for. 361 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,600 Unwittingly. Caiaphas didn't know that the 362 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,560 prophecy he was giving would come true. 363 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:38,240 Jesus would die. He would die for his people, for 364 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,800 Jews who would trust him, for Gentiles who would trust him. 365 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:48,120 This passage, it's teaching atonement from the lips of the 366 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:51,440 man who said there's only one way, kill him. 367 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:59,360 The temple would be lost. It would be destroyed about 20 368 00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:01,880 years before John writes this, so the people hearing this 369 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,080 gospel would have known what he was talking about. 370 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:12,120 But Christ rose, and for all who have trusted in Jesus, He is 371 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:18,280 your place now and forever. He is your nation now and 372 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,880 forever. Your identity in Him is secure, 373 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:27,240 It's permanent and it's primary. But this side of heaven, our 374 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:31,920 enemy is going to constantly put secondary and lower identities 375 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:36,800 in our life to say this is really your place, this is 376 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,480 really your nation. It doesn't just happen when 377 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,360 we're in college. It follows us through life. 378 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,920 If I make this decision, my child's not going to make a 379 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,040 team. So we've got to rearrange what 380 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:52,520 we do on Sundays so that he can be on the team. 381 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,240 That's his place, that's his nation. 382 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,800 And suddenly the priority of worship is gone. 383 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,040 It happens slowly. We don't even think about it 384 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,320 anymore. It continues. 385 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,240 I'd like to join your church, but because the stance you have 386 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,960 on the Bible, I can't be known as a member. 387 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,640 I'll worship from a distance, but I can't belong because you 388 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:16,640 guys actually believe what this says. 389 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:20,400 If that's known, I won't be promoted or I might lose my job. 390 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,000 If you're in Christ, you already have your place. 391 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,160 You already have your nation. Stand in him. 392 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,520 Stand in him, your job and your title. 393 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,400 This site of heaven will not be eternal. 394 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,680 It's not primary now and it isn't permanent. 395 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:43,720 I am not going to be a pastor in heaven. 396 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:49,080 I'm not going to be referred to as one of the pastors of PCPC in 397 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:53,880 heaven. My identity with that title is 398 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,160 not primary and it's not permanent. 399 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:03,640 I'm a beloved son of the living God, saved when he said come 400 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:08,560 out, when he opened my eyes and took off the deathcloth that I 401 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:12,680 might see. Maybe today is the day He's 402 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:18,480 brought you to this place that you could see yourself and you 403 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:23,680 could say I have rejected him. I'm glad you've heard what I say 404 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,080 and I hope you heard in love. Do not continue to reject Him, 405 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,440 friend. Deal with what you have heard. 406 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:32,040 We would love to walk with you in that. 407 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,360 Maybe today you're already ready. 408 00:27:34,360 --> 00:27:36,960 You've heard that voice through His Spirit and Word, and you say 409 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:41,000 I want to receive Christ. Then right now, pray, simply 410 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:45,240 pray Jesus. I was dead, I'm a Sinner, 411 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,000 forgive me my sins. I receive you and you alone for 412 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,800 salvation and you will have Him forever. 413 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,280 Maybe today you're so encouraged because you know you've received 414 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:01,040 Him. Well then my friend, never 415 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:05,040 forget its grace. Never forget you didn't deserve 416 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,200 it. Never forget that you didn't 417 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,040 cause your heart to beat for Him. 418 00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:14,400 Be overwhelmed by His grace, that you were one of the ones 419 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:20,400 who said upon hearing His word in spirit, I believe. 420 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:27,920 Praise Him for that. Father Jesus lifted his voice to 421 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,000 you that others might hear and believe. 422 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:36,840 He then said, Lazarus come out. And Lazarus did that same voice 423 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:40,880 not long from that moment would say from the cross, it is 424 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,920 finished. He would commit himself to you 425 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:53,040 and then He himself would die. Man of Sorrows taking on what we 426 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:57,480 all deserved. Father, if there any today here 427 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:03,720 ready to come out of the tomb to be a follower of Christ, hear 428 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:07,680 them as they pray now for salvation In your name, Lord, 429 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:12,360 for those who are just still wondering and struggling, have 430 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,960 mercy. Speak to them and show them who 431 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:16,480 you are. A friend, come and ask 432 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:17,640 questions. We would love that. 433 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:23,160 For those Lord today who know they're in Christ, would you 434 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:34,400 protect us from taking any, any place, position, citizenship, 435 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:41,920 nation, anything, and putting it ahead of what is already ours, 436 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:48,280 secure in Christ, You are our place, You are our nation. 437 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:54,400 I ask this, we ask this in Jesus name, Amen. 438 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:55,440 Please stand.