1 00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:08,600 Hi, I'm Janelle. And it has been almost a year to 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:13,200 the day, actually, probably a year in a week that I have been 3 00:00:13,900 --> 00:00:16,400 here. Speaking to you at reality 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,700 Church, Boston, and it's such an honor to be here. 5 00:00:19,900 --> 00:00:25,100 And I'm just going to start by reciting our scripture verse for 6 00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:27,800 today, where we're going to be for a bit. 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,200 And so, if you have your hand out, or you're out, Up or your 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,800 Bibles. Would you turn with me to Psalm 9 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:39,400 chapter 124? We are in the Psalms of ascent. 10 00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:43,900 One of 15 Psalms, that is a pilgrim song. 11 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,800 And some 124 says this. If the Lord had not been on our 12 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:57,700 side, let Israel say if the Lord had not been on our side. 13 00:00:58,300 --> 00:01:02,400 When people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive 14 00:01:02,700 --> 00:01:04,900 when their anger flared against us. 15 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,300 The flood would have engulfed us. 16 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:09,600 The torrent would have swept over us. 17 00:01:10,100 --> 00:01:12,600 The Raging Waters would have swept us away. 18 00:01:14,100 --> 00:01:18,100 Praise be to the Lord. Who has not let this beat, who 19 00:01:18,100 --> 00:01:20,600 has not, let us be torn by their teeth. 20 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,100 We have escaped like a bird from the Fowler's. 21 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:27,100 Snare, the snare has been broken and we have escaped. 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,900 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and 23 00:01:30,900 --> 00:01:32,900 Earth. Would you pray with me? 24 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,000 Lord I Thank you for the peace that abides in this room that 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,900 only comes to the presence of your Holy Spirit I thank you 26 00:01:44,900 --> 00:01:50,300 Lord for your word that is life and truth and Lord more than 27 00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:55,200 ever God, we need light. We need truth and we need 28 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,200 flavor. Lord media in these next couple 29 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:04,000 minutes, your Holy Spirit be out working our hearts in places 30 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,900 where we might not be aware of. And in places Lord that we are 31 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:14,600 all too aware of Biden us. Lord Jesus. 32 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,700 In your name, we pray. Amen. 33 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,300 Amen, amen. So hello. 34 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:32,000 So I was here for about two years, helping out a little bit 35 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,800 with transition. We were going through a lead 36 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,900 Pastor transition. But my day job is that I am a 37 00:02:37,908 --> 00:02:43,100 chaplain at Harvard University, just down the road from here and 38 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,400 every Tuesday and Thursday. I kind of holds office hours and 39 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,900 what that means is that I hang out in a coffee shop and have 40 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:53,800 coffee with students. That's my office. 41 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,500 You can find me anywhere around Harvard Square either at flower. 42 00:02:57,700 --> 00:03:01,300 Tot eh. And during this particular, I 43 00:03:01,300 --> 00:03:03,900 believe, as a Thursday morning I get there really early in the 44 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:07,700 morning and I had just met with the student from Harvard Kennedy 45 00:03:07,700 --> 00:03:11,500 School and we had just been talking about really deep 46 00:03:11,500 --> 00:03:13,600 spiritual things. Actually, no, we were talking 47 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:18,900 about actually summer and what was coming up and I was leaving 48 00:03:18,900 --> 00:03:22,700 this as I love the student and I was kind of coming back to my 49 00:03:22,700 --> 00:03:25,900 car. I am also notorious for parking 50 00:03:25,900 --> 00:03:29,500 tickets. So So, the city of Cambridge 51 00:03:30,100 --> 00:03:32,700 really loves it when I do hold office hours. 