VBS 2006 2/5

#1 · August 30, 2006, 10:56 am

Quote from Forum Archives on August 30, 2006, 10:56 am
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
VBS 2006 2/5
RAISED TO LIFE
July 23, 2006

TEXT: John 11:38-45

As I prefaced my sermon last week, I am taking the Vacation Bible School Scriptures and themes and incorporating them into the worship service. Even though VBS curriculum tends to use the more familiar Bible stories most of the time, it does not hurt us to review them ourselves. Besides, VBS Bible stories tend to be the ones that are the most adventurous and picturesque and memorable, so we have the opportunity to retain them longer. Who has ever heard of a Bible School curriculum and theme from Leviticus or Ecclesiastes? Now that would be a fun one; gather all the children, get them fired up, and then launch into the theme Scripture from Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, Meaningless! Meaningless! says the Teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Yeah, that would be a rousing Bible School adventure. I can hear the parents now: What are you teaching our children? I think well save Ecclesiastes for other times and this morning read from John 11:38-45.

Let me set this well known stage. Jesus is on his journey to Jerusalem. He has made it clear to the disciples that he is making this trip no matter what dangers arise from his enemies there. He has also received word that his friend, Lazarus, is ill. Even though he was requested, he lingered where he was for two more days. When he arrived at Mary and Marthas, he was told that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. Thats a significant point. Charles Dickens begins his classic story, A Christmas Carol, with Marley was dead: to begin with. A few sentences later, he emphasizes the point: There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate. John makes that kind of emphasis here: Lazarus was dead and had already been in the tomb for four days.

The grief of Mary and Martha for their brother, and the grief of their friends, moved Jesus to tears. That favorite memory verse, Jesus wept, is in John 11, verse 35. Jesus was taken to the tomb, where we encounter our text this morning in John 11:38-45. [read text]

No wonder this is VBS material. Its breathtaking; its unforgettable; its spectacular! But its also more than that. This is the setting of the stage, in a way, for the most spectacular resurrection ever. From verse 46 to the end of the chapter, we can read about the decision of the religious leaders to remove Jesus from the scene by killing him. It is stated plainly enough in verse 53: So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

Yes, the decision to kill Jesus was made, but that is not the stage I am referring to. When Jesus stood before that tomb and called out, Lazarus, come out, Lazarus was raised to life. Lazarus was dead, of that there was no doubt. No one questioned that. He had been prepared for burial, wrapped in grave clothes, and placed in the tomb four days ago. In one of the Bibles many statements of the obvious, Martha said to Jesus in response to his command to take away the stone, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days. Lazarus was dead to begin with.

When Jesus called, Lazarus, come out, Lazarus was raised to life. Lazarus was alive, of that there was no doubt. No one raised any objection that the man leaving the tomb was not Lazarus. The grave clothes were removed. Those who reported to the Pharisees did not doubt what they had seen. Not even the members of the Sanhedrin questioned that this miracle had taken place. They said, plainly enough, Here is this man performing many miraculous signs.

None of them could doubt that someone could be raised to life. That was part of their belief. The power of God, given to Elijah, raised the son of the widow at Zarephath to life. The power of God, given to Elisha, raised the Shunammite womans son to life. No one appeared to have any problem accepting that Jesus could not be given the power to raise the dead to life. There is no indication that anyone did not believe that Jesus raised Lazarus to life.

What, then, was their problem with it? That comes to light in verse 45: Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. The problem is that no other prophet or miracle worker sent from God accepted worship reserved for God. Elijah and Elisha Moses and all the others rightly directed worship to God. Jesus accepted that worship reserved for God. He made the bold claim that I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Just like last weeks Scripture when he openly forgave the paralytics sins, Jesus declared his equality with God. He dared to declare that he and the Father were one. That was a violation of religious law to which the Pharisees and the teachers of the law had to respond. There was also the danger, they believed, of Jesus stirring up the people to revolt against the government, as they expressed in verses 47-48, Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. As we learn from verse 53, So from that day they plotted to take his life.

But again, this is not the stage that I think Jesus set here. Jesus raised Lazarus to life, which is a spectacular miracle. But evidently, both those who saw it and those who heard about it took it in stride. It demonstrated that Jesus had the power to do this. For some, then, the result was to put their faith in Jesus. For others, it was to plot against Jesus.

