John #19

Suffering and God’s Glory
John 11:1- 44
November 15, 2009
Pastor Ben Fleming

Turn in your bible to John chp 11. Men are always seeking an explanation for suffering – they want to know why and what or who caused it. They look backward for a connection between prior sin and present suffering – you have done and I have done it. But if we believe the bible – the bible looks forward in hope and seeks explanations not in the cause of the suffering but in the results suffering. We skipped John 9 about the man born blind and when Jesus was asked who sinned – Jesus said – “this has happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Jesus did not blame anyone. He knew that suffering can do many things in a believers life – it can burn out un holiness and purify us and it can also burn in the promises of God and lead us to a stronger….. and a closer dependence upon him which displays the work of God in our lives. We are going to read a story that John tells in this gospel where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. John 11: 1 - 44 Please stay seated….

Expound : Jesus is on the other side of the Jordan river – Mary and Martha were in their home at Bethany which is just 2 miles outside of Jerusalem and their brother Lazarus was ill and the sisters sent a message to Jesus – “he whom you love is ill”. Jesus was across the Jordan River where John the Baptist started baptizing people. When Jesus heard the words – he said, “this illness does not lead to death” – he was talking about the final death but for those who heard him – Jesus said – “this illness is for the glory of god, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” In chp 9 – Jesus said to the disciples about the man born blind – “it was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

That may not mean much to you – but it does with me even now as I remember thinking – “God what did my son and daughter in law do to deserve what they have gone through” – we often want to know why and we want to find some reason for what is happening to us or to someone else. We have a victim mindset and that causes us to have an urge to blame something or someone – and especially God. If you look at verse 5 – 6 – I think it sounds odd --- it says that “Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus but the text says he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” --- I do not know about you but my thoughts are that when you hear someone close to you is on their death bed – you go and you go right away – but not Jesus – no Jesus trusted God and he knew that God was in control – he knew God’s timing and that whatever happened to Lazarus – God was going to be glorified. I think about why Jesus did not high tale it back to Bethany but I also ponder “what did he do for those two days that he delayed?” --- you know he did not waste the time and you know that Lazarus was still on his mind. I think back to the point that Dr Null tried to drive home to us --- “make the most of the moment”. Even though the bible does not tell us what he did – Jesus made the most of those two days………….

He knew that Mary and Martha were suffering as they saw their brother dying – most likely Lazarus died as the messenger was bringing the news to Jesus. Jesus finally says to his men – “let’s go back to Judea” and on the way – Jesus says that Lazarus has died. He knew that because he was omniscience or all knowing. When Jesus got back to Bethany (verse 17) tells us that he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for 4 days. There is no doubt that Lazarus was dead – Mary and Martha were not the only witnesses to his death. Martha – comes out to greet Jesus and says “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” And then she shows her faith and says – “but I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” – Jesus says to her – “your brother will rise again” and Martha is simply thinking – yes I know he will rise again on the last day – and then Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die – will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

Jesus was talking about eternal life – a believer in Christ will never experience eternal death… and then Martha says – “yes Lord” – I believe that you are the Christ – the Son of God.” John writes down for us that Martha then turned around and went to get her sister Mary and said to her in private – “the teacher is here and calling for you” – (is there a lot here that we can learn from Jesus in how to minister to people who are grieving?) Comments… Dick --- Terry Mary got up and went to Jesus and said – “if you had been here my brother would not have died” – (second time a woman says this to Jesus) - Jesus did not tell here off or correct her --- Comments… Jesus saw her weeping and those around her and he was moved in his emotions – he did not rebuke her or give any nice spiritual comments – he asked where they had placed Lazarus (his focus was on the one the people were grieving over) and then it says Jesus wept…… We see the human side of Jesus in suffering and we see the supernatural side of Jesus in suffering. Remember when you suffer with others --- often it is not words they need but your presence and your tears. There is not a person here this morning who cannot give their presence to another person who is suffering. Stop using the excuse – “I do not know what to say.” My son said – that was the most common comment he got from good meaning Christians. Comment…..

Jesus comes to the tomb and gives the command – “take away the stone” and Mary the sister says – “Lord – he has been dead four days” – “there will be an odor” – and Jesus says – “did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God.” They rolled the stone away and Jesus prays out loud – he did so not for himself but for the people around him so that they may believe ---- Comment on praying out loud with others….