52 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:36,500 Because so many times, I forget that my to ours have expired and 53 00:03:37,100 --> 00:03:41,800 I end up paying $30 to park, which happens more often than 54 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:43,600 not. So, on this particular day, I 55 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,900 was very excited because I was on time, I was very aware and I 56 00:03:47,908 --> 00:03:55,100 get to my car and I am on a one-way Street and I am about 57 00:03:55,100 --> 00:03:57,500 ready to leave. And this big truck is also 58 00:03:57,700 --> 00:04:01,000 Maneuvering out and Maneuvers out right in front of me and 59 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,900 just stops. So he's like half in a parking 60 00:04:03,900 --> 00:04:07,000 space, half in the middle of this one way street that it is, 61 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,600 you know, as Cambridge and Boston streets are not very 62 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,000 large. And so I sit there and 30 63 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,399 seconds prior, there's nothing there. 64 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:20,000 I mean, I just walked into my car and just started it and so, 65 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:24,000 within 30 seconds I'm thinking what is going on? 66 00:04:25,300 --> 00:04:29,700 And so I've been in Boston. For about five years now, and I 67 00:04:29,707 --> 00:04:33,300 have become enculturated to do what bostonians usually do when 68 00:04:33,300 --> 00:04:36,400 they have to. Wait, I go crazy. 69 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:42,000 And this pie is person, actually, not very, but I start 70 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,300 honking my horn. Incessantly, like, oh, let's go, 71 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,200 buddy. Like, I'm gonna get a ticket 72 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,200 because we're not moving, and I had already been sitting here. 73 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:52,700 I would love to save for at least 90 seconds. 74 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,500 Probably more like 15. Anyway, I just lose it. 75 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,100 And I'm just like, what is happening? 76 00:05:00,100 --> 00:05:02,100 I'm like, going like this with my hands. 77 00:05:02,100 --> 00:05:07,400 Like, let's go moving along, honking my horn, and the truck 78 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:12,800 isn't moving, and so I am. So I just sit there for probably 79 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,800 another 90 seconds and then finally this truck moves and 80 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:23,000 upon this truck moving I see and I'm I'm not exaggerating 81 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,400 probably like an 80 90 year old woman cry. 82 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:32,200 Passing the street out of nowhere with a cane and 83 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:37,500 immediately like I am garbage, okay? 84 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:43,900 Just, you know, this guy like, you know, goes and Russia's 85 00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:47,100 honest and she crosses the street she staring at me, like, 86 00:05:47,100 --> 00:05:49,400 are you a monster? And I'm liking, of course, I'm a 87 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:55,800 monster like, yes, I'm so sorry. And I proceeded to drive away 88 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,000 like feeling. Like I have a fever because my 89 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,600 face is the site, you know, it's just be read. 90 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:10,300 And as a high got introduced to the songs, I was sent from 91 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:16,300 Austin and Rashad and they said, hey, you're on for some 124 and 92 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:21,900 I began to study what a pilgrims song is an actual pilgrimage. 93 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:28,100 It was so reminiscent to me on how I how I walk with Jesus. 94 00:06:28,300 --> 00:06:36,000 Attempt to be a pilgrim because I am a mess and I would love to 95 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,700 tell you that. I'm a peaceful person and I love 96 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:44,800 contemplatively space and I love the quiet. 97 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:51,000 No, like that makes me crazy and I find that pilgrimage. 98 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:55,600 Usually draws me into spaces and places that are frustrating. 99 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:04,500 Where there are big boulders that I can't see around and I'm 100 00:07:04,500 --> 00:07:07,700 called to walk. Only to wait. 101 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:14,700 Anybody familiar with that. Something very interesting about 102 00:07:14,700 --> 00:07:18,700 the Psalms of ascent, I'm not going to, I listen to Austin and 103 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:22,300 Rashad and and Rob kind of frame. 104 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,300 You know, some of these songs, I'm just going to give a quick 105 00:07:25,300 --> 00:07:29,500 little review, their 15 songs, okay? 106 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:33,600 And the children of Israel would sing these songs on their way to 107 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,200 Jerusalem, where they would Pilgrim for one of three 108 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,900 festivals either. The Festival of the Passover 109 00:07:38,900 --> 00:07:44,300 Festival, the Festival of weeks or the festival Tabernacle, And 110 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,100 you know, Rob so perfectly frame, that Within These 15 111 00:07:47,100 --> 00:07:52,200 Psalms each five versus kind of hit three different themes. 