Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Highlight the hope, restoration, and power that comes from faith in Jesus, as demonstrated in the story of Lazarus' resurrection in the Gospel of John.
Good morning, brothers and sisters in Christ. The beauty of the Gospel is that it brings hope, restoration, and power in the midst of despair. We are not abandoned to our circumstances, but rather, we have a Savior who comes into our darkest hours with light and life.
As Philip Yancey once said, "Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse." Today, we will be diving into a rich story in the Gospel of John, chapter 11, verses 1-44, where Jesus, through His miraculous power, brought back Lazarus from the dead.
In this story, we see Jesus as the ultimate restorer. He brings restoration not just in the physical sense, but in every aspect of our lives.
Mary and Martha were desperate: They sent word to Jesus, hoping that He would come and heal their brother. But Jesus did not arrive in time, and Lazarus died. It seemed like all hope was lost. However, Jesus had a bigger plan. He allowed Lazarus to die so that He could demonstrate His power over death and His ability to restore life.
The miracle: When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, He was deeply moved by the sorrow and despair of Mary, Martha, and the others who were mourning for Lazarus. He went to the tomb and called Lazarus out. Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, came out of the tomb, alive. This was a miraculous demonstration of Jesus' power to restore life. But it was not just physical life that Jesus restored. He also restored hope, joy, and faith to Mary, Martha, and all those who witnessed this miracle.
He is a restorer: He does not just fix what is broken; He makes it new. He does not just bring us back to where we were before our trials; He brings us to a better place. He does not just give us back what we lost; He gives us more. He does not just restore our bodies; He restores our souls.
Our own lives: We may face situations that seem hopeless. We may feel like we are in a tomb, surrounded by darkness and despair. But Jesus can bring restoration. He can bring light into our darkness. He can bring hope into our despair. He can bring life into our death.
Mary and Martha had seen Jesus perform miracles before, and they knew that He could heal their brother ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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