Do You Believe This?

We'll turn together now to read in God's Word in the Gospel of John, reading in chapter 11.

John chapter 11, we're going to take up our reading at verse 17 and read down to verse 44.

John 11 · chapter mention

The way we take up our reading here is Jesus has already been informed about Lazarus,

who was a good friend of his, along with Mary and Martha, his sisters, Lazarus' sisters,

that Lazarus was unwell and that they were calling for Jesus to come and to help.

And when we take up our reading at verse 17, Jesus has actually been told and is telling them,

as you see in verse 14, that Lazarus has died.

And for your sake, he says, I am glad that I was not there.

So that you may believe.

We take up our reading then in verse 17.

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him.

But Mary remained seated in the house.

Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.

Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again.

Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.

Jesus said to her, 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?

She said to him, yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.

When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private,

the teacher is here and is calling for you.

And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.

Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.

When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out,

they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

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 his spirit and greatly troubled.

And he said, where have you laid him?

They said to him, Lord, come and see.

And Jesus wept.

So the Jews said, see how he loved him.

But some of them said, could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man

also have kept this man from dying?

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb.

It was a cave and a stone lay against it.

Jesus said, take away the stone.

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him,

Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead 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 knew that you always hear me, but I said this on occasion,

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 feet bound in linen strips,

and his face wrapped with cloth.

Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go.

And so on.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

Before we turn back to look at this passage,

we're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 16.

In the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 16, we'll sing this psalm in two parts.

Our last singing will also be from this psalm,

but we're going to sing from verse 1 to 7 just now,

page 16 of the psalm books.

Protect me, O my God, you are my refuge through.

I said, you are my Lord, I have no good apart from you.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 7 on the tune of Selma.

We sing to God's praise.

Protect me, O my God, you are my refuge through.

I said, you are my Lord, I have no good apart from you.

The Godly in the land, for holiness renowned,

They are the glorious one in whom almighty light is found.

Their sorrows will increase, who on false gods rely.

I will not sacrifice to them, their worship I defy.

O Lord, you are my cup and portion sure.

The share that is aside to me, you guard and keep secure.

The land allotted me, is it a place inside?

And surely my inheritance to me is a delight.

I'll praise the Lord, my God, whose counsel guides my choice.

And even in the night, my heart recalls instructions voice.

Well, let's turn back to a reading in the Gospel of John, chapter 11.

John 11 · chapter mention

We're reading here of Lazarus and Jesus coming to him.

As it would seem almost too late, Lazarus had died.

And yet we are reminded here of the great hope that there is in Christ.

A hope that we will in many ways remember in this coming week as our people,

as we think of Easter week.

And all that it means is a time for close reflection on these things.

It's always a time for it, but perhaps more so even in this week as we hear more of it.

And pray that others would hear of the wonderful message of the power of the resurrection.

And as we read here, the one who is the resurrection and the life.

We're going to read just a few verses from verse 25, where Jesus is speaking to Martha.

Martha.

Jesus said to her,

I am the resurrection and the life.

Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

Do you believe this?

She said to him,

Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ,

the Son of God who is coming into the world.

Martha is asked a question.

And that's the question I want us to think about ourselves this evening.

In many ways, it's a simple question, but it's based on a very powerful fact.

The fact is that Jesus says,

I am the resurrection and the life.

He is the one who has power over death,

who is able to raise Lazarus from the grave,

who we remember as our risen Savior,

the one who died on the cross for our sins,

but who rose on the third day.

And the question that comes from that is this.

Do you believe this?

Do you believe this?

Do you believe this?

And it's a question for us to reflect on,

always at all times,

but especially in this week ahead.

Do you believe this?

All that you hear about Christ and his resurrection.

Emotions are always a big part of our lives.

We go through all kinds of different emotions and experiences in life.

There are times when we are happy and glad,

and there are times when we are sorrowful and sad.

But what makes a difference to us when we ask,

well, what makes you happy?

What makes you glad?

Or what makes you sorrowful?

What makes you sad?

There'll be times when we maybe have different answers

from one another to what makes us happy

and also what makes us sad.

But there are certain events in our lives

that will be the same for us all.

events that fill us with great joy

and events that fill us with great sorrow.

And as you read through this passage in John 11,

what emotion does it bring to you, if any?

Does it bring any emotion to your heart

as you read through these words?

It may be that as you read through this passage,

you enter into the experience of sorrow and sadness

as you read about Lazarus and his death

and the impact this has on Mary and Martha

and also the Lord himself

and the many friends that gathered around

and wept with them.

