Believe And See The Glory Of God!

Believe and see the Glory of God!

Illus. Waiting for you, By sermon central.

A family was out vacationing at the lake one summer. Dad had been puttering out by the boat house. Two of his sons, a 12-year old and a 3-year old were down playing along the dock. The 12 year old was supposed to be watching his little brother, but he got distracted. The 3 year old, little Billy, thought that would be a good time to check out the shiny aluminum fishing boat tied up at the end of the dock. So he went to the dock and put one foot on the boat, and one foot on the dock. He lost his balance and fell into the water, which was about 5 or 6 ft deep.

The splash alerted the 12-yr old who let out a piercing scream. Dad came running from the boat house, jumped into the water, swam down, but unable to see anything, came up for air. Sick with panic, he went right back down into this murky water, and began to feel everywhere around the bottom. He couldn’t feel anything. Finally, on his way up, he felt little Billy's arms locked in a death grip on one of the posts of the dock, about 4 ft under water. Prying the boy's fingers loose, they burst up together thru the surface to fill their lungs with life giving air.

Finally when the adrenaline had stopped surging, and nerves had calmed down a little bit, the Father asked his son, “What on earth were you doing down there hanging onto the post so far under the water? And little Billy’s answer was a classic, laced with the wisdom only a toddler could give. He said, "I was just waiting for you dad. Just waiting for you."

John 11:40-44 MSG

40 Jesus looked her in the eye. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

41-42 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.”

They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.”

43-44 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.

Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”

Just a guess and purely conjecture, but I imagine if Jesus would've ask Lazarus what he had been doing, he would've have said waiting for you Lord, just waiting for you!

When we are in search of a miracle, who's glory are we seeking our miracle for? Ourselves, or the ones we're praying for?

When we receive the miracle, we are definitely the beneficiary aren't we? Wether we're the ones praying or receiving, we are the beneficiaries! But after the mountains been pushed into the sea and disappears, what happens to the glory?

Jesus could have easily spoken the miracle into existence and received all the glory, but He chose instead to glorify His Father! All the glory for everything good that is done for us and on our behalf, belongs to God and no one else!

Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27 said exact same thing, so it was something He definitely wanted all of us to know!

TBS Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

The same God,

*who parted the Red Sea,

*rained manna from heaven,

*caused the walls of Jericho to fall, with a trumpet and a shout,

*healed the sick, by the thousands

*raised the dead on many occasions,

*caused not one hair on the head of Shadrach, Meshack and Abindego to be singed even though the ones who threw them into the fiery furnace were consumed by the flames!

*who still performs miracles today, on a regular basis if you can and will believe!!

TBS(the Bible says) and we have established God is a miracle working God!

TBS also that His words are true and are not subject to change!

Matthew 24:32-35 MSG

32-35 “Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. ( this is good, I want you to say this is for me )This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.