112 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,700 So our first theme that I'm going to kind of capsule today 113 00:07:55,700 --> 00:07:59,500 is this theme of trouble. Like this is, you know, we're 114 00:07:59,500 --> 00:08:02,900 remembering what God does when we're in big trouble. 115 00:08:03,900 --> 00:08:08,000 And next week, you're going to be introduced to trust and the 116 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,500 next five chapters after that, kind of hone in, on trusting the 117 00:08:11,500 --> 00:08:15,700 Lord. And finally, I am like our God 118 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:22,700 is Victorious, but I get the fun, we get the fun, we get to 119 00:08:22,700 --> 00:08:26,200 journey together and to pilgrimage through our last 120 00:08:26,500 --> 00:08:36,500 chapter covering trouble. The thing that keeps coming up. 121 00:08:37,700 --> 00:08:41,600 That has kept coming up as I've been pondering, and reading this 122 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,400 first over and this chapter over and over again, is how clumsy I 123 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,600 am as a pilgrim. What's really interesting is 124 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,900 that when we read scripture, the Lord is always inviting his 125 00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:59,500 people to walk with him, not to run with him, not to Sprint with 126 00:08:59,500 --> 00:09:02,900 him, not to fly with him but to walk. 127 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,200 And nothing around me. Especially living in the city 128 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,700 that I do. Points to walking. 129 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:18,200 If you're not brisk fully walking down the street, people 130 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:22,200 will literally like like you're in a car cut you off and walk in 131 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:27,500 front of you if you're driving slow and you're not driving 132 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,500 according to what bostonians think you should be driving, you 133 00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:33,300 will get honked at, you will get yelled at, you will get spoken 134 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:39,300 to very beautifully. But I'm reminded in second 135 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:43,100 Corinthians 5:7. It says this for we walk by 136 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:49,600 faith and not by sight. Micah 6:8 says this, he has told 137 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,000 you o, man, what is good? And what does the Lord require 138 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,700 of you? But to do justice and to love 139 00:09:55,700 --> 00:10:00,200 kindness and to walk humbly with your God. 140 00:10:03,500 --> 00:10:08,400 The Lord walks. And when he says follow me, he 141 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:14,300 is asking us to walk with him. Pilgrimage also does this. 142 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:21,200 It opens my eyes to see a bigger picture because I am walking. 143 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:27,500 Sometimes frustratingly. So I am able to see things from 144 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:32,900 a Viewpoint that being in A hurried Rush, keeps me from 145 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:40,800 doing one thing that I really felt that the Lord was calling 146 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,600 us to do today especially within this within this chapter is to 147 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:50,700 yield So, I'm going to read this chapter again from the message 148 00:10:51,100 --> 00:10:54,400 and I want you to close your eyes as I read. 149 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:03,800 And let's yield. Psalm 124 says this, if God 150 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:08,100 hadn't been for us all together now is real single out. 151 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:15,000 If God hadn't been for us, when everyone went against us, we 152 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:19,800 would have been swallowed Alive by their violent anger Swept 153 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:24,000 Away by the flood of Rage, drowned and torrent, we would 154 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:28,800 have lost our lives in the wild Raging Water. 155 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,200 Oh blessed. Be God. 156 00:11:31,700 --> 00:11:36,400 He didn't go off and leave us. He didn't abandon us defenseless 157 00:11:36,700 --> 00:11:39,800 helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs. 158 00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:44,900 We flown free from their fangs, free of their traps free as a 159 00:11:44,908 --> 00:11:49,100 bird. Their grip is broken, were free 160 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:54,000 as a bird in flight. God, strong name is our help the 161 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,900 same God who made Heaven and Earth. 162 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,600 What this chapter is underscoring, is that in the 163 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,100 magnification and true of trouble. 