The stage that Jesus set was his own resurrection. Jesus raised Lazarus to life to demonstrate convincingly that he had power over death. In each of the previous times where Jesus raised another person to life, the miracle was performed immediately after the death, which gives someone the room to speculate that the person was not really dead yet and that Jesus somehow revived him or her. Not so with Lazarus. Every detail of the account points to the certainty of his death. Lazarus was raised from death to life.

Even though reports about the raising to life of Lazarus brought no skepticism, Jesus own resurrection did. Why? Because no one stood outside his tomb and commanded, Jesus, come forth! No one accepted and directed Gods power to someone else. No one else raised Jesus; he raised himself, and with that, Jesus sealed that he was the Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning a Savior. Jesus proved that he was who the Pharisees and teachers of the law denied him to be: God.

Jesus set this up by raising Lazarus to life. He said that he is the resurrection and the life. When Martha told him, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world, Jesus did not reject her confession. Later, at the tomb, Jesus asked, Did I not tell you that if your believed, you would see the glory of God? Everything Jesus did and taught that day pointed to his divine Lordship and the day of his own resurrection when Jesus was raised to life.

Will we be raised to life with Jesus? Or will we be raised to death, separated from God? Ultimately, it is up to each of us to decide. When Jesus set the stage in Bethany, there were those who saw the miracle, or heard about the miracle from eyewitnesses, and decided to reject Jesus. They steadfastly refused to believe, and those who had the power to do so decided to seek an opportunity to kill Jesus. When the resurrection of Jesus became known, those same people were the ones who refused to believe that miracle, too.

When Jesus set the stage in Bethany, there were those who saw the miracle and decided to put their faith in Jesus. It is hoped that they also believed the miracle of Jesus resurrection and continued to put their faith in him. We know without doubt some who did. But as with every Scriptural witness, it comes down to not what someone else did or does, but what we, you and I, decide to do. Just like others, you have heard the testimony. Just like others, you can decide what to do with it. Will you be like those who decided to put their faith in Jesus? Will you put your faith in Jesus? If you have already put your faith in Jesus and been born again in the Spirit, will you decide to be encouraged by this witness and be a bold witness and willing servant for Jesus?

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana
-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org   

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

VBS 2006 2/5
RAISED TO LIFE
July 23, 2006

TEXT: John 11:38-45

As I prefaced my sermon last week, I am taking the Vacation Bible School Scriptures and themes and incorporating them into the worship service. Even though VBS curriculum tends to use the more familiar Bible stories most of the time, it does not hurt us to review them ourselves. Besides, VBS Bible stories tend to be the ones that are the most adventurous and picturesque and memorable, so we have the opportunity to retain them longer. Who has ever heard of a Bible School curriculum and theme from Leviticus or Ecclesiastes? Now that would be a fun one; gather all the children, get them fired up, and then launch into the theme Scripture from Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, Meaningless! Meaningless! says the Teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Yeah, that would be a rousing Bible School adventure. I can hear the parents now: What are you teaching our children? I think well save Ecclesiastes for other times and this morning read from John 11:38-45.

Let me set this well known stage. Jesus is on his journey to Jerusalem. He has made it clear to the disciples that he is making this trip no matter what dangers arise from his enemies there. He has also received word that his friend, Lazarus, is ill. Even though he was requested, he lingered where he was for two more days. When he arrived at Mary and Marthas, he was told that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. Thats a significant point. Charles Dickens begins his classic story, A Christmas Carol, with Marley was dead: to begin with. A few sentences later, he emphasizes the point: There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate. John makes that kind of emphasis here: Lazarus was dead and had already been in the tomb for four days.

The grief of Mary and Martha for their brother, and the grief of their friends, moved Jesus to tears. That favorite memory verse, Jesus wept, is in John 11, verse 35. Jesus was taken to the tomb, where we encounter our text this morning in John 11:38-45. [read text]

No wonder this is VBS material. Its breathtaking; its unforgettable; its spectacular! But its also more than that. This is the setting of the stage, in a way, for the most spectacular resurrection ever. From verse 46 to the end of the chapter, we can read about the decision of the religious leaders to remove Jesus from the scene by killing him. It is stated plainly enough in verse 53: So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

Yes, the decision to kill Jesus was made, but that is not the stage I am referring to. When Jesus stood before that tomb and called out, Lazarus, come out, Lazarus was raised to life. Lazarus was dead, of that there was no doubt. No one questioned that. He had been prepared for burial, wrapped in grave clothes, and placed in the tomb four days ago. In one of the Bibles many statements of the obvious, Martha said to Jesus in response to his command to take away the stone, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days. Lazarus was dead to begin with.

