April 6, 2014 - Lent 5 – Pastor Free Jesus Cares 1. He Comes 2. He Comforts 3. He Helps John 11:17-27; 38-45 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? Yes, Lord, she told him, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. Take away the stone, he said. But, Lord, said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days. Then Jesus said, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, Take off the grave clothes and let him go. Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. Most of us have our go to person – a parent, spouse, sibling, friend. When we’re facing a nasty situation we know that they’ll be there. How many people in the Bible didn’t realize that about Jesus. No matter what the problem, from fever to leprosy, from demon possession to death, from paralysis to blindness, from guilt to fear, Jesus was there. He was there because He cares. Because He cares He comes to us in our time of trouble. He offers us the comfort we need. And He helps us no matter what the need. Mary and Martha had a need. their brother Lazarus was sick. They did the best thing they could do. They sent for Jesus. But would He come. They lived in Bethany, a town that was two miles from Jerusalem the hotbed of hatred for Jesus. Jesus’ enemies were getting more serious about not just arresting Jesus, but killing Him. How tough it would be for Jesus to go knowing where He was going and what He would face. His disciples didn’t encourage Jesus at all. In fact they discouraged Hm. When Jesus said that He was ready to go the disciples were reluctant, “But Rabbi, a short while ago they Jews tried to stone you, and yet you’re going back there.” When Jesus repeated His intention to go, Thomas spoke up, “Let us also go that we may die with Him.” Jesus didn’t get any support from the disciples. But that didn’t stop Him. His friend was dead. The dead man’s sisters were in distress. They needed help. Jesus cared so He went to them. It’s easy for us who sit here this morning to say sure He went. They had a huge problem. If we have huge problems, serious stuff going on in our life, He’ll come. But what about when my problems are self-made; when my problem is minor compared to the struggles of other people; when my problem crops up suddenly and won’t last that long when others have chronic problems that they have to deal with for the rest of their life. You know what you hear at times – my problem isn’t bad enough to bother Jesus. Insignificant or not it’s a problem. Problems pile up; weigh us down, get us down, depress us. Jesus never said I’ll come to you only if your problem registers so high on the problem meter or lasts so long. His promise (and remember God is not a man that He should lie), “Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and He will say; Here am I.” Jesus never said your problem has to be so bad or last so long. He simply asks do you have a problem. Is anything bugging you. Call on me. I’ll be there. And when He comes, Jesus, will offer the best comfort. He offered distraught Martha the best, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha understood, “I know He will rise in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus went on to explain why that life after death would happen, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” What a word of comfort. Jesus made two promises. First her brother had died. Death will happen to all people because all people sin. Death is the wage, the punishment for sin. But what did Jesus promise, a resurrection. For a time, until judgment day, Lazarus’ body would sleep in the grave. That’s what He told the disciples Lazarus was doing – sleeping. That’s what He said of Jairus’ daughter who had died. But He promised Martha that Lazarus would wake up. He’ll live again. His body will come back to life. But He also said he’ll never die. Remember we’re made up of body and soul. When we die the soul leaves the body. Solomon wrote, “The dust returns to the ground it came from and soul returns to God who gave it.” Jesus told the thief, “Today you will be with me in paradise”. At His death Jesus said, “Father into your hands I commend my sprit”. Because of Lazarus’ faith in Jesus, he, his soul, he Lazarus hadn’t really died. He moved to a new home. He moved to live forever in the glory of heaven with Jesus. What comforting truths for Martha to hear. Her brother’s soul lived in heaven. His body would live again. Some amazing comfort from Jesus. But was it just talk to get Martha to calm down. No. Shortly after this miracle (we know that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead) Jesus performed His greatest miracle. He bowed His head and died. That doesn’t sound like much until we remember why He died, “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people”. With sin lifted off us we’ll still die, but we won’t stay dead. We’ll rise from the dead. And for all who die believing in Jesus as their Savior that resurrection will be glorious. We’ll rise to live, body united with the soul, with Jesus forever in heaven. Jesus offered the best comfort. That’s what He does. You know there are times we turn to people, our go to person for comfort, and we wonder why we even bothered. We hear things like; toughen up, it’s not that bad, I remember when and they talk about a similar incident that happened to them. And one that just drives a person crazy, others have it so much worse than you. Well, they may and probably do but I’m hurting right now and need help. Jesus is ready to offer you comfort. You know why, He loves you. Remember what that means. He doesn’t love us because we were so attractive to Him. He just loves us. He cares. He wants us to be happy and blessed in life. And so when we struggle He says I’m here. And then In His Word He offers us the comfort that we desperately desire. He says things like; I won’t leave you, I’ll take care of you, I’ll protect you, I’ll turn everything into a blessing for you. And the best, when guilt for our sins grabs us and fear of His just anger grips us, He offers us this comfort, I forgive you. Because He cares so much He knows so well how to comfort us. But then He doesn’t figure, that should calm them down and walk away. Look what He did for these two grieving sisters. Lazarus had been dead for four days. When Jesus told them to roll back the stone they were worried about the odor from the decaying body. That didn’t faze Jesus. He prayed to His heavenly Father and then simply said, “Lazarus, come out.” Imagine their shock, their joy, their relief as the dead man came out his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face. He was alive. Because Jesus cared so much He helped them in our time of trouble. Look at that miracle. Is there anything that Jesus can’t do for us. Think of all His other miracles. Is there anything He won’t do for us. What about the greatest miracle of all. What’s happened to my sins of worry and doubt, of fear. Those sins have the power to kill me, to put me in the grave and send me to hell. But when I was in my greatest need, Jesus saved me. He was nailed to a cross for me. He suffered hell for me. He died for me. Listen to the blessings of that effort, “We have made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once, for all.” Our greatest need, to be forgiven and delivered from death and saved from hell has been met in the most miraculous way; Jesus suffered and died on a cross. Does Jesus care about you? The cross tells us. The Bible tells us. This miracle tells us. Yes, Jesus cares about each and every one of us. He cares for all of His people. How much does He care. He’ll come to us in every time of trouble. He’ll comfort in every time of trouble. In His way and at His time He’ll deliver us in every time of trouble. Does Jesus care for you? Absolutely. What a comfort and what a blessing that He does, a comfort and a blessing that lasts through all eternity.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 16:54:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015