John Chapter 11:17-30

There's a lot of really smart people in the world. They sit around and they think about things and you know what's an amazing fact is that some of the things that are really really important. They don't know but many of us this morning. We actually know now it not amazing God has revealed a debate we know things that some of the greatest minds in the world are still trying to figure the question of what happens when we die we know what happens when Victor will come to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina you ever wonder what is life all about God really care about our circumstances know God so much. We look around is that if all is well has a remedy for the fall of man those around you believe this district to pick it up in verse 17 says so when Jesus came he found that he had already been to four days distance away, remembering were talking about Lazarus here.

Lazarus is died when Jesus got the word that Lazarus was sick actually stayed there for another couple days before he came in here death has claimed Lazarus. This is an interesting thing because when when Dallas comes when death takes a life science, all other things really cease to give us answers to give us hope and you know the statistics are staggering. You know you realize that 10 out of 10 people.you realize that nobody escapes death.

It's something that we all must face and therefore should be something that we think about how mean to be morbid or anything, but the reality is in the beauty is for the believer is not a sad thing see as a believer when somebody passes away. It's not up there gone forever if they know the Lord of the walking with the Lord. It's a see you later in funeral for people that I know knew the Lord have done some work. I wasn't sure those around me weren't sure to what those are two different situations. Death for the believer is just walking through one door into another room you want to talk about benefits. That's one of the huge benefits to being a Christian. Here we can we get rewarded somewhat in this world, but in our death benefits are like out of this world that we get to go to have seen, there is a couple things that the world can't really come back to the 3M really there's more in this book death. Seven. Loneliness to the world doesn't really have an answer to death.

But Jesus has an answer for that. The world still doesn't have a cure for sin.

Jesus has a cure for sin. The world doesn't have an answer for loneliness. But Jesus has an answer for loneliness, even in the world. You know sometimes you be in a crowd of people you just feel so alone. But when you're walking with the Lord you never alone anymore and there is the answer to three of the huge problems that face mankind. Verse 18 now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about 2 miles away.

It was like 1 7/8 and many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha is soon she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him, but Mary was sitting in the house so Martha comes out. She comes to meet Jesus and see what she says in verse 21 now Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you didn't hear a brother would not have died.

Martha's angry. I think it's kind of understandable. I think she's grieving and she's hurt and I think perhaps that we we might see in the crucifixion, the father that was her and angry. Remember the sky grew black. The earthquake is the pain of a father losing the son, and I think here, Martha is angry she sat the amazing thing is she's assuming that Jesus was clueless about what was going she says this is is he doesn't know you know and and she's blaming Jesus who is God ever notice we tend to do that we tend to blame God.

Not just us, not just you and I but society as a whole and I and I hear people people say well you know why bad things happen to good people, but that's a really easy one. The answer is that there's not any good people see were all centers saved by grace without the amazing thing is we in the garden. Remember guys, we fell not know. Maybe you're cynical. I wouldn't know garden know what Mayo's vitamin E when were not told how long they were in the garden before he fell before they fell 11 days. My been much but let me promise let's be honest had it been me. There had been you. There you really think you would've fallen think any of us, given that same situation would have at some point ate the fruit so the fact that sin, death, disease all these things are in the world are not God's fault see their consequence of the fall of mankind in the garden there. A consequence of the sin of mankind. You don't see those things in the garden, you didn't see sin and disease and death.

Now the amazing thing is, God had a remedy for that still does for the fall of man and God. I said centers saved by grace, but you understand what God does.

He takes it even beyond centers beyond sinners saved by grace, and makes us yet.

Her seatbelt fastened, makes us Saints while is that a mind Lord. He gives us a fresh start and then looks on us with the robes of righteousness because we come to them and we've asked him to forgive us of our sin to our blaming things on God must be sure to blame him for that one does. He came up with a solution in the answer and gives us a fresh start course, none of us really needed a fresh start. It was just got a convenient right you really come on the elbows flying around the room, then went to note that Jesus waited. We talked about this last week Jesus could've healed Lazarus right where he was before Lazarus died, but he was willing to wait that God's glory would be revealed to the door would be a huge blessing and Mary and Martha right now don't understand that the reason that should comfort us is because there's going to be situations which can be circumstances in our lives.

There were not going to understand, but we can fall back on what we do note, Jesus loves us and has a good plan for our life. Verse 22.