When Jesus called, Lazarus, come out, Lazarus was raised to life. Lazarus was alive, of that there was no doubt. No one raised any objection that the man leaving the tomb was not Lazarus. The grave clothes were removed. Those who reported to the Pharisees did not doubt what they had seen. Not even the members of the Sanhedrin questioned that this miracle had taken place. They said, plainly enough, Here is this man performing many miraculous signs.

None of them could doubt that someone could be raised to life. That was part of their belief. The power of God, given to Elijah, raised the son of the widow at Zarephath to life. The power of God, given to Elisha, raised the Shunammite womans son to life. No one appeared to have any problem accepting that Jesus could not be given the power to raise the dead to life. There is no indication that anyone did not believe that Jesus raised Lazarus to life.

What, then, was their problem with it? That comes to light in verse 45: Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. The problem is that no other prophet or miracle worker sent from God accepted worship reserved for God. Elijah and Elisha Moses and all the others rightly directed worship to God. Jesus accepted that worship reserved for God. He made the bold claim that I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Just like last weeks Scripture when he openly forgave the paralytics sins, Jesus declared his equality with God. He dared to declare that he and the Father were one. That was a violation of religious law to which the Pharisees and the teachers of the law had to respond. There was also the danger, they believed, of Jesus stirring up the people to revolt against the government, as they expressed in verses 47-48, Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. As we learn from verse 53, So from that day they plotted to take his life.

But again, this is not the stage that I think Jesus set here. Jesus raised Lazarus to life, which is a spectacular miracle. But evidently, both those who saw it and those who heard about it took it in stride. It demonstrated that Jesus had the power to do this. For some, then, the result was to put their faith in Jesus. For others, it was to plot against Jesus.

The stage that Jesus set was his own resurrection. Jesus raised Lazarus to life to demonstrate convincingly that he had power over death. In each of the previous times where Jesus raised another person to life, the miracle was performed immediately after the death, which gives someone the room to speculate that the person was not really dead yet and that Jesus somehow revived him or her. Not so with Lazarus. Every detail of the account points to the certainty of his death. Lazarus was raised from death to life.

Even though reports about the raising to life of Lazarus brought no skepticism, Jesus own resurrection did. Why? Because no one stood outside his tomb and commanded, Jesus, come forth! No one accepted and directed Gods power to someone else. No one else raised Jesus; he raised himself, and with that, Jesus sealed that he was the Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning a Savior. Jesus proved that he was who the Pharisees and teachers of the law denied him to be: God.

Jesus set this up by raising Lazarus to life. He said that he is the resurrection and the life. When Martha told him, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world, Jesus did not reject her confession. Later, at the tomb, Jesus asked, Did I not tell you that if your believed, you would see the glory of God? Everything Jesus did and taught that day pointed to his divine Lordship and the day of his own resurrection when Jesus was raised to life.

Will we be raised to life with Jesus? Or will we be raised to death, separated from God? Ultimately, it is up to each of us to decide. When Jesus set the stage in Bethany, there were those who saw the miracle, or heard about the miracle from eyewitnesses, and decided to reject Jesus. They steadfastly refused to believe, and those who had the power to do so decided to seek an opportunity to kill Jesus. When the resurrection of Jesus became known, those same people were the ones who refused to believe that miracle, too.

When Jesus set the stage in Bethany, there were those who saw the miracle and decided to put their faith in Jesus. It is hoped that they also believed the miracle of Jesus resurrection and continued to put their faith in him. We know without doubt some who did. But as with every Scriptural witness, it comes down to not what someone else did or does, but what we, you and I, decide to do. Just like others, you have heard the testimony. Just like others, you can decide what to do with it. Will you be like those who decided to put their faith in Jesus? Will you put your faith in Jesus? If you have already put your faith in Jesus and been born again in the Spirit, will you decide to be encouraged by this witness and be a bold witness and willing servant for Jesus?

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org