1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:03,000 I'm very thankful to be here today. 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,200 I'm especially thankful to be able to worship with you again. 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,700 My history with this congregation goes back quite a 4 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:19,200 long way, especially since I wasn't born in California, but 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,700 this congregation supported me in the first mission, work that 6 00:00:23,700 --> 00:00:27,600 I ever did too young to know what I was doing, but we did the 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,700 best we could anyway. And that was that the work in 8 00:00:30,700 --> 00:00:33,500 Flagstaff. And even though there is no 9 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:36,800 congregation in Flagstaff, there are still members of the church 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,500 today that are faithful as a result of that work. 11 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,300 Work. And so my time with you goes 12 00:00:44,300 --> 00:00:49,300 back a long way even though I have not been here very often in 13 00:00:49,300 --> 00:00:51,900 recent days and it's good to be with you again. 14 00:00:52,500 --> 00:00:56,400 It's been 30 years and of course, there are others here 15 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,600 that I've known and been with the long time. 16 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,200 Denny and Carl back over Brundage long years ago and 17 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:09,400 Terry, I don't know how many years but anyway, it's very good 18 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,400 to be with you and to Ship with you today. 19 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,600 I'd like to read from a special song. 20 00:01:19,500 --> 00:01:22,500 At least, I think it is connected with the passage. 21 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:28,900 I'd like to talk about today. But before that, I want to take 22 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:35,000 you back to some scenes that we imagine, must have preceded or 23 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,200 at least something like this preceded. 24 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:42,000 Some events that are talked about in the gospel It's a sick 25 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,900 room that I want you to Envision in your mind's eye. 26 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,000 They say that the young man who is so desperately ill at this 27 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:56,800 time, was about 30 years of age. He was quite a young man and 28 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,200 this was a totally unexpected thing. 29 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,000 This young man. I don't know where his parents 30 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,500 were, they're not they're never on the scene but he has a very 31 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:13,600 close-knit family he has two sisters none of the three of 32 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:18,300 them are married and these sisters love their brother 33 00:02:19,700 --> 00:02:22,700 dearly and I am sure that he loved them. 34 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:27,600 So as well although we're not told much about that but we do 35 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,500 know for a fact that they loved him dearly And here is the labor 36 00:02:32,500 --> 00:02:36,400 in his sick room. And as his illness becomes more 37 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,500 and more desperate, they are beside themselves. 38 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:47,100 It seems only a short while ago that he was so healthy and such 39 00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:52,800 a strong vibrant young man. And here before their very eyes, 40 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:59,300 he is wasting away to nothing. And finally, at almost the last 41 00:02:59,300 --> 00:03:04,400 instant in fact I suppose past the last instant they send a 42 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,000 message to Jesus asking him to come. 43 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,000 They wait a long time. Too long. 44 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,800 Shortly after the message is sent, maybe about the same time. 45 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:24,100 The young man finally expires. He dies. 46 00:03:25,900 --> 00:03:31,100 Their hearts are broken Beyond imagination, but there's no time 47 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:35,300 for that just now. And so they begin to busy 48 00:03:35,300 --> 00:03:38,400 themselves about making preparations for the funeral. 49 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:46,700 and, They send into town by someone, I suppose and contact 50 00:03:46,700 --> 00:03:51,700 the professional Wailers. Even the poorest Jew was 51 00:03:51,700 --> 00:03:55,300 entitled to, to wailing women in a rabbi for their funeral. 52 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,300 But now these people are pretty wealthy and they send him to 53 00:03:59,308 --> 00:04:02,800 town and there are many mourners and personal friends who come to 54 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,100 attend to them. They prepare the young man's 55 00:04:06,100 --> 00:04:09,500 body almost immediately. It's a hot country and they 56 00:04:09,500 --> 00:04:13,100 don't do in bombing and there's no time for delay. 57 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:17,899 As decay will set in quite soon. They prepare the body for 58 00:04:17,899 --> 00:04:24,800 burial, they light, a light beside his bed, just in case his 59 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,300 spirit is hovering near and they begin to fast. 60 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,800 And for the next several days, they will Fast and they might 61 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,700 eat the white White of an egg once or twice but that would be 62 00:04:37,700 --> 00:04:43,600 all and soon. All things are ready and they 63 00:04:44,700 --> 00:04:50,000 lift the body on a beer and they take it to the cemetery outside 64 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:57,100 of town. and, I don't know exactly what was said over this 65 00:04:57,100 --> 00:05:01,400 young man's body. But in all likelihood, in fact, 66 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:06,100 it's a great probability that the rabbi read, from the 90th 67 00:05:06,100 --> 00:05:09,400 song, at least that was customary. 68 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,900 And it was it was the expected thing. 69 00:05:12,700 --> 00:05:17,700 And it seems to me almost a certainty when you read the 70 00:05:17,700 --> 00:05:20,500 90th, saw him in the light of these events, I want to talk to 71 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:23,900 you about that. This was in fact, the passage 72 00:05:23,900 --> 00:05:26,300 that was read, it goes like this. 73 00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:30,500 Lord thou Hast been our Dwelling Place in all generations. 74 00:05:31,100 --> 00:05:33,300 Before the mountains were brought forth or ever. 75 00:05:33,300 --> 00:05:36,700 Thou has formed the earth and the world even from Everlasting 76 00:05:36,700 --> 00:05:41,400 to Everlasting Thou Art God. Thou turnest man to destruction 77 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,700 and say us to return you Children of Men for a thousand 78 00:05:44,700 --> 00:05:47,600 years in thy sight are. But as yesterday when it is past 79 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,900 and as a watch in the night now carry us them away. 80 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:53,400 As with a flood, they are as asleep. 81 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,600 In the morning, they are like the grass which groweth up in 82 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,000 the morning at flourishes and groweth up and in the evening, 83 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,200 it is cut down and withereth for. 84 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,800 We are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath or we troubled. 85 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,700 Thou Hast, said her iniquities before thee, our secret sins in 86 00:06:09,700 --> 00:06:13,300 the light of thy countenance, for all our days are passed away 87 00:06:13,300 --> 00:06:17,400 in thy wrath and we spend our years as a tale that is told the 88 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,200 days of our years are threescore years and ten. 89 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,600 And if by reason of strength, they be fourscore years. 