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Well I think most already realize today is Pentecost Sunday so that’s a big deal you know that’s a big deal for us so we’re we want to celebrate Pentecost together today the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit that. Each and every one of us is able to receive and to be to be blessed to be empowered to be witnesses to be ministers to be servants of the most high God it’s and on earth is a privilege and knowing that you know I I assumed I would be preachin probably you know somewhere out of the book of acts acts one chapter two but that’s not where we’re going this morning it’s all right on.
Now I just I just feel like God put a word on my heart for our church this morning and so if you have your Bibles. Go ahead an open I’m up to the book The Gospel of John and Chapter eleven.
Real familiar Bible story I’m sure that we’ve all you know been through it countless times you know it’s one of the ones that you learn about in Sunday school when you’re a little kid and really sticks with you but I think God has a powerful message force this morning that you know he wants to. Speak to us from his word so we’re just going to start at the beginning of John Chapter eleven right there in verse one so as you already figured out this is the story of the death of Lazarus OK So get ready so now a man named Lazarus was sick he was from Bethany the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary whose brother Lazarus not lay sick was the same one who poured her few more in the Lord and went to speak with her hair so the sister sent word to Jesus Lord the one you love is so. Dick so I love that Mary and Martha their brother Lazarus You know they love their brother they cared about him and he got sick and what’s their what’s their response what do they do when our brother gets sick and says they sent word to Jesus you know.
They want to get ahold of Jesus they knew they knew Jesus they loved Jesus they knew who he was and when Lazarus was sick they knew that he was the answer he was the hope that they had so they sent word to Jesus and also notice there in verse three Lord the one you love is sick you know even those that Jesus loves were still subject to sickness we’re still subject to affliction at times we’re not exempt from ever having to deal with pain and suffering and sickness I wish that’s the way it was but. You know we’re not exempt from those things man touched by us now.
You know but that doesn’t stop there that’s not the end of it.
We have you know we can have a faith a concert or next spectator ssion in Jesus and His power and his control over sin and sickness and death and disease that’s where our hope is that’s so but just because just because someone.
Is dealing with sickness or disease or reflection in their life that’s not necessarily an indication that they’re in sin that’s not an indication that there’s something wrong with them and I have.
I have seen well meaning believers kind of.
Hurt other Christians hurt their brothers and sisters because they had that false idea that false doctrine. That notion that well if you’re sick there must be sent in your life that’s the only source the only the only reason that that can happen when we’re going to find out that’s that’s not necessarily true and they they’ve you know they weren’t afraid to deal with the reality and say Lord the one you love is sick OK I’ve I’ve also I’ve heard believers that you know if you would tell them oh man I really have this terrible cold out by feel awful in a well you do now now you’ve got it you confessed it over yourself you got that cold that you. OK And yes there’s truth Words are powerful words are powerful and we need to watch our tongue we need to guard our selves we need to we don’t want to speak curses over ourselves that is a real thing we can do that we want to be careful while that but would there’s also you know we can’t just deny the reality of that when we’re dealing with something when we have a sickness we can’t just simply pretend like it does not exist and that’s not that’s not truth they want to freight.
To deal with that reality verse for when Jesus heard this Jesus said this sickness will not end and death no. It is work God’s glory so that God’s son may be glorified through it.
So Jesus see himself that he had this sickness that one and in death he wasn’t afraid either to come out and say yeah Lazarus has a sickness but it’s not going to end in death it’s not. Not that’s not going to be the end result of this the sickness isn’t going to win the sickness doesn’t have the victory no matter what it might look like the second this doesn’t get the final say Jesus has final say and he said it’s not going to end in death so what’s the where’s it come from why is it there what’s the purpose when he said no it’s for God’s glory. So that I mean those words right there that indicates the purpose so that what’s the reason what’s the purpose so that God’s son may be glorified through it.
I mean we know it just it just provided that opportunity it set the stage for Jesus to do something that only he could do.
That would prove his power that would reveal his glory that would demonstrate the fact that hey I’m God’s Son I’m the one and only in sickness and even death itself.
Doesn’t that’s nothing to me. I’m greater than that sickness some greater even than than death itself.
And that that doesn’t have the final say it’s not going to end in death it’s going to end with me being glorified with God being glorified That was the purpose behind this verse five Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So he didn’t quit loving anybody because they were sick once again and Jesus loved them. But they were dealing with the real problem but he still loved them he never stopped loving them. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick he stayed where he was two more days.