164 00:12:07,500 --> 00:12:14,200 Violence, anger of betrayal of Abandonment of being a captive. 165 00:12:16,300 --> 00:12:18,500 They are. God can be found. 166 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,600 But friends, we are not equipped. 167 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:35,500 To sit in that. Our world is a really good job 168 00:12:35,500 --> 00:12:42,500 and provides many means for us to ignore to deny and to 169 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:47,100 silence. Some of life's worst fears that 170 00:12:47,100 --> 00:12:49,200 has just been underscored in this chapter. 171 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:59,900 Eugene Peterson says this. Psalm 124 is an instance, of a 172 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:03,500 person who digs deeply into the trouble and finds their the 173 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:06,300 presence of God, who is on our side. 174 00:13:06,700 --> 00:13:10,500 I'm going to say this again. Psalm 124 is an instance, of a 175 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:16,100 person who digs deeply into the trouble and finds their the 176 00:13:16,100 --> 00:13:19,100 presence of God, who is on our side. 177 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:26,100 What if this Psalm is inviting us to Journey Into the deepest 178 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:30,900 fears of our heart. What if this Psalm is inviting 179 00:13:30,900 --> 00:13:37,500 us to be a pilgrim in places and spaces where we've done a lot of 180 00:13:37,500 --> 00:13:41,100 hard work to pretend, I don't exist. 181 00:13:43,100 --> 00:13:49,000 We numb ourselves. To the violence that happens day 182 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,100 in and day out all around the world. 183 00:13:54,600 --> 00:14:01,800 We medicate our anger at things that we cannot control. we 184 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:08,800 excuse the abandonment that we fear might happen, if we just 185 00:14:08,900 --> 00:14:19,300 allow one person in, even the presence of God, I want you to 186 00:14:19,300 --> 00:14:30,600 turn with me to John Chapter 11. When Richard asked me to speak, 187 00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:33,500 I was hoping that he was going to give me free rein to talk 188 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:38,600 about whatever I wanted to. That wasn't the case. 189 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:45,900 But the Lord had put this this chapter on my heart when Richard 190 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:49,300 reached out to me and said, hey, I'm would you be available to 191 00:14:49,300 --> 00:14:51,800 speak at rallies? That absolutely and I got really 192 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,000 excited because I'm like I think I Have a word for this church 193 00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:57,600 and then he's like, okay so we're doing the Psalms of ascent 194 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:03,200 I'm like oh okay but don't you worry as I was studying the Lord 195 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:09,000 has a way of bridging bridging things together the the Lord put 196 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,600 on my heart, The Story of Lazarus. 197 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,900 And in John 11. I'm just going to set the scene 198 00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:18,800 right now. John is actually an Immaculate 199 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,700 book. If you haven't sat in the Book 200 00:15:21,700 --> 00:15:24,700 of John I would encourage you to do that to read it. 201 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:30,200 John is paralleling. Exodus in this gospel which is a 202 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,200 little bananas but that's a whole other sermon for a whole 203 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:33,500 nother time. We're not going to talk about 204 00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:40,800 that but he is capitalizing the works of Jesus with this moment 205 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:43,100 with There is being raised from the dead. 206 00:15:43,900 --> 00:15:45,900 But what I find so, interesting in. 207 00:15:45,900 --> 00:15:51,500 This is how Jesus is on a pilgrimage of his own during 208 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:54,600 this chapter. He's on his way to Jerusalem, 209 00:15:56,100 --> 00:16:01,200 and on his way to Jerusalem, the friends whom he loves very much 210 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:05,800 are in trouble. And so, he stops. 211 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,800 So we're going to pick up in verse 17. 212 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:14,000 And it says, now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had 213 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,700 already been in the Tomb. Four days, Bethany was near 214 00:16:17,700 --> 00:16:21,900 Jerusalem about two miles off. So, he's two miles away from, 215 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,700 from where his pilgrimage is about to end because Passover is 216 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:29,100 coming and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to 217 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:32,300 console them concerning their brother. 