90 00:06:23,900 --> 00:06:27,800 Yet it is their strength, labor and sorrow for it is soon. 91 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,800 Cut off. And we fly away who knoweth the 92 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,000 power of thine anger, even according to thy fear, so is thy 93 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,400 wrath. So teach us to number our days 94 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,700 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom return, O Lord, how 95 00:06:41,700 --> 00:06:45,700 long and let it repent. The concerning thy servants, o 96 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:49,900 satisfy us early with I Mercy that we may rejoice and be glad 97 00:06:49,900 --> 00:06:53,500 all our days make us glad according to the days, wherein 98 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:54,800 thou Hast. Just Afflicted us. 99 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,900 And the years, wherein we have seen evil, let thy Work appear 100 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:02,800 unto thy servants, and thy Glory unto their children. 101 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,700 Mark those words and let the beauty of the Lord. 102 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:07,900 Our God be upon us and stablished. 103 00:07:07,900 --> 00:07:09,900 Now, the work of our hands upon us. 104 00:07:10,100 --> 00:07:11,800 Yay! The work of our hands 105 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:18,800 established thou. It As these words faded into the 106 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:24,400 Stillness, they would soon turn and leave the graveside and they 107 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,700 would go back into their Village. 108 00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:33,100 And then the sisters would have the luxury to mourn the loss of 109 00:07:33,100 --> 00:07:38,500 their beloved brother. But I cannot help about thinking 110 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:41,900 about these words. I like I said, I don't know, I'm 111 00:07:41,900 --> 00:07:44,800 not inspired, I don't know if this was the psalm read there or 112 00:07:44,808 --> 00:07:46,000 not. I just know that it was 113 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,200 traditional And these words are amazing and verse 16. 114 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,900 Let thy Works appear unto thy servants and thy Glory under 115 00:07:54,900 --> 00:07:57,000 their children. Mark the word glory in your 116 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,100 mind. These people. 117 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:09,900 Brokenhearted had no idea. Of the unimaginable magnitude of 118 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:14,600 the glory of God Almighty that they were about to be privileged 119 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,800 to witness in their lives. This morning, I wanted to bring 120 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,600 you as best. I can The Story of Lazarus and 121 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,000 Mary and Martha in John chapter 11. 122 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,200 But before we do, we want to approach our heavenly father in 123 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:34,500 a word of Prayer in John chapter 11, I would like you to notice 124 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:40,600 first of all the specificity of the first verse, now, a certain 125 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:46,000 man was sick named Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary, and 126 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,200 her sister Martha. The reason I call attention to, 127 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,200 this is the record concerning. These women has not always been 128 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:55,100 this. Clear. 129 00:08:55,600 --> 00:09:00,300 We have heard of them on two other occasions in the gospels. 130 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,100 In Luke chapter 10, we are introduced to them for the first 131 00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:10,400 time and the scripture says in Luke 10 verse 38. 132 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,900 Now it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain 133 00:09:14,900 --> 00:09:19,600 Village and a certain woman. Named Martha received him into 134 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:23,900 her house and she had a sister called Mary, which sat at Jesus 135 00:09:23,900 --> 00:09:28,100 feet, and heard his word, but Martha was cumbered about much 136 00:09:28,100 --> 00:09:32,100 serving and came to him and said, Lord Dost thou not care. 137 00:09:32,100 --> 00:09:36,300 That my sister has left me to serve alone, bid her, therefore 138 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:40,400 that she help me Jesus answered and said, unto her Martha, 139 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,400 Martha thou'rt, careful and troubled about many things. 140 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:47,600 But this one thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good. 141 00:09:47,700 --> 00:09:51,100 Good part which shall not be taken away from her. 142 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,500 Now, the interesting will actually there's two things that 143 00:09:54,500 --> 00:09:57,700 are interesting about this introduction to these women. 144 00:09:58,300 --> 00:10:02,800 The first is that their character is revealed and is 145 00:10:02,900 --> 00:10:06,400 clearly maintained in all of the records about them. 146 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:11,800 In the scriptures, Mary is much more introspective than Martha. 147 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:17,600 Mary is much more. Is a much quieter more thought. 148 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:22,300 Awful person. Now that's not to say that Mary 149 00:10:22,300 --> 00:10:27,300 is a better person Jesus loved Martha, as well as he did Mary. 150 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:32,000 Even though he did gently chide her on this occasion, for being 151 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:38,200 too troubled about things and about preparing a meal and so on 152 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:43,200 and so forth. As that But Martha is more the 153 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:48,800 extrovert, and she is much more practical minded than Mary is. 154 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:53,000 And we shall see that again in John chapter 11, but the other 155 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,600 thing I want you to note is that this record says there was a 156 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,800 certain Village and a certain woman. 157 00:10:58,900 --> 00:11:04,100 Now it does name the women, Martha and Mary But that's like 158 00:11:04,100 --> 00:11:06,600 being over in Russia and talking about Boris and Oleg. 159 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,900 You could be talking about any one of 10, maybe 50 million 160 00:11:10,900 --> 00:11:14,300 people everybody's named Boris or Oleg as far as I can tell. 161 00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:18,200 In Russia now I'm exaggerating but still they were very common 162 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:24,700 names is the point and it's a certain Village and so on and so 163 00:11:24,700 --> 00:11:27,700 forth. Now, why do you suppose that is 164 00:11:28,700 --> 00:11:30,100 I'll tell you why. I think it is. 165 00:11:30,300 --> 00:11:35,500 John writes his gospel entire much later than Matthew, Mark, 166 00:11:35,500 --> 00:11:39,700 and Luke near the end of the first century you will remember. 167 00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:42,700 In this story, we're going to discuss that Lazarus is raised 168 00:11:42,700 --> 00:11:46,600 from the dead and as a result of that the Jews seek to kill 169 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:51,300 Lazarus on numerous occasions and Lazarus being raised from 170 00:11:51,300 --> 00:11:54,900 the dead, of course, continue to live out his days until he 171 00:11:54,900 --> 00:11:59,800 either died again from illness or a Or some injury. 172 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:04,400 We don't know about all of that, but the point is until he did 173 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:09,100 die, Matthew Mark, and Luke seem very circumspect about referring 174 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:12,500 to him because they have a story to tell that's vitally 175 00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:14,800 important. And yet they don't want to 176 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,700 unduly, expose Lazarus to danger. 