The End Approaching

The End Approaching

Hebrews 10:19-27

The economy has been shut down. Politicians are fighting. People are protesting the shutdown. On top of the inconveniences, difficult situations are made more difficult. All of us are affected by this. The whole world has been affected by this. 

Wedding plans have been changed dramatically. Family members have been infected and even died.  This has been a world-changing event.

In our fathers’ generation, there were two great world wars and the unleashing of the atomic bomb. When I was a child, people were building bomb shelters and storing up food. Our world groans under the consequences of sin. As Romans 8:22 tells us:

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:22 ESV)

We all have our own reactions to these things. Fear, anger, frustration, preparation, planning, anticipation and the list could go on endlessly. This season will pass, and we can begin preparing and planning now for when this time is over. Our world will be changed. The evil one is pushing his agenda. The spirit of the antichrist that is always at work in the world is using this as an opportunity to advance its cause. Remember what Ephesians 6:12 says. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers against the authorities against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” However, as far as our world is concerned, we know already the general outline of what is to happen. And for our individual lives, we have the confidence that God is on our side. Encourage yourself with the words from Jeremiah 29:11.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

We are living in the last days. I believe that I will be caught up when Jesus comes for in the rapture of the Church spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 4:17. In other words, I believe that Jesus will return while I am still alive. Unless I get to go home early because of a car crash or coronavirus or a hangnail or cancer or liver failure.

Remember, this world is not our home. As believers in Christ, we are citizens of the kingdom of God and our home is in our Father’s house where Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. As citizens of a different kingdom, Jesus told us that if the world hated Him it will also hate us. 2 Timothy 3:12-13 says:

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:12-13 ESV)

In light of this world situation, I want to encourage us with the words of Hebrews 10:19-31.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:19-31 ESV)

Look with me and consider the words of verse 25 where it says, “...as you see the Day drawing near.” Friends, we see the day drawing near. 

The coronavirus is an indication of the last days just as the two world wars of the last century were indications of the last days. Do you remember how God gave Pharaoh 10 chances to repent and to let the people of Israel go? God did this by sending 10 plagues and before each plague God sent Moses to say, “Let my people go.” According to 2 Peter 3:9, the Lord is not slow concerning His promise to return, but He is patiently waiting for people to repent. He really does not want anyone to perish.

The coronavirus is not an indication of the Day of the Lord or that the Great Tribulation has begun. However, it is a call to repentance. It is a call for sinful man to repent. It is a reminder that when the day of the Lord, the great Tribulation, comes it will be much worse.

How are we as believers supposed to respond? What should we be doing? Hebrews 10:19-31 gives instructions for us as we see the day approaching. 

First, we are to instructed in verse 22 to draw near to God with a true heart and full assurance of faith. Look at how this is described:

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

This is consistent with other passages that call us to live godly, pure lives. We are called to be holy as God is holy. We are called to walk by the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are called to be imitators of God as beloved children. This world is not our home. We are just passing through. If you have your heart and mind fixed on the things of this world, let the coronavirus remind you how fleeting these things are and how quickly they can be taken away.

Second, we are called to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.

This is a call to perseverance. The world mocks and challenges our faith in many ways. The Bible is attacked in many ways. Some say it is full of fables and myths. Some say it is not reliable. Some say it is not scientifically accurate. In more than half of the nations of our world, it is illegal to be a Christian or to confess the name of Christ. In a study conducted in 2019, Open Doors reports that every day, day after day, 11 Christians die for their faith. That makes 4,015 martyrs in a 365-day year. And these are just the deaths recorded in the top 50 countries that ban Christianity. So, in actuality, the real number is much higher. Another way to consider the cost of being a Christian in our world is to consider the years from 1901 to 2000. Christianity dot com reports:

In a recent article, Justin D. Long emphasized the startling fact that more people have died for their faith in the Twentieth Century than in all of the previous centuries combined. “During this century, we have documented cases in excess of 26 million martyrs. From AD 33 to 1900, we have documented 14 million martyrs.