218 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,700 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met 219 00:16:35,700 --> 00:16:38,500 him, but Mary remain seated in the house. 220 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:44,400 Martha said to Jesus. Lord, if you had been here, my 221 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,900 brother would not have died. So we're going to skip down to 222 00:16:48,900 --> 00:16:55,000 verse 28. When she Martha had said that 223 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,900 she went and called her sister Mary saying privately, the 224 00:16:57,900 --> 00:17:00,200 teacher is here and is calling for you. 225 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,900 So Mary is in the house and she is not meeting Jesus because 226 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:08,300 she's she's heartbroken and when she heard it she Rose quickly 227 00:17:08,300 --> 00:17:10,500 and went to him. Now, Jesus had not yet come into 228 00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:13,200 the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met 229 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,400 him. When the Jews who were with her 230 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:19,000 in the house consoling, her saw Mary rice quickly and go, they 231 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,700 followed her supposing that she was going to the tomb to Beep 232 00:17:22,700 --> 00:17:25,500 there. Now, when Mary came to her, 233 00:17:25,500 --> 00:17:28,800 Jesus was she saw him? She fell at his feet saying to 234 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,800 him? Lord, if you had been here, my 235 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,200 brother would not have died. Exactly. 236 00:17:37,300 --> 00:17:40,900 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her 237 00:17:40,900 --> 00:17:46,200 also weeping, Jesus was deeply moved and his spirit and greatly 238 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,000 troubled. And he said, where have you laid 239 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,700 him? They said to him Lord come and 240 00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:56,900 see verse 35. Jesus wept. 241 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,700 So that you said see how he loved him, but some of them said 242 00:18:02,700 --> 00:18:04,900 could not. He who opened the eyes of the 243 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:08,100 blind, man also have, kept this man from dying. 244 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:14,700 We're going to stop right there. Friends, in the magnification of 245 00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:20,300 trouble, God can be found. But I will tell you what. 246 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:25,200 Always accompanies trouble doubt. 247 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:32,500 And as Eugene Peterson is beckoning us to lean into 248 00:18:32,500 --> 00:18:37,200 trouble. I feel like the first greeter at 249 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:42,900 the door is doubt. We see Martha and we see Mary 250 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:46,400 and we see the crowd saying one thing to Jesus, as he appears on 251 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,600 the scene of Lazarus is death, Lord. 252 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,400 If he would have been here, our brother would not have died. 253 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,700 And I feel like that statement encapsulate, it's were our 254 00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:05,400 pilgrimage, usually stops. It's where we say, you know 255 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,600 what? I can't. 256 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:12,300 This trouble is too big for you. God. 257 00:19:17,300 --> 00:19:31,800 You know, Jesus Does He Weeps. He doesn't flip a table and get 258 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:36,100 frustrated at their doubt. He doesn't say. 259 00:19:36,100 --> 00:19:38,800 Look at me. Hello? 260 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:46,600 Have more faith. Jesus sits in their grief and he 261 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:50,500 cries. The son of God. 262 00:19:53,500 --> 00:20:02,800 Is inconsolable. Friends trouble leads us to a 263 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:08,700 tomb. And it leads us and it leads us 264 00:20:08,700 --> 00:20:13,400 bound and Jesus enters into the scene. 265 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,900 And he enters into the scene and he enters into the doubt. 266 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,800 Deep. And the question Lord, if you 267 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:29,100 would have been here, my brother would not have died. 268 00:20:29,700 --> 00:20:34,700 C for us pilgrims, the worst case scenario is death, the 269 00:20:34,700 --> 00:20:38,900 worst-case scenario is betrayal. The worst-case scenario is 270 00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:46,000 abandonment. But Jesus. 271 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:54,000 What I love about this is that in each of these interations, 272 00:20:54,900 --> 00:21:00,800 Jesus shows up and is faithful. We're going to go back to 273 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,700 chapter 11. We're going to go to verse 22, 274 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,900 and this is Jesus and Martha speaking. 