So he knew that he knew that the the friend that he loved he knew Lazarus was sick he was in trouble it was bad enough that Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that you better get here because if you don’t it doesn’t look good things are good things are bad we need you to get here Jesus we’re desperate in our brother’s sick and you love them so please come and help us and Jesus did he love them.
And he was aware and he knew what was going on and.
Yet he stayed. Where he was for two more days does that mean that he didn’t love them that that mean that he didn’t care or that he didn’t have compassion on Lazarus or Mary or Martha you know we know Jesus better than that we know that that’s not why and you know it it probably just comes down to.
What Dahl was sharing with me about.
The minister that’s going to be common Roland.
Yeah Joel Roland that you know he said he was visiting with him and you know he knew that Dahl. Needed and wanted prior and yet he just you know talked to him and witnessed him and shared testimonies of things and told stories and you know I just want Is he going to pray for me is he going to pray for me please pray and.
Then. There came the time I said Holy Spirit says to pray for Dol right now.
So Jesus got the word he got to report from Mary and Martha Hey Lazarus a sick we need you calm. And yet he stayed there for two more days I think I think he’s just simply waiting for the release of the Holy Spirit you know he he knew he saw the bigger picture you understood what was being set up what was going on and that there was there was a good reason there was a purpose behind that delay.
And it was. For the purpose of God being glorified it was for a good purpose not to hurt Lazarus or Mary or Martha but so that God could be glorified through that awful situation that they were going through so he stayed where he was for two more days.
Verse seven and then he said to His disciples Let us go back to Judea But Rabbi They said a short time a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you and yet you’re. Going to go back there and Jesus answered rather not twelve hours of daylight a man who walks by day will not stumble free sees by this world’s light it is when he walks by night that he stumbles for he has no late.
After he had said this he won on the tell them our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep but I’m going there to wake him up.
And I were going to see that as per usual the disciples were a little bit slow on the uptake they just didn’t quite understand what Jesus was saying they were a little bit confused and you know it’s fun to chuckle at them because we have the story but you know I’m pretty sure. If I’d been there in their shoes I’ve might have had the same reaction you know I might not have totally gotten what Jesus was saying either and I can see my wife and daughter saying yeah there’s no way you got what Jesus was saying in the last one where I can tell by my own place.
So first well his disciples replied Lord if he sleeps he’ll get better I mean what’s better for someone that’s sick than to have you know a nice long sleep just let him sleep why should we go and bother him you know don’t wake him up Jesus had been speaking of his death but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep so you know Jesus was speaking figuratively AND course they were taking it literally and you know just the a little communication breakdown that Jesus had to deal with again so in verse fourteen he just had to come out and say it like it was he so then he told them plainly Lazarus is dead and for your sake I am glad I was not there so that you may believe but let us go to him there are those words again so that.
Jesus said I’m glad that I wasn’t there.
Doesn’t say that he’s glad. That Lazarus is dead and he’s not glad that Mary and Martha are mourning and they’re sad but he’s glad that he wasn’t there for the sake of the disciples so that they may believe.
He knew. Again he knew the big picture he knew what God the Father was setting up he knew what the Holy Spirit had in mind for him he knew that God was going to use this circumstance to bring glory to himself. He wasn’t he wasn’t worked up and concerned about it he knew that God was going to use this to bring glory and he knew that it was going to be a situation that would. Just once again drive home to these disciples who he really was you know even as dollars they could be at times when they saw what Jesus was about to do he knew that they would believe they would get it they would understand that he was who he said he was and what that really meant.
And I love this then Thomas called DID of us said to the rest of the disciples Let us also go that we may die with them.
I don’t know what dead in this means I didn’t look that up but I kind of think it must not be something very nice I don’t I just think they had to make fun of a guy I mean who says yeah let’s go to so we can die with them I just I don’t I don’t know. I thought that was pretty strange overreaction.
Maybe no one else does I don’t understand why you would say yeah let’s go there so we can die to just it make any sense so I figured that in this is like some kind of you know goof ball name that they gave him because he was saying weird stuff like that OK.
