Confidence and Deeper Levels of Confidence - Adoration

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Prepping for April's Quarry

Confidence and Deeper Levels of Confidence - Adoration

Next Sunday, we will have the honor and pleasure of celebrating the start of "Passion Week".  I think we are all familiar with the events of that week. I reference the events of that week in the article, "It's the Holy Day Season" two weeks ago.

With two weeks to go until Easter, I want to highlight what Jesus was doing in the weeks prior to Passion Week.

I will use an approach a homiletics (i.e., the art of preaching or teaching) approach called expository.  This approach usually uses a large section of scripture (text) rather than a single scripture and letting the text create points of the message.  Below, I have inserted the text and my supplemental comments (in red) to highlight points.  All I am missing is Jo's character, Sister Bobo to do the text reading.   

Message point: 

Christ's unwavering confidence, which brings glory to God and your confidence, which can go to another level.

Text: John 11:1-43

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Every thing Jesus does is for the glory of God. With just a few words, With unwavering confidence, He speaks into existence a miracle. Jesus is modeling behavior we can do.  

Remember He said in John 14:12-14, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus". 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,There is no rush. Jesus is confident in the miracle coming from His Word.  He is leaving in His timing---another message for another time  7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”  Outside circumstances do not deter His timing

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”  For we walk in Faith and not by sight, 2 Corinthians 5:7

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” Jesus' words are about life and not gloom.  Again, you see His unwavering confidence.

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Make no mistake about the omnipotence of God.

16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” In the very face of His kingly majesty and seeing all of His other miracles first hand for 3 years, Thomas had the unmitigated nerve to say this.  What more does Jesus have to do for Thomas to believe? Sigh.

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. I am not hating on Martha, she understands some of the power of Jesus.  But she is putting Jesus' omnipotence in a box. Jesus is God and God is omnipresent Faith transcends physics God is everywhere So, she needs to know God is not restricted, which is another level of confidence in God.

22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Christ's confidence on display

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”  This is half faith by Mary. Jews at this time believed in a "Last Day or Judgement day in the distant future where Jews would be resurrected for Heaven.  

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Literal Words to live by.

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” Nice faith recovery by Martha

28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up (James 4:10 --- Adoration in action and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Half faith again

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Here you see the humanity of Jesus.  He passionately cares for you.  At this time death still had a sting --- a hurt.  Remember, we were originally created to live forever.  34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.  “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” Just a reminder, He really does love you.

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”  Doubting God's omnipotence in Jesus' presence.  They undoubtedly had seen His other miracles yet take clear and audible shots at Jesus 

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.  Undeterred by the naysayers who likely were His associates at some point.

“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.”  Martha's wavering faith and telling Jesus not to go into a situation where things might be harsh and unbearable.  Indicating Jesus may struggle in the circumstances------me: Somebody say, "Hold on Martha, My Jesus can handle any situation. Come on somebody!"

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Me: Hallelujah, join me church, somebody give Him the glory!!!!

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 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.”  Here is a practice we need to do when your declaratory words align with the miracle God is performing in your life. Me again: Hallelujah, join me church, somebody give Him the glory!!!!

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, Confident in His Word and Faith manifested in a miracle 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.”  

55  Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?

56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

57  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ".  (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

Song of the Week  Hallelujah! Sing a New Song to GOD. Sing HIS praise in the assembly of godly people. Psalm 149:1.

"He Got Up", 1983, Edwin Hawkins Music and & Arts Seminar Mass Choir

I had to go back to find a song that fits the text above.  This was easy for me to do.  I looked no further than Edwin Hawkins, one of the greatest psalmist to ever live.  

The lyrics are easy, which is good because I want the power of lyrics to resonate with you, like it has for me for the last 41 years, as we enter into Passion Week next Son-Day.

Lyrics

Death where is your sting?
Sting is where is your grave?
Grave where is your victory?
He got up!
God raised Him up
He got up
All power in His Hand!
(Repeat 4x) He got up, God raised Him up
(Repeat 4x) He got up, up, up, up!