WEBVTT - Power Over Death | Sunday Message 0:00:00.210 --> 0:00:03.330 Hey there. Thanks for listening to the Greg Laurie podcast, 0:00:03.330 --> 0:00:07.590 a ministry supported by Harvest Partners. I'm Greg Laurie. Encouraging 0:00:07.590 --> 0:00:09.810 you If you want to find out more about Harvest 0:00:09.810 --> 0:00:13.110 Ministries and learn more about how to become a harvest partner, 0:00:13.110 --> 0:00:18.300 just go to harvest. Org. How many of you believe 0:00:18.300 --> 0:00:20.370 in the name of Jesus? Yes. 0:00:21.060 --> 0:00:21.780 All right. 0:00:22.620 --> 0:00:25.739 Let's all pray together. Father, we're so glad here to 0:00:25.739 --> 0:00:28.920 be here today because we believe in the name of 0:00:28.920 --> 0:00:32.940 Jesus and all that he has done for us. And now, 0:00:32.940 --> 0:00:35.130 as we open your word, we pray that you will 0:00:35.130 --> 0:00:38.220 speak to our hearts, because you've told us in Scripture 0:00:38.220 --> 0:00:41.730 that you come and the volume of your book. So 0:00:41.729 --> 0:00:45.060 as we open the book that's inspired by you, that's 0:00:45.060 --> 0:00:48.840 breathed by you, we know Jesus will come to us 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:52.590 and speak to us, and we want to hear from you, Lord, today. 0:00:52.590 --> 0:00:55.710 So we commit this time of Bible study to you. Now, 0:00:55.710 --> 0:00:59.190 in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You can all be seated. 0:00:59.220 --> 0:01:04.200 Welcome to church, everybody. Hello to harvest Orange County. Harvest 0:01:04.200 --> 0:01:07.890 at home watching at Harvest Dawg as well. Now let's 0:01:07.890 --> 0:01:10.320 turn at our Bibles to John chapter 11. And the 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:17.009 title of my message is Power over Death. John 11. 0:01:17.020 --> 0:01:21.009 So my grandchildren used to have a bunch of rabbits 0:01:21.010 --> 0:01:25.630 and there was they had different names, a fuzzy and 0:01:25.630 --> 0:01:30.400 cotton one name one was named Chubby Cutie, which is 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:35.290 funny because that's what my wife calls me. But so 0:01:35.290 --> 0:01:38.860 back to Fuzzy and Cotton. They were a couple that 0:01:38.860 --> 0:01:42.580 let's say they had they're very successful at bringing more 0:01:42.580 --> 0:01:47.050 rabbits into the world. And my granddaughter Ali came to 0:01:47.050 --> 0:01:50.140 me one day and she was in tears and she said, 0:01:50.140 --> 0:01:54.520 Papa Fuzzy, the rabbit died. And then she said, It's 0:01:54.520 --> 0:01:59.770 not fair. And I assured her that Fuzzy had lived 0:01:59.770 --> 0:02:03.220 a very long life. He had many offspring that he 0:02:03.220 --> 0:02:06.790 left behind. We counted around 80 bunnies that were left 0:02:06.790 --> 0:02:10.690 from Fuzzy. And so I actually saw Fuzzy using Tinder 0:02:10.690 --> 0:02:13.510 on his phone one time. But that's another story for 0:02:13.510 --> 0:02:16.480 another day. But, you know, I just said, hey, you know, 0:02:16.900 --> 0:02:19.690 this happens. And of course, we wonder, will we see 0:02:19.690 --> 0:02:23.020 our pets again in heaven? Well, I think it's pretty 0:02:23.020 --> 0:02:26.830 simple answer All dogs go to heaven. No cats do. Simple. No, no. 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:32.600 None of that's true. But will we see them? I 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:35.720 don't know. Who knows? It's possible that you might see 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:39.140 your pet on the other side somewhere, but we don't 0:02:39.139 --> 0:02:42.769 have certainty of that. But we know that when heaven 0:02:42.770 --> 0:02:45.290 comes to earth and what we call the new Earth, 0:02:45.290 --> 0:02:48.710 that there will be animals with us. And we read 0:02:48.710 --> 0:02:52.130 about a little child leading a lion, which would be 0:02:52.130 --> 0:02:55.760 the ultimate pet, a lion. That's one cat I can 0:02:55.760 --> 0:03:00.740 get behind, right? A lion. And so we don't know 0:03:00.740 --> 0:03:04.820 about these things. But Ali raised a good issue. And 0:03:04.820 --> 0:03:09.410 it's simply this death is not fair. Death is harsh. 0:03:09.410 --> 0:03:13.100 It's mean. And it rips people that we love away 0:03:13.100 --> 0:03:18.500 from us. Sometimes expectedly, we know it's coming. Other times unexpectedly, 0:03:18.500 --> 0:03:22.339 we're all still reeling by this horrific act of pure 0:03:22.340 --> 0:03:27.560 evil against these innocent people On this Christian school campus 0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:32.660 in Nashville, Tennessee, six people died altogether. Three of them 0:03:32.660 --> 0:03:36.800 were precious little children and one was the daughter of 0:03:36.800 --> 0:03:41.240 the pastor there, Pastor Scruggs. And another little girl was 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:44.300 trying to pull the fire alarm to warn the other children, 0:03:44.300 --> 0:03:48.200 Our hearts just break because it's so hard for us 0:03:48.200 --> 0:03:51.380 to wrap our minds around the death of a child. 0:03:51.380 --> 0:03:54.770 You know, we know that grandparents are going to definitely 0:03:54.770 --> 0:03:58.070 die and then parents and time and even us and time, 0:03:58.070 --> 0:04:02.720 but nobody plans or thinks through the death of a 0:04:02.720 --> 0:04:07.670 child or doing a funeral service for your child. Just 0:04:07.670 --> 0:04:12.530 last Saturday. Yesterday, our son Christopher had his birthday. He's 0:04:12.530 --> 0:04:15.560 in heaven. He's been in heaven for 14 years now, 0:04:15.710 --> 0:04:19.010 and he is 48 years old. I could say he 0:04:19.010 --> 0:04:22.010 would have been 48, but I believe he's very much alive. 0:04:22.010 --> 0:04:24.920 So I'll say he is 48, though I don't know 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:28.760 that they count years in heaven like we do on Earth, 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:32.270 and we know we will see him again. And Cathy 0:04:32.270 --> 0:04:37.760 and I and our son Jonathan went to his grave 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:42.070 and we reflected on his life. And we all prayed 0:04:42.070 --> 0:04:46.810 and recommitted ourselves to the calling God has put on 0:04:46.810 --> 0:04:49.270 our lives. And and you say, well, that's a really 0:04:49.270 --> 0:04:51.909 morbid thing to do. I mean, go to a grave. 0:04:51.910 --> 0:04:56.419 And what? Yeah, but it's it's a grounding thing to do. 0:04:56.440 --> 0:04:59.890 I'll tell you that. Because it just reminds you one 0:04:59.890 --> 0:05:03.250 day I will be here, too. I've told you this 0:05:03.250 --> 0:05:05.920 before about a person who was walking through a cemetery 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:08.590 and they saw a tombstone and on it were inscribed 0:05:08.589 --> 0:05:12.490 these words. Pause. Now, stranger, as you pass by as 0:05:12.490 --> 0:05:15.400 you are now. So once was I, as I am now. 