But even now Martha is continued but even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you Martha so close but so far she standing right beside him and she said she didn't say hey God, she says no go ask God. She had no idea she was right there beside Jesus and she had no idea she had had fellowship meals, communion with Jesus but didn't know it was God. She had even served dinner around. She'd even spoke prayed, perhaps she had spoken she had served should have community but she didn't know if she was so close but so far and how many people does that describe across the land this morning. People that know the that that don't know the Lord. Maybe there in church. Maybe they're serving, maybe they're taking communion. Maybe there even pranks, but they don't know Jesus as their Savior, they don't have a personal relationship with the Lord you can be so close yet so far the verse 23 Jesus said to your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

Do you believe this Jesus just always has a way to cut to the chase study get into the heart of the matter, saying you know okay this is this is the real deal, but not as something he does not disagree with Martha when she says there will be resurrection and the end times goal Martha that's just a folktale is a reality to that and any church any organization any denomination that takes away from the reality of the resurrection is in serious biblical error but there are some that say that. See, this is incredible. When I don't know if you really stop to think about this because you know there's a lot of things in this life that we wonder about that we think about. There's a lot of really smart people in the world. They sit around and they think about things and you know what's an amazing fact is that some of the things that are really really important. They don't know they don't understand, but many of us this morning. We actually know now in that amazing God has revealed a debate we know the things that some of the greatest minds in the world are still trying to figure I mean you know they're there studying Mr. study and that the question of what happens when we die we know what happens when we die their still to figure that out what happened.

I don't know you went somewhere when a juror when he left you for a reason. There's nobody home anymore but not sure where he lives.

Now we know that we know because the Bible tells us this is you can't go well. I believe that part don't believe that. Partly this partly no teeth. Jesus right here. He's very upfront in the his work on the resurrection life. He who believes in me will never die deeply. So he asked he asked the question he asked her, then he's asking us this morning. But not only did we get these answers, but we get huge cancer in what is this life all about. What is this life all about.

Some people some very intelligent people some very loving people go through this life and they have no idea what this life is about. And yet somehow God has seen fit to tell us that amazing. I mean that something to be excited about that. We actually you know we know something we we know something that a lot of people Don't yet know. Don't be anything and don't be like that.

I mean this is we want to tell other people we want to tell other people's life after death. What's life all about what happens when we die. Hey, I know I'll tell you I tell you, there's opportunities all around us the moment we move out of this earthly body we move into our heavenly body to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord is what Paul tells us in Corinthians, the reality of what Jesus was saying is so amazing, so far, and its implication that it should change everything about us.

This changes everything. Though you die you'll live mean that really changes that changes everything. It should radically change our lives.

And you know what people that reduced Christianity to a list of do's and don'ts, and they're missing the point. This this is this just doesn't affect. Perhaps your language or perhaps which movie you select or something like that. This changes everything.

That's the life lesson here believing in Jesus changes everything. I am to stop this is so radical that believing in Jesus changes everything because you know Jesus as you know it you'll never not you'll never die what'd he mean by that he meant you won't stay dead when you die. Now that's an amazing thing will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown about want to commit to pray for some listeners in the state of Idaho. Specifically, the city Cascade, Clarkston, Gainesville, kitchen Martha Singh in Boise call in Moscow, we thank you for everyone listening today will we pray that you would encourage them. Remind them how much you love them. Lord, if there is some listening today have them put their trust in you. We pray that today will be the day they would say yes to allowing you to forgive them of their sins, and that they would say yes. The following you on all their heart, all your soul and all their strength and we pray that you get them plugged into a Bible teaching Bible believing church. Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Notice what he says that pre-requisite or the requirement for this is in verse 26 and whoever is mostly good shall never die. That way, says no. He who goes to church more than any dozen will never die. Is that what he said no. So people they going to church. Make Christian right, it is a work doesn't work if that's true then you're just going to McDonald's makes a big Mac right me well as a Christian looking weirdo is pretty cool now known of the believes in me shall never die. We get confused. All families obliterated this message, kindly mean, I grew up in church and that was basically the message I got you better be good because your good needs outweigh your bad boy you want to talk about a frustrating way to live hope in your good outweighs your bad when you come across Scripture. It's as well be broken in one place broken them all over. That's encouraging what I'm trying to get my good outweigh my best to understand most of us live part of our lives are sadly some people of all, it's like there's a scale there's 100 pound lead weight on one side and we think by putting feathers over here to balance the scale out as I go to work.

