Plays On Word Radio
An in-depth look at the Word of God, the Plays On Word community, and the Plays - with original music - we perform, that are based on the Word of God. New episodes drop Fridays at 7AM EST! To find out how Plays On Word Theater can perform 'LIVE on YOUR STAGE' and to support this missionary & podcast visit: https://playsonword.org/
Plays On Word Radio
Ep 116: Jesus wept, Lazarus rose, and everything changed forever.
"Does Christ’s resurrection personally impact the way you view life, death, and your purpose today? Resurrection Sunday proves Jesus’ divine authority, fulfills ancient prophecies, and offers eternal hope—transforming death into victory and faith into a living, personal relationship with Christ."
Resurrection Sunday stands as the pivotal moment in human history, transforming everything we understand about faith, salvation, and eternity. Pastor Teddy (Fred David Kenney Jr.) takes listeners on a profound journey through the Easter narrative, explaining why Christ's resurrection serves as divine verification for every claim Jesus ever made.
Starting with the Mount of Transfiguration, we follow Jesus's deliberate path toward Jerusalem as he demonstrates his divine authority. The raising of Lazarus after four days in the tomb serves as both miracle and turning point—the moment religious leaders decided Jesus must die. When Martha approaches Jesus in grief, his response echoes through centuries: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." This declaration, followed by actually raising Lazarus, foreshadows what would happen on that first Easter morning.
Pastor Teddy illuminates how all Old Testament sacrifices pointed toward Christ as the ultimate Lamb of God. From the lambs born in Bethlehem (wrapped in swaddling cloths like Jesus himself) to the scapegoat bearing the sins of Israel into the wilderness, each sacrifice foreshadowed the cross. When Jesus declared "It is finished" on Good Friday, the payment for humanity's sin was complete. But the story doesn't end with death—it crescendos with empty grave clothes and the greatest comeback in history.
Have you truly grasped the significance of resurrection power in your life? This Easter season, don't just commemorate an ancient event—celebrate the living reality that Christ's victory over death changes everything. Subscribe to Plays on Word Radio for more powerful insights into Scripture that will transform your understanding of faith.
Does any of today's podcast resonate with you? Let us know here:
https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/podcast-reviews
To Support Plays On Word Radio and Plays On Word Theater, please visit:
https://playsonword.networkforgood
The Plays On Word Theater team is setting up new performance dates! Reach out with inquiries: https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/event-submission-form
Plays On Word website
Plays On Word YouTube
Plays On Word Facebook
Plays On Word Instagram
Email us: team@playsonword.org
Lord, you know.
Speaker 2:You will now listen to Plays on Word Radio. It's the best. We'll be right back. You're the only name. You're the only name. You're the only name.
Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to Plays on Word Radio, where we discuss, analyze, work and play on the Word of God. Thank you for joining us on this excursion. Today let's join Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenny Jr, the founder of Plays on Word Theater, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God Right on Amen, amen, amen.
Speaker 2:Welcome to all of you to Plays on Word Radio. My name is Fred David Kenney Jr, as many of you know. Thank you very much, katie Kenney and Josh Taylor, for that lovely intro. Yeah, this time of year is one of the best times of year for a spirit-filled believer, because at this period of time, we are leading up to the most important day in history. The celebration of that day is what we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday morning, and it is the most important day for any believer because of the fact that Jesus came out of the grave. That changes everything. Everything he said is therefore verified as true, or should I say certified as true? It is certified as truth. The resurrection of Christ, that is the most important day for any believer. If you don't understand that as a believer, I would challenge you to look into it. We need to understand that. The resurrection of Christ. Listen, anybody can die, okay, Anybody can die, not. Anybody has been risen back to life, never to die again. In fact, I only know of one person, christ Jesus day, because that was a sign showing that the sacrifice that he made was acceptable in the eyes of God. That shows that the sacrifice that he made was accepted by God. So what does that mean? The scripture, the sacrifice he made, what do you mean? What sacrifice he made?
Speaker 2:Listen, man, on Friday, what we call Good Friday, which is coming up Not today but next week Good Friday On what we week, good Friday on. What we celebrate on Good Friday is that the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, was slain. His blood was shed. He sacrificed and gave his life for the joy that was set before him. That is us. He wanted a cross, his life for the joy that was set before him. That is us. He wants it across. And it's not just the Son involved in this. The Father and the Spirit are involved Also. The Father for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whosoever would believe in him would not perish but have eternal life. Well, the deal went down on the Friday.