It's a passage that can make you sad.

That's one perspective on it.

If we look at it from a human perspective, that is.

But we can also look at it from another perspective.

And that is as we read these words of Jesus

when he says, I am the resurrection and the life.

Jesus has these I am sayings in the Gospel of John.

And they explain to us things that he is

and that we cannot be.

Things that he is for us

and that if we put our trust in him,

he gives us this hope.

And this is one of these powerful I am sayings.

I am the resurrection and the life.

And it speaks into the midst of this time of sorrow

for our grieving family.

It speaks to them in a powerful way,

but they don't even realize immediately

just how powerfully Jesus is going to minister to them.

But they come to believe.

Even before they see the power of what Jesus does,

they believe.

That's the reply of Martha in verse 27.

Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ.

And they have this hope,

both Mary and Martha have this hope

that the Lord can make a difference for them

in the midst of their sorrow.

And so what perspective do we have

on these events here?

And do they affect us?

Or how do they affect us?

There are many events that happen in this world.

Events that when they happen,

we can maybe think,

it's really got nothing to do with me.

It's got no impact on me personally.

That is at first.

You think even of events in our world

that go on almost week by week at the moment.

You think of what happened in Moscow just now,

the great tragedy that unfolded there

with so much loss of life.

You think of the conflicts going on

between the Ukraine and Russia

in the Middle East

and in other parts of the world as well.

You think of little things

like you hear in the news

that ships cannot really get safely through

the Red Sea just now

because of fear of being attacked.

So they've got to sail around South Africa,

a much longer journey.

You think of times

when you hear of hurricanes

affecting the east coast of America.

And all of these events

are events that we're hearing regularly at times

and we see happening in our world,

but our attitude can be one of,

well, it doesn't really impact me.

That's all happening at a distance

in other parts of the world,

far away from me and my situation

here in Stornoway.

But that's if you look at it

just from a close perspective to ourselves.

Because if you look at it

from another perspective,

a bigger perspective,

you see that all these things

actually do impact our lives.

What's happening in the conflicts,

the wars that are taking place just now,

the fact that ships cannot sail

through the Red Sea.

No impact on us?

Well, if you look at your shelves

in the supermarkets,

you look at the prices of food

and other supplies,

you see maybe foods

that you used to be able to get,

you can't.

Or the prices have risen significantly.

We've all seen these impacts.

You think of a hurricane

that hits the east coast of America.

America.

How often do we start wondering,

will we get the tail end of it?

Will it come our direction?

At the time, we can think

it's far away from us.

It doesn't impact us.

But actually, it does.

And so as you read through

this passage here in John,

you can think of it

in these two different ways as well.

You can think of it,

well, this is just something

that doesn't really impact me.

This is something that only impacted

Mary and Martha and Lazarus.

Or it was only for Jesus' day.

You can think of it in that way.

Or you can think of it

in what it's actually saying to us.

That is continuing to speak

to generation after generation.

And to ourselves this evening,

it continues to speak to us.

In a week when we approach Easter,

when our thoughts are turned,

directed towards events in Jerusalem

on the cross at Calvary

and at the empty tomb

2,000 years ago

in a far-off land,

does that not impact us?

You can think,

well, it's got nothing to do with me.

But it does.

Because the impact of these events

comes to us all.

They speak to us,

not just to Mary and Martha

and the loss of their brother.

It speaks to us

about the reality of death.

But it speaks to us

of the reality of Jesus.

And it speaks to us

of Jesus as He says,

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.

speaks to us

about death.

It's more than a question

to Martha.

Jesus is saying,

do you believe this?

He's not just saying it to Martha.

He's saying it to you.

He's saying it to me.

He's asking that question

of us all.

Do you see

the impact

of this event?

The death

of Lazarus

and Jesus

calling him

out of the tomb.

And how it relates

to Easter,

to Jesus Himself

giving His life

for us,

dying on the cross

at Calvary,

being placed

in a tomb Himself,

but coming out

of that tomb,

rising from the grave.

Do you believe

this?

Do you believe

that this is for

life,

for you?

So when it comes

to our time

when we die,

these words,

as we so often

quote them

at funerals,

these words

will reflect

our life,

your life

and mine,

that it will be said

of us,

though he die,

though she die,

yet shall he live,

yet shall she live

through Christ.

Why?

Because He is

the resurrection

and the life.

There is sorrow

in this passage.

But there is also

hope,

hope of glory

in Christ,

because He is

the resurrection

and the life.

So it speaks

to us

of our life

and our eternity.