177 00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:23,500 And so because of that, I think Luke is more circumspect about 178 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:25,800 who this is and just where this has happened. 179 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,700 Now. John writing near the end of the 180 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:33,900 first century writes. The first defense of the 181 00:12:33,900 --> 00:12:37,200 scriptures. In fact, Matthew, Mark, and Luke 182 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,700 are called the synoptic gospels. You will recognize that word sin 183 00:12:41,700 --> 00:12:47,100 means with Sy, n are sympathetic, so to speak and 184 00:12:47,100 --> 00:12:51,600 optic means your eye. So synoptic means they see the 185 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,600 same and Matthew, Mark, and Luke gospels are very closely 186 00:12:55,600 --> 00:13:00,400 paralleled to one another. And Generally speaking the same 187 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:05,100 material in generally speaking the same way John's gospel is 188 00:13:05,100 --> 00:13:08,500 entirely different. John's gospel is written to 189 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:11,400 defend. What Matthew Mark and Luke have 190 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,200 written. Not only that. 191 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,000 John's gospel is written to answer. 192 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:21,200 One of the plaguing false doctrines of the early days of 193 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:25,300 the church called gnosticism in, which it was claimed that Jesus 194 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:28,300 did not come to Earth as a real human being. 195 00:13:28,500 --> 00:13:33,100 But only Only as an apparition that look like a human being but 196 00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:39,100 wasn't really flesh and blood. And John writes to prove that 197 00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:44,900 Jesus Christ was at one in the same time, 100% completely, 198 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:48,100 totally human. And at the same time in 199 00:13:48,100 --> 00:13:53,100 comprehensible, though, it be to our finite Minds, 100%, totally, 200 00:13:53,100 --> 00:13:57,800 and completely Divine. And so, John's gospel can be 201 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:02,200 shaped either around the seven miracles that he chooses to 202 00:14:02,500 --> 00:14:07,000 establish the Divinity of Jesus or as we should See in this 203 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:11,900 chapter, it can be shaped around the seven, I AMS of Jesus Christ 204 00:14:11,900 --> 00:14:14,800 which is another Declaration of his divinity. 205 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:19,400 Now by the time, John writes this first verse quite likely 206 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:21,700 either. The pressure on Lazarus about 207 00:14:21,700 --> 00:14:26,300 his life has East. He has moved away and certainly 208 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,600 he's very old. He may already be dead and so 209 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:33,600 he's much more specific about who this is and where it is and 210 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,500 what town it is. Then there's another very 211 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:42,500 interesting thing in the second verse it says it was that Mary? 212 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,700 Which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with 213 00:14:45,708 --> 00:14:48,700 her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick? 214 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,200 He further identifies this Berry about whom he is speaking. 215 00:14:53,300 --> 00:14:56,200 As that Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus? 216 00:14:57,500 --> 00:15:00,000 Now, that's not so interesting in and of itself. 217 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,700 But the interesting thing about it is that John doesn't record 218 00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:06,000 that event till the 12th chapter. 219 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,400 Now, here we are in the 11th chapter and he already expects 220 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,600 us to be familiar with who that Mary was. 221 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:17,400 Now how do you suppose that is or why? 222 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,500 Well I'll tell you what I think. I think that when these men 223 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:25,900 wrote these words, they knew they were writing scripture, 224 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,700 they knew they were writing something that was to establish 225 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,500 normalcy in doctrine that was normative and going to be 226 00:15:34,500 --> 00:15:39,500 normative for all time. And when John writes this, he 227 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:44,000 expects you as a child of God to already be thoroughly familiar 228 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,700 with Mary and Martha and Lazarus because surely you have read 229 00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:49,700 Matthew, Mark, and Luke many times. 230 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,700 And if met these women on many occasions and so he says it was 231 00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:58,500 that Mary? There's another possibility and 232 00:15:58,500 --> 00:16:00,300 it's even a little more intriguing. 233 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:07,900 It's possible that John writes. It was that Mary whom he does 234 00:16:07,900 --> 00:16:12,600 not mention until the twelfth chapter because lo and behold he 235 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,100 expects you to read his gospel more than once and when you get 236 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:19,000 around to the 11th chapter of the second time, he expects you 237 00:16:19,008 --> 00:16:21,000 to be familiar with all what he already said. 238 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,400 In the 12th chapter. Either way, you look at it. 239 00:16:24,408 --> 00:16:27,900 The point is the same, John clearly expects. 240 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:32,800 The people of God to be a people of the word of God, he expects 241 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:34,800 them to be familiar with the word of God. 242 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,100 He expects the things of the word of God to have already 243 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:41,800 lodged in their hearts, so that he can just say it. 244 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,300 Was that Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus and you and all of 245 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:48,000 the rest of the Christian system, will know who he's 246 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:54,100 talking about. It says, therefore, his sister's 247 00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:56,500 sent unto him saying, Lord behold he whom. 248 00:16:56,500 --> 00:17:00,900 Thou lovest is sick. This is interesting because it 249 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:05,599 is the only account of anyone outside of the inner circle of 250 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:11,099 Peter, James and John, who is specifically stated to be loved 251 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,500 by Jesus. It's not that he didn't love 252 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:18,599 everyone, but it's a great honor to be spoken of as the one whom 253 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:22,000 he loved. They sent this message. 254 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:29,900 Jesus got the message and in verse 4, Jesus, immediately sent 255 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:32,500 that messenger, back with a return message. 256 00:17:32,700 --> 00:17:36,700 And said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of 257 00:17:36,700 --> 00:17:39,800 God, that the Son of God might be glorified, thereby. 