We are called to hold fast our confession. This means that we must hold fast to the basic truths of the gospel, which according to the Apostle Paul are as follows:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV)

Notice that Christ's death, burial and resurrection are all according to the Scriptures. The Scriptures are the means by which we know the truth. We must hold fast to these truths.

In addition to drawing near to God and holding fast our confession, we are called to gather together and encourage each other. Hebrews 10:25 says:

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We are currently quarantined because of a virus. However, God has provided means by which we can gather and encourage each other. We have the telephone. We have “FaceTime.” We have “Skype.” We have “Zoom.” We can encourage each other using all these tools. Please share the online church services with your friends. Invite them to watch.  Ask them how they are doing. Remind them of their need for Christ, for forgiveness for salvation and for a relationship with God.

Consider the extremely serious and urgent warning of Hebrews 10 verses 26 and 27 and think about how important it is for all your family, friends and neighbors to hear the message of the Gospel.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27 ESV)

The coronavirus has reminded us of how easily all life on this planet can be disrupted. The coronavirus has reminded us that we are living in the last days. The coronavirus has reminded us of what is truly important. We have never had a better opportunity to tell others about Christ. You may never have a better opportunity to get right with God.

What will you do with this opportunity?

The Golden Rule

Luke 6:27-31

Just mention the “Sermon on the Mount” and many of us know that we are talking about the words of Jesus. The beatitudes are the introduction to that Sermon. Some have said that the teachings of Jesus were radical and new. However, this is not so. The teachings of Jesus are consistent with what God had said through Moses and the Prophets. The teachings of Jesus are an application of the Ten Commandments, the law and the prophets to everyday life. The Sermon on the Mount is amazing because it is so clear, concise and relevant. These teachings of Jesus can be compared to a condensed version of what God had been saying all along.

I am going to spend some time going over just a portion of the Sermon on the Mount. The title of this series is “On Relationships.” Let me be clear. I do not consider myself an expert on relationships. However, Jesus is an expert on relationships. I hope to present His teachings. I trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth as is His role. We all fall short in the area of relationships, and need to be humble enough to learn and grow.

Luke covers the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 6 of His account of the life of Jesus. In verses 27 through 49, Jesus presents timeless principles for relationships. Most of us are familiar with the idea that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord our God with all our heart soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as our selves. In the passage that we are considering, Jesus teaches the practical application of the second commandment, love your neighbor as yourself.

The first principle we are going to look at is found in verses 27 through 31 of Luke chapter 6 and is known worldwide as “The Golden Rule.” The Golden Rule is simply this: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Luke 6:32 says:

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. (Luke 6:31 ESV)

Pretty simple, right?

What about people that hate us?

What about people that strike us?

What about people that take from us?

These three types of people are precisely the ones Jesus was talking about when He said, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

We want to treat someone who is kind to us with kindness, but the one who hates us, strikes us or takes from us is different. We want to strike back. We want to preserve what is ours.

The difference in attitude that Jesus is teaching is the difference in attitude between a child of the kingdom of God and a child of the kingdom of this world. This difference in attitude is reflected in the statement of Jesus when He taught us:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV)

The children of this world’s kingdom are caught up in preserving their lives, protecting what is theirs and building their own kingdom. But the children of the kingdom of God are caught up in pleasing God, glorifying His name and building His kingdom. These different pursuits make for completely different attitudes. Can you imagine the difference this shift in attitude can make?

Before we consider the application of the golden rule, we first must consider two cautions.

First, many who would be children of the kingdom of God try to keep their feet in the kingdom of this world. Jesus warned of this in several ways. He warned that we are not to put our hand to the plow and look back. He warned that no one can serve two masters and specifically that one cannot serve both God and money. He warned that before building a tower we need to calculate the cost and make sure we are able to pay the price. The kingdom of God is not a part-time pursuit. If we are not serious about it, we are not in it at all. One cannot be in the kingdom of God and be in the kingdom of this world at the same time.