And it reminds us,

too,

of our responsibility

to all around us

to make this message

known,

even as we think

of these invitations,

to think even

in light

of this passage

as Jesus says.

I am the resurrection

and the life.

Do you believe this?

Well,

come and hear

about it.

Come and see this

for yourself.

Come and hear

this glorious message

of hope,

even for the darkest

of times.

And so there's three points

in this passage

for us this evening

I want to take.

We have first

the pain,

the pain that is evident

here in this passage.

Then we have

the power

and then we have

the plea.

The pain,

the power,

and the plea.

There are many kinds

of pain

that we suffer

in life.

There are many kinds

of physical pains

that we suffer.

maybe if you're

into DIY,

you've hit your thumb

with a hammer

at some point

and you know

the pain

that that brings.

Maybe you're suffering

different kinds

of pains

yourself just now.

Joint pains,

stabbing pains,

sore heads.

We go through

all kinds

of physical pain.

And when we have

these kinds of pain,

we want to either

take something

to help that pain

or to do something

about that pain

being eased

for us.

But there are

other pains

that we suffer

as well.

Pains that maybe

aren't as obvious

or even as clear

to those

around us.

The pain

of anxiety,

the pain

of illness,

the pain

of grief

and sorrow.

The pain

that the psalm

that we sang,

Psalm 116,

spoke about.

The pains

of hell

took hold

of me.

I grief

and trouble

found.

These pains

that come our way.

But in the psalm

as we sang,

we saw the psalmist

was able to cry out

to the Lord

in the midst

of this.

And there is pain

in this passage

for us.

There is the pain

that Mary

and Martha

were experiencing

at this time.

The pain

of their brother,

the one they loved,

who was ill,

and ultimately

who we see

Jesus reminding us

who had died.

There is the pain

of grief.

There is the pain

of their weeping

as they would go

to the tomb.

He had been in the tomb

for four days

before Jesus

arrived there.

There was this pain.

There was this heartache.

There was this sorrow.

They loved him.

And we are reminded

as we read of earlier

on in the passage,

we didn't read it,

that Jesus loved him

as well.

In verse 3,

so the sisters

sent to him

saying,

Lord,

he whom you love

is ill.

Jesus had a love

not just for Mary

and Martha

but Lazarus too.

They were obviously

close.

And we read

that later on

that Jesus himself

wept here.

So there was this love

and what you expect

was that maybe

Jesus would come running

but instead

he delayed,

he stayed.

In verse 6,

you read there

when he heard

that Lazarus

was ill,

he stayed

two days longer

in the place

where he was.

How strange.

Why didn't he just come

immediately

knowing Lazarus,

his friend,

was ill?

We are told

a little of why

in verse 4.

But when Jesus heard it,

he said,

this illness

does not lead to death

for it is for the glory

of God

so that the Son of God

may be glorified

through it.

Something powerful

was going to come

from this.

But yet it's in the midst

of pain.

For in the midst

of Lazarus' illness,

Jesus speaks

and says

he has died.

He is dead.

But he hadn't come.

He hadn't come.

And this obviously

grieves both

Martha and Mary

when they say to him,

Lord,

if you had been here,

my brother

would not have died.

does he not care?

Has he no compassion

in the midst of this?

Why is he not rushing

to their aid?

Pain brings questions.

And the question here is,

why, Lord?

Why, Lord,

didn't you come?

Why didn't you help?

Even the people

around them

were saying,

could not he

who opened the eyes

of the blind man

also have kept

this man from dying?

Even the crowd

that was aware

of this

in verse 36.

Why?

Does he not care?

Well,

we're looking at it

from a human

perspective here.

When we think,

why?

Why didn't he come?

It's a very personal

and individual experience,

pain and sorrow

and grief.

But Jesus is seeing this

from a much greater perspective.

The perspective of verse 4,

that this would work

for glory.

This is why he came.

This is why he came

into this world,

that people in the midst

of grief and sorrow

and pain and sin

might know

that he is one

who is able to deal

with all of these things.

That's why,

as we read through

this passage,

the cross

is looming large

in the background

here as well.

When you think of

Jesus' own suffering

and death

being laid

in the grave

and rising again

from the dead,

it's so much clearer

for us

when we look ahead

and see that.

But in the midst

of this,

this time,

it's sorrow

and pain.

One commentator

puts it like this.

He says,

He, Jesus,

knew that only

when it was darkest

does the light

shine most brightly

against the backdrop

of oppressive

darkness of death.

