The 9 Statements of Jesus Prior to the Triumphal Entry (John 12:12-17; John 11:23, 25, 35, 39-44, 12:7-8)

But stand for the reading of God's word.

The nine statements of Jesus, prior to the triumphal entry

recorded in John 11 through John 12 78728.

I'm going to read these slowly so just let them fall over you.

Your brother will rise again. I am the resurrection and the

life whoever believes in me, though.

He die. Yet shall he?

Live and everyone who lives and Believes In Me, shall never die.

Do you believe this? Where have you laid him?

Take away the stone. Did I not tell you that if you

believed, you would see the glory of God.

Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of

the people standing around that, they may believe that you sent

me. Lazarus.

Come out. Unbind him and let him go.

Leave her alone. So that she may keep it for the

day of my burial for the poor. You will always have with you

but you do not always have me. This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks. Be to God, please be seated.

Yesterday afternoon, at 2:00. Some of you had traveled to

Nashville to be with the Covenant family there or with

the dunlap's. Those two Memorial Services

happening. The first at 12 for Cindy Peak,

and then the service for Holly it too.

Hundreds of you gathered here in this sanctuary.

And we participated in worshipped with them, is that

service was livestream to this place alone.

When the service was over people lingered.

I had a quick conversation with boots and Susan Nolan who were

sitting behind me. And then the next two

conversations were with parents in our own congregation who lost

children Who went through the unthinkable reality of having to

bury a child. It's because they know.

They know better than I do. Better than most of us do what

it's like to lose a child. And in time if the Scruggs need

them, but they want me to tell them is that they're here,

because there were other people in this church who have lost

children, who were there for them when it happened.

I was a part of both of those stories. and I remember

immediately the chaos, The confusion, the overwhelming

grief, the crowds. I remembered it all.

And we're seeing that again, aren't we?

When there is a death. Especially in untimely death one

in which we have heard. So many times this week, there

are no words, there are no words, but when there are no

words, there is the word and we don't take that word lightly his

word. It's everything we have.

We either Believe It, Or we don't.

And if we do, we find ourselves in a place of unbelievable

security where we can say this really, really hurts.

It's and I'm going to be okay, we're going to be okay.

Friends, what we need? Constantly.

But in moments, especially like this is we need certainty.

Jesus Christ before he set on that Beast of Burden.

Was with his disciples as his very good friend died.

And he knew what was happening. When Jesus delayed and goings,

John 11, you might open your Bible to John 11 or grab the

blue Pew. Bible in front of you will be

helpful. When you see what takes place

there. Jesus is doing everything on

purpose in order to bring glory to his father.

And what they desperately needed is.

The same thing we desperately need.

A week ago, Friday. Many of you were in this

Sanctuary for memorial service. For Sam Flores senior. on Monday

morning, a week ago, tomorrow, I received a text very early in

the morning from Nancy Burger, who said, David is gone to be

with the Lord David Berger, our beloved Brother husband.

Father grandfather, great-grandfather the list goes

on. I wasn't shocked.

He's in the presence of the Lord, he wanted to be there so

bad. He lived a long, beautiful life

tomorrow and three will have his service in the sanctuary.

But later that morning. when we received word of what was

happening in Nashville, You, you immediately recognized how

broken this world is how evil the world has. and the next

several days would, Unveil so much of the glory of God and so

much more still to come. When Jesus delayed in going, all

of this was intentional. The words that he spoke these

nine statements, they give us something and I hope that you'll

take them and you'll think of them often this week along with

all the other things we receive. But here's what they give us.

They give us a certainty. I want to talk about certainty.

They also reveal to us, freedom. They also revealed to us

something about a fragrance and something about faith.

So what I'm going to do is simply walk through this for a

few minutes talking about certainty, Freedom fragrance,

and faith. We right now.

And whenever we encounter tragedy, whenever we encounter

trauma, whenever we encounter the reality of the sin, in this

world inside us outside of us in us against us, we need

certainty. And certainty is so attractive.

It's it's so powerful you can see it yesterday when Chad,

Priam preachy. Did you know the remembrance of

his daughter? There was such security.

And certainty and confidence. We need that.

And that's what Jesus brings is he with his disciples comes

towards the Two Sisters, Mary, and Martha, and the crowds that

had come to comfort them. But what is the certainty?

