Today we are continuing to study the book of John.    The book of John answers two questions.    It tells us who Jesus is.  It tells us what Jesus does.    We have already read that Jesus raises the dead.    We saw this in chapter 5.   This chapter reminds us of that.    It also tells a lot about trusting God, even when we are in pain.    

This is today’s structure.    There are three points.   All of the points begin with P.   There is one thing to do: believe.     The three points are Jesus’ plan, Jesus’ passion, and Jesus’ power.     We’ll look carefully at these, as they all interconnected.   

Jesus has a plan for Mary, Martha and Lazarus.     This is definitely not their plan.   The women send a message to Jesus.   This message probably takes two days to reach Jesus.     They say ‘The one you love is sick.’   Their plan is clearly that Jesus will heal Lazarus.    The women love their brother.    They are also probably financially dependent on him.   But Jesus will not heal Lazarus.    He has much bigger plans.      This plan, though, contains pain.      Jesus’ goal in your life is to build faith.    Your faith is your connection to eternity.   Your health is not your connection to eternity.     Your bank balance is not your connection to eternity.   Your friends are not your connection to eternity.  Jesus, and only Jesus is your connection to eternity.   Your faith holds onto Jesus.    When your faith grows, so does your connection to Jesus.    Jesus has a plan to grow your faith.   You might feel pain.  You might want God to take that pain away.  One day he will remove it.    But his plan is to grow your faith.    

How does God work through painful situations in our lives?   Have you experienced this?

Jesus cares deeply about you.    He is full of compassion for you.     He knows that you are sometimes in pain.  He has a plan for you, but he is not indifferent to your pain.   The Greek words here are interesting.    Here is says ‘deeply moved’.    The word is closer to ‘angry’.  Jesus is angry at what death has done to this world.    Jesus is angry at the effect of sin.  The Greek word for ‘he wept’ is also interesting.  It speaks of deep emotion.   The tears come from deep inside the heart.    Jesus is with you in your pain.    

Jesus has power.   The plan is for you to see his power.    The great plan is to remove the veil of death from this world.    He will raise you at the day of resurrection.    Jesus is working in this world now. Jesus is still healing.  He is still answering prayer.    Jesus has authority.    Authority means the right to act, and the right to command.   Power means the ability to change the world.   Jesus has power and authority.   Religion could not bring Lazarus out of the tomb.   Rituals, good habits, and tradition could not resurrect Lazarus.   Only the power of God could do that.    What do you trust in? 

Where do you want to see God’s power at work now?

Plan – Passion - Power

We go back to Jesus’ meeting with Martha.     We know the end of the story.  She did not.    Jesus is still the resurrection and the life.    He will bring the back from their tombs.    Do you believe this?    If you do, then all the troubles of this life will seem unimportant in comparison.    You will see beyond the worries and cares of this life.  You will see the day when Jesus will raise you from the dead.   You will lay your life as tribute at his feet.  You will offer him your money, your effort, your time and your heart.   Do you believe this?