| Re:series | Revive |
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Part 4 of 6 | January 21, 2007
You know what I miss? I miss a culture where things are not so easy. Our teenagers today have it so easy. They have DVD’s, Gameshows, Gameboys, & Gamecubes, X-Boxes, 120 channels on their television, that have radio, music, and computers and then they have the audacity to tell you that they’re bored! You’ve got to be kidding me! Look around at your parents. We started the video game thing and it didn’t come easy because it wasn’t in the house. We had to go to an arcade and we had to spend a quarter a pop and we were grateful. We used to stand in line for….boop…..beep….boop. YEAH! Things should be tougher. When I was fourteen you know what I used to hear all the time? Be careful, you’ll put an eye out. Kids don’t hear that today. You know why? Because we don’t have the guts to make toys that’ll put your eye out anymore. There’s no risk anymore. We had toys you can’t even imagine. I miss the toys that involved risk. I miss lawn darts. You’re not even going to believe this kids. This was a dart…THAT BIG! And they let ten-year old boys play with them. Oh sure, the game started off nice, but it took about five minutes and wouldn’t it be better if you threw them instead of lobbing them. That was when it was hard. It was a time when you had to take responsibility for your actions. Jesus came to the earth and He wanted to make things easier. He wanted to simplify things. But the human race decided that they would rather have things the hard way and so they chose not to listen to Him and now our country has tried to take God out of everything. School, Family, Government, you name it and the ACLU wants God gone. It’s time to reset. It’s time to restore. It’s time to revive. This is our third message in our re:series and today we will look at how Jesus’ resurrection can not only reset and restore, but I want us to understand how Jesus’ resurrection revives us and gives us life again by looking at a story from the New Testament that is found in the book of John the eleventh chapter. Death is a constant in this world. It is the one thing that everyone in history has gone through except for two known men who appear in the Bible. Death will come one day for me and it will come one day for you. Maybe some of you today have recently dealt with the death of a loved one. Maybe some of you are preparing to deal with death. Maybe some of you today are dealing with death in your family or circle of friends right now. Death cannot only take place in the physical realm either. There is a spiritual death and just as you are born into physical life, so you are born into spiritual death. From the moment you are born, you are born into a world of sin. Death takes over. But before you pack it up and tune me out, saying, well, there’s no hope for me, let me let you in on the hope that’s here for you and me….the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ resurrection revives our hope and our lives. But before you can understand how, you have to understand death. Death deals out certain attitudes that we choose to take and they are deadly if you get stuck in them. They are like a quicksand that you cannot find a way out of. But Jesus left us some clues to help us pursue the way out so that we can be revived from our spiritual coma. Our first attitude towards death has to do with DOUBT. I love balloons. There’s something fun about blowing a balloon up and then letting go of it as it makes that spit-on-rubber sound of air escaping and it flies around a room. However, what’s inside that balloon that makes it expand when you inflate it? We know that it’s air, but a two-year old, who can see right through the balloon, doesn’t see it from that perspective. Where’s the air? I can’t see it, therefore I don’t understand how it works. Most of us can’t understand what God does in our lives and we don’t see him from a mature perspective. We are like spiritual two year olds, asking, Where’s God? I can’t see Him therefore I don’t understand how He works. In the book of John 11 1-10 we see Jesus hanging out with the disciples after He’d just escaped from some Jews who wanted to stone Him. Mary and Martha sent for Jesus, saying that their brother, who was Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, was sick. Jesus said it would be okay and that God would be glorified, so he and the disciples stayed put for two days. Then Jesus said they were going back to Judea. The disciples couldn’t believe it, since that’s where the Jews had tried to stone Jesus. John 11:11-16 – Jesus tells the disciples that Lazarus had fallen asleep and that He was going to go wake him up. The disciples tell Jesus that sleeping would help Lazarus get better. They didn’t get it, so Jesus spelled it out for them. Lazarus was dead. In discussing the death of Lazarus, Jesus speaks of being glad He was not there when Lazarus died (11:15). Obviously Jesus was not glad Lazarus had died, nor did He rejoice in the sorrow of Lazarus’ family. He was glad because of the opportunity He now had to build His disciples’ faith. If Jesus had been in Bethany when Lazarus was sick, He probably would have healed him on the spot. This translates over to us. When we are lost in the middle of our doubts, sometimes Jesus will move us to the answer so that He can revive us. Just as He used this situation to bring faith back to His disciples, so He will use the situations in your everyday life to bring you