It's two things. The first is certainty about

what is going to happen. So Look, what Jesus says the

very first statement he says your brother will rise again.

Jesus says your brother will rise again.

He is certain. He knows what is going to

happen. He goes on to say that whoever

believes in me, though. He die.

He shall live and everyone who lives and Believes In Me, shall

never die. Jesus is telling us what is

going to happen. We can be certain that when he

speaks these words, these are the things that will come true.

All who are in Christ, will rise again.

But the certainty isn't just in what he says.

Because anybody can say anything, and people do say

things all the time that they have no ability to prove will be

true. They have no ability to

guarantee that, but Jesus did. And he does and there's

certainty, when we cling to his word, your brother will rise.

Again, But it's because of who he is.

But he can make those statements and because of who he is, that

we can be certain look with me again.

The first statement, your brother will rise.

Again, if you're in Christ Jesus, you will rise again.

If he doesn't return, first you will die, your children will

die, your grandchildren will die.

But all who are in Christ, we will rise again, death doesn't

win, evil doesn't win. We are his forever.

But it's because of who he is, that we have the certainty.

What does he say? Next verse 25, I Am The Great.

I Am statements in the Gospel of John.

I am the resurrection and the life.

I am the resurrection and the life.

He wasn't just resurrected. He is the resurrection and the

life, our certainty is in what he says will happen, and it's in

who he is. Take a minute now and think

about all, you know who are in Christ that is their reality.

Billy Barnes who serves on staff with Chad at covenant.

It's been there a long, long time.

Yesterday. He says, he said when you know,

the who The what and the why become less overwhelming?

He could have said the what and the why don't matter?

I'm glad he didn't. Because I like, you want to ask

why? I want to ask what happened?

Why did you let this happen? Well, so did Mary and so did

Martha. If you look at John 11, you see

that the crowds have asked that look with me at verse 36.

So the Jews said, see how he loved him.

They're talking about Jesus shortest, verse in the Bible was

just before that Jesus wept, even though he knew what was

going to happen. He knew he was going to call

Lazarus out. He wept.

He had compassion. Passion.

His soul was troubled and so those crowds who had come said

these words could not. He who opened the eyes of the

blind, man also have, kept this man from dying.

Of course, he could have, if he'd just come a little earlier,

if he had just made it on time, before his eyes were closed.

And he breathed his last Jesus, could have kept him from dying,

the crowds were asking the questions Martha and Mary as

well. Verse 21 Martha said to Jesus

Lord if you had been here listen to her certainty, my brother

would not have died. but whatever, even now I know that

whatever you ask from God, God will give you Mary, a few verses

down in verse 32, when she's been told Jesus is here.

It says now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him she

fell at his feet saying to him. Lord, if you had been here, my

brother would not have died when Jesus saw her weeping.

And the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply

moved in spirit and greatly troubled.

That's our savior. He's deeply moved, he's grieved

and he has the whole picture. Her in mind.

We have certainty. In days like this because of

what he said will happen and because of who he is and you see

this take place in what comes next?

It's the commands of Christ. Is that read the nine

statements? Did you hear them?

He makes commands for a place of authority, whatever he declares

and demands happens. We'll and listen to what he

says. Verse 39, take away the stone.

It's a command. Verse 43.

Lazarus. Come out.

I want you to picture. That scene because it really

happened. It would be as if you were at a

graveside service or you were at a memorial service like on

Friday when mr. Flores has body in casket was

here. And suddenly someone with

authority somebody with certainty said mr.

Flores wake up come out, get up in the casket opens and he does

this is what happened. Lazarus wasn't just mostly dead.

He was dead, no heartbeat, no blood pressure.

He was dead. Jesus, delayed four days.

They're concerned about the stench.

And Jesus says, take away the stone.

And then Lazarus in a loud voices, says, come out.

He heard his voice. He was dead, but he heard His

Voice come out. Can you imagine your eyes fixed

on that tomb? How long did it take before this

dead man? Now live walks out?

I don't know. but the crowds, Had never and would never see

anything quite like that. Christ would rise, but they

wouldn't see him walk out. He would walk around for a while

before he ascended. Jesus Christ had the authority

to make these commands. Take away the stone.

They did Lazarus come out. When that happened, this

certainty led to a freedom. Of Freedom, so profound that a

dead man, who still Bound in the death?