Speaker 2:The Lamb of God, all the Old Testament sacrifices, all of them, in one way or another, pointed to the innocent Lamb of God, who is Christ, the innocent Lamb that was born in Bethlehem. Christ, the innocent lamb that was born in Bethlehem, where the lambs were the lambs for temple sacrifice, where they were born and raised and grazed, and when they found one without blemish, they would wrap it in swaddling cloth and bring it to the temple. Yeah, and so so much is fulfilled in Christ's first coming. But this day that we celebrate coming up on the Friday next week, is we call it Good Friday? How can it be good if this guy died? Well, listen, because of the fact that he died and Scripture says he died for our sin, our transgression, the things that were keeping us out of God's presence, out of God's presence.
Speaker 2:There is a Old Testament sacrifice, in Leviticus 16, that talks about the scapegoat, where the sins of the congregation were placed on, ceremonially placed onto this goat, and the goat was taken way out into the wilderness bearing the sin over and over the Old Testament. One way or another, the sacrifices were. They never got rid of sin. They were just a picture and a type that pointed to the final, ultimate sacrifice of Christ himself. The Lord himself will provide.
Speaker 2:Abraham told Isaac Lord himself will provide. Abraham told Isaac and the Lamb of God took away your sin and my sin on the cross, at the cross, and when he said it is finished, he breathed his last and gave up his life. Payment was made for our sin. Now, the only sin that will keep you out of heaven is the sin of rejecting your punched ticket into heaven. He punched our tickets, yeah, and if you say no, that's okay, no, thanks. Well, that sin is enough to keep someone out of it. That's the only sin that's going to keep you out of heaven. That's it Rejecting him, that sin that was not forgiven at the cross of Christ. All sins were forgiven, man, except for the sin of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Oh, what do you mean? Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? What are you talking about, pastor? What are you talking about? Listen, the Holy Spirit. What are you talking about, pastor? What are you talking about?
Speaker 2:Listen, the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ. Jesus, testifies over and over, says he is the truth, the way, the truth, the life. It is true about Him. He came, lived, died, according to the Scriptures, was raised to life again, according to the Scriptures. It is true. What the Holy Spirit does is speak to mankind about sin, righteousness and Christ.
Speaker 2:And for someone to say you know what man? I don't believe what you're saying is true. You're blaspheming him. You're basically, by your actions, you call him a liar. There's no other. So now, therefore, there is no way to be saved if you call the Holy Spirit a liar in what he's saying, because what he is saying is Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by him. Listen, all roads lead to God, but there's only one that leads to eternal life. Every single person is going to stand before God one day. Every being that has ever been born, every human being that has ever been born, will be and stand before God. The only thing that's going to matter is when he says what did you do with my son? That's kind of ridiculous because he already knows and I doubt he's going to ask that question, but you understand my concept here what we do with Christ and the punched ticket that we either accept or reject, and I don't. Actually, that's not a good word, because I hear people say I accepted Christ. Oh, I accepted Christ. Listen, man, you accepted Christ.
Speaker 2:What I like using the term received Christ. We received the forgiveness in Him, accepted it. It almost sounds like you know, okay, I get you know. I just I accept it. I accept it. Accept it. You received Christ. Yes, you received Christ. Yes, you received him. He's still king, whether you accept him or not. But that's neither here nor there.
Speaker 2:This thing that we are celebrating now, this period of time that we are leading up to, there's more to it than just the Good Friday celebration coming up next week and the Resurrection Sunday morning celebration coming up on Sunday. There's actually more to it, and I like the book of Matthew, actually like all the Gospels, because they lock up and synchronize during what we call Passion Week. As believers, passion Week. This Sunday coming up this Sunday, we will celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and you know the Scripture. It locks up a little bit before that. It synchronizes before that, particularly in the Synoptic Gospels the Matthew, mark and Luke. Luke from the Mount of Transfiguration up in Galilee, when Jesus' clothes shone like lightning, brighter than the sun up on the mountain there, and before Peter, james and John and Peter.