back to Him. Lord, this bill is due and I don’t have the money. I’ll never be able to pay it. Lord, my friend no longer wants to speak to me. I feel so alone. God? Are You even there? Jesus moves us beyond our doubts and revives our faith on the other side. J. Wilbur Chapman tells of the time he attended one of Dwight Moody's evangelistic services in Chicago. After the service Mr. Moody sat beside him. He asked me if I was a Christian. I said, "Mr. Moody, I am not sure whether I am a Christian or not." He very kindly took his Bible and opened it to John 5:24, which reads as follows: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." I read it through, and he said: "Do you believe it?" I said, "Yes." "Do you accept it?" I said, "Yes." "Well, are you a Christian?" "Mr. Moody, I sometimes think I am, and sometimes I am afraid I am not." He very kindly said, "Read it again," So I read it again. Then he said, "Do you believe it?" I said, "Yes." "Do you receive Him?" I said, "Yes." "Well," he said, "are you a Christian?" I just started to say over again that sometimes I was afraid I was not. Moody became angry. He turned on me with his eyes flashing and said, "See here, whom are you doubting?" Then I saw it for the first time, that when I was afraid I was not a Christian I was doubting God's Word. When God says something, He follows through with it. We have no basis in our lives for doubt. Doubt is the absence of faith. In Philippians 3:1 – Paul paints a picture of his life for the Philippians. He says, “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.” (Philippians 3:1 – NLT) Did you catch that? Whatever happens. Not “if” this happens or “if” that happens. Whatever. Your car, your finances, your house, your friends, your health, your family, whatever. Rejoice in the Lord. This will safeguard your faith. Allow your dependence on God to revive your doubt. Our next attitude we experience around death is DISAPPOINTMENT. When I was seven years old I religiously watched Saturday morning television, and one day I saw a commercial that would change my young life, an advertisement for a brand new Snoopy snow cone machine. I desperately wanted one. I told my parents that I needed one. I wrote a letter to Santa Claus that said, you must bring me one. My birthday and Christmas were only about a month away, so I dug my heels in and decided that I was going to use my seven year old campaign skills. We would take trips to the mall and I would drag my parents into the nearest toy store and upon locating the snow cone machine, would direct my parent’s attention upon it so that they would know exactly what I wanted. Every time the commercial came on, I would yell “Mom, Dad, look at this!” I was so sure that I was going to get what I had asked for. My birthday approached and when the day finally came, we ate dinner and then cleared the table off for cake and presents. Have you ever tried to give a seven year old cake while making them wait for their presents? Bad idea. I tore through my cake and watched as five presents made their way onto the table. I could see right away that only two of them were roughly the size and shape of a snoopy snow cone box, (I had memorized the package dimensions) and so naturally I tore into those first. Neither one was a Snoopy snow cone machine. So even though I wasn’t discouraged because Christmas was only a week and a half away, I was disappointed. Snoopy had not visited me on my birthday. It looked as if I would have to wait until Christmas. Let’s go back to our story in John. When Jesus got to Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. His sister Martha met Jesus on the road and told Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (verse 21) Often in times of mourning, a reoccurring thought forms in your mind, “If only….” If only, I’d been there, If only I could have done something, If only we found out sooner, If only I had another chance. You can only base your life on what if’s for so long before disappointment sets up shop and runs everything. Martha did the exact same thing here. She says to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Martha has begun to play a game that she can’t win. Craig Groeschel of lifechurch.tv calls this the what-if game. It has three simple rules:
Disappointment can ruin a perfectly healthy relationship. Martha approaches Jesus with a “what-if.” Lord if you had been there…I wouldn’t have gotten cancer. Lord if you had been there….my bills wouldn’t be in the shape they’re in. Lord if you had been there…life would be so much better. We need to stop playing the what-if game and not focus on what if, but what is and what could be. Jesus tells Martha what will happen in verse 23. He says, “your brother will rise again.” Don’t be disappointed. It’s not over. There is still hope. Don’t give up. Let me mend your broken heart. Let me revive your crippled spirit. You need to let Jesus do the same in your life. The last attitude we experience about death is DISCOURAGEMENT. Christmas came. I couldn’t sleep at all on Christmas Eve. My seven year-old body was alive with anticipation of finally laying my hands on my Snoopy snow cone machine. My brother and I woke up and ran downstairs and couldn’t believe our eyes. Twinkling lights and a roaring fire in the fireplace stood next to presents stacked neatly under the tree. My heart leapt with excitement. One of them was surely my Snoopy snow cone machine. We began to open the presents and I tore through a couple, pausing