258 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:44,000 I used to think this was sort of an editorial comment inserted 259 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,700 here or that Jesus simply announced this to his disciples 260 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:50,500 upon hearing this messenger. I don't think that. 261 00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:53,400 Because later on in this chapter he says did not send you a 262 00:17:53,408 --> 00:17:55,700 message saying that you would see the glory of God. 263 00:17:56,700 --> 00:17:59,100 And so this messenger has come to Jesus. 264 00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:02,800 Now Jesus and his disciples according to John 10, 40 and 41 265 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:10,800 has left Jordan He has gone away Beyond Jordan unto the place 266 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:16,100 where John at first baptized and he's about a Day's Journey away. 267 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:20,600 And so he sends the messenger back. 268 00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:28,800 But then lest you misunderstand. It says, now, Jesus loved Martha 269 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:33,100 and her sister and Lazarus, he does not want you to think that 270 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:36,200 he is ignoring his friend or that he does not love them. 271 00:18:36,700 --> 00:18:41,800 It's stated very clearly. But when he had heard therefore 272 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:46,500 that he was sick, he Abode two days. 273 00:18:46,500 --> 00:18:51,600 Still in the same place where he was and then after saith, he to 274 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,000 his disciples. Let us go into Judea. 275 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,900 Again, this brings up a question, Jesus sends this 276 00:18:58,900 --> 00:19:02,500 messenger back and he says, you will see the glory of God this 277 00:19:02,500 --> 00:19:05,500 sickness, he says is not unto death. 278 00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:11,600 But you will see the glory of God and yet, he stays here, two 279 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:18,100 whole days has Jesus, is he just playing around with Lazarus 280 00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:21,700 life? Is he some sort of person that 281 00:19:21,700 --> 00:19:26,400 would allow his friend to Simply languish and die and his 282 00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:29,800 sister's Hearts to be broken when he could have gone there 283 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:34,700 and done something about it? I think that's too hasty a 284 00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:40,500 conclusion, if you think about this a moment, I'm sure you know 285 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:45,400 this story if it took the man a day to travel to where Jesus was 286 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:49,600 to bring the message and it took him a day to go home. 287 00:19:51,700 --> 00:19:56,100 It's a Day's Journey away. So he comes in a day, Jesus 288 00:19:56,100 --> 00:19:59,600 abides there, two days. And then Jesus goes where 289 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:04,200 Lazarus was, that's four days. And when Jesus goes out to the 290 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,100 cemetery, what did Martha say? It had been four days and the 291 00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:12,300 conclusion is this, either Lazarus was already dead when 292 00:20:12,300 --> 00:20:15,400 the messenger came and Jesus knew that which is entirely 293 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,800 possible, he is divine, and that's part of the teaching of 294 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:22,300 this story. Or he was nearly dead and Jesus 295 00:20:22,300 --> 00:20:28,800 knew that. Anyway, he waits two days and he 296 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,300 says, let's go see and to Judea again to see him in his 297 00:20:32,300 --> 00:20:36,400 disciples protest immediately and they say master the Jews of 298 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,400 late have sought to Stone me and go stuff either again. 299 00:20:41,500 --> 00:20:44,800 Now he's they are referring to what happened over there in John 300 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:49,800 chapter 10 when Jesus was among the Jews in that place and he 301 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:55,500 said to them, among other things, my sheep hear my voice 302 00:20:55,900 --> 00:21:00,200 and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal 303 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:01,900 life and they shall never perish. 304 00:21:01,900 --> 00:21:05,700 Neither shall any man, pluck them out of my hand, my Father, 305 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,200 which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to 306 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:14,700 pluck them out of my father's. Fathers and I and my father are 307 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:18,400 one and the Jews took up stones to Stone him in. 308 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,500 Jesus said many good works. Have I done among you for which 309 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:26,000 of these do you Stone me? And they said we're not stoning 310 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,400 you for doing good works. Where stoning you because you 311 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:32,800 said that God is your father and that you and God are one. 312 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,200 And Jesus said, is it not written in your law? 313 00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:42,600 Ye are God's. It is written in their law, it 314 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,100 didn't mean quite the same thing as what he's saying. 315 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,600 But nevertheless that is what the Bible says. 316 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:53,800 If he called them gods and to whom the word of God came and 317 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:58,500 the scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him, whom the father 318 00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:00,200 has Sanctified and sent into the world. 319 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,800 Thou blaspheme assist because I said, I'm the son of God. 320 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:09,200 If I do not the works of my father, believe me, not, but if 321 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:14,100 I do the works, but if I do though, you believe not, me 322 00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:18,500 believe the works. That you may know, and believe 323 00:22:18,500 --> 00:22:22,500 that the father is in him, and I in him What he's having 324 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:25,600 reference to is the miraculous power that he has demonstrated 325 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:27,700 among them. So abundantly. 326 00:22:28,500 --> 00:22:31,600 And what he's saying is the same thing, Nicodemus that what he's 327 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,600 saying they should do is the same thing Nicodemus said. 328 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,000 When he said Master, we know that thou art a teacher come 329 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,000 from God, because no man can do the things you do except God be 330 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:46,200 with him or he's appealing to the same thing that the man who 331 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,600 was born, blind who had received his sight said, when they said 332 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,300 When they said this man cannot be from God. 333 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,800 He said, well, it's amazing to me. 334 00:23:01,300 --> 00:23:07,900 I was blind and now I see and we know that God does not hear 335 00:23:07,900 --> 00:23:12,300 sinners by the way. He's not really talking about 336 00:23:12,300 --> 00:23:14,800 prayer there. Although Christians do have a 337 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:16,600 special praying relationship with God. 338 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,000 That others don't have, but he's not talking about prayer. 339 00:23:20,900 --> 00:23:25,900 What he means is we know that God doesn't answer a man's 340 00:23:25,900 --> 00:23:33,400 request to perform a miracle. If he's a sinner, you know, that 341 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:38,100 none of that. That's what Jesus is appealing 342 00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:43,900 to right here. Anyway, they went their way but 343 00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:47,400 they took their anger in their hearts with them and sought 344 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:51,700 another opportunity to kill him. And so Jesus left and went 345 00:23:51,700 --> 00:23:54,300 beyond Jordan. And that's why his disciples say 346 00:23:54,300 --> 00:23:56,400 Lord, we don't want to go back over there. 