John 11:1-16

A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” 8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.” 16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

As we have been journeying to the cross with Jesus we have seen Him cross paths with one who was blind and another who was bound up in his belongings. Today as we continue to journey with Jesus we will see one who was buried. You see the first man went from seeking to sight, the second went from seeking to sorrow, and today we see those who go from sorrow to serving.  The story in John 11 starts with a:

1. Crisis vs 1-3

Many of us get mad at God when we have to go through challenging times. Especially when those challenges involve the loss of a loved one. But challenges are an opportunity for us to call out to the Lord and lean on Him. What we all want is to pursue a problem-free life but that’s just not realistic. In this life, we will have problems and it’s here that we learn our first valuable lesson, bring your crisis to Christ. Mary and Martha took their problem to Jesus. What about you who are you taking your problems to? Are you taking your cares to Christ? Many of us are running to people instead of the provider, looking for a feel good instead of looking to God the Father? But it’s here that we discover the second truth, not only are we to petition God but we are to be patient with our petitions. Because it’s here in the midst of the crisis that we discover a:

1. Delay – Vs 4-6

How do you respond when your desires meet with delay? Delays can cause us to question God’s love instead of lean on His love. But we need to remember that when God lingers it doesn’t lessen His love. The challenge is that we live in an instant gratification culture, so instead of waiting, we tend to whine. Not only does waiting tend to lead to whining but delays often lead to demanding. Instead of resting we become restless and often resentful. Instead of waiting we worry which leads to us trying instead of trusting. Do you treasure God’s timing? God has gracious intentions even in seeming delays. Sometimes what seems like procrastination is actually preparation. Jesus was preparing them to experience God’s glory and sometimes we have to go through the groaning to get to the glory. Are you willing to let God use your pain to proclaim His power? Why do Saints suffer, sometimes so others can see the Savior. Are you willing to let God use your wounds to witness to a watching world? Are you going to trust His timing or throw a temper tantrum? Sometimes we want a solution to our suffering more than we want the Savior. But it’s in our pain that we see God’s promises and power. It’s here that we see the third truth not only do we need to petition Jesus and be patient but we need a proper perspective on:

1. Death Vs 11-16

Even the sickness that leads to death does not separate the saved from the Savior. Jesus refers to the death of a believer as sleep, making it more familiar and less formidable. The picture He paints is not one of problems but one of profit. Because when Jesus compares being buried with going to bed, unless you’re a child you look forward to bedtime, because in sleep we get to rest from our labor. We don’t have to fear death instead we can see it as favorable. But don’t miss the real:

1. Danger Vs 7-16

Jesus is the one who takes the risk so we can rest. The people of Judea want to kill Jesus and when the disciples focus on the danger they start telling Jesus what to do. Fear often causes us to follow our plans, not the Fathers. The disciples were basing their decisions on the obstacles not on obedience. It’s interesting to note the differing perceptions here between the sisters Mary and Martha and the disciples. Mary and Martha’s perspective was that Jesus didn’t come soon enough, where the disciples felt that he was going too soon. Who was right? Neither, it’s not about our timing it’s about His. Because the disciples focus on the danger and not the deity their plan involved avoiding the perceived problem and not do anything. What about you, are you going to play it safe and stay back or go with the Savior? It is here that Thomas the one who is so often criticized because he later doubted speaks up, remember these are His first recorded words. Thomas says that he would rather suffer with the Savior than play it safe without the Savior. This is the crossroads of conviction, am I going to walk with Jesus into the war or play it safe and sit on the sidelines? Am I going to follow my feelings or follow the Savior? What about you, are you going to seek safety or serve the Savior? You are going to spend your life on something, so why not spend it serving the Savior? When we live for the Lord we never lose, but when we sit on the sidelines and play it safe we squander our lives. You are either going to be a fair-weather follower or a faithful one. Thomas conviction challenged the other Christians to stop being cowards and start being courageous. Are you going to be a courageous Christian and follow Jesus even when it’s not popular, or are you going to be a coward so that you can feel comfortable and safe? Most Christians today are following fear because they are focused on the obstacles instead of the opportunities. While the rest of the disciples were making decisions based on the culture Thomas had the courage to look to Christ. Where are you at in your walk, are you following Christ courageously or cowering to the culture?

