Come Forth

COME FORTH

JOHN 11

INTRO: THE MIRACLE AT BETHANY

1: LAZARUS

A) THE BIBLE SAYS HE IS THE BROTHER OF MARY AND MARTHA

B) HE WAS A FRIEND OF THE LORD

C) WHEN HE WAS SICK HIS SISTERS SENT WORD TO JESUS SAYING THE ONE WHOM THOU LOVEST IS SICK

POINT: BETHANY WAS ONLY A FEW MILES OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM, JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES MORE THAN LIKELY LODGED AND SPENT MANY A DAY WITH LAZARUS AND HIS SISTERS. THEY SURELY HAD A VERY GOOD FREINDSHIP. MORE IMPORTANTLY LAZARUS BELIEVED ON THE LORD AS HIS MASTER.

2: JESUS IS IN NO HURRY

A) THE SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH

B) JESUS KNEW THE CONDITION OF LAZARUS AND THE DEATH HE SPOKE OF WAS SPIRITUAL

C) LAZARUS HAD BELIEVED ON THE WORD OF THE LORD AND WAS NOT IN DANGER OF GOING THROUGH THE SECOND DEATH

D) JESUS WAITED TWO DAYS BEFORE HE WENT TO BETHANY

POINT: THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS WHY DID JESUS WAIT THAT LONG TOO GO TO A FRIEND IN NEED? IF HE LOVED LAZARUS WHY DID HE NOT GO RIGHT AWAY? THE ANSWER IS IN HIS ACTIONS GOD WORKS WHEN IT IS TIME EVEN IF WE THINK HE IS RUNNING BEHIND.

BODY: THE DISCIPLES FEAR

1: LAST TIME THEY THREW ROCKS AT US

A) THE JEWS SOUGHT TO STONE JESUS LAST TIME HE CAME BY THAT WAY.

B) THEY FEARED FOR HIS PHYSICAL SAFTEY

C) JESUS SPEAKS A PARABLE TO THEM

D) V 9 DAY AND NIGHT A MAN’S LIFE IS A DAY,

POINT: GOD HAS APPOINTED US TIME, OUR TIME SHOULD BE FILLED UP WITH DUTY. JESUS HAD A CLEAR CALL TO GO TO JUDEA, IF A MAN WALKS IN THE DAY HE STUMBLETH NOT. IT SHOWS THE COMFORT AND SATISFACTION A MAN HAS IN NIS OWN MIND WHILE HE KEEPS IN THE WAY OF HIS DUTY AS PRESCRIBED BY THE WORD OF GOD.IN THE LIGHT HE CAN SEE WHERE HE IS GOING, THE NIGHT IS THE OPPOSITE, IF A MAN WALKS IN THE WAY OF HIS OWN HEART, HE STUMBLES.

2: THOMAS

A) JESUS TOLD THEM LAZARUS WAS ASLEEP

B) THEY BELIEVED HIM TO BE ONLY NAPPING AND SAW NO REAL NEED TO GO TO HIM

C) JESUS PLAINLY TELLS THEM HE IS DEAD

D) THOMAS SAYS IN V 16 LET US ALSO GO; THAT WE MAY DIE WITH HIM

POINT: IF JESUS IS GOING THEN WE SHOULD GO TO, THE ATTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLE IS A RALLY CRY FOR THE REST, LET US GO TO, NO FEAR, NO HOLDING BACK, A MAN WALKING IN THE LIGHT CAN WALK IN CONFIDENCE, NOT MISSING A STEP DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES OR DARKNESS IN THIS WORLD.

3: JESUS ARRIVES AT BETHANY

A) MARTHA WENT TO MEET HIM

B) JESUS TELLS HER HE SHALL RISE AGAIN

C) HE ALSO TELLS HER HE IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

D) HE IMPROVES HER FAITH BY ASKING HER IF SHE BELIEVES IN HIM, AND SHE DOES

POINT: JESUS HAD WAITED NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE THE FAITH OF HIS LOVED ONES BUT TO TEST THEIR FAITH. SURELY MANY QUESTIONS SWIRLED THROUGH THEIR MINDS WHY DID HE WAIT FOUR DAYS AFTER WE BURIED LAZARUS TO SHOW UP. WHY DID HE EVEN COME AT ALL. THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE GOD TRUST GOD AND EVEN WHEN FAITH SEEMS TO SHRINK STILL HAVE A HOPE AND TRUST THAT GOD IS PRESENT WITH THEM IN ALL THEIR PAINS AND AFFLICTIONS.

CONCLUSION: LAZARUS COME FORTH

1: FOUR DAYS LATE

A) THEY TOLD JESUS HE STINKS

B) HE’S BEEN IN THE GRAVE FOUR DAYS

C) JESUS GROANED IN THE SPIRIT TWO TIMES AND WEPT TEARS OF SORROW

POINT: THE LORD JESUS SUBJECTED HIMSELF TO THE CALAMITOUS STATE OF HUMAN LIFE AND THE POWER OF DEATH TO WHICH FALLEN MAN IS SUBJECT. THE MIRACLE AT BETHANY SHOWS TOW THINGS

1: HE WAITED SO HE COULD DO A GREAT MIRACLE FOR THOSE HE LOVED

POINT: IF LAZARUS WAS STILL ALIVE HIS HEALING WOULD BE AS ALL THE OTHERS, SINCE HE HAD BEEN IN THE GRAVE FOUR DAYS PEOPLE WOULD NOT ONLY SEE THE POWER OF CHRIST BUT HE WHOM HE LOVED WOULD BE THE INSTRUMENT BY WHICH HE SHOWED IT O THEM.

2: THE LORD HAS FELT EVERYTHING WE FEEL

POINT: THE PAIN OF LOSE, THE FEELING OF TEARS OF SORROW, THE DISTRESS AND MISERY CAUSED BY THE LOSS OF LOVED ONES. JESUS UNDERSTANDS OUR SUFFERINGS AND OUR TEARS. NO OTHER RELIGON OR TYPE OF FAITH CAN BOAST THAT FACT. OUR GOD KNOWS US AND COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDS OUR DEEPEST EMOTIONS. HE LIVED AS US AND AMONGST US. NOW HE INTERCEDES FOR US AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE.

ONE DAY HE WILL CRY WITH A LOUD VOICE FOR US TO COME FORTH

AND WE WILL COME!!!!!!!!!!!