Delays, Denials and Devotion
Little Log Church
John 11:1-27
February 14-15, 2004
INTRODUCTION
There is a path to life that’s narrow and that few find. We could call it the road less traveled. But those by the grace of God that are led to the path to life then begin a path of life. We begin our hyphen. And this path of life, this hypen, is either a good path of life or a great path of life. Actually it’s either good or abundant. And unfortunately, few of us have even thought about this difference before. And as a result, this great path of life, or abundant path of life could also be considered a road less traveled.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10(NASB)
Jesus says he came so that we may hold, possess or cling to an uncommon, more excellent, extra-ordinary, full, real and genuine, active and vigorous life.
Satan wants us to believe and therefore live as though that means nothing more than a long and healthy, normal, status quo, busy and successful life.
But the truth is Jesus came so that we may experience an extra-ordinary, uncommon, complete, convincing and complelling, wholehearted and intentional life. He came so that we may experience the road that today is the road less traveled.
That was a summary of last week. And I have to tell you, in the three years I’ve been here, there has never been the response both during and after a message like there was last weekend. There were more heads nodding, more “amens”, more “thank you’s” more “that was great” or “that was just what I needed’s” than ever before.
Many of you were excited. Many of you were convicted. Many were enthusiastic. Many were challenged. Many were motivated. Many were ready to experience that abundant life. And I have a feeling that those we read about in chapter 10, vs. 42 who “believed him there” felt just like you did. But, as is always the case, they and you had to go home. The high of the moment, the mountaintop experience, the atmosphere of the gathered body had to end. In other words, Sunday turned into Monday. Turn to chapter 11 and lets pick up where we left off last week.
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.2 And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.3 The sisters therefore sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."4 But when Jesus heard it, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it."5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.6 When therefore He heard that he was sick, He stayed then two days longer in the place where He was.7 Then after this He * said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."8 The disciples * said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?"9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.10 "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."11 This He said, and after that He * said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep."12 The disciples therefore said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.14 Then Jesus therefore said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him."16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off;19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him; but Mary still sat in the house.21 Martha therefore said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.22 "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."23 Jesus * said to her, "Your brother shall rise again."24 Martha * said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies,26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"27 She * said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world." John 11:1-27 (NASB)
WWJD became a national phenomenon during the 1990’s. WWJD or “What would Jesus do?” was or is a question found in the book entitled “In His Steps” by Charles Sheldon. The plot of the book tells of a chain of tragic events that brings a pastor of a prosperous church to realize how his life was not like Christ’s at all. He then takes his conviction to his church and urges them to not do anything without asking the question, “What would Jesus do?” The intent was to vow to follow Jesus and to walk “in his steps”. In the nineties, a youth group in the Midwest stumbled on the idea to make a shirt with the letters WWJD to promote a special weekend event at a local church. Well, that shirt grew into a bracelet which grew to a song written by a friend of Wendy’s called “What would Jesus do?” In most Christian stores you could at one point find anything you wanted with the letters WWJD on them. But here’s what I perceive as the problem or flaw with this whole craze.
It’s my contention, based on this passage we just read, and others like it, that there is no way for us to answer the question. There is no way we could ever accurately answer “What would Jesus do?” Why? Because we are unable to predict what God would do.
I know you’re probably asking, “What does WWJD and our inability to predict God’s actions have to do with abundant living and Sunday turning into Monday?” Well, it’s one thing to be excited about, and believe we can live an abundant life when we’re together on Sunday, and it’s another to actually live it on Monday. Why? Because for most of us, our faith relies heavily on one of two things. Either 1) what we think God will do or 2) what we think he should do. And when our faith is based on either what we believe God will do or should do His our inability to predict what he will do throws a wrench in our life constructs because we’ve boiled down the Christian life or our faith journey to nothing more than a methodology or a system of methods. We read about how Jethro taught Moses to lead the nation of Israel so we boil down what he said into 5 key leadership principles and then try to implement them into our life. It worked for Moses, it will work for us. We study how one man prayed and boil down that prayer into 4 key phrases or words and then try to implement them into our life. It worked for Jabez it will work for us. Do you want to see God work in your life? Here’s the 1-2-3 to get God to work in your life. Do you want a great marriage? Here’s the 1-2-3 to a great marriage. Do you want a great family? Here’s the 1-2-3 to having a great family? Do you want to pray with power? Here’s the 1-2-3 of praying with power. But the truth is, the Christian life or our faith journey isn’t as methodical (precise, logical, systematic or orderly) as we might think. In others words, it’s not about methods. Should we study the Bible? Absolutely! We should meditate on it day and night. Are there principles we should apply? Sure there are. Life transformation is what it’s all about. But to pare the Bible and our lives down to simple 1-2-3 methods or techniques is a bit naïve. And I think Martha from our story today is a perfect example of someone who understood this.
THE STORY
At the conclusion of John 10, Jesus departs and heads to a place simply called, “a place beyond the Jordan”, which was about a days journey from Jerusalem, and everyone else returns home. I don’t know this for a fact, but because many Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the different feasts that were celebrated throughout the year, and because they lived in Bethany which was just about 2 miles outside of Jerusalem on the other side of the Mount of Olives and were very close friends of his, it’s highly likely that Mary and Martha were a part of the crowd listening to Jesus teach during the Feast of Dedication or Hanakkah we read about in chapter 10.
When they return home, they find their brother Lazarus is sick. It’s apparently a very grave illness because they decide to send for Jesus despite the fact that when he left the Pharisees were wanting to stone him and if he returned even to Bethany they’d get wind of it and probably try to come and do it again. They summon a messenger to take the news to Jesus hoping that the messenger not only gets there in time but that Jesus returns swiftly.
When the messenger finds Jesus and delivers the news, Jesus responds very matter-of-factly,
"This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it."