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:19.870 So you will be. So prepare for death and follow me. 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:22.900 And a person reading that was overheard to say to 0:05:22.900 --> 0:05:25.900 follow you is not my intent until I know which 0:05:25.900 --> 0:05:32.410 way you went. Right. The Christian can look death right 0:05:32.410 --> 0:05:36.430 in the face and not be afraid because we know 0:05:36.430 --> 0:05:39.700 death is not the end. We know there is life 0:05:39.700 --> 0:05:42.729 beyond the grave. Sure. We're realists. You know, people accuse 0:05:42.730 --> 0:05:45.609 Christians of being out of touch with reality. I think 0:05:45.610 --> 0:05:48.400 other people are out of touch with reality that don't 0:05:48.400 --> 0:05:51.820 deal with this topic head on as we ought to, 0:05:52.000 --> 0:05:55.089 because only those who are prepared to die are really 0:05:55.089 --> 0:05:58.359 ready to live. So we look at death and we say, 0:05:58.360 --> 0:06:00.760 I'm not looking forward to it, but I know it's 0:06:00.760 --> 0:06:03.580 not the end and I know I'm simply changing my 0:06:03.580 --> 0:06:06.760 address from earth to heaven because I've put my faith 0:06:06.760 --> 0:06:09.760 in Jesus Christ, and that's how we can view it. 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:15.310 And this is. Not only does the Believer have the 0:06:15.310 --> 0:06:18.490 hope that the moment they die, they go immediately into presence, 0:06:18.490 --> 0:06:22.180 into the presence of God. But the Bible also teaches 0:06:22.180 --> 0:06:25.900 there will be a bodily resurrection. That means the body 0:06:25.900 --> 0:06:29.530 that is in the grave now will one day be resurrected. 0:06:29.529 --> 0:06:33.250 We will see our loved ones again. But we're so 0:06:33.250 --> 0:06:36.880 uncomfortable with this topic. We don't even like to use 0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:40.450 the actual words. Instead of saying someone died, we'll say, Well, 0:06:40.450 --> 0:06:44.169 they they passed on. Or technically, you might say, Well, 0:06:44.170 --> 0:06:48.700 they expired. An undertaker, we call him a mortician. A 0:06:48.700 --> 0:06:52.960 coffin is called a casket. A graveyard is a memorial park. Well, 0:06:52.960 --> 0:06:55.690 that's whatever you want to call it. It is what 0:06:55.690 --> 0:06:59.560 it is. And death is harsh and death is mean 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:03.070 and death is final. And death is real. And death 0:07:03.070 --> 0:07:06.070 is not our friend. It is the enemy. In fact, 0:07:06.070 --> 0:07:10.480 first Corinthians six, 1526 says the last enemy to be 0:07:10.480 --> 0:07:16.660 destroyed is death. And actually, God never wanted us to die. 0:07:16.690 --> 0:07:19.930 There was no death in the Garden of Eden before 0:07:19.930 --> 0:07:23.020 Adam and Eve, eight of the forbidden fruit. There was 0:07:23.020 --> 0:07:26.920 no sickness, there was no aging. There was no need 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:31.990 for police officers or the military or anything of that kind. 0:07:31.990 --> 0:07:35.650 There was no suffering at all. It was pure bliss. 0:07:35.650 --> 0:07:39.700 But our first parents ate of the forbidden fruit and 0:07:39.700 --> 0:07:43.000 sin entered the world and so did death. And this 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:45.520 is a story before us now in John 11 of 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:49.090 three people that were impacted by the death of someone 0:07:49.090 --> 0:07:54.460 they loved. We're talking about Mary, Martha and Lazarus. And 0:07:54.460 --> 0:07:58.690 we're talking about when Lazarus, the brother, got sick and died. 0:07:58.690 --> 0:08:02.350 And by the way, they were inseparable. They were close siblings. 0:08:02.350 --> 0:08:07.150 Not all siblings are close. Sometimes we have sibling rivalry. 0:08:07.150 --> 0:08:09.490 They're fighting with each other all the time. But other 0:08:09.490 --> 0:08:12.820 siblings do everything together. I remember when I first met 0:08:12.820 --> 0:08:16.510 my wife, Cathy. She wasn't my wife yet, and she 0:08:16.510 --> 0:08:19.660 was at a Bible study with her two sisters. They 0:08:19.660 --> 0:08:24.520 went everywhere together. Mary excuse me, Mary Wright, Mary Cathy 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:27.730 and Dodie. And so there they were sitting in front 0:08:27.730 --> 0:08:30.340 of me, and I noticed Cathy and I noticed her 0:08:30.340 --> 0:08:33.250 because there was a light shining on her. And I 0:08:33.250 --> 0:08:36.550 realized later Dottie was holding a flashlight over her head. So. 0:08:36.970 --> 0:08:39.100 And I noticed her and I thought, Well, there's something 0:08:39.100 --> 0:08:40.780 about this girl. I want to meet her. So I 0:08:40.780 --> 0:08:43.059 went up to all of them. Hey, how are you? 0:08:43.059 --> 0:08:45.819 I'm Greg. And. And so I said, You want to 0:08:45.820 --> 0:08:48.340 go get coffee after church? And we did. And then 0:08:48.340 --> 0:08:50.949 another week passed. I saw him again. Hey, you want 0:08:50.950 --> 0:08:53.020 to go out after church and get some desserts? Sure. 0:08:53.020 --> 0:08:55.270 And we all went. And the third week I said 0:08:55.270 --> 0:08:57.640 to Cathy, Hey, you want to go out after church 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:00.730 and get some dessert? She said, Sure, I'll get my sisters. 0:09:00.730 --> 0:09:03.460 I said, I don't want your sisters. 0:09:05.110 --> 0:09:06.580 I just want you. 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:13.000 And thus our relationship began. But they did everything together, 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:18.609 and so did Mary, Martha and Lazarus, a tight knit family. 0:09:18.610 --> 0:09:22.750 So this is sign number seven in our series that 0:09:22.750 --> 0:09:26.679 we're calling The Seven Signs of Jesus. The first sign 0:09:26.679 --> 0:09:29.350 was turning water into wine at a wedding. The final 0:09:29.350 --> 0:09:32.050 sign was a resurrection of a man from the dead. 0:09:32.050 --> 0:09:35.620 So we go from a wedding to a funeral, reminding 0:09:35.620 --> 0:09:38.079 us that God is in control of all things in 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:41.469 our life. From the beginning to the end. He's there 0:09:41.470 --> 0:09:44.680 with us and our joys and our sorrows. But the 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:49.390 ultimate sign of Jesus was not even the resurrection of Lazarus. 