End In Death – December 21, 2008

End In Death

John 11:4

Jim Stephens

12-21-08

 

Scripture:

 

But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” (John 11:4 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

When Jesus got the news of his friend Lazarus’ illness, instead of leaving immediately for Bethany he delayed his departure two days.  When he heard about the illness, he told his followers, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death.”

 

Then Lazarus died and by the time Jesus and his disciples reached the home of Martha and Mary, Lazarus had been dead four days and the funeral week was in full swing.

 

Jesus could have healed Lazarus from his illness but instead allowed the illness to run its course, bringing about Lazarus’ death.

 

Lazarus had died of his sickness, but the sickness did not end in death!

 

Application:

 

God doesn’t promise that bad things won’t happen to his children.  He doesn’t even promise that things won’t get so bad it looks like it’s over and time for the funeral.

 

Only Jesus can resurrect hopes, dreams, relationships, and situations that have died.  With Jesus involved, things don’t have to end in death.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, please give us the hope of resurrection – not only the resurrection of the dead on the last day that Martha had, but hope of resurrection of dead dreams, relationships, and situations.  Jesus, I pray that you will call your people out of the grave of despair this Christmas season.  Amen.

 

I Know – October 28, 2008

I Know

Job 19:25-27

Jim Stephens

10-28-08

 

Scripture:

 

25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”  (Job 19:25-27 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

There are two things that stand out to me in these verses from Job’s response to Bildad’s judgmental speech.  First, that Job had a spark of hope still alive in his soul after all he had suffered and with his friends judging rather than encouraging him.  Second, that Job’s hope was in God his Redeemer for a future time after his death.

 

At this stage in God’s revelation of himself to man, there was not a common belief in life after death.  Even in Jesus’ day and into the book of Acts, the primary party or denomination in Judaism, the Sadducees, did not believe in resurrection or life after death.

 

Application:

 

Job teaches me that an ember of hope can survive in the darkest and loneliest hour.  Job teaches me that a revelation from God can come to us through our spirit alone and not through our minds or our reason.

 

There will be times in our lives when each of us must depend on God to breathe our last ember of hope into flame and when we will be sustained only by revelation and not by reason.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, When I read this I feel sorry for Job, but I feel thankful that in his hopelessness you gave him hope and in his confusion you gave him revelation.  Thanks for the story.  And Job, thanks for your honesty and your faithfulness.  Amen.