Speaker 2:He doesn't know what he's saying. He starts just speaking Without thinking. He just starts speaking because he sees Jesus speaking to Moses and Elijah. Listen, for a Jewish guy, for a Jewish person, there's no one more important than Moses and Elijah. And here this Jewish fisherman sees Moses. I always wondered how did he know it was Moses? Did he have a name tag or something Said Mo on it or you know Mo and Eli. I mean, how did he know? It didn't matter, because he knew, and indeed it was Moses the most important figure, or one of the most important figures to any Jewish man or Jewish woman there as well.
Speaker 2:It's more nuanced than just that. I mean because you have Moses and Elijah, you have the law, moses representing the law and Elijah representing the prophets. You have the law and the prophets Representation right there, all on that mountain. You also have the voice of the Father basically rebuking Peter, but sending a message to us as well. This is my son, whom I love, my beloved son. Listen to him. You could maybe possibly translate that as being Peter. Stop talking and listen to him. Peter's the only guy I know that was rebuked by God, the Father. You got to love Pete man, but being up on the Mount of Transfiguration and from that point on, jesus is focused, going to Jerusalem, and that's what they were talking about his departure, moses and Elijah with him.
Speaker 2:And then, when the voice came from the cloud, peter, james and John fell on the ground as if they were dead. The life was just sucked out of them from just complete awesomeness. Awesomeness, being awestruck from just hearing the voice of God. It was interesting because the Israelites, they couldn't take the voice of God Back on the mountain, mount Sinai, when the mountain was smoking and the voice of God, the people went to Moses Moses, you go, speak to him. We can't take his voice, man, we can't, we're going to be undone. And God said to Moses what the people have said is good. And then moses went up and here we have a similar thing these guys, they fall dead, as if they're dead.
Speaker 2:And then they look up and it's just jesus there, and jesus lifts them up off the ground, helps them up and, um, you know, from that point he starts moving from Galilee down through the Decapolis area, down through Galilee and the whole Decapolis area, down through Samaria. And as he's making his way through Samaria, I believe, um, a messenger comes from the house of Mary, martha and Lazarus and saying please hurry, please hurry. The one you love is really sick. And instead of, you know, catching a train or an Uber, jesus slows down even longer, stays even longer, and then he heads to bethany, where they were, and martha comes out completely distraught and upset because lazarus now has died. It's been four days since he died.
Speaker 2:And her, her first thing is you know, if you would have been here? If you would have been here, my brother would not have died. Had you been here, lazarus would still be alive. And then then she amends her statement by saying but even now, I know, whatever you ask from god, god will give you. And jesus said to her your brother will rise again. And martha said to him I know he's, I know rise again in the resurrection on the last day. And then Jesus said I mean, I wish I could have seen this. Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life. What? Just just put it in park for a second man and just absorb what he just said. Here she's grieving that her brother has died. They sent messengers and the messenger met up with Jesus. They had hope. Oh, if we can just get Jesus here, this sickness won't end in death.
Speaker 2:And the first thing she says when she runs up to Jesus is Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died. She's expressing faith in that statement. He wouldn't have died. And then she says but even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, god will give you. So there's even hope. There's even hope right there. Look at the faith she's expressing. And then look at his statement your brother will rise again and she's like I mean, I know he's going to rise in the resurrection on the last day. That's not really helping right now.
Speaker 2:I added that little part there. That is not scripture, not even in a dollar store Bible. You won't see that. And then when Jesus breaks and just says I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, though he die yet, shall he live. And anyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? And she said to him yes, lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who is coming into the world.
Speaker 2:And then, when she said this who is coming into the world? And then, when she said this, she basically took off, ran back to the house, called her sister, mary, saying to her privately she said the teacher's here and he's calling for you. And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now, jesus had not yet. He's not even in the village yet. He didn't make it into the village. He's still outside the village, but he was still at the place where Martha ran out of the village to meet him and when the Jews who were in the house, when they saw Mary, when they saw Mary get up and take off, they just figured oh, she's going to the tomb to weep there.