John records that “Jesus cried out with a loud voice – Lazarus come out.” Augustine says that Jesus had to call out Lazarus by name for if he had not – all the dead would have come out of their graves.”

Jesus did not say one careless word during his time on this earth and the apostle John made certain to record for us the right words of Jesus. Lazarus comes out of the tomb wrapped in the grave clothes – what was physically dead was now physically alive. --- THINK ABOUT IT: Jesus almost always had large crowds around him – so you know that at the minimum 50 – 100 people witnessed this miracle. Notice what verse 45 says – “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him.” Jesus brought glory to God by what He did.

Suffering comes in many forms. It is not just the death of a loved one like Lazarus but suffering can be short and suffering can be life long – Brady – you know that. Suffering can be an accident like a broken hip – suffering can be cancer or a tumor or a birth defect. Suffering can be the loosing of our sight or hearing – Suffering can be a loss --- loss of a loved one --- loss of a job ---- loss of a marriage ----- loss of a friendship. Suffering can be lonliness ----- it can be a bad relationship or no good relationships – suffering can be a result of bad decisions that we make and we cannot get out of the consequences they bring upon us. You would be surprised at the number of Christians who suffering from STD’s. It does not matter what it is – the point we are looking at today --- for the believer… suffering is to bring glory to God. We have the choice in how we participate in the suffering that we go through. TAKE THE PAPER AND READ IT……….

Story: Phillip Yancey writes, Doug had gone through 12 years of schooling – a highly trained professional who was offered a job paying $200,000 a year, he turned the job down to take his wife Julie and three kids into the inner city and join a ministry to the poor. Doug and Julie thrived in this inner city setting – they saw many come to faith in Christ and they were very active in their inner city church. 39 year old Julie discovered a lump in her breast – doctors removed it but two years later cancer had spread to her lungs. Doug took over many of the household chores –while his wife battled chemo. She could not hold down food – she lost her hair and she battled fear and depression. One night, Doug was driving down the street with his wife and 12 year old daughter Joy. A drunk driver swerved across the center line and smashed head on into their car. Julie was badly shaken, but unhurt. Joy had a broken arm but Doug was the worst with a massive blow to the head. After the accident – Doug never knew when a headache would strike – he would become disoriented and forgetful. Worse – the accident permanently affected his vision. He developed double vision – he could barely walk down stairs without assistance. Doug learned to cope with his disabilities but one – he could not read more than a page or two at a time. All his life – Doug loved books. Now he was restricted to the limited selections and the sluggish pace of recorded books. When Doug ate – it required great concentration and care. When Doug was asked – What have you learned that might help someone going through a difficult time of suffering in their life. He said, “First off, I really have not been disappointed with God, I have learned first through my wife’s illness and then my accident --- not to confuse God with life.

I am not a stoic or a fatalist – I am upset at my accident and I feel free to curse the unfairness of life and to vent all my anger and grief --- but I believe God feels the same way I do about my wife and the accident --- grieved and angry --- I do not blame God for what happened.

I have learned to see beyond the physical reality in this world to the spiritual reality. We tend to think life should be fair because God is fair. But God is not life --- by expecting constant good health – for example – then I set myself up for crashing disappointment.

God’s existence, even his love for me, does not depend upon my good health. Frankly, I’ve had more time and opportunity to work on my relationship with God during my impairment than before.” ------my son gave me this story…… we can choose to bring glory to God and pursue that glory just like Doug did even if our suffering is never as severe as his. ---------- lay the paper down and pick another one……..