The second caution is best understood by considering the Pharisees. Having the standards of the law of Moses and setting their minds on keeping those standards, they developed the attitude that they were better than everybody else. The common name for this is “self-righteousness.” Self-righteousness looks at and condemns the faults of others and of the world around, and blinds one’s self to one’s own faults and shortcomings. Self-righteous people refuse to look at how they fall short and they avoid humbling themselves in order to address the problems. This results in what is known as hypocrisy. The dictionary definition of hypocrisy is:

the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense.

For those of us whose desire is to be a part of the kingdom of God and to be pleasing to the King, these two cautions are helpful, but now we must turn and consider what it means for us to “do to others as we would have them do to us.” We will do this by considering the biggest challenges presented by others. We have no trouble responding with kindness to those who treat us kindly. We have no trouble being loving to those who treat us with love. However, there are those who challenge our character. Jesus names three sets of people that test our commitment to the kingdom of God. These three sets are:

1. Those who hate us.
2. Those who strike us.
3. Those how take from us.

He names those who hate us in verse 27 and 28.

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. (Luke 6:27-28 ESV)

I wish I did not have to say this, but those who hate us can be the members of our own household. Domestic abuse, spousal abuse, child abuse and sexual abuse are not limited to those outside the church. These things happen within the church. It is a shame to us that we have to address these issues within our own church bodies, but it should not surprise us. These things happen for two reasons. Some who claim to be children of the kingdom of God are not, and some who are children of the kingdom of God still live with the flesh in control. I would go as far as to say that all of us live with the flesh in control to some degree, and are in the process of being made like Christ.

Jesus tells us to love our enemies. These are the people who hate us. They do not necessarily hate us with words. They may, but they may hate us by ignoring us, discounting us and belittling us. Jesus tells us to love them, do good to them and to pray for them. However, just to be clear, He does not call us to live with them, trust them or sleep with them.

In the Corinthian church, there was a case of incest. What follows are the Apostle Paul’s explicit instructions concerning this person:

When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 5:4-5 ESV)

Delivering a person to Satan for the destruction of the flesh does not seem to be the loving thing to do, but notice the purpose stated for such an action. It says, “so that his spirit may be saved.” Setting boundaries, limits and expecting someone to behave morally and responsibly are not unloving actions. In the case of the man in Corinth, he actually repented and Paul later instructed them to accept him back into the fellowship.

In the case of anyone who hates us, we should apply the principle of doing to them what we would have them to do to us. This does not mean giving them what they want. What they want may land them in hell, and none of us wants to end up there. We would rather be warned, awakened to our peril and saved.

In addition to those who hate us, Jesus names those who strike us. He says:

To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. (Luke 6:29 ESV)

The one who strikes us is the one who does us harm. Of course, this person probably also falls under the category of those who hate us. However, at this point Jesus is talking about those who do us harm. 

In treating this person as we would be treated, there are several things we can consider. 

First, Jesus taught us to overcome evil with good. In our flesh, our first impulse is to retaliate. We want to protect and preserve our lives and our honor. However, when our interest is the kingdom of God, we will desire to see this person saved from their sin. Jesus said by doing good to the one who wrongs us we heap burning coals on his head, the idea being that in  so doing, our enemy might come to repentance.

In treating this person in the way we would like to be treated, the second thing to consider is that we are instructed not to seek revenge but to leave vengeance to God because God will repay. Just as we can trust God to fix our wrongs and bring good from the damage we have done, we can trust God to fix the wrongs of others and bring good from the damage they have done.

The third thing we need to consider in our treatment of those who strike us is forgiveness. We want others to forgive us, and so it follows that we should forgive them. We do this for the kingdom of God, but in the case of forgiveness, it benefits us more than the one we forgive. Forgiveness frees us to enjoy the peace that God gives and it restores fellowship with Him.