Clothes comes out and Jesus gives another command unbind

him. And the third command, then let

him go. Who were the ones who went up to

Lazarus and just began to take off?

What was wrapped around him? Can you imagine it really

happened and then Lazarus walked in fact, what comes next is

another type of freedom There is a freedom that takes place in.

John's gospel is, Jesus tells a story Or John tells a story of

what happened to Jesus that Jesus would later say whenever

this is talked about whenever this passion week is described,

we will make sure that you hear about this woman.

It's the anointing of Jesus feet where this last statement comes

before, Jesus gets on the beasts of burden in John's gospel.

Look with me again at chapter 12, It says, six days before the

Passover Jesus therefore came to Bethany where Lazarus was whom,

Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him

there. Well, this is a celebration but

it's also a great risk. People aren't supposed to be

having parties in which Jesus has been invited to nor Lazarus,

the religious leaders, wanted Jesus dead and they wanted

Lazarus debt. Fame was spreading.

We're having a party, they're celebrating.

So, they gave a dinner for him there.

Martha served. Of course she did.

And Lazarus was one of those reclining with him.

That's with Jesus at the table, imagine the scene.

Mary. This is the Mary of Mary, and

Martha. This is the Mary, that's the

sister of Lazarus. Where is she?

She is where she always is the three times Mary's mentioned of

the Gospel. All three times, she is at the

feet of Jesus, may that be where we are this week.

When you're at the feet of someone, in this time it was a

picture of discipleship. It was a picture of listening.

It was a picture of learning and more than even the 12 she

understood something more of what was about to happen.

And Mary moves towards Jesus. And she's about to do something

so unthinkable. So extravagant so ridiculous.

She takes a pound of expensive ointment perfume.

And anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped it.

Wiped his feet with her hair, the house was filled with the

fragrance of the perfume. How expensive was the perfume?

It was worth one year's salary and those times.

Many years ago, I don't want to embarrass her but a member of

our church. I was in a meeting and she was

wearing a delightful perfume but I notice it.

My anniversary was coming up and I said that's really pretty.

My wife doesn't really buy perfume like that.

I would. What are you wearing?

I'd love to know. She gave you the name of it and

I looked it up and I was like, oh, she's over there.

That's like that's so you're of my salary.

It wasn't really that much. But it was a lot.

I never bought that for Christina.

I found some old Avon I think in my moms.

This was worth. A year.

Of wages. and, As Mary had sat at the feet of Jesus and she

knew he would be at this dinner. She could think of no better use

than to take this this box. This pint of nard worth so much

and break it. And pour it out on the feet of

Jesus. The first recorded words of

Judas, Iscariot are now spoken. As the fragrance fills the air,

imagine that beautiful scent verse for Judas.

Iscariot one of the disciples who was about to betray him

said, why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii.

I given to the poor. He said this not because he

cared about the poor. But because he was a thief and

having charge of the money bag, he used to help you used it to

help himself to what was put in it.

It's amazing, isn't it? A woman who's holding and pite,

the years with the south of salary in a box that's

fragrance. She is willing not just to pour

out a little and save some more for later.

She is going to break it all, it's all going to be gone, it

will be on him and in her hair and that's it.

And Judas sees it. He condemns her.

This is wasteful but it's not because he cared about the poor.

It's because he cared about not busting open the treasury that

he held except for his own hand, such a contrast.

Judas condemns her. And in his final statement

before he goes on the donkey writing in to Jerusalem.

Jesus says this, leave her alone so that she may keep it for the

day of my burial for the poor. You always have with you but you

do not always have me. Jesus was not being callous to

the poor, he was simply making his statement because of what

Judas said. I'm not going to be here that

much longer. What she has done.

Should not be condemned, Judas, or any of the other people that

thought like he did. But didn't speak.

I am commending it. What she has done is not a

wasteful thing. It is a wonderful thing.

It's so wonderful. That whenever this story is told

about my life, this story of her extravagant worship is going to

be told so two thousand plus years later on the second day of

April. 20:23, you're hearing what Jesus said would take place

because He commands it. This week.

We will celebrate his passion. With certainty this week, we

will celebrate his passion with the freedom of knowing that all

who trust in him have been freed from sin and death.

This passion week, we will worship him in the freedom, like

our sister Mary. Sitting at his feet.