347 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:57,900 You don't want to go back over there. 348 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,300 They were just of late, trying to kill you over there. 349 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,100 And Jesus said, are there not twelve hours in a day? 350 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,400 If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth 351 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,000 the light of the world. If any man walk in the night, he 352 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,300 stumbleth because there's no light in him. 353 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,300 I'm not sure, I understand all I know about that passage right 354 00:24:18,300 --> 00:24:23,000 there but I think all that Jesus is saying is the same thing. 355 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,000 He said over in chapter 9 verse 4, when he said I must work the 356 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,900 works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when 357 00:24:29,900 --> 00:24:33,100 no man can work. I think he's simply saying 358 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:40,200 nothing nothing mysterious here. He's just saying you have to 359 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:44,200 work while you have opportunity. The time is coming when it'll be 360 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,600 dark and you can't work in the dark. 361 00:24:47,300 --> 00:24:50,900 You guys are all painters and you can't paint stuff in the 362 00:24:50,900 --> 00:24:52,300 dark. You have to be able to see what 363 00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:56,000 you doing. Well, that's all Jesus is 364 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,000 saying. I need to work at my Ministry 365 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:03,000 while there's an opportunity. Now, by the way, just a side 366 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:07,100 note, this is free Christians. Need to pay attention to this. 367 00:25:07,900 --> 00:25:10,300 Sometimes Christians spend so much time. 368 00:25:10,300 --> 00:25:12,800 Talking about what it is, they want to do that. 369 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,800 It gets to be night and no one has done it. 370 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:22,000 And there comes a time when it's time to quit talking and get out 371 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,100 there and do something for the Lord. 372 00:25:25,300 --> 00:25:28,200 Anyway, that I think that's what Jesus is saying right here. 373 00:25:30,100 --> 00:25:34,100 These things said he and after that he saith unto him in his 374 00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:36,800 next argument, our friend Lazarus sleepeth. 375 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,700 But I go that I may awaken out of sleep and they don't want to 376 00:25:40,700 --> 00:25:42,900 give up. They said Lord if he's sleeping, 377 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:47,100 he'll do better. Well, Jesus was trying to be 378 00:25:47,100 --> 00:25:49,000 nice about it and use a euphemism. 379 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,700 But he goes on to say, well, he's dead. 380 00:25:54,800 --> 00:26:00,800 He's dead. And I'm glad for your sakes that 381 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,500 I was not there to the intent that you may believe 382 00:26:03,500 --> 00:26:08,100 nevertheless, let us go unto it. By the way, when the scripture 383 00:26:08,100 --> 00:26:12,200 speaks of death as sleep? It's not a reference to the 384 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,700 spirit, the Eternal part of man, the Eternal part of man does not 385 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:20,800 sleep, not after physical death, not before physical death, it 386 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,700 does not sleep, it remains conscious subconscious, it goes 387 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:25,000 back to God. Who gave it? 388 00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:27,800 It's talking about the sleep of appearance. 389 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,600 It's talking about what the body looks like. 390 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,400 When the spirit leaves and goes back to God, it looks like it's 391 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:39,000 asleep. And that's why Jesus uses that 392 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,800 language and the rest of scripture too for that matter. 393 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:49,500 Well anyway Thomas says Thomas called didymus said well let us 394 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:55,300 go that we may die with them just a word about Thomas as we 395 00:26:55,300 --> 00:26:58,400 pass through here. First of all, why do you suppose 396 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,200 Thomas is the one Speaking here? I thought Peter was the one who 397 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,000 always had his mouth and motion before his brain got in gear. 398 00:27:05,100 --> 00:27:09,500 and, A lot of scholars believe that Peter James and John are 399 00:27:09,508 --> 00:27:12,100 not here on this occasion. For that very reason hardly 400 00:27:12,100 --> 00:27:15,400 anybody could be quicker on the draw to say something than Peter 401 00:27:15,900 --> 00:27:17,600 whether he knew what he was saying or not. 402 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:23,500 But Thomas speaks up and I want to point out something, he I 403 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:26,000 think Thomas is taking a bum rap over the years. 404 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,800 You know, he's known famously as doubting Thomas because he said 405 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,700 except I see the print of the nails in his hand and I thrust 406 00:27:32,700 --> 00:27:36,500 my hand into his side. I will not believe and so people 407 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:43,900 have said he was doubting. but did you know that none of the 408 00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:47,600 disciples believed in Jesus till they saw him the tales of those 409 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:52,400 women seem to them as but idle Tales and they all refused to 410 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:55,800 believe until they saw Jesus. So let's take it. 411 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,700 Easy on Thomas. Thomas is an apostle of Jesus 412 00:27:58,700 --> 00:28:02,200 Christ as faithful. And loyal is any of them even 413 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,600 though we don't know about his works? 414 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,900 Well anyway, Thomas said well, if he's let's go if he's going 415 00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:12,500 to go, we'll go with him. If he dies, we'll die with him. 416 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:20,500 One of the most. Impressive statements to me in 417 00:28:20,500 --> 00:28:23,900 my years. Preaching was, I remember at 418 00:28:23,900 --> 00:28:27,600 time back in West Virginia, when Linwood was coming for meeting 419 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:35,100 every year, And this particular year, he had been quite sick and 420 00:28:35,100 --> 00:28:40,100 Ivy and Agnes were just beside themselves and did not want him 421 00:28:40,100 --> 00:28:42,300 to go. And they were arguing to him, 422 00:28:42,300 --> 00:28:44,600 that he needed to call and cancel the meeting. 423 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:46,800 He was not able to go up there or not. 424 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,500 And finally, he told me when he could talk. 425 00:28:50,500 --> 00:28:56,300 He finally said, listen, listen, this is what I do. 426 00:28:56,700 --> 00:28:59,700 And I'm going up there, and I'm going to preach Ouch, that 427 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:03,700 meeting the best I can. And if I die, I die. 428 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:11,300 That's pretty impressive to me. And I thought he was going to 429 00:29:12,100 --> 00:29:14,900 right there in my house but he didn't. 430 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,500 And we're thankful for that. Well, that's the way Thomas is 431 00:29:19,500 --> 00:29:23,700 right here, loyal to Jesus, even to the point of death. 