0:09:49.390 --> 0:09:52.810 As amazing as it was, the ultimate sign of Jesus 0:09:52.809 --> 0:09:57.880 was his death and resurrection. Everything was building to this crescendo, 0:09:58.210 --> 0:10:02.020 Jesus said. A wicked and an adulterous generation seeks after 0:10:02.020 --> 0:10:04.570 a sign, but no sign will be given to them, 0:10:04.570 --> 0:10:07.239 but that of the prophet Jonah. And as Jonah was, 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:10.150 three days and three nights and the belly of the 0:10:10.150 --> 0:10:13.540 sea monster or the great fish, so will the I, 0:10:13.540 --> 0:10:16.449 the son of man Jesus speaking be in the heart 0:10:16.450 --> 0:10:19.330 of the earth three days and three nights, Loose paraphrase 0:10:19.330 --> 0:10:22.479 Jesus says, You guys want a miracle. You want to sign. 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:25.360 Here it is. I'm going to dine across. I'm going 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:27.280 to bear the sin of the world and I'm going 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:30.040 to rise again from the dead. And we'll celebrate that 0:10:30.040 --> 0:10:34.090 next week. But let's see what happened to Lazarus. John 0:10:34.090 --> 0:10:36.760 11 I'm starting in verse one. I'm reading from the 0:10:36.760 --> 0:10:41.160 new King James version. Now a certain man was sick. 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:45.780 Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 0:10:45.780 --> 0:10:48.570 And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with 0:10:48.570 --> 0:10:51.570 fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, whose 0:10:51.570 --> 0:10:56.670 brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore, the sisters sent to him saying, Behold, 0:10:56.670 --> 0:11:00.990 he whom you love is sick. So we'll stop there. 0:11:01.290 --> 0:11:03.449 What did we learn from this story? Point number one, 0:11:03.450 --> 0:11:06.900 if you're taking notes, life is filled with pain and 0:11:06.900 --> 0:11:10.320 sorrow and the death of loved ones. Is that not 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.440 the most depressing point of all time? But is it 0:11:13.440 --> 0:11:16.679 not true? Sorry that I have to be the one 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:18.849 to break this to you in case you don't know it. 0:11:18.870 --> 0:11:22.740 But life is filled with the pain, death and sorrow 0:11:22.740 --> 0:11:26.429 of loved ones. Now, when you're younger, this is hard 0:11:26.429 --> 0:11:30.570 to wrap your mind around. But you see people dying and. 0:11:30.570 --> 0:11:33.540 And it starts to settle in that one day this 0:11:33.540 --> 0:11:36.750 will happen to you as well. So this is what 0:11:36.750 --> 0:11:40.020 we see. And when tragedy comes in our life or 0:11:40.020 --> 0:11:44.220 we lose a loved one, we say, why me? Why 0:11:44.220 --> 0:11:48.360 is this happening to me? But it's ultimately going to 0:11:48.360 --> 0:11:53.100 happen to everyone, including you. In fact, we're told in 0:11:53.100 --> 0:11:57.090 first Peter 412 Don't think it's strange concerning the fiery trial, 0:11:57.090 --> 0:12:00.780 which will try you as though some strange thing is 0:12:00.780 --> 0:12:04.880 happening to you. So we have to accept this fact. 0:12:04.890 --> 0:12:08.610 But that brings me to point number two. God loves us. 0:12:08.970 --> 0:12:14.220 God loves us. Don't rush over that. Don't misunderstand it. 0:12:14.220 --> 0:12:18.270 Let it sink in. God loves you. I want you 0:12:18.270 --> 0:12:22.890 to say this out loud. God loves me. Go. It's true. 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:26.850 Do you believe that God loves you? Okay, So no 0:12:26.850 --> 0:12:31.920 matter what you're facing right now, don't forget this simple fact. Therefore, 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:35.520 what he does or allows to happen in your life 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:40.200 as his child is motivated by his everlasting love for you. 0:12:40.380 --> 0:12:45.000 Let me repeat that. It's on the screen. God loves you. Therefore, 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:48.600 whatever he does or allows to happen in your life 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:54.960 as his child is motivated by his everlasting love for you. Now, 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:57.840 I'm interested in what Mary and Martha do. Now, remember, 0:12:58.080 --> 0:13:01.290 Lazarus is still alive, but he's very sick. They know 0:13:01.290 --> 0:13:05.610 this is serious. So they send word to Jesus. The 0:13:05.610 --> 0:13:08.790 one that you love is sick. In verse three, another 0:13:08.790 --> 0:13:12.960 translation of the same statement is, Lord, your dear friend 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:17.730 is very sick. And this is an excellent example of 0:13:17.730 --> 0:13:21.960 what we need to do when we are in crisis. 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:25.320 We are not here to tell God what He should do, 0:13:25.770 --> 0:13:28.920 but we are here to tell him about our problem 0:13:28.920 --> 0:13:32.790 and say, Lord, here's my problem. And they describe it 0:13:32.790 --> 0:13:37.200 to Jesus. Call on the Lord. There's nothing wrong with 0:13:37.200 --> 0:13:40.680 asking God to help you. Nothing wrong with asking God 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:43.680 to deliver you. In fact, you should do it. Because 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:45.510 in the book of James that says you have not 0:13:45.510 --> 0:13:48.870 because you ask, not now. God may deliver you from 0:13:48.870 --> 0:13:51.870 your problem and he may simply walk with you through 0:13:51.870 --> 0:13:55.380 your problem, but bring it before the Lord when the 0:13:55.380 --> 0:13:59.699 Israelites are criticizing and turning against Moses. We read in 0:13:59.700 --> 0:14:05.400 Exodus 1525, he cried unto the Lord when Hezekiah received 0:14:05.400 --> 0:14:09.420 a threatening letter. We read in Isaiah 37, He spread 0:14:09.420 --> 0:14:13.890 it out before the Lord. When John the Baptist was beheaded, 0:14:13.890 --> 0:14:19.330 his disciples went and told Jesus, That's what we should do. Christ, 0:14:19.350 --> 0:14:24.030 that's it. Go and tell Jesus. Hey, Jesus, I have 0:14:24.030 --> 0:14:27.630 a problem. I have a need. I have a burden. 0:14:27.750 --> 0:14:30.450 I have this thing that's happening to me right now, 0:14:30.450 --> 0:14:34.200 and I'm asking you to help me. Psalm 46 One 0:14:34.200 --> 0:14:38.670 reminds us that Jesus is a very present help in 0:14:38.670 --> 0:14:45.090 times of trouble. A present help. Now, they could have said, Now, look, Lord, 0:14:45.240 --> 0:14:48.840 you owe us. We fed you in your disciples. A 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:52.410 lot of times you see, Jesus and His boys would 0:14:52.410 --> 0:14:56.490 often frequent the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary, 0:14:56.490 --> 0:15:01.100 Martha and Lazarus could legitimately say, Jesus is our friend. 