Story: Nine year old Allison wrote these words during the time of her younger brother Christopher’s brain tumor: “As life goes by some things change but others seem just to stay. I’ve always known that he is with me but now I know He sees right through me. I feel as though I’ve been cheated one whole year – and no chance to complete it. Some people say that life is fair through from my experience I feel as though God does not care. I used to wonder if my life would break, when the next sob I would take. When I lie alone in bed, the place for where I rest my head. I see the stars and moon above and that is when I know I’m loved. ------
Some believers suffer through different challenges. Story: Wendy is a sincere – intelligent Christian woman who has know the Lord Jesus for many years. She is a housewife and mother – she graduated first in her class from nursing school and is considered extremely capable and dependable in the hospital setting. For several years – she had been struggling with deep depression – not spiritual or intellectual – but linked to her inability to experientially know the love of God because the love she had known as a child was so conditional. She writes these words: “Looking back, trying to find an answer, grabs at the inner deep feelings and emotions, wrenches like a cut of a sharp object into a very tender area; sharp, stinging, then dull and aching. It is choking me, cutting off my air supply, I have a sensation of impending doom…

I hurt, yet I do not want to ask for help. I must get help; somehow I have to reach out and admit my need or end my life. I want to live, though; somehow I need permission from within myself to go on living. I know God loves me. I know I need the fullness of his love. But do I dare accept it… I am afraid to accept God’s love for fear of rejection most of all. Do I want to believe in God. Do I dare to trust Him? I don’t know. Ps. Lord, let me experience the joy of your salvation. I want to believe. Suffering comes in various forms. ----------

I pray that my family has brought and continues to bring God glory through the trials we have had with Ben and Becky. God has given us the choice in how we respond. He has given us the words to say when we did not know what to say – I can’t say that there have not been times of doubting and times of fear – but if we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit God empowers us to hear him and listen to what He is doing.

Isaiah 63:7 I will tell of the kindness and the goodness of the Lord.” Time and time again I get that chance – it is my choice if I bring glory to God in the suffering. I am reminded again of the text Dr Null took us through in 2 Peter 1:6 “…make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge and knowledge with self control and self control with steadfastness… Maybe believers do not bring glory God in their suffering because the choose to make no effort?

How Does Suffering Glorify God?

1. Suffering develops our Christian character as we exercise patience. Trials and suffering gives us opportunities to be an example of strength, courage, and dependence on God to unbelievers and believers. I have to say that I continue to learn this one. My grand daughter Charity is doing well – but she still has one kidney that is small – she has little cerebellum – she has loss or no hearing in one ear and other minor defects. I can choose to focus ahead and worry ahead and fear for my son and daughter in law.

I have passed by disabled students at the schools and wonder – but I know that God is producing patience in me. I was so encouraged to read the quote on Becky’s facebook – she is a young mother who is learning to bring glory to God in her suffering (SLIDE) “Don’t waste life with worry… focus on the moment.”

2. Suffering weans us from life’s attractions, diversions, and illusions as we focus on God for help. Suffering drives a believer to the face of God. Suffering helps to keep our hearts focused on what really matters instead of this trivial world around us.

3. Suffering reveals the flimsy grip we have on health and prosperity in this life as we realize that we must trust in God for our security.

4. Suffering intensifies our desire to be with God in eternity, where we will receive new bodies and be reunited with the loved ones who have gone before us. I think those who are suffering with life long disease reflect this point the most – Brady – you stand out for me here.

5. Suffering provides opportunities to portray how God’s timing expresses his love to us. All through the loss of Caleb and the birth and this journey with Charity that we are on – I have to say for me I have walked in a fuller side of the love God. I thought I knew God pretty well over the past 35 years but this past year has been one of the deepening of the love of God in my own life.

How Can You Bring God Glory In Suffering?

* Rejoice in your suffering, not because you like pain, but because you know God is using life’s difficulties to develop your perseverance. Ask God for the strength to deal with your suffering in every difficulty. Godly suffering is never in silence and you will never rejoice in your suffering in silence. God never designed it that way. Suffering in silence is sin --- its pride

Romans 5:3- 5 “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

* Learn from what God is teaching you in the suffering. I remember the message on Father’s Day June 15, 2008 – 5 days after my grandson died. “do not waste the lessons from the test”. Trials and suffering are a sign of God’s love for you. You bring glory to God when you learn what He is teaching you in the suffering and then live that out.

Hebrews 12:5 – 6 “…My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Vs 8 If you are left without discipline, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”

* Expect that your life is going to become more pleasing to God as a result of the suffering. If God uses the suffering to purify you – then expect that you are going to become more pleasing to God and less pleasing to sin.

1 Peter 1:6 -7 “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

------------LET US PRAY…………………….
Brady to close use

Refiners Fire