I mean, it makes it tougher that there's like a breeze blowing server for further success like to go. I am just you know much, just keep that one point, these feathers wait on you know it and we and we do, and it's on biblical Jesus came to wake us out of that slumber thinking are good, can outweigh. Or perhaps he walks in and he's the only one that can do it.

He walks up to the scale and says we take the weight off while and then he gives us a new start with the cost. Was it like one third of everything you'll make you like from now to the time you dock a Leica you know's income tax or something to go to bed so you can get energy comfort like your firstborn or for you know maybe a body part we got cut off your hand is like Matthews, it's you know that okay now you get 11 no no you have to believe in all, it can't be that simple. All you it's just that simple. God probably knew that we would complicate it far more than it is.

And guess what we have, even in light of scriptures like Ephesians 2 witnesses for work.

Grace are ye saved through faith is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.

Is the gift of God is the gift that perhaps is waiting on some of you.

Some of us have open that some of us have not.

So if we believe this changes everything, because we believe Jesus will follow Jesus and were following Jesus. We should believe Jesus and it should affect every area of our life. It gets strange because people have these academic discussions about well, you know, can you believe him and not following. I don't know. I know that in my life.

My belief has caused me to follow him and everything is changed everything is different. I look at everything different. I look at life different.

I look at death different. I look at people different look at time different this changes everything. Verse 27 she said to him.

Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who is to come into the world. Martha hits a home run want you to notice how much she changed in just a couple versus me she was going to pay.

Ask God for something in and blame in Jesus for supper and in just a few versus what she saying what she's calling Christ know now you may be confusing.

Think I was just calling Christ because that was his name. That was not his name. His name was Jesus or yes you in the Hebrew the English word of that is Joshua Betsy Christ, the name Christ comes from the Greek word Christos or anointed one.

It was not an name. It was a title. It was a title reserve for the one that God was sending into the world to save his people from their sins it, it's the Greek word for the Hebrew word machine where we get our word Messiah.

Those words are very some of she saying your ears. Messiah, you're the one God bless Martha. Even in the midst of her trial and her pain she's going to see this and say you know what you're the Christ. You are the one that little blue background information before we continue. Luke chapter 10 verse 38, tells the story of Mary and Martha, this is not happen as they went, that he entered a certain village and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sisters left me to serve alone. Therefore, tell her to help me and Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you were worried and troubled about many things but one thing is needed and Mary's chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her noticed Jesus didn't slam Martha. He simply reminded her of the most important thing and I think there's kind of a, there's kind of a tendency of many of us are Martha's and many of us are Mary's.

I think it's fair to say that. Be sure you act like Mary. Sometimes maybe perhaps at times you should be doing, like Martha, I am not getting in this teaching because affect units and lieutenants loving and John. But to give us the outcome of the background of the sisters now. In that moment, she said in her Lord, don't you care. At least she didn't come out without one. You know Martha when she came out to me just make Jesus you don't care seem to be a common thing people accuse them of you don't care what the disciples said when they were in the boat and the seizure get rocky don't you care were drowning. You see the irony in Jesus. Don't you care what was he here for because he cared God so loved the world, and yet people that we read about in this book turn to them.

So don't you don't you care. Let's be honest, make a little more personal. Probably everyone of us is done or don't you care.

Don't you see Lord that I'm in this situation, don't you care that I'm hurt and don't you care that this person's diner.

This is person sick. Don't you care Lord. All he cares loved when he cares more than you can imagine.

He cares more than you about their situations. Remember the Lord cares and he knows verse 28 and when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister saying the teachers, and is calling for you, and soon she heard that, she arose quickly and came to them, not Jesus is not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met him unanimously, and we and a mention is the Martha change so abruptly that she what what changed Martha she was in the presence of Jesus, that changes things that being in the presence of Jesus changes things to. That's one of things that happens here, I guess you're aware of it but you know you come in here and sometimes I see people coming here heavy and burdened, and and they come in here and they start worshiping in the presence of the Lord is in the worship and the word is proclaimed in a Selectman. They look like new people.

After the service. What is it been in the presence of Jesus when you're in the presence of Jesus, it changes you. Something is different. Maybe your friends maybe your family have even recognized something different because you been in the presence of Jesus, you changed your different your different but perhaps they've not been in the presence of Jesus. Perhaps they haven't changed. Perhaps Lauren wants to have you been used to show the how he can make a difference in somebody's life friend.

You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous is a congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out also.

Thank you so much for DA before we go. What are some ways that bless our listeners days you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day in the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God