Speaker 2:Now, when Mary, when she came to Jesus and she saw him, she fell at his feet and she said the same exact sentence that Martha said. She said, lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died. It's a loaded statement For women in that culture to lose the man of the house. They lost income, they lost protection. It was not a good situation all the way around. Besides the fact they loved their brother, who was lovable At least we assume he's lovable, he might not have been lovable, I mean says who Jesus loved. Jesus loved me and I know I was not lovable. Hey, hey, wait. Some of you guys are saying amen to that and I don't know if I like that. But when Mary rolled up, when she rolled up to Jesus, jesus saw her weeping Right and the Jews who had also come with her. So some of the Jews left the house with her. They were also weeping.
Speaker 2:And it says he was deeply moved in his spirit and and troubled, greatly troubled. I mean, he was moved in his spirit and his soul when he saw them. He had compassion on all those people and to have compassion means to suffer with, come with passion, a suffering with. He had that with him and his spirit was greatly troubled. And then he said to them where have you laid him? Listen, anytime Jesus asks a question, he knows the answer. Okay, he's the ultimate lawyer. He said where have you laid him? It was really for them so that they could say Lord, come and see. And that's exactly what they said.
Speaker 2:And then verse 35 of John, chapter 11, it says Jesus wept, jesus wept. This is really emotional For the creator of the universe to weep. What's in that? The one who spoke and the universe leapt into existence, the one who walked on water, the one who calmed the storm, what would make him cry? What would make him weep? Everyone saw it.
Speaker 2:Verse 36 says so. The Jews said See how he loved him. But some of the people there said Couldn't he who had opened the eyes of the blind, couldn't he have kept this man from dying? And then it says that Jesus was moved again and he came to the tomb and it was a cave and had this big boulder, this stone up against it. And then Jesus says, which I find interesting he says take away the stone. And then Martha, who reminds me of Peter a little bit before in earlier on in Luke, chapter 10. Let me just read it to you, just to give you a little context on Martha and Mary. It says now as they went on their way, jesus entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. She went up to him and said Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me. But the Lord answered her.
Speaker 1:Martha.
Speaker 2:Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her. So that gives a little context on Martha. And so, here Jesus, he says you know, take the stone away. And Martha kicks in and she says Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for it has been four days. Jesus said to her did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you have always heard me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice Lazarus, come out. The man who had died came out. His hands and his feet were bound with linen strips and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them unbind him and let him go. You know, man, if can you imagine if he didn't say Lazarus, come out, if he just said come out, you know that whole, that whole cemetery would have emptied out the whole place, everybody. This was the last straw, this was, this was. They couldn't. They said that's it, man.
Speaker 2:Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, they were with him. They were at the tomb. Some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus they were like yo man. Lazarus was dead for four days and Jesus raised him from the dead, and the chief priests and Pharisees gathered the council together and said what are we going to do? This man performs all these signs. If we let him go on like this, everybody's going to believe in him and the Romans are going to come and take away our place and our nation. But one of them, caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to him you guys know nothing at all, nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should be scattered abroad. So from that day on, they made plans to put him to death. They planned on killing Jesus. Not that they were happy about Lazarus a man, dead man brought back to life, that didn't make them happy. No, they were salty that Jesus did this miracle and they're going to possibly lose their influence and power. Anyway, this all went down before the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, on the way back from Galilee, and that's what we celebrate. And then next week we will sell. Well, this Sunday we're going to celebrate Palm Sunday, the entering of the King, the King's entering into Jerusalem. Amen, amen to that. The king's entering into jerusalem, amen, amen to that he's entering.
Speaker 2:And when you get a chance, check out zechariah 9, 9. Because that is a prophecy of this actual event. I'll read it to you right now. Rejoice greatly, o daughter of zion, shout aloud, o daughter of jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous, righteous and having salvation. Is he Humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt? The foal of a donkey? Hmm, hallelujah, hallelujah. And that Zechariah prophecy was 600, 500 years before Christ was born, 520 years before Christ was born, 520 years before Christ was born, something like that. And here it is being fulfilled right before us in this. A lot of things went down at this period of time leading up to resurrection morning, the greatest day in history. That leaves all the time we have for this episode, until we meet again. The lord bless you and keep you. The lord make his face to shine upon you and the lord be gracious to you. The lord lift up his countenance upon you. Hey, come on now and give you peace.
Speaker 1:This program was made possible by the Plays on Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our website at playsonwordorg.