Christ would shine

the light of his power

on his friend.

into this darkness

that Jesus seemingly

was keeping himself

away from,

there is a light

going to come

as Jesus shows

what he can do.

And it's a reminder

to us

that Jesus knows

your pain

and mine

because there is

no one of us

who can avoid

this pain,

this pain

of grief

at some point,

maybe even now

you know it

and know its pain,

know the hurt

that grief brings.

Either recently,

in the last few weeks,

even years gone by,

we've experienced it

or we will experience it.

And you know

how that pain rises

and the grief

it brings,

the tears

it brings.

And you can maybe

even cry out,

God,

do you not care?

God,

do you not know

what I am going through?

But this reminds us

he does.

He does.

Because when Jesus says,

I am,

he is reminding us

of the one

who knows.

When God spoke

to Moses,

as Moses was called

to lead the Exodus,

Moses,

Moses asked him

a question,

who will I say

that sent me?

God's response is,

I am

has sent you.

The great

I am,

the one who knows

the suffering

of his people.

The one who we see

in the Gospel of John

earlier in chapter 3,

speak of

the God who knows

the pain

and consequences

of death.

death.

And yet says,

for God so loved

the world

that he gave

his only son,

that whoever

believes in him

should not perish,

but have

eternal life.

Pain

is real.

Grief

is real.

But how do we

respond?

Where do we

turn?

Well,

here we see

the one who has

the power

over this pain.

And that's the

second thing

we see here.

We still have

that question,

why he delayed,

why he put

Mary and Martha

through this pain,

maybe even as

Lazarus was ill

and he still

had his senses.

He was wondering,

where is Jesus?

He could help.

And in these

circumstances,

it could be

difficult to believe

that in the

goodness of God,

in the goodness

of this Christ

who came into

the world,

but who seemed

to be turning

his back

in their greatest

time of need.

But there was

a purpose

here.

Jesus had

his purposes

here that we

only begin to see

as he comes

into their midst.

many of you

will be familiar

with the poem,

The Weaver's Shuttle.

Part of it

says this,

Not till the

loom is silent

and the shuttle

cease to fly,

will God

unroll the canvas

and reveal

the reason why.

The dark threads

are as needful

in the weaver's

skillful hand

as the threads

of gold and silver

in the pattern

he has planned.

And that's the

threads that you

see here.

There's the

dark threads,

the sorrow

and the grief

that Mary and

Martha are

suffering.

But then you

have these threads

of gold and

silver,

of Jesus

coming and

showing the

power that

he has.

The one who

comes and

says,

I am the

resurrection

and the

life.

the one who

shows the

power that

he has.

Again,

one commentator

puts it like

this,

Christ delayed

coming to

his faithful,

loving followers

in Bethany

in order to

strengthen their

love and

their faith.

And God

can put us

through things,

things that we

don't understand

even for a

long time after

we don't

understand,

but they

are there to

strengthen our

love and

our faith for

him.

In John's

Gospel, as

we're reading

through here,

this is the

last and the

ultimate miracle

that Jesus

performs.

And isn't it

amazing just

how it shows

us what

Christ himself

had come

to do.

It's more

than just

words.

words that

say he

is able

to give

life.

Here we

see the

power of

these words.

How does

he show

this power?

Well, he

tells us

again and

again through

this passage,

you have it

just to select

a few verses,

15, 26,

42.

They all

speak about

the purpose

that the

people might

believe.

Believe that

God has

sent his

son to

give us

life.

And he

shows this

power in

verse 33.

He says,

when Jesus

saw their

weeping and

the Jews

who had

come with

are also

weeping,

he was

deeply moved

and greatly

troubled.

We see

power initially

is fixed in

this emotion,

this weeping,

this sorrow.

But then

it comes

to the

point where

he asks,

where have

you laid

him?

In verse

34.

He said to

him,

Lord,

come and

see.

And Jesus

wept.

And he's in

the midst of

this, you've

got this

voice behind

him saying,

could not

he who

opened the

eyes of the

blind have

kept this

man from

dying?

the sisters

who are

saying,

if you

had been

here,

he would

not have

died.

There's so

much doubt,

there's so

much fear

in this

passage.

And yet

Jesus reminds

them of

his power.

And he

says,

take away

the stone.

Take away

the stone.

And they

said,

well,

he's been

dead four

days,

there's going

to be a

stench.

But Jesus

says,

did you not

believe that

you would

see the

glory of

God?

And how

he lifts

his eyes

in verse

41,

Father,

I thank

you that

you have

heard me.