0:15:01.110 --> 0:15:04.470 You see, they lived in Bethany, and Bethany is striking 0:15:04.470 --> 0:15:08.250 distance from Jerusalem. So as Christ would make his way 0:15:08.250 --> 0:15:10.890 into the city, he would just stop by. I wonder 0:15:10.890 --> 0:15:15.540 if he came by unannounced. He certainly couldn't text Martha. Hey, Martha, 0:15:15.540 --> 0:15:18.570 How's it going? We're on our way into Jerusalem, man. 0:15:18.570 --> 0:15:20.880 Are we hungry? And we all know what a great 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:24.150 cook you are. Could you make something for us? Sure. 0:15:24.150 --> 0:15:26.610 Come on in, Lord. And then they would all come. 0:15:26.610 --> 0:15:29.490 It probably all went into the kitchen together. Why is 0:15:29.490 --> 0:15:32.100 it that in our homes everyone wants to hang around 0:15:32.100 --> 0:15:35.190 in the kitchen? You might even have a proper living 0:15:35.190 --> 0:15:38.820 room that no one ever uses the most. Of this 0:15:38.820 --> 0:15:42.090 room in a home, the living room. We all want 0:15:42.090 --> 0:15:46.030 to be in the kitchen because that's where the action is, right? 0:15:46.050 --> 0:15:49.260 Isn't this making you hungry right now? Because that's where 0:15:49.260 --> 0:15:52.410 the food is. And everyone people are leaning up against 0:15:52.410 --> 0:15:54.720 the stove and their clothes are catching on fire. But 0:15:54.720 --> 0:15:59.730 the food's there. It's good, right? So they could have said, Lord, 0:16:00.570 --> 0:16:03.810 we fed you so many times, you kind of owe us. 0:16:03.810 --> 0:16:08.400 It's time to reciprocate. But they didn't do anything like that. 0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:11.460 They just said, Lord, the one that you love is sick. 0:16:12.620 --> 0:16:15.680 They didn't even say the one that loves you is sick. 0:16:16.250 --> 0:16:19.190 They said the one that you love is sick. They 0:16:19.190 --> 0:16:22.240 weren't even appealing on the basis of their love for him. 0:16:22.250 --> 0:16:26.320 They were appealing on the basis of his love for them. 0:16:26.330 --> 0:16:29.030 Let's pick the story up, John 11, verse four. When 0:16:29.030 --> 0:16:32.450 Jesus heard about it, he said, Lazarus sickness will not 0:16:32.450 --> 0:16:35.480 end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God. 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:39.440 So the Son of God will receive glory from this. Now, 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:44.120 don't miss this verse. Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:47.330 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 0:16:47.330 --> 0:16:53.270 I'd underline that actually. Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, 0:16:53.270 --> 0:16:56.480 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 0:16:56.510 --> 0:17:01.490 Then he said to his disciples, Let's go back to Judea. 0:17:01.490 --> 0:17:05.210 He loved them, so he waited. That doesn't make sense. 0:17:05.780 --> 0:17:09.500 We would expect that verses say, because Jesus loved Mary, 0:17:09.500 --> 0:17:12.290 Martha and Lazarus. He got on the back of the 0:17:12.290 --> 0:17:16.699 fastest horse and rode to them. Or, Hey, in the 0:17:16.700 --> 0:17:19.560 case of Christ, he could have just moved there, just boom, 0:17:19.640 --> 0:17:22.400 here I am. Or he could have spoken the word. 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:24.710 He didn't even have to go to them. He could 0:17:24.710 --> 0:17:27.800 have spoken the word and said, Lazarus, you are healed. 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:32.660 But none of this happened. He delayed his arrival. Why? Listen? 0:17:32.660 --> 0:17:37.850 Because he loved Lazarus. Now we think this is a contradiction. 0:17:37.940 --> 0:17:42.080 If Jesus really loved Lazarus, why didn't he immediately go 0:17:42.080 --> 0:17:45.439 and heal him? And in the same way, when hardship, 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:49.940 tragedy or even death come into our lives, we wonder 0:17:49.940 --> 0:17:54.800 if God really loved me? Why did he let this happen? Right? 0:17:55.190 --> 0:17:58.610 We've asked this before. If God loved me, why did 0:17:58.609 --> 0:18:02.370 he let this happen? It's hard to see through eyes 0:18:02.369 --> 0:18:06.330 that are filled with tears. And the point that we 0:18:06.330 --> 0:18:09.930 need to see in all of this is not why 0:18:09.930 --> 0:18:13.560 it's happened. But remember, God is in control. And also 0:18:13.560 --> 0:18:18.900 remember that his delays are not necessarily his denials. A 0:18:18.900 --> 0:18:23.669 verse I love. Ecclesiastes 311 says, God has made everything 0:18:23.670 --> 0:18:29.430 beautiful in his time. See, we look at the small picture. 0:18:29.460 --> 0:18:32.910 God looks at the big picture. We look at the 0:18:32.910 --> 0:18:37.740 temporal God looks at the eternal. See, I'm an artist 0:18:37.740 --> 0:18:40.409 of sorts. More of a cartoonist, if you want to 0:18:40.410 --> 0:18:43.200 call that an artist. I like to think of myself 0:18:43.200 --> 0:18:46.830 as an advanced doodler, but I like to draw. If 0:18:46.830 --> 0:18:48.630 there's a piece of paper near me and a pen, 0:18:48.630 --> 0:18:51.840 I'll start drawing. I can't stop myself. And people will say, 0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:55.710 Do a caricature of me now, A caricature by its 0:18:55.710 --> 0:19:00.540 very definition is an exaggeration of something. And so someone says, 0:19:00.540 --> 0:19:02.580 Draw me. I'll look at them and I see them 0:19:02.580 --> 0:19:05.760 in a certain way as something of an artist and 0:19:05.760 --> 0:19:08.790 also as someone with a warped sense of humor. And 0:19:08.790 --> 0:19:11.250 I might see flaws like, Oh, well, your ears are 0:19:11.250 --> 0:19:13.470 quite big. So when the drawing they do of you, 0:19:13.470 --> 0:19:16.680 your ears are going to be gigantic. And that's what 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:21.030 a caricature is. That's why I never do caricatures of girls, 0:19:22.530 --> 0:19:25.680 because I'll draw a girl and make her perfect, flawless. 0:19:26.250 --> 0:19:28.110 So cute and adorable. 0:19:28.200 --> 0:19:29.760 Just say I don't look like that. 0:19:29.910 --> 0:19:33.000 But, guys, I'm brutal, man. I just. Yeah, I'm going 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:36.420 to go for it. It's meant to make you laugh, right? 