09/26/2021
The More I Seek You
John 11
When is the Lord enough for you?
This scripture changed how people saw Jesus.
- No one had seen a miracle like this before.
“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” - John‬ â€11:5‬ â€ESV‬‬
- Jesus loved them individually.
Jesus goes back even though they faced death.
- “The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”” - â€â€John‬ â€11:8‬ â€ESV‬‬
“Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”” - John‬ â€11:14-15‬ â€ESV‬‬
- Jesus didn’t have to go to Judea, He could have raised Lazarus from where He was.
- He went because people were hurting.
The Jews believed that the spirit of the deceased hovered near the grave site for 3 days in hopes of reconnecting with their body.
- Jesus comes back on the 4th day.
“Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.””- John‬ â€11:21-22‬ â€ESV‬‬
- The consensus was Lazarus was gone, that even Jesus couldn’t bring him back.
- Healing the sick and raising the dead are the same thing to Jesus.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”” - â€John‬ â€11:25-26‬ â€ESV‬‬
- People would take a posture of immobility in their grief, but Mary got up and ran to Jesus.
- Those that were comforting her followed.
“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”” - John‬ â€11:32‬ â€ESV‬‬
- There words changed from “If He had only come when we needed Him!”to “Why didn’t you come?”
- The weeping is described as a loud shouting, an uncontrollable cry.
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”” - John‬ â€11:33-34‬ â€ESV‬‬
- Deeply moved = frustrated. “He groaned in His spirit”.
- He was upset that death had taken such a hold on his friends.
Then the mocking started.
- “But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”” - â€â€John‬ â€11:37‬ â€ESV‬‬
- Jesus groaned again.
Jesus gave thanks to God then called Lazarus out.
- Jesus voice cut through everything.
- His voice is louder than death.
1. Remember that Jesus is always for you.
- 100%, Jesus is always for you.
- Our love for God becomes conditional on what He’s done for us.
- “Why”: is this happening, am I going through this, etc.
2. Jesus always shows up.
- We’re never alone, even during our grief.
- Jesus destroys death.
- Our perception of death is skewed.
- Death is not the end but the beginning.
- The presence of the Lord is what those in Heaven experience constantly.
3. Jesus always shows up on time.
- The disappointment they felt turned into an experience they would never forget.
Are we people who need the stone rolled away to love Him with all of our hearts, or will we say your presence is enough for me?
His presence is all that I need.
Pastor Steve