There is

a power

of God

present

here.

And then

at the

end of

verse 43,

he cried

out with

a loud

voice,

Lazarus,

come

out.

Lazarus,

come

out.

You can

imagine,

or even

try to

imagine,

the people

around about

him.

What is

he doing?

He's been

dead for

four days.

Lazarus,

come

out.

Matthew

Henry,

who wrote

a commentary

on the

whole

Bible,

he says

when he's

writing about

John's

gospel on

this occasion

of Lazarus'

death,

he says

Jesus had

to say,

Lazarus,

come forth.

Because if

he had

just said,

come forth,

then all

the dead

would have

come out

of their

grave.

Because that

is the

power that

Jesus has.

He had

to be

specific

to

Lazarus.

But that

reminds us

that a day

is coming

when the

Lord will

say,

come out,

and all

the graves,

all the

dead

will rise.

Because that

is his

power.

That is

the power

that Jesus

Christ has.

The power

that was

shown here

is a power

that we

will see

one day

when he

calls every

one of us

to account

before him.

Come

out.

He'll be

calling us

out to

face the

judgment.

Do you

believe this?

Because that

is what

the

scriptures

say.

And the

power

that Jesus

had and

cried out

come out

and says

in verse

44,

the man

who had

died

came out.

He walked

out of

the grave.

He slit

the strips

on his

body,

his face

wrapped

with cloth,

and yet he

walked out

alive.

That is

the power

that Christ

has.

Joni

Erickson

Tadda,

a Christian

lady,

an author

of many

books,

she was

paralyzed

in a

diving

accident.

And when

asked what

her favorite

verse is,

she often

always replies,

Philippians 3,

Philippians 3:10

verse 10.

What does

that verse

say?

I want

to know

Christ

and the

power

of his

resurrection.

I want

to know

Christ

and the

power

of his

resurrection.

To you,

the reason

why Joni

Erickson

Tadda

wants to

know it

is so

much.

It's not

for selfish

reasons,

but for the

glory of

Christ.

because she

is paralyzed.

She knows

that the

power of

his

resurrection

is what

will give

her new

life,

new hope.

She said,

in suffering,

we also

die to

worry.

We die

to fear.

We die

to grumbling

about the

inconvenience

of the

weight of

our cross.

We die

to thinking

that Jesus

doesn't

care.

What's

suffering?

Is she

talking

about

there?

Not

her own,

but the

sufferings

of Christ

and sharing

in his

sufferings.

She wants

to know

the power

of his

resurrection,

the power

that we

see here,

the power

that says,

Lazarus,

come out.

Come out

and live

because I

am the

resurrection

and the

life,

Jesus

sees.

He has

the power.

The final

thing I want

us to

think about

is the

plea.

As we

come to

the conclusion

here,

we think of

the plea

that Jesus

gives.

We know

the pain

of this

situation.

We see

the power

of Christ

in calling

him out,

but we

come back

to the

question.

When

Jesus

says,

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.

What is

the question?

Do you

believe

this?

Martha's

reply is,

yes,

Lord.

I believe

that you

are the

Christ,

the Son

of God

who is

coming into

the world.

What's

your

response

to that

question

tonight?

To the

resurrection?

To the

thought of

eternal

life?

What do

all these

things mean?

What does

Easter mean?

what is

the purpose

in it?

Is it

just a

holiday?

Is it

a time

for us

to have

events

in our

communities

that

many few

tie into

the real

meaning

of Easter?

Or is

it to

remember

the one

who is

the

resurrection

and the

life?

The only

one who

is our

hope

in death

and life.

do we

believe

in him?

Someone

once

illustrated

our lives

as a

24-hour

period

we live,

saying it

will take

us

78.4

years

to live

that 24

hours.

If we're

lucky enough

to live

that long,

each hour

represents

3.267

years

of life

lived.

So you're

looking at

your life

as a

24-hour

clock.

By 3

a.m.,

you've

lived

almost

10

years.

When

you reach

the age

of 20

years old,

you're at

624 in

the morning.

The age

of 30,

you're just

after 9

a.m.

in the

morning.

You seem

to have

almost the

whole day

ahead of

you.

So much

time to

go.

At the

age of

40,

it's just

past

midday.

When you

reach the

age of

50,

you're

looking at

the clock

and it

shows the

time of

20 past

3 in

the afternoon.

You're

approaching

dinner time

in your

life.

Less than

9 hours

remaining in

your life

on the

24-hour

clock.

