WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:03.359 So a few years ago we we were living in our first house. 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:06.879 We've lived in four houses at this point in ten years. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:10.400 So I I guess it means we'll probably be moving next month or so. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:12.240 This rhythm continues. 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:19.359 So it was our first house, and when I dream, I don't know how when you dream what's going on with your dreams. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:21.120 When I dream, I am I am immersed. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:25.920 You know, like if it's an action sequence in a warehouse, you know, somebody's chasing me. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:28.000 I wake up and I'm I'm sweating. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:36.479 You know, I mean, so and so I I was asleep, and we we were we had just gotten married, and so I'm asleep, and I'm dreaming that I am in my bed. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:38.640 So the dream is me in bed. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:50.640 So the dream is the reality that's actually going on, and I'm asleep in the dream, I'm asleep, and in the dream where I'm asleep, I dream that somebody breaks into the house. 00:00:50.880 --> 00:00:56.159 Okay, so then in real life, this is a little bit like the plot of inception, right? 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.119 So then in real life, I wake up. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:05.920 But but you know, you wake up, you're kind of confused, and you're like, what was so did I did I really hear somebody break in? 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:12.640 Because that was what was going on in the dream, and there's this kind of confusion of like which reality am I in the dream reality or am I real reality? 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:16.079 So I'm lying in bed, and I'm you know, I'm thinking it was probably nobody. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:17.120 I dreamt it. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:21.200 That was a part, that wasn't, and I'm telling myself that that was just a dream. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:22.879 I dreamt it, it's probably nobody. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:25.840 And then there's other said, well, what if it wasn't nobody? 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:35.120 What if it's a real person, what if he's in my house, what if he has a a knife, what if he's after us, and I'm going, well, the chances of that are so absolutely slim. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:36.000 This is a ridiculous company. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:38.239 You know, you should rest, you should just go back to sleep. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:43.280 There's probably nobody, and and and then you're not quite sure if you want to know if somebody's in your house or not. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:47.840 Maybe he'll just take something and leave, and then and then you're going, well, isn't it my responsibility? 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:51.280 I got this this new wife over here, and I'm I'm kind of responsible. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:55.200 And so I finally I get up and I decide I'm gonna search the house. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:56.959 It's the mid the middle of the night. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:02.480 And I don't have as back before I was thinking too strategically about the stuff, and so I don't have any weapons. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:11.919 So I'm walking around the house and you know, I search my bedroom, I search the bathroom, and I search the two closets and the master, and then I'm going out into the out into the open. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:16.080 I am worked up because I'm still not sure if I had really heard something or not. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:18.800 And so I'm there's a chance that I did hear something. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:33.680 And so I go out, I go to the laundry room, open the garage, to the kitchen, to the den, dining room, and then there was the other side of the house, uh, two bedrooms, and so I go into the office, closets, right? 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:36.080 Has anybody else had to do this, by the way? 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:37.360 Uh it's nerve-wracking. 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:41.599 And so, you know, you kind of like that, like that's gonna do something. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:42.319 I don't I don't know. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:44.879 And so, oh no, nobody was in there. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.080 Second bathroom, shower curtain. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:50.560 Yeah, that'll freak you out. 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:55.919 And so, shower curtain, last bedroom, uh, you know, last closet. 00:02:56.960 --> 00:02:58.639 No, but nobody was in there, right? 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:00.000 The whole house was empty. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:05.039 I go back to sleep, I'm so worked up, having to convince myself that wasn't real. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:11.680 But when you're having a dream and it is real, and then you wake up and you wake up to a totally different reality. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:13.120 Have you had that dream? 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:16.960 You've had the dream, you have to convince you that wasn't true, that didn't happen, that's not going. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:20.319 You're in one reality and then you wake up to another. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:24.639 Um, sort of, you know, sort of like when you found out Millie Vanilli was lip syncing, and you're like, what? 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:25.280 What hold on? 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:28.000 You replay the hills is scripted? 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.039 What are you talking about? 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:30.000 The hills is scripted. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:32.319 I've been investing so much time and it's in script. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:33.840 Some of you don't know what I'm talking about. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:45.520 So you're in, you're in one reality, and then something happens and a newness, something new happens and it it changes, it changes everything. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:52.319 And some mornings you wake up, some mornings you wake up and it's to a reality you don't like. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:04:02.879 There's a board meeting, there's a court date, there's a divorce, there's a funeral, and then there's these other days that I mean you're you're going skiing. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:05.039 You're getting married. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:08.719 I mean, it's a beautiful spring day. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:19.439 This week in this text, the thing that kept coming back around for me is there are wedding days and there are funeral days. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:21.759 And he's at both. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:24.160 Jesus is at both. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:25.920 And that's what we're going to see in the story. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:26.879 We see three people. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:32.560 We see Mary and Martha and Lazarus, and these three people, they're just two sisters and a brother, all siblings. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:36.639 And Jesus comes and interacts with them and creates newness in them. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:42.399 And the newness doesn't become, they get because they get their act together, they become self-evolved, and they become self-improved. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.040 And the newness just comes because Jesus is there. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:49.279 And Jesus loves these three. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:50.480 He's close friends with these. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.360 These aren't acquaintances, these are close friends. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:59.040 And so the story in John chapter 11 is Lazarus gets sick, and Jesus is not there. 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:14.800 And Lazarus gets sick, and Mary and Martha, the sisters, they are there, and Lazarus is sick, and so they send a messenger to Jesus, and a messenger is headed towards Jesus to say, Hey, your friend, the guy you love, you love this, he's sick. 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:17.439 And he's probably gonna die. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:23.199 And so Jesus tells his disciples, he says, Hey, um, it's interesting, kind of the way the text is formed. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:25.920 He tells the disciples Lazarus is dead. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:31.920 So he he knows, even before somebody's told him that he's dead, he knows he's dead because Jesus is God. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:37.279 And he tells, and and and he words that he says he's asleep, and then the disciples say, Well, if he's asleep, let's just go wake him up. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:41.040 And Jesus is like, oh my gosh, these guys, um, he's he's dead, guys. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:44.399 I mean, this is what verse 14, if we jump into the text in verse 14. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:49.680 So then he told them plainly, because the disciples aren't catching on as normal, just like us, we don't catch on. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:54.000 And so then he told them plainly, hey, Lazarus, Lazarus is dead. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:56.639 And then he says this kind of surprising statement. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:00.160 He says, For your sake, I'm glad I was not there. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:03.439 So that you may believe. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:06.720 But let's go to him. 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:13.839 Now, all the commentators say probably Lazarus died before before the messengers even got to Jesus. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:22.160 So it wasn't like Jesus was stalling to let Lazarus die, but at the same time, Jesus is God, so he knew he died when he was going to die. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:24.160 And Jesus said, I'm glad. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:28.639 I mean, it's almost like in this in this narrative of John, we've been seeing all these miracles. 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:31.759 Is it the seventh miracle that Jesus will perform? 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:39.439 And each each miracle, he's just doing something incredible to validate himself as God, as the Messiah. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:44.800 And these disciples, even the disciples, they're not, they're not, they're still not believing. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:46.319 And this is what Jesus is saying. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.879 He's saying, I another miracle's coming. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:50.720 This is a big one. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:07:01.519 And I'm kind of glad this situation came up because I'm going to do something that creates such belief in you that you will trust in me. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:05.279 Maybe you're here. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:09.920 Suffering's been your big hang up when it comes to belief in God. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.759 I get that. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:14.000 I completely get it. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:16.319 Maybe that suffering's been quite personal. 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:21.759 I mean, you you know abuse, you know betrayal, you know disappointment. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:29.040 I mean, you know it to the point that it takes your breath away, you know it to the point where your heart is absolutely broken. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.519 I don't pretend we talked about suffering maybe a month ago. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:32.959 I said this, I'll say it again. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:37.279 I don't pretend to be able to completely answer those concerns. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:44.879 And we use this term when we talked about suffering before, that God has an asymmetrical relationship with suffering. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:49.680 So God permits suffering and his sovereignty. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:54.319 He does not like it, but he's in control over it, and he will use it. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:55.439 That's asymmetrical. 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:56.879 We can get our minds around something like that. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:01.759 That's a little bit of the difference between the creator and the created, a deity and a human. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:09.120 So asymmetrical, he permits it, he doesn't like it, he's in control over it, and he will absolutely use it. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:16.240 And none of this, none of the brokenness and the death was a part of creation to begin with. 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:18.000 Read the Genesis account. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:27.920 I mean, the garden was perfect and it was in harmony, it was peaceful, and there's provision, and there wasn't brokenness, there wasn't death, there wasn't sickness and fear and anxiety, and all of that stuff. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:29.519 It wasn't a part of creation. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:36.159 The unraveling of the world is just because we have turned from God and we create the brokenness. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.080 We create it in ourselves. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:40.320 We created in the world. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:43.279 Verse 16. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:48.639 Then Thomas, also known as Didymus, I'd stick with Thomas, just an idea. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:51.440 Uh don't, yeah, please call me Didymus. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:52.559 I want to go with that. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:59.120 Uh then Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, let us also go that we may die with him. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:05.120 And it's like Jesus is going, man, these these guys are just, you never know what they're gonna say. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:07.840 And Jesus is going, no, let's let's scale back a little bit. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.600 That's not what this is about right here. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:10.879 Thank you for the passion. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:11.840 I appreciate that. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:13.120 That's great, Thomas. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:18.159 So they they head to the village, they head to Bethany, and they get there, and Lazarus has been in the tomb. 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:23.039 He's been in the tomb for four days, and so a lot of Jews have been heading from Jerusalem to Bethany's. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:26.000 It's about two miles, and so a lot of Jews are coming to visit. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:31.440 They're coming to visit Mary and Martha and you know, give their condolences and to, you know, to mourn with them. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:38.879 And so there's a lot of Jews at the house, and we don't quite know why Martha got up and headed out of the house to go meet Jesus. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:40.399 Maybe she was so eager. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:42.799 Maybe it's because there could have been a scene. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:44.720 And a lot of these Jews didn't like Jesus. 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:50.240 I mean, he's preaching this radical grace thing, and they're kind of sticking with the standard and the burden of the law. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:54.399 And maybe Martha's going, I don't want a scene at my house right now, and I'll I'll I'll head out. 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:57.279 I will go and I will meet him as he's coming in. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:00.720 And so Martha heads out, and what we get is we get the three interactions. 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:06.559 We get one with Martha, we get another interaction with Mary, and we get a third interaction with Lazarus. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.240 And it's three awakenings. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:12.000 It's three movements from one reality to another. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:15.440 And so with Martha, here are the three awakenings, and then we'll break them down. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:18.399 With Martha, we see an awakening of understanding. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:21.360 With Mary, we see an awakening of nearness. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:25.120 And then with Lazarus, we see an awakening of his pursuit. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:29.360 So at the first interaction with Martha, here's how this plays out, verse 21. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:35.759 Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you'd been here, I mean, hey, haven't you said that? 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:41.440 If you had been here, my brother would not have died. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:46.080 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.039 So she has some belief. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:53.039 She's a smart lady, she has some belief going here, but she is distraught and she is frustrated. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:56.320 You should have been here. 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.799 Jesus, you you should have been here. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:01.039 You should have shown up. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:04.080 In my family, you should have shown up. 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:08.720 My friends, you should have shown up. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:13.279 In my health, in my child's health, you should have shown up. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.720 And if you had been here, things would have been different. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:21.519 My idea of what you should do is not what's playing out. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:22.159 Have you had that? 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.279 You've been there? 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:24.799 Timing. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:28.559 My timing for this scenario is not playing out. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:30.879 You should have been here and you should have made this happen. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.919 So we have deep disappointment. 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:37.600 Martha's speaking this to Jesus, just raw honesty. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:38.799 That's what I love about this story. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:40.559 Raw honesty. 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:45.120 Not this kind of religious, let's kind of cover things up and how you know, well, bless the Lord. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:46.000 Thank you for coming. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:47.279 So glad you're here. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.039 Yeah, let me show you where the tomb is. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.039 I mean, Mary and Martha are coming out and they're like, Why weren't you here? 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:58.879 So Jesus comes, he pushes back against this. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.679 In verse 23, he says to her, Your brother will rise again. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:09.120 And Martha answered her, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:10.879 So she's thinking eternity. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:16.879 She said to her, No, I said, I'm the I'm the resurrection and the life. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:23.440 The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:28.960 And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.759 And then he says, Do you believe this? 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:38.879 Like, do you, do you, do you believe that life is actually in him? 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:52.240 That life is not in more of whatever, more money or approval or you know, whatever, a better whatever, a better body, or better clothes, or better this, or you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, more, more, more, more. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:59.519 Do you do you believe that life is actually in him and it can't be taken away from you? 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:04.240 Even when you die, it cannot be taken away from you. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:15.200 That part of you that if we um if we took you apart, just body part by body part, we could we would still never find you. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:17.200 We would never find. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:21.840 There's a part of you that's not physical, that part will never die. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:28.320 Jesus doesn't cry with her, he just speaks truth to her. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:36.480 And Martha is coming into a greater understanding of the world and of life and who Jesus is. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:43.519 And so Martha leaves and she heads back to the house. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.240 Jesus has asked for Mary to come. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:50.720 So she goes and she tells Mary, and we don't know why Mary didn't leave the house. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:54.639 Maybe Mary was so distraught she just didn't want to see him. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:56.240 You know what I'm talking about. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:58.320 You I mean, you're so disappointed, I don't want to go to church. 00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.120 Don't want to deal with it. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:02.240 I'm so disappointed, I'm so frustrated with God. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:08.879 I don't want to open my Bible, I don't want to pray, I don't want to talk to a certain friend who's gonna be like super religious toward me. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:10.639 I don't want to I don't want to go to church. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:12.240 I I don't I'm just gonna stay home. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:12.960 That's what I'm gonna do. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.039 Maybe Mary's doing that. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:17.600 She's just so heartbroken. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:28.159 But when she finds out that Jesus has asked for her, everything changes, and she leaves the house and she comes toward Jesus. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:37.759 We get heartbroken for all sorts of stuff. 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:41.200 I mean, your career. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:43.120 You had this timeline. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.639 It hasn't played out. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:55.440 I was thinking about it this week, all the heartbroken moments of my life and kind of career path was a quite a large one. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.240 I mean, the timing wasn't working. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:05.279 I was working a job I didn't like just after seminary, and I I was getting rejection after rejection after rejection. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:06.559 You're just not fit for this. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:08.480 This just isn't quite right for you. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:11.039 Oh, you're gonna be so great at something. 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:15.679 I mean, maybe like eight of these over the course of like a year. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:22.159 And just each one, you're feeling worse about you're getting more and more disappointed. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:34.159 Sickness or death, a child dies, a marriage dies, the hope of marriage dies, the hope of a child dies, and you don't want to get out of bed. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:37.200 I mean, you are heartbroken. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:49.840 I mean, one year as a teenager, I I lost my my uncle, my grandfather, and my parents divorced. 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:56.480 And I can remember being like Martha for a good bit of time, sort of like, I'll kind of uphold it a little bit. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:02.240 You know, I'm frustrated, I have my questions, but I'm not gonna break down. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:07.840 And then the breakdown happens because you're exhausted. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:14.000 You're trying to uphold it, and the frustration is just so much, and you you're just you're you're heartbroken. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:21.120 Mary gets to Jesus and she just falls down. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:28.240 And we get this unbelievable moment in verse 32. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:35.840 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was, she saw him, she fell at his feet. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:41.279 She said, Lord, if you if you'd been here, my brother would not have died. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:50.480 And when Jesus saw her weeping, and this word weeping, it's not it's wailing. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:52.480 I mean, it is, it is. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:55.600 Have y'all been watching the news and the Malaysia flight? 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:01.200 And they showed some clips of some Chinese families warning, and they are wailing. 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:08.640 And then they showed an American family, and the American family says, Well, we're trying to process through this, and we're looking for some closure. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:13.759 And then they go back to the clip of the Chinese family, and and they are they are overcome. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.720 They are they are yelling, they are wailing. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.119 Mary's wailing. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.640 She is at his feet. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:27.599 Some Jews had come along with her also weeping. 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:31.759 And Jesus was deeply moved and spirit troubled. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:33.200 Where have you laid him? 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:33.920 He asked. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.839 Come and see, Lord, they replied. 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:38.400 Jesus wept. 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:44.160 Here's the second interaction, the second awakening we get in it is of nearness. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:47.359 I mean, Mary is wailing. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:49.599 She is on the ground. 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:52.799 And Jesus said, Well, get up, Mary. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.759 I mean, you're just lacking so much faith. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:58.240 I mean, come on. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:59.359 I mean, I'm Jesus. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:00.799 Haven't you seen the other mirror? 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:01.599 Haven't you heard about me? 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:04.000 Haven't you been listening at all? 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:05.680 That we never die. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.839 Even when we die, we don't die. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.680 I mean, have some belief, Mary. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.920 Get your act together. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:16.240 He doesn't say any of that. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:20.079 He doesn't say he doesn't say anything about that. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.880 And he weeps. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:28.079 And this word is quiet weeping. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.960 He lowers himself. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:37.759 He doesn't present truth. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.759 He gives compassion. 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:44.319 And he just he just cries with her. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:49.200 Man, isn't that reassuring when we're heartbroken? 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:53.279 And we're not getting our act together and having incredible faith. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:56.319 And we're not rising up to say, blessed be your name. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:59.200 We're just heartbroken and disappointed and frustrated. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:02.640 And we are weeping and wailing because of a disappointment. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:15.359 And isn't it good news that Jesus comes into that and he doesn't speak a lecture over us, that he comes into that with compassion, and that he actually cry with us. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:29.279 So he moves from Mary and heads towards the tomb, and we get our we get our third interaction, our third awakening, and an awakening of his pursuit. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:33.680 Verse 38, Jesus once more deeply moved. 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:39.039 And this word, deeply moved, is is like a bellow or a roar. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:42.480 I mean, it is it is a deep concern. 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:49.200 A fierceness and his sorrow is rising up as he moves towards the tomb. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:53.599 And he came to the tomb, and it was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:57.200 And so verse 39, Jesus says, take away the stone. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:01.359 And Martha says, Lord, it's gonna smell bad. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.960 I mean, it's gonna be it's gonna smell horrible. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:07.759 He's been in there four days. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:09.839 His body is deteriorating. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.799 It is going to smell horrible. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.720 And she what she's thinking is, she's thinking, this is the Messiah? 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.200 This is actually God in human form. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.160 He probably doesn't want to deal with this. 00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:27.759 You know, it's like the president coming to your house and you say, Hey, can you haul the trash out? 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:31.920 It's got a bunch of my dog stuff in it and like old food. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.799 And you can you do that for me while you're here? 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.920 She's thinking he's not gonna want to go into that. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.640 He's not gonna want to smell that, he's not gonna deal with that. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.759 And the good news is he has no hesitation. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:45.599 None. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:51.200 I mean, you you think that mistake is too much for God? 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:54.640 That season of your life? 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:58.720 That wound, that doubt, that disbelief, you think it's too much for God? 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:01.119 He he will come straight into that. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.759 He has no hesitation toward you. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:05.519 None. 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:20.559 My stench, your stench, of greed and selfishness and lust and patience, he doesn't even hesitate. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.799 We get verse 40. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.559 And Jesus says to her, Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:32.960 So they took away the stone. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:36.400 And Jesus looked up and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:44.960 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. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:46.160 This is what the miracles are about. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:48.319 Miracles, if you have a problem with miracles, I understand that. 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:49.680 They're not normal. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:54.160 I mean, these were for a distinct purpose to validate his deity. 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:59.759 So when he goes to the cross, they go, Oh, okay, he, okay, all those, wow, okay, he's not. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.720 Just like us. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:12.160 And Jesus calls out, Lazarus come out, and Lazarus walks out, and he has strips of linen wrapped around his legs, around his stomach, around his arms, around his neck, around his head. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:18.480 He's all wrapped up because he was prepared as a dead man for burial. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:20.559 And I have a whole bunch of questions at this point. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:23.519 I mean, how did Lazarus feel about this? 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:25.920 Did he go to heaven? 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:33.279 If he went to heaven in those four days and you get called back, you're gonna think thanks, thanks, Jesus, appreciate that. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:38.720 I was in a place where there was no fear, no tears, no anxiety. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:41.759 I mean, this, I I was, I was having a time. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.119 Appreciate the callback. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.880 Thanks, thanks, appreciate that. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:46.640 I mean, are his eyes wrapped? 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:47.519 He's bumping into stuff. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:48.400 I don't I don't I don't know. 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:51.839 I have a bunch of questions about him walking out, what he's thinking. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.119 Did he hear Jesus' voice and he's thinking Jesus is here? 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:56.880 I have a bunch of questions here. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.880 What we do know is the people there, they are frozen still. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:08.400 Because he's been dead for four days, he's been in there for four days. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:18.720 And Jesus tells him to go take off the grave clothes that he is bound up in. 00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:26.640 And maybe you're here, you are bound up in trying to be perfect. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:37.519 The right job, perfect job, perfect salary, perfect body, perfect record of Christian duties. 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:43.680 Trying to outlive your bad with enough good. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:49.680 And Jesus is saying here, life is in me. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:51.759 To me. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:55.359 The pressure's off. 00:23:56.799 --> 00:24:00.160 If you have faith in Christ, the pressure is off. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:04.240 And he is your sweet fragrance. 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.440 You're not perfect. 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:06.960 You're not perfect. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:09.440 You're not perfect. 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:11.519 He is your perfection. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:21.680 God's grace to you and Jesus is our sins were put upon him so that we may receive his righteousness over us. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:23.279 That's the gospel. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:25.920 And so maybe here you feel like Martha. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:30.400 You felt like Martha, maybe you feel like Martha right now, and you're just frustrated. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:37.519 You have some issues, you have some questions, there's this kind of wall between you and God, and because you are frustrated with some things. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:42.000 And he speaks truth to you. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.559 He's there, he's in the frustration. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:48.400 You won't understand everything, but he's there, and there's truth for you. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:52.000 Maybe you hear you feel like Mary, just brokenhearted. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:56.559 I mean, your heart just your heart hurts. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:04.640 You know, like there's not enough television, there's not enough wine, there's not enough uh busyness to cover it up. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.160 It just hurts. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:13.039 And he quietly cries with you. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:17.680 And maybe you're here and you feel like Lazarus. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:23.519 All bound up in some issue or addiction. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:26.799 Some some death. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:36.240 And you need to receive the life Jesus has for you. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:40.319 By just saying, I can't, I can't control off this. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.920 I can't even, I can't even unbound myself. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.240 So we're gonna pray for these things. 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:52.160 And so last week we joined hands, right into that this week, and maybe this is weird to you. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.359 If it's weird to you, you don't have to do it. 00:25:53.440 --> 00:26:01.759 But when we pray, if you if you want to, just as a sign of sort of like receiving what God has for me, you could just hold your hands in your lap just open. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:09.920 And this is not about some, it's just a posture of saying to God, I I'm I I I need you and I need to receive this. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:11.359 Let's pray together. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:20.960 So, God, we come before you with open hands only to portray that. 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:24.960 We want our hearts wide open to you this morning. 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:34.799 And even if this morning we're not dealing with a disappointment or uh some suffering, we know we know this, we remember it, or we know it's coming, and we want to receive now. 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:36.400 We want to receive now. 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:47.839 If we are we have such frustration at times, help us to trust in your truth, that you're sovereign, and you're in control, and you're good. 00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:54.079 God, at times we are so distraught, our heart hurts. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:58.160 Because things aren't working out. 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:06.160 And God, will you help us to see that you're you're not lecturing us? 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:08.480 You're just with us. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:19.440 And Father, some of us are all bound up in some death and we barely can move. 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:23.920 And would we would we put that down? 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:25.519 Would we let go of that? 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:32.960 Would we walk out of that tomb and receive the life you have for us? 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:36.559 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.440 Amen.