In the case of the one who hates us and regarding the one who strikes us, we are confronted with those who act with malice. But in the case of the one who takes from us, the malice is not obvious. Jesus describes this person as “the one who begs from you” and “the one who takes away your goods.” This person borrows and never returns your stuff. He borrows money and never repays it. Psalms 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.” This person is described as wicked. And yet, Jesus tells to treat him as we would like to be treated, to not demand our stuff back. 

This person is needy and is always taking. They are always in crisis, but the crisis is usually their own fault. They make poor choices. They may be lazy. They are self-indulgent. Paul warned Timothy not to put young widows on the church welfare role so that they would not become this type of person. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10 Paul gives the famous statement, “If anyone will not work, neither should he eat.”  As part of the same instructions Paul says, “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16) In order to shame this person into taking responsibility Paul instructs us to not have anything to do with them, and at the same time tells us not to grow weary in doing good. The complete instructions are found in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. These are long instructions because this person is hard to deal with. They seem humble but are unrepentant. One cannot take responsibility for such a person. They must take responsibility for themselves. By insisting that they take responsibility for themselves, we seem to this person to be cruel, and certainly not treating them as we would like to be treated. But here again, enabling us to destroy ourselves is not what Jesus is teaching.

Jesus is not talking about easy relationships, but then all of us have difficult relationships that we must face. Jesus gives us instructions to help us live as children of the kingdom of God in the middle of a world that is focused on the kingdom of self.

The Apostle Paul gave similar instructions when he said:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:3-7 ESV)

Looking at this standard of living that calls us to love our enemies and to consider others as more important than ourselves makes us realize that no one can do this on his own. This is only done in the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are a child of God, you will want to live as a child of His kingdom. If you are not a child of God, this will be utter nonsense. Why would anyone want to love their enemies and do good to those who persecute them? If this is your thought, then you must get to know the love that God has shown for you. He loved us while we were His enemies. He gave His only Son for us while we were His enemies. He did this to save us from death and judgment. This is why we can show the same consideration to those around us.

Jesus: The Lamb of God

Jesus: The Lamb of God

John 1:29

From the time of the Fall, when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, men offered sacrifices for sin. It has long been a fascination of mine that the Chinese character for righteousness used by the Japanese is made up of two characters. The character for lamb is positioned over the character for me or I. I believe this reflects the fact that all humanity is from one family — the family of Noah descended from Adam, and therefore, we all have the history of a lamb being sacrificed for sins in our ancient past. 

When God established the national law of Israel through Moses, He established a system of sacrifices that included the daily offering of a lamb for the sins of the nation. These things looked forward to the coming of the promised Messiah.

Then Jesus was born.

For thirty years, Jesus grew up in obscurity, hidden from the public eye. But when it was time for Him to begin His public ministry, He went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist. When John saw Jesus coming to him, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 ESV) To the Jews, the idea of a lamb taking away sins would have made sense.

However, to us living in the 21st century, it is not as clear because we have never seen animal sacrifice. The Scriptures are clear:

... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22 ESV)

This is a harsh law. But consider the realities of our world today. Death, disease, theft, murder, and all manner of evil are in this world because of sin. The law is harsh because of the seriousness of sin. We are not in touch with the seriousness of sin if we think the punishment does not fit the crime. But God, because of His great love and mercy, has provided a way for us to be free from our guilt and saved from our punishment. 

Isaiah 53 prophesied this deliverance 700 years before it took place when it said:

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6 ESV)

Jesus took all our iniquity on Himself. The suffering of God’s own son on the cross is the picture of the punishment sin deserves. But God gave His Son to pay that price.

The legal transaction is described in the following way.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14 ESV)

Because of the death of Jesus on the cross, we no longer practice animal sacrifice. As we are told in Hebrews, Jesus’ sacrifice was a once for all deal.

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (Hebrews 10:10-12 ESV)

This is the meaning behind John 3:16 when it says that God gave His only begotten Son. God demonstrated His love by giving His Son to die for us. This is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God.