275 00:21:11,900 --> 00:21:13,400 Martha says, I'm going to say it one more time. 276 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,800 Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 277 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:20,900 But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, God 278 00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:25,000 will give you. Jesus said to her, your brother 279 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:29,300 will rise. Again, Martha said to him, I 280 00:21:29,300 --> 00:21:33,600 know that he will rise again, in the Resurrection on the last 281 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,800 day. Jesus said to her, I am the 282 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:42,000 resurrection and the life whoever believes In me, though. 283 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:43,900 He die. Yet shall he? 284 00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:46,700 Live. And everyone who lives and 285 00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:51,100 Believes In Me, shall never die. Do you believe this? 286 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,400 She said to him? Yes. 287 00:21:55,100 --> 00:22:00,200 Lord I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who was 288 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:10,800 coming into the world. Verse 8 of Psalm 124 God, strong 289 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,500 name is our help the same. God who made Heaven and Earth. 290 00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:21,900 I am. He's beginning to uncover at the 291 00:22:21,900 --> 00:22:25,000 worst-case scenario for any Pilgrim death. 292 00:22:26,300 --> 00:22:29,500 Life. Resurrection. 293 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,100 See, this was the first resurrection. 294 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,400 It was Martha. She was the first one to 295 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:44,600 acknowledge who Jesus was. But it doesn't stop there. 296 00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:52,600 Verse 38. Then Jesus deeply moved again, 297 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,800 Eugene Peterson. And the message says, Jesus was 298 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:59,100 angry. He's angry. 299 00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:05,100 At the Brokenness of this world came to the tomb. 300 00:23:06,500 --> 00:23:08,700 It was a cave and a stone lay against it. 301 00:23:08,700 --> 00:23:12,800 Jesus said, take away the stone Martha, the sister of the dead 302 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:14,900 man said to him. Lord, by this time, there will 303 00:23:14,900 --> 00:23:18,400 be an odor for he has been dead for days. 304 00:23:18,700 --> 00:23:23,400 Jesus said to her, did I not tell you that if you believed, 305 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,800 you would see the glory of God. So they took away the stone. 306 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:30,000 Jesus. Lifted up his eyes and said, 307 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,000 father, I thank you that you have heard me. 308 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,900 I knew that you always hear me but I said, This on account of 309 00:23:36,908 --> 00:23:39,500 the people standing around that, they may believe that you sent 310 00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:43,900 me verse 43 when he said these things, he cried out with a loud 311 00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:49,600 voice Lazarus. Come out the man who had died 312 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,800 came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his 313 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,700 face wrapped with cloth, with a cloth. 314 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,500 Jesus said to them, unbind him, and let him go. 315 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,900 Trouble will always make us believe that the worst case 316 00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:17,400 scenario is actually not the worst case scenario. 317 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,000 What we witness in this chapter and in the verses that we just 318 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,700 read together is a foreshadowing of what Jesus of what his 319 00:24:28,700 --> 00:24:34,700 pilgrimage was taking him too. Death, a tomb. 320 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:42,200 Being bound. A violent and Angry Crowd, 321 00:24:42,500 --> 00:24:48,200 yelling crucify him. The Betrayal of his twelve 322 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:54,100 closest friends, including the friends that he just radically 323 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:59,700 changed. Abandonment as everyone leaves 324 00:24:59,700 --> 00:25:07,700 him. Jesus has pilgrimage leads him 325 00:25:08,300 --> 00:25:13,400 to a place. That is desolate and lonely, 326 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:19,100 we're death awaits him, but this is a death that is very 327 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:21,600 different than anything we will ever experience. 