When Jesus saw (Martha) weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. (John 11:33-35 NIV)

JESUS WAS BROKEN YOU COULD BE FIXED. JESUS WEPT BECAUSE THOSE HE LOVED WERE HURTING.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” (John 11:20-23 NIV)

SOME OF YOU ARE IN THE DELAY BETWEEN THE DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION. DURING THAT TIME JESUS WILL HOLD YOU UNTIL HOPE HAS BEEN RESTORED!

GOD’S DELAYS ARE NOT GOD’S DENIALS. A DREAM DELAYED DOES NOT EQUAL A DREAM DENIED.

MARTHA WANTED A HEALING, BUT JESUS HAD SOMETHING EVEN BETTER = A RESURRECTION.

THIS STORY SHOWS US SOME COMMON DEATH TRAPS. THE THINGS THAT TRY AND KEEP US IN THE GRAVE.

1) THOMAS WAS DEAD IN HIS DOUBTS. 

Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16 NIV)

THINGS AREN’T GOOD AND THEY ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET WORSE. MANY OF YOU ARE DYING RIGHT NOW ON THE INSIDE BECAUSE OF SPIRITUAL DOUBTS.

When things don’t look good, You have to BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS HERE. BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS ALREADY WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF TO BRING GOOD TO YOU AND GLORY TO GOD.

Start telling yourself the Good News. Wake up every morning, look in the mirror and say, “YOU ARE A MIRACULOUS WORK OF GOD. God’s favor surrounds you like a shield. No weapon formed against you will prosper. You were made to overcome, not be overcome!”

IF GOD COMMANDS YOU TO DO IT, BELIEVE HE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH IT. DON’T DOUBT FOR A MOMENT THAT GOD WILL BRING TO PASS EVERY PROMISE HE HAS PLANTED INSIDE OF YOU!

WE ARE AFRAID TO GET OUR HOPES UP ON GOD. WE ARE AFRAID THAT GOD WON’T COME THROUGH. BUT GOD ALWAYS FULFILLS HIS PROMISES. GOD WILL BRING TO PASS EVERY PROMISE HE HAS PUT INSIDE OF YOU. GET YOUR HOPES UP ON GOD – HE WILL PROVIDE IN A BIG WAY.

2) MARTHA WAS DEAD IN HER DELAY.

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days… “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:17, 21 NIV)

YOU ARE IN THE WAITING ROOM. SO OFTEN LIFE IS A WAITING ROOM BETWEEN HAVING FAITH IN GOD’S PROMISES AND THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES. IN THE DELAY, GOD IS DEVELOPING YOUR FAITH.

IN CHRIST, GOD WANTS TO INCREASE YOUR FAITH, SO HE CAN INCREASE HIS FAVOR.

3) MARY WAS DEAD IN HER DISCOURAGEMENT.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. (John 11:20 NIV)

Discouragement will breed negative thinking, “I tried to overcome this addiction, but I can’t win. I’m never going to be happy. I’m never going to get out of debt. I’m never going to find that special someone.”

Mary was dead in discouragement. Her joy was dead. Her hope was dead. Her faith was dead.

WHAT IN YOUR LIFE IS DEAD (OR DYING)?

Maybe its your faith. Maybe its your marriage. Maybe its your prayer life. Maybe its your involvement with the church, serving Christ. Maybe its sharing your faith. Maybe its your hope for the future. Maybe its a relationship (with your dad or sibling). Maybe financially you feel dead in your debt. Or you are so afraid you won’t have enough.

STAY TUNED FOR TOMORROW’S BLOG POST FOR HOW TO EXPERIENCE YOUR OWN RESURRECTION…

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. (John 11:5-6 NIV)

THE MOTIVATION FOR EVERY MIRACLE IN THE BIBLE IS GOD’S LOVE FOR MANKIND. GOD LOVES YOU! HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU.

GOD IS FOR YOU. Stop living your life against yourself. God isn’t. God is for you. God wants to super-size your dreams!

JESUS CHOOSES TO STAY WHERE HE IS TWO MORE DAYS. DURING THE WAITING WE ARE SO TEMPTED TO THINK, WELL GOD MUST NOT LOVE ME. I MUST HAVE REALLY MESSED UP THIS TIME, WELL I GUESS GOD COULDN’T USE SOMEONE LIKE ME. THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE CHANGE, SO I GUESS I AM CHAINED TO THIS ADDICTION THE REST OF MY LIFE. WELL, MY MARRIAGE HASN’T IMPROVED AFTER HEARING THIS ONE SERMON, SO I GUESS GOD ISN’T GOING TO SHOW UP. NO, GOD IS ALREADY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES. TRUST HIS HEART. TRUST HIS MOTIVES. TRUST GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU.

WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE THE HAND OF GOD WORKING IN YOUR LIFE, TRUST HIS HEART.

Remember the popular movie, Sixth Sense. The little boy has a gift. And there is a famous line, Bruce Willis’s character asks the little boy. What is your secret? And the little boy says, I SEE “DEAD PEOPLE”. (I get goosebumps just thinking about it;-)

DID YOU KNOW PASTOR’S HAVE SUPER POWERS? WE CAN SEE DEAD PEOPLE. I SEE DEAD PEOPLE. I see dead people at the mall, at the grocery store, at the gym, and yes in churches too.

The Bible says,

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2 NIV)

THE TRUTH IS, YOU CAN BE DEAD WHILE YOU STILL LIVE. The Bible goes on to say,

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV)

Without Christ, you and I are dead in our sins. In Christ, we are made alive!

WHAT IN YOUR LIFE IS DEAD THAT GOD WANTS TO RESURRECT?

I see dead marriages; people who are married but barely could be called roommates. Maybe the dream inside of you has died. Maybe the medical report is bad and your hope has died. Maybe spiritually you are so dead that you could care less about believing God for greater! You are dead to the fact that you are living a sinful lifestyle and its killing you. Maybe you are emotionally dead, you are numb to pain because you’ve been betrayed or abused. You have been cheated on, or you were molested or taken advantage of. Maybe you just lost a loved one. Maybe you feel like your marriage is in a coffin. Possibly you feel like your love life is locked under a tombstone; which reads single forever. Possibly an addiction is dragging you toward an early grave. Maybe financial debt has made you feel 6 feet under; maybe your cash flow has got you feeling like a corpse. Maybe your family is falling apart and you feel powerless to fix it. Maybe you have bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart. What in your life is dead that God wants to resurrect?