Maybe only I thought that was weird verse seventeen on his arrival Jesus from. That Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
Bethany was less than two miles from Israel or Drusilla and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother when Martha heard that Jesus was coming she went off to meet him but Mary stayed at home.
So.
You know Jesus waited a couple days before even bothered had not yet known as way it was only a two two mile journey so it’s not like it was a big long trip and by the time that he finally got there Lazarus had been dead and in the tomb for four days and.
I read somewhere in the notes that that four day mark somehow was significant because it had been a long enough period of time that according to the Jewish beliefs that the Spirit by that point had completely Depart of the body so there was a reason that Jesus waited for that period of time that you know there’s no way that somebody could be in the tomb for four days and not be completely dead it was there was no argument no dispute over Lazarus condition he was dead.
And so he shows up and Martha’s the one that goes on out to meet him and so here and verse twenty one. We see what happens when she caught up with Jesus she said Lord Martha said that Jesus if you had been here my brother would not have died but I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.
So you know she has she has faith in Jesus she had faith that Jesus had been there physically that Lazarus would still be alive and I said I find that interesting because you know I think this is already after the point in time where Jesus encountered the man that said well you just send the word you don’t have to come to my house you just send the word and my servant will be. Made well and Jesus marveled over his great faith you know that guy’s a Centaurian and not even a Jew and yet he believed that if I sent the word right that.
He said I haven’t found faith this great knowledge is real.
So you know Martha had faith but apparently it wasn’t that kind of faith and then she also you know she expressed well I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask in Jesus said to her Your brother will rise again.
Martha answered I know that he will rise again and then resurrection at the last day.
And Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die do you believe this. Yes Lord she told him I believe that you are the Christ the Son of God who has come into the world.
Jesus I am the resurrection and the life and he asked her Do you believe this and he’s the Alaskan OS do you believe this do we believe that Jesus is the director of resurrection and the life.
That’s who he is that’s what he is.
So I’m just going to work our way through the rest of the account here so and after she had said that she went back and called her sister Mary aside the teacher is here she said and it’s asking for you when Mary heard this she got up quickly and went to him now Jesus had not yet entered the village but was still at the place where Martha had met him when the Jews who had been with Mary in the house comforting her noticed how quickly she got up and went out they followed her supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there when Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him she fell at his feet and said Lord if you had then. Here my brother would not have died same thing her sister said When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
Where have you laid him he asked come and see Lord they replied Jesus wept then the Jews said See how he loved them but some of them said could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying and Jesus once more deeply moved came to the tomb it was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance take away the stone he said But Lord said Martha the sister of the dead man by this time there is a bad odor for he’s been there four days then Jesus said that I did not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God.
So they took away the stone then Jesus looked up and said Father I thank you that you have heard me 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 when he said this Jesus called in a loud voice Lazarus come out. The dead man came out his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a claw wrapped around his face and Jesus said to them take off the grave clothes and let him go.
Now revival can never happen in the life of a sinner there can be no revival in the life of someone that’s never been alive you can’t be revived unless you’ve been alive there has to be a death for there to be a resurrection or a revival of the purpose of revival is to resurrect the church. So that we can win the world when sinners get saved that’s the new birth that when the church gets revived It’s an awakening OK we’re coming alive we’re all. Wakin we are revived it it’s the church that needs revival it’s the church that wakes up so that we can go out and we can affect the world so that we can win the World.
The quote.
From Andre Bowen are the rousing up and reviving of believers is not a small matter it concerns the glory of God If the lamps do not shine it does not speak well for the oil nor for the care of the keeper and if the children of God do not testify for him it does not speak well for their high priest in heaven nor for the Holy Spirit within them.
Church we got to shine bright we got the oil of the Holy Spirit inside of us this is Pentecost.
Man if if with put our faith in Jesus We’ve been injured well with.
The Holy Spirit and if with experience Pentecost personally if we have experienced that baptism of the Holy Spirit then were filled with His power in his presence. That oil that annoying thing is within us we carry that we need to let it burn we need to let it burn brightly we need to shine so that it speaks well of the oil so it speaks well of the annoying thing so it speaks well of the Holy Spirit that lives within us so that speaks well of our High Priest in heaven that takes care of his vessels of the lamp that’s all we are we’re vessels were filled with Him It’s got nothing to do with us it’s everything to do with the oil of the annoying thing of God and as we burn yeah we may we may start to run down we might run low but praise God he never diminishes his supplies on women and his supply never groans out never gets low never goes down not one drop and it’s there it’s available to us all we have to do is go back and ask him to fill is fresh and new each. And every day and help do it in Phyllis to overflowing let us burn bright for him to shine in the dark places all around us we’re surrounded by darkness and they’re desperate for a light so let’s go I know I preached that before let it shine.