John 11:4(NASB)
This probably shocks the messenger because he knew Lazarus’ condition. But the disciples probably take it in stride because they had heard the same words before when they asked him why the man had been born blind. Remember?
"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?"3 Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him." John 9:3 (NASB)
As a matter of fact, in the midst of the unpredictability they had grown accustomed to, they saw a glimpse of consistency. They may not have known exactly what Jesus was going to do from situation to situation, but they always knew that whatever he did it would bring glory to the Father. Let me say that again. While they and we may not know from situation to situation exactly what God will do, we do know that the end result will always be his glory and our good.
Delays
Well, it’s after this revelation of consistency that John records one of the most interesting statements you’ll read in the Bible. Really, this statement and this statement alone tells me we can never answer the question “What would Jesus do?” Verse 5 says,
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.6 When therefore He heard that he was sick, He stayed then two days longer in the place where He was. John 11:5-6 (NASB)
Excuse me? Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus so when he heard that Lazarus was sick he stayed two days longer? Does that mean if he hadn’t loved them he would have come immediately? Think about it. If a friend was very ill and asking for you and you paused and asked, “What would Jesus do?” the last thing that would go through your mind would be to wait a couple of days. “What would Jesus do?” Jesus would go. He loves them. He doesn’t want his friend to be sick or his sisters to be sad. He’s going to run right over. That’s what Jesus would do. But he doesn’t. He loved them alright. But when he heard that he was sick, he waited.
Have you ever prayed or expected God to do something when you thought he would or should do it only to have him wait or delay in his response? What did it do to your faith. What is it doing right now? You may be waiting for a job. You may be waiting for your spouse to change or your kids to respond differently. Maybe you’re waiting for someone to forgive you or accept your forgiveness. What are you waiting for God to do? According to what timetable have you expected him to work? How has it, how is it affecting your faith? Has your faith been based on what you think God will do or should do? How has it affected your journey on the path of abundant living? It’s a little different on Monday than it is on Sunday isn’t it?
Denials
Well, when Jesus finally arrives back in Bethany, Lazarus is dead. He’s actually been dead for four days. That means he died right after the messenger left. It took a day for the messenger to reach him. He stayed two days. And when he finally decides to go to return to Bethany it takes him a day. That’s four days and that’s how long vs. 17 says Lazarus has been dead.
So worse than any delay, Martha experiences a denial. They probably prayed fervently for Lazarus to stay alive long enough for Jesus to return so he could heal him. And they should expect it right? Jesus is their good friend. Jesus loves Lazarus. He won’t let him die. Not only will he not let him die, he will heal him. But right after the messenger leaves, Lazarus dies. They prayed and the answer was no. They had expectations. They had seen him heal others. They knew what Jesus would do. But instead, they are left to grieve. And their friends who come to console them grieve with them.
I’ve asked about delays, but what about denials? Have you ever prayed for something or someone expecting God would or should answer in a favorable way only to have him say no? Have you prayed that your marriage would be restored and have it end in divorce? Have you asked God to heal your spouse only to have them die? Have you asked God to change your child’s heart and have to watch them fall deeper and deeper into rebellion? Have you asked for God to restore a friendship only to have the door slammed in your face? How has it, how is it affecting your faith? Has your faith been based on what you think God will do or should do? How has it affected your journey on the path of abundant living? It’s a little different on Monday than it is on Sunday isn’t it?
Devotion
But now notice how Martha responds. Look at verse 20.
20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him; but Mary still sat in the house.21 Martha therefore said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."
Despite the delay, despite the denial, Martha went to meet Jesus. She didn’t wait on him to come to her. She got up and went to him. And when she’s standing before him face to face, tears running down her face, she admits her expectation. “Lord, if you had been here, if you had just been here, Lazarus would be alive. Lord, I even believe that you could ask God to bring Lazarus back to life right now and it would happen.”
Some believe she is asking Jesus to raise him from the dead. But I don’t think she is. I think she is making a statement about what she believes he could do, even what she wishes he would do. But she’s not asking him to or expecting him to. Why do I believe that? Look at verse 23.
23 Jesus * said to her, "Your brother shall rise again."24 Martha * said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."
Had she been asking him to raise Lazarus from the dead, when Jesus said, “Your brother shall rise again”, she would have said, “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you. I knew you could do it. I knew you would do it. Please do it now I miss him so.” But she doesn’t. She simply says, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” In other words, “I know had you been here Lazarus would not have died. I know you could raise him up right now. But you weren’t here and I’m not expecting you to raise him.” Jesus then says,
25 . . . "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies,26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"27 She * said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."
Jesus tells her who he is. “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will never die.” She knows he doesn’t mean they will never physically die because she’s just watched her brother die. She knows he’s talking about eternal life. Rising again, like she said she believe Lazarus would do on the last day.
And her response is remarkable. Despite the delay, despite the denial, she remained devoted to her Lord. And notice she doesn’t say, “Yes Lord I believe.” She says, “Yes Lord I have believed. I never stopped believing. I’ve always trusted in you. Despite all that’s gone on these last four days, I’ve never stopped trusting. You are the Christ. You are the Son of God.” She doesn’t say I believe in you because you did this or that. She says I believe in you because you are the Christ. You are the Son of God.
Despite the delays and despite the denials, Martha remained devoted and she remained devoted because her faith wasn’t based on what Jesus would do or should do, her faith was based on who he was.
CONCLUSION
It’s one thing to go into Monday ready to live an abundant life when we believe God will and should do the things we expect him to do. It’s another to go into Monday ready to live an abundant life based on who he is and despite what He does.
I asked you last week, “What road are you on?” This week I simply ask, “What is the basis of your faith? Is it based on what you think God will do or should do for you or who He is?”