But there's one final thing I want to look at.

Just after Jesus said, who he was, and what would happen?

Your brother will rise again. I am the resurrection and the

life. He says these words verse 26.

Do you believe this? That's what he says to Martha.

Do you believe this? Pat, Hoban and Ashley Boone.

Have released a very short devotional each day.

And if you're interested in receiving, it just reach out to

them. It's based on Psalm 51, and it

was sent to me this morning. Have mercy on me, o God,

according to your steadfast love, according to your abundant

Mercy blot out my transgressions Wash Me thoroughly from my

iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51 part. First two verses and this is

their short devotion. They promise it will be between

100 and 150 words each day. So I can read it.

I want you to listen. As we enter into Holy Week, we

have to ask ourselves. Just what do I believe about

this? Time of the year.

Do I actually believe that? I need God to have mercy on me

according to his steadfast love. Do I really believe?

I need him to wash me thoroughly from my iniquity to cleanse me

from my sin or do I think that is all up to me?

These are all important questions.

And I love the dependency on God here.

Oh Lord, please show me what I really believe.

Do you really believe? that you and I were born in sin.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Do you really believe that we deserve death for eternity

separated from God and Hell? Do you really believe that

because of his great love for us, God, the Father sent his

son, Jesus Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Do you really believe that he alone is the way to eternal life

as he says? I am the way the truth and the

life. There's no way to the father

except through me. Do you really believe what he

said is going to happen for followers of his Christians?

We will rise again. Do you really believe that he is

the resurrection and the life? I believe that many, many, many

of you do. But it's an important question

for all of us. One of the signs.

Of true belief. Is the fragrance.

Of our worship. It is not something that we do

in order for God to accept us, we never could there's no amount

of nard, no amount of perfume. No, no value that man could put

something on that. Could make us earn God's favor.

Mary knew about the grace of God.

She knew what it was like to sit at the feet of this man, who was

so full of love and truth who had never sinned The only

rational thought she had about showing her love to him.

Was to do something. So extravagant Would you

describe your worship as extravagant?

Would you describe the way you got ready for worship today as

preparation for extravagance? Would you define the way in

which you're thinking about holy week this week is I'm going to

sit like Mary did at the feet of Jesus and God would you show me

what you want me to bring For Your Glory?

Not so I can earn salvation but because I'm saved I want to do

that which is extravagance. Maybe it's just lifting your

voice in a different way. Maybe it's being less afraid of

what people think about what you're doing and worship.

Mary. Went into a room.

And she broke open this treasured possession, and she

took down her hair and she washed his feet being condemned

by one of his followers. Jesus would soon get on that

donkey. He would ride towards Jerusalem.

To the Garden of Gethsemane. Walking to the place of the

skull where he would be broken, open where he would be poured

out. We're all of him would be given

the greatest of all value ever. That we who trust in him.

Could live forever. Wren.

Ask. Our Father, the Son, and the

Holy Spirit. To show you what you really

believe. And when he does ask him how he

wants you to worship Him. As she did sitting at his feet.

Giving all she had. The late Jack Miller who was a

professor at Westminster Seminary used to say when's the

last time you did something just because you loved Jesus.

Not. So you can earn His favor.

Not so you could earn salvation just because you have learned

something of the love he has for you.

Chad was asked on Monday afternoon, he shared this

yesterday. But one of his elders.

The statement that went something like this, do you

believe our hope you believe the things that you have been

teaching us for the Last 5 Years?

And Chad with unfaltering certainty said, yes and more.

I believe him. because in him, Is the one.

Who is the way the truth and the life in him as the one who is in

all who profess Jesus, who said I am the resurrection.

And the life. Father in heaven.

You have brought us to this place in your history of

redemption. A place that this side of

Heaven, in our Earthly lives. We will never forget And is it

Opportunity by your grace and For Your Glory to be real?

To be honest to grieve, but to also confess again.

What we believe about you? to see the certainty of what is

going to happen and the certainty of who who will make

it happen. Father, please buy your powerful

presence in the Holy Spirit. Make us see more fully.

Who we are in Christ Jesus now and forever in Jesus.

Holy name we pray. Amen.

Stan. Who we are in Christ Jesus now

and forever in Jesus. Holy name we pray.

Amen. Stan.