0:19:36.420 --> 0:19:39.540 So even before I begin to draw, I might start laughing. 0:19:39.540 --> 0:19:41.940 You don't see anything in the paper, but I see 0:19:41.940 --> 0:19:45.770 it in my imagination. I know what I'm going to do. 0:19:45.780 --> 0:19:49.920 So God is drawing a picture of our life. He 0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:53.490 does a stroke here, a line there, and we say, 0:19:53.490 --> 0:19:55.379 I don't. What is this? I don't see what it's 0:19:55.380 --> 0:19:57.150 going to be. Or it says, You're going to like it. 0:19:57.150 --> 0:20:00.810 Wait till it's done. We're a work in progress. He's 0:20:00.810 --> 0:20:06.930 looking at what he's ultimately going to do in your life. So, 0:20:06.960 --> 0:20:09.720 Mary and Martha, I wonder if they bragged on Jesus 0:20:09.720 --> 0:20:12.270 a little. Hey, we know Jesus. Look, we've got him 0:20:12.270 --> 0:20:15.510 in contacts on our phone. Look right there. Jesus, right there. 0:20:15.690 --> 0:20:18.720 I get text him right now. He's over here all 0:20:18.720 --> 0:20:22.020 the time. Let me tell you all of his favorite meals. 0:20:22.020 --> 0:20:24.120 Let me tell you what's he like in person. Let 0:20:24.119 --> 0:20:26.280 me tell you what he's like in person. They might 0:20:26.280 --> 0:20:29.370 have said, you see, Jesus will show up. He's our friend. 0:20:29.460 --> 0:20:33.000 And not only did Jesus not show up, but he 0:20:33.000 --> 0:20:35.909 got there late and even missed the funeral. So Lazarus 0:20:35.910 --> 0:20:39.149 has now died. And not only has he died, he's 0:20:39.150 --> 0:20:43.680 in the process of decomposition. In fact, it's Martha who 0:20:43.680 --> 0:20:47.820 says to Jesus, Lord, by now he stinks. Earth. That's 0:20:47.820 --> 0:20:51.090 King James. I like that translation. That's a nice way 0:20:51.090 --> 0:20:54.359 to tell someone they don't smell right. Have you used 0:20:54.359 --> 0:20:56.880 deodorant lately? I don't know. Why do you ask? Because 0:20:56.880 --> 0:21:01.350 by now you stink earth. Think about using that if 0:21:01.350 --> 0:21:05.820 you like. It's all yours. But So he shows up late, 0:21:05.820 --> 0:21:10.020 He comes into town. The funeral service is over. It's 0:21:10.020 --> 0:21:15.150 a complete disaster. What happens next, John? 11 verse 20. 0:21:15.480 --> 0:21:18.690 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, 0:21:18.690 --> 0:21:21.359 went and met him, Mary was sitting in the house 0:21:21.359 --> 0:21:24.000 and Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you would have 0:21:24.000 --> 0:21:27.300 been here, my brother would not have died. But now 0:21:27.300 --> 0:21:29.640 I know that whatever you ask of God, God will 0:21:29.640 --> 0:21:35.450 give you. Jesus said, Your brother will rise again. Martha says, 0:21:35.640 --> 0:21:37.740 I know he'll rise again in the resurrection. At the 0:21:37.740 --> 0:21:41.190 last day Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection 0:21:41.190 --> 0:21:43.680 and the life He that believes in me. Though he 0:21:43.680 --> 0:21:46.590 were dead. Yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and 0:21:46.590 --> 0:21:50.669 believes in me shall never die. I love that statement, 0:21:50.670 --> 0:21:56.030 don't you? What a powerful statement of Jesus Christ. But 0:21:56.030 --> 0:22:00.139 Martha's effectively saying, Allow me to paraphrase Jesus. 0:22:00.980 --> 0:22:01.909 You blew it. 0:22:02.780 --> 0:22:06.230 We were bragging on you. We were expecting you to 0:22:06.230 --> 0:22:09.170 show up. If you had been here, my brother would 0:22:09.170 --> 0:22:13.609 not have died. You miss the opportunity. Jesus says your 0:22:13.609 --> 0:22:16.670 brother will rise again. Yeah, I know. In the resurrection. No, Martha. 0:22:16.850 --> 0:22:21.540 Read my lips. I am the resurrection. I am the 0:22:21.540 --> 0:22:24.240 life he that believes in me. Though he were dead, 0:22:24.240 --> 0:22:27.240 yet shall he live? But we've all said things like this. 0:22:27.240 --> 0:22:30.480 Maybe to the Lord. Where were you, Lord? Where were 0:22:30.480 --> 0:22:34.109 you when my marriage dissolved? Where were you when my 0:22:34.109 --> 0:22:38.369 parents divorced? Where were you when my child went astray? 0:22:38.400 --> 0:22:42.300 Where were you when my loved one died? And so 0:22:42.300 --> 0:22:45.899 there's nothing wrong with telling God how you feel. You know, 0:22:45.900 --> 0:22:48.389 I think sometimes people say, you know, never pray a 0:22:48.390 --> 0:22:51.390 prayer like that. No, pour your heart out to God. 0:22:51.390 --> 0:22:54.869 And if you're hurting, tell God you're hurting. If you're confused, 0:22:54.869 --> 0:22:57.690 tell God you're confused. If you don't like what's happening 0:22:57.690 --> 0:23:00.210 to you. Go ahead and tell him you don't like 0:23:00.210 --> 0:23:04.200 what's happening to you, but cast it on the Lord. 0:23:04.350 --> 0:23:07.080 I think the problem is sometimes we withdraw from God 0:23:07.080 --> 0:23:10.200 in times of crisis. We don't talk to God. We 0:23:10.200 --> 0:23:13.680 don't talk to anybody else. We're in our little cocoon 0:23:13.680 --> 0:23:17.940 of depression and misery. No heed. Call out to God. God. 0:23:17.940 --> 0:23:21.450 Why did you let this happen? I don't expect an answer. 0:23:22.200 --> 0:23:24.359 I think if God told you why things happen, you 0:23:24.359 --> 0:23:28.169 wouldn't be satisfied anyway. You know, because how is it 0:23:28.170 --> 0:23:30.900 going to make things better? God says, My ways are 0:23:30.900 --> 0:23:35.280 above your ways. My thoughts are above your thoughts. We 0:23:35.280 --> 0:23:39.960 live on promises, not explanations. So we should not spend 0:23:39.960 --> 0:23:44.730 too much time asking why. But I love what Jesus says. 0:23:44.730 --> 0:23:48.090 He says, Your brother will rise again and I am 0:23:48.090 --> 0:23:52.740 the resurrection and the life. And then, Mary, now comes 0:23:52.740 --> 0:23:56.760 we pick the story up. John 11, verse 32. Then 0:23:56.760 --> 0:23:59.640 Mary came where Jesus was and saw him and fell 0:23:59.640 --> 0:24:01.889 down at his feet saying, Lord, if you would have 0:24:01.890 --> 0:24:06.450 been here, my brother would not have died. Therefore, when 0:24:06.450 --> 0:24:09.570 Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with 0:24:09.570 --> 0:24:13.500 her weeping, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 0:24:13.500 --> 0:24:16.770 And he said, Where have you laid him? They said, Lord, 0:24:16.770 --> 0:24:19.830 come and see. Now the shortest verse in all of 0:24:19.830 --> 0:24:26.280 the Bible, John 1135 Jesus wept. Two words Jesus wept. 0:24:26.670 --> 0:24:29.520 And the Jews said, See how he loved him. Point 0:24:29.520 --> 0:24:34.229 number two. Because Jesus loves us. He weeps with us 0:24:34.230 --> 0:24:39.480 in our times of