328 00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:29,400 Because not even God. Was present Upon Jesus At The 329 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,800 Cross. He turned his face to a son and 330 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,700 what I can't help. But to think this anguish of 331 00:25:36,700 --> 00:25:42,500 Psalm 124 that this that David is writing an authoring. 332 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:46,900 This is what God has saved us from Jesus. 333 00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:49,600 All Too. Well, is probably reciting these 334 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:54,300 very words as he's on his way to Jerusalem. 335 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,600 But that's not where our story ends, thanks be to God. 336 00:26:00,700 --> 00:26:04,100 Because three days later. Jesus rose. 337 00:26:06,700 --> 00:26:12,200 And when I can't help but to think and to get excited about 338 00:26:13,100 --> 00:26:18,900 is that as we Pilgrim and as we journey, we don't do this alone. 339 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,600 What? I love about what happens after 340 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,000 Jesus calls out the name of Lazarus and Lazarus comes out. 341 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,600 What does he do? The community around him, what 342 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:34,500 does he tell them to do and find him friends? 343 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:38,400 It takes the Jesus to call us from death to life. 344 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,600 But it takes a community of people to set us free. 345 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:49,400 And as we Pilgrim, we don't Pilgrim alone we Pilgrim with 346 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:51,000 those that are sitting right next to You. 347 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:57,600 In This Very Room, those that aren't here, but are far but you 348 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,700 are connected through the body of Christ. 349 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:07,200 And so my hope and my prayer is that we wouldn't stop at doubt. 350 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,700 Is that we wouldn't stop at trouble but that we would trust 351 00:27:12,700 --> 00:27:17,800 and the name of the Lord Our God and that it is through his name, 352 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,300 the name of Jesus, who knows your name? 353 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:29,100 that in those moments where you feel like this is it We're done 354 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:31,500 that. You would hear. 355 00:27:31,900 --> 00:27:39,200 Hey Austin, come out. That you would hear. 356 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:46,800 Hey Sarah, come out. And there you would find a 357 00:27:46,808 --> 00:27:53,000 familiar voice of resurrection of restoration and a piece. 358 00:27:55,300 --> 00:27:59,500 And that through that, you would find the joy. 359 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:05,500 Of Heaven. I would, you know, I would love 360 00:28:05,500 --> 00:28:10,400 to say that heaven is our destination, but I think it's 361 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:18,100 more like Resurrection. And know that no matter what 362 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:23,000 trouble can I just say this, I don't know what it took, most of 363 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,200 you to walk through that door this afternoon. 364 00:28:26,900 --> 00:28:33,000 As someone who does church. And I say this, this might sound 365 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,900 terrible for me to say for a living, okay? 366 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:40,600 I forget how hard it is. Sometimes to walk through that 367 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:49,100 door and to be here, And to sit with other people with the 368 00:28:49,100 --> 00:28:53,600 weight of trouble or worry or anxiety. 369 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:57,500 But I want to tell you something right now. 370 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:02,200 I am as here. And he wants to meet you in your 371 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:06,900 trouble and he wants to meet you and your doubt don't stop. 372 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:16,000 Don't stop walking. So as we close, I'm going to 373 00:29:16,008 --> 00:29:21,200 leave you. With Eugene's words. 374 00:29:24,500 --> 00:29:29,800 Psalm 124 is an instance, of a person who digs deeply into the 375 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,400 trouble and finds there, the presence of God, who is on our 376 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:39,000 side as we go into a time of silence. 377 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:45,700 As we go into a time of examination and reflection, I 378 00:29:45,700 --> 00:29:49,700 want you to bring some of those things that you might have 379 00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:55,100 worked really hard to not feel or to acknowledge. 380 00:29:55,100 --> 00:29:58,300 And I want you to bring them before the Lord in the quietness 381 00:29:58,300 --> 00:30:04,300 of your seat and in this room. I'm going to pray for us. 382 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,800 As we go into our silent time.