432 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:29,200 Then when Jesus came and found that he laid in the grave for 433 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,800 days, already laying in the grave for days. 434 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,500 Now, Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about 15 furlongs off. 435 00:29:35,700 --> 00:29:38,800 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them 436 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,500 concerning their brother and then Martha. 437 00:29:41,500 --> 00:29:45,200 As soon as she heard, that Jesus was coming went and met him, but 438 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,900 Mary sat still in the house then said, Martha unto Jesus Lord. 439 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:54,700 If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 440 00:29:57,700 --> 00:30:00,300 But I know that even now whatsoever, thou Wilt ask of 441 00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:01,800 God. God will give it to thee. 442 00:30:03,700 --> 00:30:07,300 I don't think Martha is asking for Jesus to raise her brother 443 00:30:07,300 --> 00:30:09,200 from the dead, because she doesn't understand it. 444 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:11,500 When Jesus promises to do that very thing. 445 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:17,900 I think that she is simply saying Lord, in spite of this 446 00:30:17,900 --> 00:30:21,500 great tragedy, which has broken our hearts, in spite of the fact 447 00:30:21,500 --> 00:30:25,500 that if you had been here, he would not have died, we still 448 00:30:25,500 --> 00:30:29,200 love you, and we are still loyal to you and we are still 449 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,300 faithful. To what you have taught us. 450 00:30:32,700 --> 00:30:35,800 I think that's probably something like what she saying 451 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:39,700 here. The message, the messenger came 452 00:30:39,700 --> 00:30:44,200 and said this sickness is not unto death but so that you can 453 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,600 see the glory of God. The message has been all 454 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,100 forgotten, of course, it's been forgotten by the time of the 455 00:30:49,108 --> 00:30:50,100 messenger. Got back. 456 00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:54,400 Last dress was dead. And the message if it was ever 457 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:59,300 even heard has simply passed into Oblivion, and she doesn't 458 00:30:59,300 --> 00:31:04,300 remember it. But isn't that interesting what 459 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:07,000 she said? Lord, if thou hadst been here, 460 00:31:07,500 --> 00:31:13,500 my brother had not died. How many times do you suppose? 461 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,900 Those two women who love Jesus with all of their hearts. 462 00:31:18,900 --> 00:31:22,700 How many times do you suppose in those last few days they had 463 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:31,600 said oh if only Jesus was here if only he would come It's 464 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:34,600 certainly a measure of their faith. 465 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:42,300 And gives us a check on our own. Jesus saith unto her, thy 466 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:46,700 brother shall rise again. It's zipped right over her head. 467 00:31:47,300 --> 00:31:49,600 Martha said, yes! Lord, I know he will rise again. 468 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,100 In the resurrection. She means the general 469 00:31:52,100 --> 00:31:58,500 Resurrection. Jesus said, I am the 470 00:31:58,500 --> 00:32:01,600 resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though, 471 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,400 he were dead yet. Shall he live and whosoever 472 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,700 liveth and believeth in me, shall never die believe. 473 00:32:07,700 --> 00:32:14,700 It's now this She doesn't know what he's talking about and 474 00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:17,400 she's really not prepared to consider all this right now. 475 00:32:17,700 --> 00:32:22,100 She said, hey Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the 476 00:32:22,100 --> 00:32:23,800 son of God, which should come into the world. 477 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:25,700 She doesn't really answer his question. 478 00:32:27,300 --> 00:32:31,200 And it doesn't really register to her yet what he's saying. 479 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,900 But when he said this, by the way, this is one of the key 480 00:32:35,900 --> 00:32:39,800 passages in the Gospel of John. I am the resurrection and the 481 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:41,600 life. If you search the Gospel of 482 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:46,000 John, you will find seven of these great Iams of Jesus. 483 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:48,500 I don't know if I can name them. All right now, but you can look 484 00:32:48,500 --> 00:32:50,100 them up. If I can't, I am the bread of 485 00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:52,500 life. I am the light of the world. 486 00:32:53,300 --> 00:32:55,000 I am the way, the truth and the life. 487 00:32:55,100 --> 00:32:56,900 That's the one I couldn't remember a while ago. 488 00:32:57,300 --> 00:33:00,300 I am the door. I am the Good Shepherd. 489 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:05,400 I am the vine and you are the branches and here I am. 490 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:10,500 The resurrection and the life. What's so significant is about 491 00:33:10,500 --> 00:33:16,600 this is you will remember in the Old Testament back over there in 492 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:21,000 the land of Midian where Moses has fled from Egypt and has 493 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:24,500 dwelt for 40 years and now has a family and his herding, his 494 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:26,600 sheep. He sees that bush that is on 495 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:29,400 fire, but will not burn up and says to himself. 496 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,100 I must turn assignment. See, this bush. 497 00:33:31,100 --> 00:33:34,100 This is a curious thing. And he turns aside, and the 498 00:33:34,100 --> 00:33:37,200 voice says, Moses. Moses, put off thy shoes from 499 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:38,800 off thy feet. For the ground whereon. 500 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:43,800 Thou standest is Holy Ground. And the voice said, I want you 501 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,000 Moses to go back to Egypt to deliver my people. 502 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,900 Moses said in my own and elegant translation. 503 00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:58,600 Are you talking to me? Now, I tried that once and it 504 00:33:58,608 --> 00:34:01,900 didn't work. I can't do that. 505 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:07,300 Yes, you can. I will I will give you help. 506 00:34:08,900 --> 00:34:11,500 He cast his rod down, it becomes a serpent, he takes it again. 507 00:34:11,500 --> 00:34:14,800 He sticks his hand in his and his cloak and he takes it out to 508 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:16,800 left for us. He puts it back in at God's 509 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:17,900 instruction. It's renewed. 510 00:34:17,900 --> 00:34:22,300 God said, I'll give you power. He said I can't do this, who 511 00:34:22,300 --> 00:34:22,800 will? I say? 512 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:28,500 Sent me and God said you tell them that I am. 513 00:34:30,300 --> 00:34:35,000 Who I am has sent you. The Great. 514 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,100 I Am the Jehovah God. Did you know that Jesus is 515 00:34:39,100 --> 00:34:41,800 Jehovah? Now the father and the son are 516 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:46,000 not the same person, but the word Jehovah is a word like God 517 00:34:46,199 --> 00:34:50,199 you know Jesus Christ is God The father is God. 518 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:56,900 They're both Jehovah also. and in John chapter 8, Jesus said to 519 00:34:56,900 --> 00:35:02,900 those Jews year of your father, the devil you are Liars from the 520 00:35:02,900 --> 00:35:08,800 beginning, like he was And they said that wasn't so. 521 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:15,200 And so it goes on in this discussion and he says Verily 522 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:16,000 verily. I say unto you. 523 00:35:16,008 --> 00:35:18,900 If a man keep my saying he shall never see death in said the Jews 524 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:20,700 unto him. Now we know that thou Hast a 525 00:35:20,707 --> 00:35:23,900 devil Abraham is dead and the prophets and thou sayest. 