pain. Because Jesus loves us. He 0:24:39.480 --> 0:24:43.290 weeps with us in our times of pain. Yes, Jesus 0:24:43.290 --> 0:24:48.120 was God walking among us. But Jesus was also a 0:24:48.119 --> 0:24:53.669 man who felt our pain and sorrows. Isaiah 53, says 0:24:53.670 --> 0:24:57.990 If Jesus, he was despised and rejected a man of 0:24:57.990 --> 0:25:01.889 sorrows and acquainted with the bitterest grief, we turned our 0:25:01.890 --> 0:25:03.479 backs on him and looked the other way. When he 0:25:03.480 --> 0:25:06.510 went by, he was despised and we did not care. 0:25:06.540 --> 0:25:10.080 Yet it was our weaknesses that he carried. It was 0:25:10.080 --> 0:25:15.780 our sorrows that weighed him down. Wow, Jesus has walked 0:25:15.780 --> 0:25:20.010 in your shoes and then some. He voluntarily put himself 0:25:20.010 --> 0:25:23.189 in the way of danger to bear your sorrows on 0:25:23.190 --> 0:25:25.740 the cross. He didn't just bear your sins, he bore 0:25:25.740 --> 0:25:29.010 your sorrows. You might say God doesn't know what it's 0:25:29.010 --> 0:25:31.919 like to live in this earth. Oh, doesn't He? Well, 0:25:31.920 --> 0:25:34.590 God doesn't know what it's like to lose a son, 0:25:34.890 --> 0:25:38.880 doesn't he? He gave his only begotten son. Well, God 0:25:38.880 --> 0:25:42.090 doesn't know what it's like to be misunderstood. Oh, I 0:25:42.090 --> 0:25:45.119 think he does. God doesn't know what it's like to 0:25:45.119 --> 0:25:50.040 be rejected by people and be betrayed. Oh, he knows that. Well. Well, 0:25:50.040 --> 0:25:53.129 he doesn't know what it's like to be lonely. Listen, 0:25:53.130 --> 0:25:56.750 Jesus was the loneliest man who ever walked this earth 0:25:56.760 --> 0:25:59.490 when he hung on that cross and bore the sins 0:25:59.490 --> 0:26:02.670 of the world. And even his father turned his face 0:26:02.670 --> 0:26:06.210 away at that moment, causing Christ to say, My God, 0:26:06.210 --> 0:26:12.030 my God, why have you forsaken me? Jesus understands everything 0:26:12.030 --> 0:26:15.900 that you are going through right now, and He cares 0:26:16.020 --> 0:26:19.800 and He sorrows with you in that time of sorrow. 0:26:19.830 --> 0:26:24.120 Hebrews 217 says it was necessary for Jesus to be 0:26:24.119 --> 0:26:27.480 in every respect like us. That's why he had to 0:26:27.480 --> 0:26:30.989 enter into every detail of human life. And then when 0:26:30.990 --> 0:26:33.090 he came before God, his high priest, to get rid 0:26:33.090 --> 0:26:37.410 of people's sins, he would have already experienced it all himself, 0:26:37.410 --> 0:26:40.320 all the pain, all the testing, and would be able 0:26:40.320 --> 0:26:44.670 to help where help was needed. He knows what you're 0:26:44.670 --> 0:26:49.110 going through. Death breaks the heart of God just as 0:26:49.109 --> 0:26:51.929 it breaks ours. So we say, then why doesn't he 0:26:51.930 --> 0:26:54.899 do something about it? Well, actually, he has. Look at 0:26:54.900 --> 0:26:57.480 John 11, verse 33, and then I'll drop down to 0:26:57.480 --> 0:27:01.080 verse 38 when Jesus saw her weeping and saw the 0:27:01.080 --> 0:27:05.730 other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation 0:27:05.730 --> 0:27:09.510 and was deeply troubled. And again, verse 38, he was 0:27:09.510 --> 0:27:12.300 deeply troubled. And they came to the grave and there 0:27:12.300 --> 0:27:17.610 was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. Now, 0:27:17.609 --> 0:27:21.780 this word used here for trouble can be translated. Mad 0:27:22.260 --> 0:27:27.330 Jesus was mad. Yes, Jesus had anger. He never lost 0:27:27.330 --> 0:27:31.290 his temper like we do. But he had righteous indignation. 0:27:31.290 --> 0:27:34.740 He was angry. Why was he angry? Was he angry 0:27:34.740 --> 0:27:38.100 at Mary and Martha for doubting him? No. Was he 0:27:38.100 --> 0:27:40.320 angry at the people who are mourning the death of 0:27:40.320 --> 0:27:45.090 Lazarus again? No. He was angry with the Grim Reaper, 0:27:45.090 --> 0:27:48.119 if you will. He was angry with death itself. He 0:27:48.119 --> 0:27:50.760 was angry because this was not the way it was 0:27:50.760 --> 0:27:54.240 meant to be. And it made him angry. Then he says, 0:27:54.240 --> 0:28:00.139 remove the stone. Where this is, Lord. He stinks. Move 0:28:00.140 --> 0:28:05.960 the stone. And then he says, Lazarus, come forth. And 0:28:05.960 --> 0:28:08.990 Lazarus comes back from the other side. He's still wrapped 0:28:08.990 --> 0:28:12.320 up in bandages, so it's not like Lazarus comes out. Hey, 0:28:12.530 --> 0:28:19.010 he's more like. Someone unwrapped these things. It's a good thing. 0:28:19.010 --> 0:28:22.760 Jesus said Lazarus, come forth. Because if he'd simply said, 0:28:22.760 --> 0:28:27.139 Come forth, every body and every grave in every place 0:28:27.140 --> 0:28:32.000 would have burst out at that moment. Lazarus in particular, 0:28:32.000 --> 0:28:36.050 come forth. And by the way, I feel sorry for Lazarus. 0:28:36.220 --> 0:28:40.200 You say, Why? Because he had to die twice. Isn't 0:28:40.200 --> 0:28:43.830 it bad enough to die once? This poor guy had 0:28:43.830 --> 0:28:47.750 to go twice. You know, when a loved one leaves you, 0:28:47.760 --> 0:28:51.800 you want to communicate with them. And sometimes people try 0:28:51.800 --> 0:28:54.230 to contact people on the other side. Never do that. 0:28:54.230 --> 0:28:57.740 The Bible forbids it. They can't hear you. And any 0:28:57.740 --> 0:29:00.560 messages people say are coming from the other side. That's 0:29:00.560 --> 0:29:05.240 not true. Okay. But I understand the longing to communicate 0:29:05.240 --> 0:29:09.140 with someone that has died. You can't talk to them. 0:29:09.140 --> 0:29:12.650 They can't talk to you. So don't try. But you 0:29:12.650 --> 0:29:15.680 can talk to the Lord about what you're facing. But 0:29:15.680 --> 0:29:17.960 let's just say for the sake of a point that 0:29:17.960 --> 0:29:19.850 we can make a phone call. When did this become 0:29:19.850 --> 0:29:22.610 the symbol of a phone call? But we all do it, right? 0:29:22.610 --> 0:29:26.270 Someone called me a phone. Doesn't look like that. But anyway, 0:29:26.360 --> 0:29:28.970 let's just say we could call our loved one in heaven. Hey, 0:29:29.360 --> 0:29:31.040 I've missed you so much. 0:29:31.340 --> 0:29:32.780 And guess what? 0:29:32.960 --> 0:29:35.600 I want you to come back here again. You know what? 0:29:35.600 --> 0:29:40.790 What happened? Did hang up on you? What? I want 0:29:40.790 --> 0:29:43.280 to go back there. No. Come back. It's so great. 