So if we’re going to have a revival it’s going to have to come from Jesus.
I’m telling him we must have a revival we just have to right we just we got to have it.
So.
Let’s look at this revival of Lazarus right Lazarus was dead and Jesus revived him let’s look at this let’s look at this revival of the Jesus pulled off right here OK so in verse twenty four.
And says Martha answered I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. At the last day so Martha’s idea of a revival was like so many people idea today it’s futuristic at best right some day we’re going to see the former and the latter rain together. Someday my brother will rise somehow some way some day some time I know it you know off in the future.
And she said specifically at the last day you know there’s only there are many that all they can do they can only dream about the future when you mention revival they’re just they’re not able to see the Jesus that standing right here in front of us right before us right here right now today the knowledge God the God of resurrection power for this generation but they just see the future they just they just see.
How dark and how bad things are right now.
Not able to see the knowledge Jesus that’s right here that’s the. Answer that wants to bring a wife and wants to revive those dead places.
So they say one of these days we will we will experience that which was prophesied by Joel one of these days we will experience the former in the Latter Rain The gather.
I say why not today.
So that was that was Martha’s idea of revival She’s looking into the future.
But what did Mary do where was she. See Jesus showed up Martha was the one that ran off to meet him first but Mary stayed on behind at the house.
So she remarry remained at the house mourning over what used to be she was mourning. Over the loss of Lazarus she was mourning.
Over the past.
Her sister was looking at the future Mary was stuck looking at the past Miss and last and now. Obviously you know I’m not condemning her brother died that’s appropriate you know God waters up to that there’s a grief process but you know just.
Look at the look at the spiritual implications behind this force looking you know that one was looking in the future the other is looking at the past and we see that where you know we.
We remember fondly back. Well some of us we don’t remember them we’re just we’ve read about them and we we think fondly about past revivals you know the days of Charles Benny and the white all moody Billy Sunday and. You know the the major moves of God that we can read about them with heard about them man we look back and we think man how awesome that would have been that must’ve been great and what. That the lake of God would move.
Right here right now that way and we’re just you know we’re looking back and to bring in a little bit closer to home you know that I think there may even be times or moments where.
New hope with maybe times would look back to many remember when we were in Dayton and that night and that neat little house and it was so cozy and we were all just there together and it felt so whatever and we may even look back and think you know I love the states and their ministry they did this for me and they did that and God love them and God bless them and that’s all well and good the nothing wrong with remembering the past but we can’t we can’t. We can’t live there we can’t camp out there we can’t stay there God has brought us here and he’s brought us here for a reason and for a purpose and we need to get on board with it and we can’t do that if we’re looking back and if we’re stuck somewhere in the past.
So we can allow ourselves to spend more hours reminiscing and trying more tears over what used to be in the time and the tears that we shed for a move of God right now.
So stop looking back and dreaming of a some day and recognize today for what it is this is Resurrection Day.
So that was Martha and that was Mary and then Jesus shows up.
Here’s Jesus take on revival and this starts in verse thirty four. Where have you laid him he asked.
Where have you laid him what did you do with that what used to be full of power what did you do with that that used to be alive what do. To do with that that used to be full of life full of power.
What did you do with that that I loved.
What did you do where is it.
Jesus loved Lazarus and he said where if you lay down.
I think some of us need to go back maybe to where we lost the life we had inside of us. We need to go back and.
Go back to the place where maybe we laid down the thing that Jesus loves.
We need.
We need to go back to that place where did it happen what happened.
Where did we leave our life where did we leave that thing that Jesus of.
Because Jesus is common and he’s looking for he’s looking for what he loves.
In verse thirty four they said Come and see.
Well Jesus didn’t go that far to look at what they had been had become he came to do something about it he didn’t just. Hear me he didn’t come to just go and see.
He was there for a purpose he was there for a so that.
He was there to do something.
Verse thirty nine.
Verse thirty nine Jesus said take away the stone.