Have you believed in Him? Have you asked Him to be your Savior?

Good Friday is the day we remember the death of Jesus on the cross. It is the day we remember the sacrifice that paid our debt and freed us from the guilt of our sins. Because of this, it is appropriate that we celebrate the communion on this night.

This is what Paul said about the communion:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV)

The broken bread represents the broken body of our Lord, and the juice represents the blood of our Lord. The importance of this simple act is found in the 1 Corinthians 11:26. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” 

With this act we are proclaiming to the world that we have put our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation.

Darkest Just Before Dawn

Darkest Just Before Dawn

John 20:1-18

Look with me at John 20:11.

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.” (John 20:11 ESV)

Luke tells us that Mary was one of three women who, the night before, had gone out and bought spices and aromatic resins to anoint the body of Jesus. John tells us that Mary went out to the tomb so early in the morning that it was still dark.

There is a saying that it always darkest just before dawn. Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us that when the three women got to the tomb the sun had risen. In the light of the newly risen sun, they saw that the stone was removed from the mouth of the tomb.

The followers of Jesus had no hope. They were not expecting the resurrection. John 20 tells us that Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. She was not excited that the stone was removed. An angel asked her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." (John 20:13 ESV)

Jesus had told them that He was to be crucified and that He would rise up after three days, and He had told them repeatedly. However, as John says, “...for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” (John 20:9 ESV) Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief.

We are so much like them! We are slow to believe and often do not understand all that the Scriptures say. Too often it can be said about us: we do not read the Scriptures, we do not understand the Scriptures, we do not know the Scriptures.

Is it any wonder we find ourselves often weeping and in darkness?

The followers of Jesus were about to have their world turned upside down. They thought death had the final word. But you and I know what happened. Let’s read Jesus’ first words after the resurrection.

Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher) (John 20:14-16 ESV)

Please notice that when He said her name, “Mary,” she immediately recognized Him. Suddenly, all the darkness was gone, all the despair and sorrow were gone.

It was at this time of day when these events happened. The sunrise can remind us that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning. The sunrise can remind us that Jesus defeated death and the grave. The sunrise can remind us that in the face of any darkness, despair or challenge “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 ESV)

Whatever challenge you face, let’s remember what Jesus said to a woman who had just buried her brother.

"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26 ESV)

Jesus, The Resurrection and the Life

The Resurrection and the Life

John 11:17-27

Easter 2020 is different from every other Easter of my life.  

The year 2020 is different from every other year. Of course, every year is unique, but this year has been touched by the Coronavirus.

If we look back in the Bible to the time of Noah, we will see that prior to the flood everybody was carrying on with business and the practicalities of life. Jesus told us about those days when He said:

For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away... (Matthew 24:38-39 ESV)

This is exactly what we were doing until the Coronavirus came and changed everything. We were carrying on with business as usual. Now, we are waiting for things to get back to normal.

Life has interruptions. The Coronavirus has interrupted life on a global level, but in each of our lives, there are interruptions that take away our business as usual. 

Death is one of those interruptions. It changes everything. The death of a loved one leaves an empty place that will not be filled in this life, and we all must at some point face our own mortality.

I want to take a moment to consider an interruption that occurred in the life and ministry of Jesus. We find the account in John 11. Jesus had friends named Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They were siblings who lived together in Bethany, which was a town about two miles from Jerusalem. When Jesus ministered in Jerusalem, He stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus in their home.

John 11:1 tells us that Lazarus was sick. Jesus was ministering some distance away when the sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was ill. Jesus stayed a while longer where He was. Saying to His disciples:

This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. (John 11:4 ESV)

After two days, Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus had died and said:

... for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him. (John 11:15 ESV)

Nothing was unexpected for Jesus, but from a human point of view, this was an interruption. Jesus left where He was ministering to go to the place where Lazarus was. John 11:17 tells us that when Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. 