A person

of 60

years old

is looking

at the

clock and

it shows

622

p.m.,

less than

6 hours

remaining on

the 24-hour

clock.

It's a

striking thought

when you

think of

your life

in that

way.

But it's

a reminder

how quickly

our lives

will pass

us by.

And where

are you

on that

clock?

Because the

clock is

always

ticking.

But there's

something

missing

from that

illustration.

When you

think of

our lives

78 years,

you're

thinking,

we've got

plenty

time.

Time to

live.

Plenty

time to

go.

What's

missing is

the fact

that at

any moment

clock,

that clock

could stop.

Because we're

reminded so

often in

this life

that life

is never

certain,

that life

is short.

we read

in the

scriptures so

often,

our life

is but

a vapor.

Our life

is like

the grass.

Springs up

in the

morning,

gone in

the evening.

Our life

is very

much like

that 24

hour clock,

always

ticking on.

Where are

we in

that time?

our life

is but

a weaving.

The

events

of this

world

can seem

of little

significance

to us

at times

because we

seem so

far removed

from them.

And yet

when we

look at it

in the

bigger picture,

we see

everything that

happens in

this world

as

consequences

for us.

And perhaps

we come

to the

resurrection

of Jesus.

Perhaps

we come

to Easter

time in

the thought

that Christ

died on

the cross.

And it

seems just

insignificant

to us.

It means

nothing for

us,

it means

nothing to

many around

us.

But when

we look at

the bigger

picture,

when we

are reminded

of Lazarus

and Mary

and Martha

and the

pain and

sorrow,

they found

themselves

in,

we are

reminded

that that

is our

lives too.

The time

comes when

the clock

will stop

for us.

And what

then?

Is Jesus

for you

the resurrection

and the life,

the hope

for now

and the hope

for eternity?

Because that

is the only

way to live.

death.

What happened

in Bethany

2,000 years

ago is not

insignificant.

Just like

what happened

at Calvary

2,000 years

ago is not

insignificant.

It's the

most important

events in

this world's

history that

Jesus showed

and reminded

us that he

has power

over our

greatest pain,

the pain

of death,

and the

consequences

of sin.

He has power

that we

might live.

I am

the resurrection

and the life.

there are the

facts.

And the

question is,

do you

believe this?

Let us

pray.

Our

Father in

heaven,

we give you

thanks for

your word

that reminds

us of your

wonderful love

towards us,

reminds us

how our

lives are not

insignificant in

your eyes,

that you

know our

every hurt

and pain

in us,

you knew

Mary and

Martha's.

And when it

seemed like

you were so

far away

from them,

Lord, you

were preparing

things for

your glory,

that these

events would

have their

effects for

many generations

and even for

our eternity.

We thank you

that it was to

show your

power, the

power over

death, to

call out

Lazarus from

the grave,

to remind us

that you are

the resurrection

and the life.

We pray,

Lord, that you

will help us

even in these

days ahead,

we may hear

so much of

Easter and

what it

entails,

that we

would remember

the greatest

and most

powerful message

behind it

all, that

you gave

your son

for this

world to

give his

life.

On the

third day

he rose

again.

He is

victorious

and help

us to find

our victory

in him.

So hear us,

Lord, we pray,

and go before

us now as we

ask it all in

Jesus' name.

Amen.

We're going to

conclude by

singing in

Psalm 16

again in the

Sing Psalms,

page 17 of

the Psalm

books.

Psalm 16

on verse

8 down to

the end of

the Psalm.

The tune is

Golden Hill,

and these

wonderful words

remind us that

Jesus is the

resurrection and

the life, and

that we would

set him

before us.

Before me

constantly I

set the Lord

alone, because

he is at my

right hand.

I'll not be

overthrown.

Sing these

four verses to

God's praise.

before me

before me

constantly

I

set the

Lord

alone,

because

he is

at my

right hand.

I'll not be

overthrown.

Therefore

my heart

is glad

my tongue

with joy

will sing

my body

too

will

rest

secure

in hope

and we

will

reign

for

you

will

not

allow

my soul

in death

to stay

nor

will

you

leave

your

holy

one

to see

the

tombs

decay

you

have

made

Lord

to me

the

power

of life

divine

the

path

of life

divine

blessed

shall

I

know

at

your

right

hand

joy

from

your

face

will

shine

shine

after

the

benediction

i'll go to the door to my right

now may grace mercy and peace

God

Father Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore

amen

2020

that

moon

will

doing

you

the

energy

the

waters

the

moon

to

use

to

passion

bug

ère

המ