526 00:35:23,900 --> 00:35:26,400 If a man keep my saying he shall never die. 527 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:29,100 Or if thou greater than our Father, Abraham which is dead 528 00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:32,000 and of the prophets are dead and whom makest thou thyself. 529 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:36,300 And Jesus said, if honor myself my honor is nothing, it is my 530 00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:39,200 Father which honoureth me of whom you say that he is your 531 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,800 god, yet you have not known him but I know him and if I should 532 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:47,900 say, I know him not I shall Liar like unto you but I know him and 533 00:35:47,900 --> 00:35:51,000 keep his saying your father, Abraham rejoiced to see my day 534 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:55,300 and he saw it and he was glad, and then said the Jews unto him, 535 00:35:55,300 --> 00:35:57,600 Thou Art. Not yet fifty years old, how 536 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:05,500 hast thou seen Abraham and he said verily before Abraham was I 537 00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:09,400 am. When Jesus says in John chapter 538 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:13,700 11, just like all those other places when he says I am the 539 00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:18,800 resurrection and the life he is stating his divinity, he is God 540 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,400 In the Flesh. You keep that in mind. 541 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:27,000 When you think of Jesus Christ, he said I am the resurrection 542 00:36:27,100 --> 00:36:31,400 and the life he that believes in me, though. 543 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:36,200 He dies physically, yet he shall live. 544 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:42,700 If and whoever lives and Believes In Me shall never never 545 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:45,100 never die. In the green. 546 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:51,000 Why do you believe this? She said yes Lord. 547 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:55,300 I know you're the son of God. And she goes back into the house 548 00:36:55,300 --> 00:36:58,200 to alert her sister that Jesus has come. 549 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:03,400 And as soon as Mary hears that she rises from her knees and she 550 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,700 flees to, where Jesus is outside of the town, probably standing 551 00:37:06,700 --> 00:37:08,700 near the cemetery. The reason I think that is 552 00:37:08,700 --> 00:37:10,500 because that's where they thought she was going. 553 00:37:11,300 --> 00:37:16,300 And when she reaches Jesus, she says to him, Lord, if thou hadst 554 00:37:16,300 --> 00:37:19,500 been here, my brother had not died. 555 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:23,700 The very same words. Her sister said Ed. 556 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:29,100 Oh, how they love Jesus and how they trusted in him. 557 00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:34,000 The Bible says that these mourners followed her out there. 558 00:37:34,500 --> 00:37:40,100 And it says that When they followed her out there. 559 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:46,400 Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews also weeping which came 560 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,200 with her and he groaned in spirit and was troubled. 561 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,100 This means actually literally this word is most often 562 00:37:53,100 --> 00:37:55,800 translated he was angered in his spirit. 563 00:37:56,700 --> 00:37:59,900 I suspect that this is because of the hypocrisy of these 564 00:37:59,900 --> 00:38:04,400 professional mourners Jesus had absolutely no patience with 565 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:07,700 people who pretended to be something that they were not. 566 00:38:09,700 --> 00:38:17,300 when it goes on to say, He said where have you laid him and they 567 00:38:17,300 --> 00:38:20,400 said, Lord come and see, goes on to say Jesus wept, this is an 568 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:24,200 entirely different word in the Greek and it means he wept 569 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,000 silently. It means tears. 570 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,600 Course down his cheeks but he did not grown out loud. 571 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:31,900 The Bible says he groaned within himself. 572 00:38:33,500 --> 00:38:37,800 The Bible does say that when our beloved ones depart that we 573 00:38:38,100 --> 00:38:40,300 sorrow, not as others who had no hope. 574 00:38:40,900 --> 00:38:45,000 But it doesn't say we do not sorrow, Jesus sorrowed here. 575 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:50,000 Even though he knew what he was about to do, because of the 576 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:53,700 suffering of those around him. And because he loved this man, 577 00:38:53,700 --> 00:38:55,900 and they said, see how he loved him. 578 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:00,400 Don't you suppose? If he had been, he who gave 579 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:02,600 sight to the blind, don't you suppose he could have done 580 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:06,800 something about this. They murmured such things, as he 581 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:10,500 walked to the Grave. They came to the graveside and 582 00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:15,800 Jesus said, take away the stone and Martha ever the Practical 583 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,100 one sec. Wait, wait, wait, Lord behold 584 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:21,900 it's been four days. He's stinking by now. 585 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:25,300 Now listen. What's about to happen? 586 00:39:25,300 --> 00:39:28,000 Here is different from any other resurrection of the Dead that 587 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:33,000 has ever occurred to this time. When Elijah raised, that boy 588 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,000 from the dead. He grew up. 589 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:40,200 Became a man and got old, and he died unless something happened 590 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:41,800 to him. Before that, the point is, he 591 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:47,300 was only physically raised. And when Elijah, Elijah raised, 592 00:39:47,300 --> 00:39:50,800 that boy from the dead, he was hardly yet, cold Elisha laid 593 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:53,400 himself on the boy three times and raised him from the dead 594 00:39:53,500 --> 00:39:56,400 when they threw that man's body into that cave. 595 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:59,200 And he landed on Elijah's Bones, the man was hardly dead, but he 596 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:05,200 stood up to life immediately. When Jesus raised the son of the 597 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:10,300 Widow of nain, it was the same day that he died when Jesus 598 00:40:10,300 --> 00:40:12,000 raised. Gyrus is daughter. 599 00:40:14,100 --> 00:40:17,200 Rigor mortis hasn't even set in yet. 600 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,100 This man has been dead. He has been buried. 601 00:40:21,100 --> 00:40:24,300 He has been in the grave for days and already. 602 00:40:24,300 --> 00:40:27,400 His body is decaying. That's the point. 603 00:40:28,700 --> 00:40:32,700 Each Resurrection Jesus performs his mightier than the one before 604 00:40:32,700 --> 00:40:35,200 it until the mightiest one of all. 605 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:48,100 And Jesus said to her, did I not send you a messenger said, I not 606 00:40:48,100 --> 00:40:50,400 unto thee that if thou wouldest believe that I should have see 607 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:53,100 the glory of God? Remember that Psalm about the 608 00:40:53,100 --> 00:40:58,800 glory of God? And they took away the stone. 609 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:01,900 From the place where the dead was laid in. 610 00:41:01,900 --> 00:41:06,300 Jesus lifted up his eyes and he said, father, I thank thee. 611 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:09,300 That thou Hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me 612 00:41:09,300 --> 00:41:13,900 always but because of the people just a side note again. 