When Lazarus’ sister Mary reached Jesus, John tells us:

Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. (John 11:32-35 ESV)

I want to focus on the first thing Mary said when she saw Jesus. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

From Mary’s point of view, death was final. From our human point of view, death is final. No one is seeking a cure for death. We are seeking a cure for the Coronavirus. We are seeking a cure for cancer. But all that stops at death. 

Jesus is sensitive to our sorrow and the trouble death represents. Look at John 11:33 where it says, “He (Jesus) was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.”

Jesus knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He was not troubled over Lazarus as much as He was troubled over the human condition. We know this because Jesus had said earlier, “I am the good shepherd ... I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15 ESV) Jesus was concerned enough about the human condition to give His own life to save us.

Death is a great sorrow. It is the greatest of interruptions. God tells us in the Bible:

... it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27 ESV)

Most of humanity carries on with business as usual even though we all know that we have an appointment with death. For many, this is because there is nothing anyone can do about it anyway. There is no cure. Some express the attitude reflected in the Bible when Solomon says:

... man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be merry. (Ecclesiastes 8:15 ESV)

Solomon reached this conclusion because as he says:

No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. (Ecclesiastes 8:8 ESV)

God gave Solomon great wisdom so that Solomon could explore these subjects for us, and what he found is recorded for us in Ecclesiastes, the most depressing book of the Bible because of the inevitability of death. Solomon points out to us what we all know and what many of us try to ignore as we carry on business as usual. “No man, or woman, has power to retain the spirit,” i.e. to prevent death.

Why am I being so depressing on Easter, a day of great joy?

Because to experience the joy, we must understand what we have been saved from, and because there are those who still do not understand the importance of the resurrection. 

Jesus is sovereign over death. Regarding His own death Jesus said:

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. (John 10:18 ESV)

So, if Jesus is sovereign over death, why did He let Lazarus die and why did He weep?

As to why He let Lazarus die, we have already read the reason Jesus gave. He said, “for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” (John 11:15 ESV) As for why He wept, it was for the same reason He wept over Jerusalem when He said:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37 ESV)

People are slow to accept the truth about Jesus. As soon as we mention the resurrection, we lose some. In their minds, a resurrection cannot happen. Resurrections are the stuff of fairy tales.

The disciples and Mary and Martha had a hard time believing in a resurrection. Mary and Martha said the same thing when they saw Jesus. They both said, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Death was final in their minds. Martha even expressed that she expected a resurrection on the last day, but she was not looking for a cure for death.

It is at this point that Jesus says the most astounding thing. He says:

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26 ESV)

John tells us a number of “I am” statements Jesus made. Such as, I am the good shepherd, I am the bread of life and I am the true vine. These statements are comparisons of two things of different kinds in order to illustrate a truth Jesus is trying to teach. However, when He says, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He is stating reality as it is. 

Apart from Jesus, there is no life. If you do not have Jesus, you are dead even while you live. Please do not hide from this truth by burying yourself in “business as usual.” The Coronavirus interruption is a good reminder that we cannot cure death, but Jesus is the cure for death. God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He cured death. This is why 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 says:

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV)

Jesus said He had authority to both lay down His life and to take it up again. He is the only one who has this authority. 

For those of you who say that resurrections cannot happen, I would like you to consider the empty tomb. Just because you have never seen a thing does not mean it could not have happened. Those that were there wrote about it, were changed by it and died testifying to it, and yet since you were not there, you maintain that it could not have happened. The historical fact of the matter is that it did happen, and each person must decide whether to ignore it or embrace it. 

The biggest interruption of business as usual the world has ever seen happened on Easter morning 2000 years ago. Because of this one event, nothing will ever be the same again. Death has been cured. Life has been given to all who will believe.

Jesus rose from the grave defeating death and the grave once for all.

He is alive and because He lives, we can live also.

Do you believe this?

If you do, stop and tell Jesus right now that you receive Him as your Savior and wish to receive His gift of life.

If you try to ignore the truth of the resurrection, when death interrupts your life, you will be confronted once again by this mighty truth.

He is risen!