to thank Grandma for the latest sweater she had sent. I opened a couple of cool toys and action figures, but what I was looking for, I could not find. We came down to the very last present and it was for me. I wrestled with anticipation because the package was the exact shape and size of my snow cone machine, but after tearing into it and finding clothes, I became disgustedly discouraged. It was like getting coal in my stocking. I couldn’t believe it. My parents knew what I wanted. They couldn’t have possibly ignored the prompting, the prodding, the suggestions. I couldn’t believe they had forgotten to get it for me. I had even written to Santa Claus and he didn’t deliver for me either. I was a wreck. It’s kind of how Mary felt when Jesus didn’t show up in time to save her brother. John 11:28-35 – Mary ran out of the house to meet Jesus. Everyone who was at the house ran after her, thinking she was going to the tomb. When she got to Jesus, she said the same thing as Martha, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (verse 32) Do you notice a pattern here? First it was Martha, and now, Mary. In verse 33, it says “…Jesus saw her weeping…” The Greek word here is klause translated “to weep loudly or wail.” Mary’s attitude towards her brother’s death was to sob uncontrollably. Now, I want you to notice Jesus’ reaction to her. When Jesus saw her crying, He was moved to tears. The Bible says in John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Jesus understood her discouragement. He expressed His compassion for Mary, who was hurting. Discouragement is the worst of these attitudes about death because it brings us to a place within ourselves that we don’t often go. Often times Discouragement leads straight into depression. When Joshua took over the duties of leading the Israelites after the death of Moses, he was overwhelmed. He didn’t know what to do and quickly became discouraged. But God came to Him and did the opposite of discouragement. He encouraged Joshua. He said, “be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 – NLT) Did you catch that? Do not be afraid or discouraged. God is with you. God wants to tell you that today in your life. Hey, don’t get downhearted. Don’t be depressed. Don’t give in to discouragement. I am with you. Jesus asked Mary where they had buried Lazarus and went there. Now we know what attitudes we hold towards death, but there is one whose attitude we have not explored yet, and that’s Jesus. Jesus’ attitude towards Death is DELIVERANCE. Jesus comes to the tomb and tells them to roll away the stone. Remember, Lazarus by this time had been dead in the tomb for four days, so he probably smelled pretty ripe by this time. Jesus offers a prayer of thanksgiving to God before raising Lazarus and then He yelled, the Bible says “cried out in a loud voice,” Lazarus come out. The actual Greek is “Lazarus, out here!” The dead man, gets up, walks out of the tomb with his hands and feet still wrapped in grave clothes – they even covered his face. Jesus told the people standing there to take off Lazarus’ grave clothes and let him go. Can you imagine this scene? Jesus stands there and yells into this tomb and a mummy comes walking out, alive. Whole, Healed. What are the people standing there thinking? Awe? Shock? What are Jesus’ disciples experiencing? Renewed faith? What about Mary & Martha? Hope? A Restored Spirit? Jesus saw how hurt Mary and Martha were and He raised Lazarus from the dead. He did it to ease their suffering but the ultimate goal was to show God’s love and power and to revive all who were there. Even though we only see the tangible in that Jesus revived Lazarus, the intangible result is that when Jesus pressed the reset button on Lazarus’ life, everyone there was restored and revived. Deliverance brings REVIVAL. Jesus proves in this miracle that He has absolute power over death. He says in verse 25, “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me will live, even though he dies.” Jesus’ resurrection REVIVES us. This brings us around to Jesus’ own resurrection after dying and the comments Paul makes about it in 1st Corinthians 15:30-31. Paul says, “And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV) Paul knew that Jesus had power over death and so like Jesus, he chose an attitude of deliverance. He asks, why do we endanger ourselves? The answer is that Jesus has conquered death and Paul knew that. Paul no longer feared death, he put his trust in Jesus and all of his doubt, all of his disappointment, and all of his discouragement was delivered. Just as Jesus revived Lazarus and all who were there as witnesses, He revives us daily that we might live in Him. John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. Some of you today are looking at the hostile natives of life and living in doubt; living in disappointment; living in discouragement and depression. Let me encourage you to make a decision today that you will be delivered by the hope in Jesus’ resurrection. That you will give your life to Him and let Him revive you. Some of you may not know the healing power of Jesus and want to know more. He took the nails meant for you. He took your place on a cross so that you could live with Him forever. That’s deliverance. That’s revival. That’s what you need today as we stand and sing. Brian Morrissey Tags: revive, death, John 11, 1 Corinthians 15, Snoopy, doubt, deliverance, disappointment, discouragement, Groeschel |
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