On yesterday the Lord allowed us to continue our series on the seven I AM statements of Jesus Christ housed in the Gospel According to John entitled He's All We Need, with our look at the fifth I AM statement I AM the resurrection and the life found in the very familiar miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave in John 11:25-26. Jesus received a message from Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus that the one that Jesus loves is sick, even unto death. Jesus sends word back to her that this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God and that the Son of God will be glorified thereby. Lazarus dies the same day that Jesus gets the message, but Jesus doesn't arrive to the tomb of Lazarus until he has been dead for four days. Martha comes to Jesus and tells him that if he would have been here, her brother would not have died. Jesus responds that her brother shall rise again, in which she replies that he will rise again at the resurrection and the last day. This causes Jesus to make the claim that Lazarus is primed and ready for a comeback. Here is the sermon outline:
Thesis: our ability to survive in the midst of our dead situations, totally hinders on our unwavering conviction that Jesus can turn our situations around
I. Confidence in the Person of the Resurrection
-I am the resurrection and the life
II. Confidence in the Portrayal of the Resurrection
-Martha says I know Lazarus will rise again at the resurrection on the last day
-Jesus says I am the resurrection...not a futuristic idea but a present reality
III. Confidence in the Permanence of the Resurrection
-and everyone who lives and believes shall never die
IV. Confidence in the Power of the Resurrection
-Jesus called Lazarus by name and he came forth from tomb bound in grave clothes
-Jesus says loose him and let him go
No comments:
Post a Comment