0:29:43.280 --> 0:29:45.140 We had the greatest burger. What? 0:29:45.320 --> 0:29:45.830 What? 0:29:46.100 --> 0:29:49.730 We saw an amazing sunset. I am sure you did. 0:29:50.150 --> 0:29:52.130 If they could speak to you. But you're not seeing 0:29:52.130 --> 0:29:55.070 what I'm seeing right now. I can't wait till you 0:29:55.070 --> 0:29:58.700 join me here. No one in heaven would ever want 0:29:58.700 --> 0:30:01.250 to come back to Earth if they were even given 0:30:01.250 --> 0:30:05.720 the choice. But having said that, here's Lazarus called from 0:30:05.720 --> 0:30:10.400 the other side. Now he has to die again and 0:30:10.400 --> 0:30:13.729 face all of the challenges of life. But here's the 0:30:13.730 --> 0:30:16.790 big story not just that a man was raised from 0:30:16.790 --> 0:30:20.630 the dead, but it's this Death is not the end. 0:30:21.170 --> 0:30:24.050 The tomb for the Christian is not the entrance to 0:30:24.050 --> 0:30:28.700 death but to life. Heaven is the earthly life of 0:30:28.700 --> 0:30:33.330 the believer, glorified and perfected. Okay, so your loved ones, 0:30:33.330 --> 0:30:37.100 they're in pure bliss. The reason they don't want to 0:30:37.100 --> 0:30:39.800 come back is because it's better where they are. It'd 0:30:39.830 --> 0:30:43.220 be like, imagine the most beautiful place you've ever been. 0:30:43.220 --> 0:30:46.670 You know, maybe some tropical island looking at the greatest 0:30:46.670 --> 0:30:50.540 sunset of all time, eating your favorite food with someone 0:30:50.540 --> 0:30:53.840 you love. And dolphins are jumping out and unicorns are 0:30:53.840 --> 0:30:57.200 galloping by. I don't know. There's no unicorns, but, you know. Yeah, 0:30:57.200 --> 0:31:00.170 it's just a perfect moment. All this is so great. 0:31:00.170 --> 0:31:03.230 And then imagine someone saying, we need to leave immediately 0:31:03.230 --> 0:31:05.360 and go to the dump. I hear they're burning some 0:31:05.360 --> 0:31:08.840 trash right now. Why? Why would I want to go 0:31:08.840 --> 0:31:11.300 to the dump when I'm here? And that's what it 0:31:11.300 --> 0:31:14.540 would be like to go from heaven to earth. That's 0:31:14.540 --> 0:31:17.600 why Paul said, I have a desire to depart and 0:31:17.600 --> 0:31:22.520 be with Christ, which is far better. But it's important 0:31:22.520 --> 0:31:26.570 for me to stay here with you. Heaven is so 0:31:26.570 --> 0:31:30.860 much better. But the real message here is that death 0:31:30.860 --> 0:31:34.160 is not the end and God will be with you 0:31:34.160 --> 0:31:37.220 and the hardest times of your life and he'll be 0:31:37.220 --> 0:31:39.860 with you in the greatest times of your life. He'll 0:31:39.860 --> 0:31:44.060 be with you for all of your life. He'll never 0:31:44.060 --> 0:31:47.600 abandon you. Jesus said, I will never leave you or 0:31:47.600 --> 0:31:51.620 forsake you. One of my favorite verses as Isaiah 43. 0:31:51.980 --> 0:31:54.020 When God says, When you go through deep waters and 0:31:54.020 --> 0:31:57.680 great trouble, I'll be with you. When you go through 0:31:57.680 --> 0:32:01.820 rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk 0:32:01.820 --> 0:32:05.270 through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up. 0:32:05.270 --> 0:32:11.990 The flames will not consume you. David said in Psalm 23. Yea, 0:32:12.020 --> 0:32:14.600 though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 0:32:14.600 --> 0:32:17.840 I will fear no evil. Why, David? Because you are 0:32:17.840 --> 0:32:21.320 with me. God will be with you in every phase 0:32:21.320 --> 0:32:24.200 of your life. Going back to the first miracle water 0:32:24.200 --> 0:32:26.870 into wine. Wedding day. Amazing day. 0:32:27.740 --> 0:32:30.290 He's there at the birth of a baby. He's there at. 0:32:30.290 --> 0:32:31.760 The death of a loved one. 0:32:31.760 --> 0:32:32.540 He's there at the. 0:32:32.540 --> 0:32:35.270 Beginning of life, the middle of life. And he's there 0:32:35.270 --> 0:32:37.100 at the end of life. And then he's. 0:32:37.100 --> 0:32:38.420 There to take you to the. 0:32:38.420 --> 0:32:43.730 Afterlife. So you don't have to be afraid anymore. It 0:32:43.730 --> 0:32:47.030 doesn't mean we want to die. Christians don't just sit 0:32:47.030 --> 0:32:49.370 around and say, Hey man, I wish I would die today. 0:32:49.370 --> 0:32:52.160 That'd be cool. No, we don't want to die, but 0:32:52.160 --> 0:32:55.870 we don't fear death. If this is the day, we say, fine, Lord, 0:32:55.880 --> 0:32:57.590 you know, to be absent from the body is to 0:32:57.590 --> 0:33:00.380 be present with you, whatever you have in mind. Because 0:33:00.380 --> 0:33:05.780 no one loves life more than the Christian right. Hello? Yes, 0:33:05.780 --> 0:33:11.570 thank you. I'm not sure about you guys. No one 0:33:11.570 --> 0:33:13.160 loves life more than the Christian. 0:33:13.160 --> 0:33:16.610 Well, I don't know. I have to think about that 0:33:16.610 --> 0:33:17.600 for a moment. 0:33:18.440 --> 0:33:22.280 I know you really are responding in your heart. You're just. 0:33:22.670 --> 0:33:25.100 You just need to express it a little bit more. 0:33:25.550 --> 0:33:30.920 Say amen. That's how you do it. It's every now 0:33:30.920 --> 0:33:32.240 and then. Amen. 0:33:33.560 --> 0:33:35.990 Okay. Don't give me your fake Amen. So I don't 0:33:35.990 --> 0:33:40.640 want him. And don't do him at the wrong point either. 0:33:41.930 --> 0:33:44.480 The sermon is now over. Amen. No, not then. 0:33:46.480 --> 0:33:47.890 But he will be with you. 0:33:47.920 --> 0:33:50.110 You don't have to be afraid. So I want to 0:33:50.110 --> 0:33:52.420 close with this statement of Jesus. I just love. 0:33:52.420 --> 0:33:52.750 It. 0:33:53.550 --> 0:33:56.190 He says, I'm the resurrection and the life he that 0:33:56.190 --> 0:33:58.770 believes in me, though he were dead. Yet shall. 0:33:58.770 --> 0:33:59.040 He. 0:33:59.040 --> 0:34:02.670 Live. And whosoever lives and believes in. 0:34:02.670 --> 0:34:03.360 Me shall. 0:34:03.360 --> 0:34:07.230 Never die. Then he asked. There you go. You're getting it. 0:34:07.230 --> 0:34:08.489 That's good. That was. 0:34:08.489 --> 0:34:11.549 Good. Perfect. 0:34:11.760 --> 0:34:16.170 We need more of that harvest. Orange County. More of that. Okay. 0:34:18.790 --> 0:34:20.980 You guys in Riverside are good. You just stay where 0:34:20.980 --> 0:34:24.250 you are. Orange County. Time to up the game with 0:34:24.250 --> 0:34:28.899 the aim any. Okay, but don't overdo it. We'll find 0:34:28.900 --> 0:34:32.800 the balance together. Whoever lives and believes in him shall 0:34:32.800 --> 0:34:36.400 never die. But what does it mean to believe in Jesus? 0:34:36.400 --> 0:34:39.339 Does it mean to merely acknowledge a man named Jesus 0:34:39.340 --> 0:34:42.820 walked this earth some 2000 years ago and even to 0:34:42.820 --> 0:34:45.400 acknowledge he died on a Roman cross, and even to 0:34:45.400 --> 0:34:49.089 acknowledge he rose from the dead? Well, that's important. But 0:34:49.090 --> 0:34:52.180 it's more than that. It's believing in him. And what 0:34:52.180 --> 0:34:54.310 does that mean? It means to put your faith and 0:34:54.310 --> 0:34:58.900 trust in Jesus Christ as your savior. I know we 0:34:58.900 --> 0:35:03.070 use this phrase a lot, but I think it's accurate, personal, 0:35:03.070 --> 0:35:09.580 Lord and savior. He becomes your God. He becomes your Lord. 0:35:09.640 --> 0:35:13.990 He becomes your friend. And he comes into your life. 0:35:14.020 --> 0:35:17.410 You say, Well, how does that happen exactly? Through prayer. 