Mark 10:17-31

17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’ ”20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

It’s here on the heels of the rich young rulers seeking and sorrow that thirdly we see:

3. The Redeemers Response 23-31
4. The Allegory 23-25

Jesus reveals the answer using an allegory, he says that its easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. Trusting in self-effort for salvation is not just difficult it’s impossible. Jesus revelation that you can’t earn eternal life leads to:

1. The Alarm VS 26

Christ’s allegory created so much concern that it caused His disciples to ask the question, “Who then can be saved?” The answer, it’s only possible with God. We can’t come to the Father through human effort, it’s not about trying but trusting. Either you are going to trust in God or turn from God. It’s here in the midst of the alarm that Christ gives them:

1. The Assurance 27-31

• Regarding Redemption vs 27

It’s not about our good works it’s about God’s finished work on the cross of Calvary. Are you relying on self-effort or the Saviors? But Faith is more than fire insurance. Genuine Christianity is shown by the change Christ produces in your life. Real faith always results in fruit, and if there is no fruit you’re a fraud not a follower of Jesus Christ. True change consists of both an inward reality and outward results. Is your life distinguishable, and different from non-believers? Faith follows the Savior, not selfishness. So how has your faith affected your life?

• Regarding rewards Vs 28-31

Jesus tells us that follow him will result in a reward. Are you prepared to follow Jesus like he called the rich young ruler too? Are you willing to surrender the things you had been banking on for happiness and security? For the ruler, it was his riches that he was relying on. Money and material things were his God and Jesus is saying that He will not ride shotgun to our stuff. Jesus is seeking followers, not fans. He wants people to be converted, not convinced. It’s much easier to be an admirer than a follower. You can admire from a distance and be relatively unaffected, but followers have to forsake all. Jesus was calling him to a life of surrender and servanthood where Christ calls the shots because He is the One in charge. The issue was never about selling the stuff it was about submitting to His sovereignty. You can’t faithfully follow while your trust is tied to your treasure. Instead of a disciples heart, the rich young ruler had a divided heart. What about you are you suffering from the disease of a divided heart, a sickness that is stopping you from surrendering? In order to faithfully follow we have to take a step of faith and put our trust in Jesus instead of our treasures. But you will never tie your trust to Jesus while you are still tethered to trusting in your resources and riches.  You will never faithfully follow as long as you have something else to fall back on.   Jesus wants to free us from the fetters and the bondage that binds us. He wants to set us free from a life of slavery to one of service but we have to let go of the things that are holding our heart hostage. When the Bushmen of the Kalahari desert are searching for water they will cut a small hole in a giant termite mound and while a baboon is watching drop a few melon seeds into the hole. Eventually, the curious baboon will wonder over and reach inside to grab the seeds, it’s then that the bushman will rush over and capture the baboon because he refuses to let go of the seeds and while it holds onto the seeds its fist is too big to get back out of the hole. The bushman will then feed it salt until it is so hungry that once released it leads him to water. Here is a baboon that is willing to trade its life and freedom for a handful of seeds because it is unwilling to let go. How many of us are trading the true treasure for the temporary treasures? Many of us are like the baboon we are trading the Savior for a few seeds. Why tether yourself to the trash when you can trust in Jesus? Look Jesus goal isn’t to bankrupt us but to bless, you have a choice you can run after the temporary riches or the eternal rewards. You can hold onto the stuff and forfeit the Savior or you can let go of the trash and take hold of the real riches. Why don’t we follow because we have a faulty view of discipleship, we see discipleship as having to give up but Jesus sees it as gain. He reminds His disciples of the real riches and rewards. Today many of us are trying to find our security in self-effort and our stuff instead of in the Savior. Jesus invited this man to stop striving and start trusting. But the rich young ruler focused on what he would lose instead of on what he would gain. Don’t forget the end of the story, when we give up our stuff to serve the Savior we will receive far more in return. What is holding your heart hostage and preventing you from faithfully following? What stuff do you need to surrender so that you can be free to follow the Savior?