Take away the stone.
Find that thing that’s been blocking the resurrection find that thing that’s been blocking the revival find that thing. That’s been preventing a life and miraculous power of getting to the dead places and bringing it back to life find that thing that stand in the way that’s preventing revival that’s preventing the resurrection from flowing and get it out of there get it out of my way take away the stone.
We need to do that as a church we need to do that as individuals as families we need to find those things that are stand in the way.
Of revival Jesus could have done it himself I mean if he’s got enough power that he could speak louder is come forth and raise him again from the G Jesus could have demolished that stone and moved it on his own but he told them. Get the stone out of the way.
And they did it and says they’d they took it away they moved the stone. Whom Jesus is talking to us this morning take away the stone.
Let’s stop putting anything in his way let’s stop allowing anything to hinder that work.
Because if we do that if we roll away the stone he’ll bring life to what’s on the other side of yesterday he’ll bring life to it.
So they took that stone away and then we have Verse forty three Lazarus come for.
The stone was gone they obeyed what Jesus said to do and now we got to the place we we got to that so that the Jesus had been referring to over and over again that was the moment that was the reason that was the purpose he was there so that he would be glorified his father in heaven would be glorified because why. Jesus speaks things change when Jesus commands life to the dead places they rise up again and they live again and they come marching out of that grave.
There’s nothing we can stop that there’s nothing that can hinder that or hold that back once we take away the stone and Jesus has the freedom to call out and speak life into those dead places in our life in our church in our community and he’s desperate to billet he wants to do that so that he can be glorified I want him to be glorified.
You know we talked about way back in the beginning there and I think was Verse three where you know the one Jesus loved was sick and I was talked about that we’re you know we’re not exempt from that and that there’s a SO that and it’s so that God can be glorified.
And then we all know.
We don’t know what’s been going on in this body. We know the attacks of the enemy right we know who’s behind it. But we know the answer and we know that there is so that.
And it would be easy to get discouraged it would be easy to complain it would be easy to ask questions and to.
You know God where are you why you’ve taken why you stand behind today’s want to chew on your way here how can there be a so that in this.
And I only talk about what we’re going through because we’re going through it I know that everyone else is dealing with their own situations and so on not minimizing what your experience and by talking about what we’re going through.
That went back to receive her diagnosis that has been our prayer God. Get glory.
You be glorified. There has to be a so that.
You get glory for yourself.
Now I know how I want him to get it.
I know how I’d like that to happen.
They got. You show me those stones now get them out of the way.
Because I’m ready for you to show up and I’m ready for you to say come forth and live.
So that you are glorified.
It doesn’t matter what he loves us he hasn’t forgotten us we’re not left behind new hope.
I know we’ve been waiting.
I know we feel like our.
Our miracles have been in that tomb for four days or more we think that they’re dead and rotten and stinking.
But man when Jesus shows up and he brings that revival and we’re willing to get rid of those stones and more just trust them and then just trust them.
What a powerful so that.
So he didn’t just come out he didn’t he didn’t just bring him back to life but Lazarus got out their knees were in his grave clothes used to get those things off their men they don’t belong on you they don’t fit you anymore.
Those belong on a dead man you’re alive and well. You’re alive get those things off and you go and you go.
Loose him and let him go.
And I the worship team go ahead and make your way on up here and get. Dita. Means and worship.
So this morning.
Martha Martha stop waiting for the future.
Stop dreaming about someday.
And expect God to resurrect her dead miracle today.
Let’s stop dreaming for the future Mary Mary stop mourning over the past.
We’re not called to be more nurse we’re warriors church.
And Lazarus.
Lazarus come forth wake up.
Live again be loosed and go.
Proclaim the resurrected Christ everywhere.
Today is Pentecost Sunday.
X. one eight but you will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and some area.
And to the ends of the earth.
That resurrection life giving power of the Holy Spirit it’s available to us it’s for us.
How do I know it’s for us actually thirty eight thirty nine.
Peter replied repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off. For all whom the Lord our God will call that’s us promises for us.
So we’ve been born again with been revived with been filled with the Holy Spirit and if you’re tired of waiting for something to happen if you’re sick of mourning about the past if you believe that today is the day of salvation of resurrection of holy spirit power and go ahead and stand up to your feet and let’s worship the risen Lord Jesus Christ together.