0:35:17.890 --> 0:35:20.890 When I say, Lord, I'm sorry for my sin, I 0:35:20.890 --> 0:35:23.770 believe you died on the cross for me and paid 0:35:23.770 --> 0:35:26.500 the price for every sin I've committed. And I turn 0:35:26.500 --> 0:35:29.049 from my sin. Or as the Bible puts it, I 0:35:29.050 --> 0:35:32.860 repent of my sin. I change my direction in life. 0:35:32.860 --> 0:35:34.930 And I believe in you. I trust. 0:35:34.930 --> 0:35:35.560 You. 0:35:35.860 --> 0:35:38.500 And if you do that, God will forgive you of 0:35:38.500 --> 0:35:42.069 all of your sin. And you can know with certainty 0:35:42.070 --> 0:35:44.920 that you will go to heaven when you die. And 0:35:44.920 --> 0:35:48.730 you can find the meaning and purpose of life. You said, Well, 0:35:48.730 --> 0:35:50.739 I want that to happen for me now. Will It 0:35:50.739 --> 0:35:53.980 can and it will for some of you, because we're 0:35:53.980 --> 0:35:56.710 going to pray together and I'm going to extend an 0:35:56.710 --> 0:36:00.910 invitation for anyone here, though, wants to ask Jesus Christ 0:36:00.910 --> 0:36:03.040 to come into their life and be forgiven of all 0:36:03.040 --> 0:36:06.520 of their sin so they can know with certainty they'll 0:36:06.520 --> 0:36:09.160 go to heaven when they die, and so they can 0:36:09.160 --> 0:36:13.420 find the meaning and purpose of life. Let's all pray. Father, 0:36:13.420 --> 0:36:16.089 I ask you to speak to the hearts of all 0:36:16.090 --> 0:36:19.240 those that are here, all those that are watching, wherever 0:36:19.239 --> 0:36:22.210 they are. If they don't know you, we pray that 0:36:22.210 --> 0:36:26.770 your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their 0:36:26.770 --> 0:36:29.950 sin and their need for Jesus and help them to 0:36:29.950 --> 0:36:34.000 come to you and believe right now. Now all our 0:36:34.000 --> 0:36:37.360 heads are bowed and we're praying. Maybe there's someone here 0:36:37.360 --> 0:36:40.930 that would say, I need Jesus today. I want my 0:36:40.930 --> 0:36:43.990 sin forgiven. I'm not sure that I'll go to heaven 0:36:43.989 --> 0:36:47.440 when I die, but I want to go to heaven. 0:36:47.800 --> 0:36:50.500 I want to find the meaning and purpose of life. 0:36:50.500 --> 0:36:53.740 Pray for me if that's your desire. If you want 0:36:53.739 --> 0:36:56.620 Christ to come into your life, He if you want 0:36:56.620 --> 0:36:59.649 him to forgive you of your sin, if you want 0:36:59.650 --> 0:37:01.990 to know that when you die, you will go to heaven. 0:37:02.500 --> 0:37:05.620 If you're ready to say yes to Jesus, wherever you are, 0:37:05.620 --> 0:37:07.060 I want you to raise your hand up and I'm 0:37:07.060 --> 0:37:08.920 going to pray for you. Raise your hand up and 0:37:08.920 --> 0:37:11.410 let me pray for you. God bless you. God bless 0:37:11.410 --> 0:37:13.980 you and you, wherever you are, raise your hand up. 0:37:13.989 --> 0:37:16.900 I'll pray for you. Today. You're saying I want Christ 0:37:16.900 --> 0:37:19.810 in my life today. Let me pray for you. God 0:37:19.810 --> 0:37:23.480 bless you. Anybody else. If you haven't raised your hand now, 0:37:23.480 --> 0:37:26.240 do it. Let me pray for you. God bless you. 0:37:26.239 --> 0:37:27.020 And you. 0:37:27.230 --> 0:37:30.649 Now there's others watching on screens. You can raise your 0:37:30.650 --> 0:37:33.020 hand wherever you are. I can't see you, but that 0:37:33.020 --> 0:37:36.770 doesn't matter, does it? The Lord sees you. You say 0:37:36.770 --> 0:37:41.239 I need Jesus too. And we'll all pray together. Anybody else? 0:37:41.239 --> 0:37:43.219 I'll wait one more moment. If you want Christ in 0:37:43.219 --> 0:37:46.250 your life, raise your hand. Let me pray for you. 0:37:47.180 --> 0:37:48.169 God bless you. 0:37:48.350 --> 0:37:50.239 I'm going to ask every one of you that just 0:37:50.239 --> 0:37:52.910 raise your hand to stand to your feet. You heard 0:37:52.910 --> 0:37:55.880 me right. Stand up. Maybe you didn't raise your hand, 0:37:55.880 --> 0:37:58.550 but you want Christ to come into your life. Stand 0:37:58.550 --> 0:38:01.100 up and we're going to pray together. We're going to 0:38:01.100 --> 0:38:04.420 settle this right here, right now. Stand to your feet. 0:38:04.430 --> 0:38:07.700 By the way, people are standing. Are you one of them? 0:38:07.969 --> 0:38:11.479 Do you need to be? Anybody else? Stand wherever you are. 0:38:11.480 --> 0:38:14.360 Wherever you're watching me, just stand up. This is a 0:38:14.360 --> 0:38:18.530 commitment you're making to Christ. Make it where you are. 0:38:18.739 --> 0:38:21.520 Just stand to your feet. I'll wait one more moment. 0:38:21.530 --> 0:38:24.799 Anybody else you want Jesus Christ to come into your 0:38:24.800 --> 0:38:28.620 life and forgive you of your sin. Stand up and 0:38:28.620 --> 0:38:29.790 let me pray with you. 0:38:30.520 --> 0:38:32.410 God bless you that are standing now. 0:38:32.410 --> 0:38:33.969 I'm going to pray a prayer and I'm going to 0:38:33.969 --> 0:38:36.759 ask that you pray it out loud after me. In fact, 0:38:36.760 --> 0:38:38.740 I'm going to ask everyone to pray this prayer as 0:38:38.739 --> 0:38:42.100 we encourage these folks praying it for the first time. 0:38:42.100 --> 0:38:45.489 So as I pray, pray this out loud after me, 0:38:45.489 --> 0:38:47.770 let's all pray together. Lord Jesus. 0:38:49.410 --> 0:38:52.920 I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that 0:38:52.920 --> 0:38:54.210 you're the savior. 0:38:54.840 --> 0:38:59.110 Who died on the cross for me. You paid the 0:38:59.110 --> 0:39:01.270 price for my sins. 0:39:02.560 --> 0:39:06.410 I ask you to forgive me now. I repent of 0:39:06.410 --> 0:39:07.340 my sin. 0:39:08.540 --> 0:39:13.100 And I choose to follow you. From this moment forward 0:39:13.640 --> 0:39:18.680 as my savior and Lord as my God and my friend. 0:39:19.680 --> 0:39:21.660 Thank you for hearing this prayer. 0:39:22.750 --> 0:39:28.850 In answering this prayer. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen. 0:39:31.940 --> 0:39:35.000 Hey everybody. Thanks for listening to this podcast. To learn 0:39:35.000 --> 0:39:39.350 more about Harvest Ministries, follow this show and consider supporting it. 0:39:39.350 --> 0:39:40.730 Just go to Harvest. 0:39:41.120 --> 0:39:41.480 Org. 0:39:41.480 --> 0:39:44.090 And to find out how to know God personally, go 0:39:44.090 --> 0:39:47.750 to Harvest Org and click on Know God.