613 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:18,800 He said, because of the people, sometimes we need to say what's 614 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,500 going on, not necessarily for the benefit of the one that is 615 00:41:22,500 --> 00:41:26,600 happening to, but because of the people, so they will know what's 616 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,800 going on. Anyway, Jesus said, but because 617 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:33,500 of the people Which standby I said it. 618 00:41:33,500 --> 00:41:36,300 That thou May believe that thou Hast sent me, and when he had 619 00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:42,600 thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice Lazarus, come forth. 620 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:50,900 And don't you know it was dead silent. 621 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:55,300 He's lost his mind. They must have thought. 622 00:41:57,300 --> 00:42:01,900 And then a wrestling. And if it weren't so serious, it 623 00:42:01,900 --> 00:42:04,300 might almost be humorous. If he was wrapped up in that 624 00:42:04,300 --> 00:42:07,500 grave like he usually was, are they usually were? 625 00:42:08,100 --> 00:42:11,100 He was, his legs were wrapped together and quite likely. 626 00:42:11,200 --> 00:42:13,800 He came hopping to the Grave door. 627 00:42:18,300 --> 00:42:21,700 And Jesus said loose him and let him go. 628 00:42:29,200 --> 00:42:34,800 Don't, you know that they all fell down and worshipped the Son 629 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:38,500 of God and gave glory to his Everlasting name, in his holy 630 00:42:38,500 --> 00:42:43,700 power as the son of God. Nope. 631 00:42:45,300 --> 00:42:47,700 That's what's so interesting about this story. 632 00:42:48,700 --> 00:42:54,300 It goes on to say many of the Jews which came to Mary and had 633 00:42:54,300 --> 00:42:57,600 seen the things which Jesus did believed on him. 634 00:42:58,700 --> 00:43:02,400 Yes, there were many who were converted by Jesus act on this 635 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:07,000 very occasion. But some of them went their way 636 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:10,400 to the Pharisees and told them, what things Jesus had done and 637 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:13,000 then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees, the council 638 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:17,700 and said, what do we do this? Man does great Miracles and if 639 00:43:17,700 --> 00:43:21,100 we let him keep on doing this, everybody's going to believe in 640 00:43:21,100 --> 00:43:28,300 him and we can't have that and the high priest spoke up and 641 00:43:28,300 --> 00:43:35,300 said, You do nothing at all. Nor consider that it is 642 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:43,000 expedient for us, that one should die for the people. that 643 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:46,800 the whole nation perish, not Isn't it incredible? 644 00:43:48,700 --> 00:43:51,500 Isn't it incredible? How that such a wicked man is 645 00:43:51,500 --> 00:43:55,200 Caiaphas speaks for so boldly. The word of God and has 646 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:58,400 absolutely no idea what he's saying. 647 00:43:59,500 --> 00:44:07,700 Nor the Fulfillment of it. And from that very occasion, the 648 00:44:07,700 --> 00:44:13,600 death plot was hatched. Now, the point I don't want you 649 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:20,700 to miss is this. You see belief in Jesus. 650 00:44:21,900 --> 00:44:27,200 And Christianity. It's always about choosing. 651 00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:31,500 It's always about what you decide. 652 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:35,900 It's always about how you look at it. 653 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:44,400 Because you see, two people can see the very same things and 654 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:51,100 hear the very same words and see the very same power of God. 655 00:44:52,200 --> 00:44:57,500 And one of them Falls humbly at the feet of Jesus and worships 656 00:44:57,500 --> 00:45:01,100 him with all of his heart and gives God, the glory that is due 657 00:45:01,100 --> 00:45:05,600 to his name and becomes a child of God, obedient to his will and 658 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:11,900 the other one. Goes and says to the Pharisees. 659 00:45:12,300 --> 00:45:14,800 If you let this keep happening, everybody's going to believe in 660 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:16,000 him. We can't have that. 661 00:45:18,400 --> 00:45:25,400 And it happens over and over again. the Apostle Paul said in, 662 00:45:27,700 --> 00:45:32,500 Second Corinthians 2 about verse 14, I think he said we are an 663 00:45:32,500 --> 00:45:36,700 aroma of Jesus Christ. A saver. 664 00:45:36,700 --> 00:45:40,600 I think the King James Bible says, we are the aroma of Jesus 665 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:46,600 Christ and we preach the gospel. And to one we are the aroma of 666 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:51,400 Life unto life and to the other, we are the smell of death unto 667 00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:57,700 death. Same sermon smells like death to 668 00:45:57,700 --> 00:46:02,500 one person and Life to another. Why do you suppose that is? 669 00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:06,800 That's because God's done all for you. 670 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:13,800 He's going to do he sent you his only begotten son, who willingly 671 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:17,900 came here and prove Beyond doubt that he was divine. 672 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:24,900 On this occasion, he proved that he is the resurrection and the 673 00:46:24,900 --> 00:46:36,700 life. and now, You must decide what you are going to do about 674 00:46:36,700 --> 00:46:42,200 that. You can believe in Jesus, you 675 00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:45,700 can accept his will, you can allow him to be in charge of 676 00:46:45,700 --> 00:46:47,900 your life. You can take the word of God and 677 00:46:47,900 --> 00:46:49,600 you can treasure it up in your mind. 678 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:52,600 You can obey it. You can live by it be forgiven 679 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:57,200 of your sins, declared righteous by God and you in spite of your 680 00:46:57,200 --> 00:47:02,500 worthless self can go to heaven. And be with God forever and ever 681 00:47:02,500 --> 00:47:06,000 and ever. Or. 682 00:47:07,500 --> 00:47:10,300 You and Frank Sinatra can keep on doing it your way. 683 00:47:11,600 --> 00:47:15,700 And you'll die and burn in hell, but you can do it if you want 684 00:47:15,700 --> 00:47:29,000 to. so, what about you? What is your response to the 685 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:32,700 glory of God? If you're not a Christian today, 686 00:47:32,700 --> 00:47:34,600 you need to become one. You can do that. 687 00:47:34,700 --> 00:47:37,900 You can believe in Jesus Christ. You don't have to know anything 688 00:47:37,900 --> 00:47:38,800 else. Except that. 689 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:42,200 Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that you're a sinner and 690 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:45,300 that if you believe in him, you can be forgiven. 691 00:47:46,300 --> 00:47:50,100 You need to repent of your sins. Make a decision, not to serve 692 00:47:50,100 --> 00:47:53,300 sin anymore confess. I believe. 693 00:47:53,300 --> 00:47:57,400 Jesus Christ is the Son of God before this great audience and 694 00:47:57,400 --> 00:48:01,000 allow yourself to be immersed in water, and your sins are washed 695 00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:04,600 away in a moment by the grace and mercy of God and you are 696 00:48:04,600 --> 00:48:10,400 declared righteous. We thank you for listening to 697 00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:15,200 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 698 00:48:15,200 --> 00:48:18,700 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 699 00:48:18,700 --> 00:48:22,000 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 700 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:27,500 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 701 00:48:27,500 --> 00:48:29,900 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 702 00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:35,800 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 703 00:48:35,800 --> 00:48:40,200 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 704 00:48:40,700 --> 00:48:43,000 We would love for you to be our honored guest.