This Week\’s Sunday School Lesson, \”Deak Folk Come Alive In Jesus\”, 1/31/2016

 

DEAD FOLK COME ALIVE IN JESUS

 

John 11:38-44

 

 

DEATH BY CHOICE

This is the ending of the story of the raising of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and

Martha. The text tells us that when word came to Jesus that Lazarus was sick,

He waited four days before He responded to the request of Mary and Martha to

come to heal him. By the time Jesus got to  the home of Mary and Martha, Lazarus

had been dead four days.

 

Mary, Martha and Lazarus loved Jesus. Jesus loved them. Jesus was entertained at their

home from time to time. They had a close relationship with Jesus. Yet Jesus, didn\’t show

up until Lazarus was dead. Jesus didn\’t show up until there was sorrow, crying, grief and

unbelief. Jesus didn\’t show up until the man he loved was in the grave.

 

When Jesus heard that Lazarus was on his death bed, He said, this sickness is not

unto death. It was like Jesus was saying, death is no big deal.  WOW!     John 11:4

Sometimes, God uses our grief to draw us to Him.

 

GRIEVED BY OUR UNBELIEF

V:38. \” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. \”

1. Jesus was deeply moved not by death, but by unbelief.
2. Jesus was deeply moved because we put so much emphasis on this life in the flesh

and little on our heavenly home.

1. Jesus was deeply moved because our focus is on this world and not on heaven.
2. Jesus was deeply moved because our focus is on this short life not the eternal life

that only He can provide.

1. Jesus was deeply moved because we are focus on what is temporary rather than

what is permanent.

1. The text says Jesus groaned because we know about Him but have not taken the

time to get to know Him.

1. We weep, cry and are sorrowful for that which is unimportant, but we don\’t

groan in our spirit for our heavenly home.

1. Lazarus was dead in his grave, locked in a tomb.
2. We start our lives dead, locked in a tomb of sin.
3. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity.
4. We were born dead. There was no life in us.
5. We were born in darkness, blocked from the eternal light.  Isa 42:7
6. This scene at the tomb is us at our physical birth.

 

FOLLOW GOD\’S COMMANDS

V:39 \”Take away the stone,\” he said. \”But, Lord,\” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, \”by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.\”

1. The Good News about the tomb is that it is not a permanent position.
2. The Good News about the tomb is that it is not the final resting place.
3. The Good News about the tomb is that it is man made.
4. The Good News about the tomb is that it belongs to God.
5. The Good News about the tomb is that it is a place of transition.
6. The Good News about the tomb is that it is under the control of God.
7. The Good News about the tomb is Jesus has overcome the tomb.
8. The Good News about the tomb is that Jesus is on the outside.
9. The only one who can open our tombs is Jesus.
10. The only one who can bring light into our lives is Jesus.
11. At the command of Jesus, light is made available to us.
12. You need a relationship with Jesus to get out of the tomb.
13. Jesus said, \”I am the resurrection and the Life\”. John 11:25

 

ETERNAL LIFE IS THE GLORY OF GOD

V:40. \” Then Jesus said, \”Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?\”

1. The truth is, we are waiting for God to do some great miracle as a sign of His presence

in our lives.

1. But, Jesus is doing miracles every moment of our lives.
2. All we have to do is open our eyes and we will continue to see His miracles.
3. When you woke up this morning it was a miracle.
4. Go into any hospital room and you will see those who are sick because they have

something in their bodies that has quit functioning and the doctor don\’t

know what to do.

1. It only Jesus that maintains good health.
2. We have to believe what we see in creation are miracles of God.
3. When you consider that all that you see here on earth was called into

creation by the Jesus that you serve, you will  understand that you live

in the Glory of God.

1. Look at the sun in the morning and see the glory of God.
2. Look at the moon and the stars and see the Glory of God.
3. Look in the mirror now and see the Glory of God.
4. The bad news about tomb is it stinks.
5. The stink in the tomb is the sins of mankind.
6. The stink in the tomb is man\’s unbelief.
7. The stink in the tomb is man\’s disobedience.
8. The stink in the tomb is all the bodies destined for hell.

 

GRATEFULNESS IN PRAYER

V:41. \” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, \”Father, I thank you that you have heard me.\”

1. There is nothing you can think or say that Jesus does not know about.
2. When we begin our prayers, we ought to begin with thanks.
3. We ought to thank Jesus for hearing us.
4. The Lord always hears us.
5. Notice, our blessing begins with our obedience.
6. Some miracles are daily and available to everyone.
7. Some miracles are specific to the prayers of believers.
8. Some miracles are specific to the prayers of believers who are obedient

to God\’s commands.

1. I think some miracles are specific to the prayers of believers who love

the Lord.

 

GOD RESPONDS TO OUR PRAYERS

V:42. \” I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.\”

1. We have to speak confidence into our prayers.
2. We should let others know that we are confident that God will answer our

prayers.

1. There is someone weak in their faith that will be encouraged by your trust in God.
2. Notice, the text says our faith in Jesus not only benefits us, but the faith of others

standing by.

1. Our testimony about Jesus ought to be shared with others.
2. Someone may be going through what you went through and just need some

conformation that God does answer prayers.

 

GOD\’S ELECT ARE CALLED OUT OF THE WORLD

V:43. \” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, \”Lazarus, come out!\”

1. It is on the command of Jesus, that we are called out of our sins. Eph 4:4
2. Jesus elected the time to call Lazarus from the dead.
3. Jesus elected the time to call each of us out of darkness into His marvelous light .
4. Lazarus sisters had him on their mind and took the time to call on Jesus.
5. I believe we all know some one who needs our prayers.
6. Lazarus knew Jesus, but he needed the prayers of his sisters.
7. Sometime others can see out need for prayer in a specific area before

we see it.

1. Something unexpected can happen when others pray for us..

 

LOSED AT THE COMMAND OF JESUS

V:44. \” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, \”Take off the grave clothes and let him go.\”

1. Anyone that does not know Christ as their personal Savior is bounded by the sins

that entangles them.  Heb 12:1

1. Sin blinds us from the light of Jesus.
2. Sin keeps us in the darkness of the world.
3. Only Jesus has the power to lose us from our sins.
4. Faith in His death on the cross is our way to salvation.
5. His blood shed on the cross atones for our sins.
6. His Word washes us clean of our sins.      John 15:3
7. The blood of Jesus can never lose it\’s power.
8. It is faith in Jesus that provides eternal life. John 11:26
9. The job before us is tell those around us the Good News about Jesus.
10. The job before us is to tell others about our love for Jesus.
11. The job before us is to tell someone what Jesus has done in our lives.
12. The Job before us is point others to Jesus
13. The job before us is to tell others that the consequence for unbelief is

eternal separation from God.

1. The job before us is to tell others that the way to heaven is through faith in

Jesus.

1. Jesus said, \”I am the way, the truth and the life\”. John 14:6

 

BE A TESTIMONY FOR JESUS

 

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Parkway

Houston, Texas