OK, our subject this evening:
What Happens When You Die?
00:00:26.76\00:00:31.01
A very important
subject. So before we begin
00:00:31.21\00:00:33.48
I invite you to bow your
heads with me for an added word
00:00:33.68\00:00:36.50
of prayer.
Loving Father in heaven,
00:00:36.53\00:00:39.21
as we contemplate a question
which all of us must contemplate
00:00:39.41\00:00:43.70
as we live in a world
which is filled with death,
00:00:43.90\00:00:46.96
we pray, Lord, that You
will help us to find the answer
00:00:47.16\00:00:49.97
in Holy Scripture. May You
bring to us comfort tonight
00:00:50.17\00:00:53.31
because You are
the God of all comfort.
00:00:53.51\00:00:55.65
And send Your Spirit to us now
we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:00:55.85\00:00:59.79
Are you afraid to die?
00:01:01.00\00:01:04.17
Statistics tell
us that every hour
00:01:04.47\00:01:08.02
5,417 people die.
00:01:08.22\00:01:12.02
Which means by the time
we leave the church tonight
00:01:12.22\00:01:15.34
there will be 5,417 families
00:01:15.54\00:01:19.42
now contemplating the
painful task of having to bury
00:01:19.62\00:01:23.20
a loved one. And of
course, living in a world
00:01:23.30\00:01:25.79
where we have so many
natural disasters and wars
00:01:25.99\00:01:29.05
I'm pretty sure that that number
is probably quite conservative.
00:01:29.25\00:01:32.87
Cemeteries are filled
with lonely markers that read
00:01:33.07\00:01:36.43
"Gone too young too soon. "
00:01:36.63\00:01:39.03
But what does it
feel like to die?
00:01:39.23\00:01:41.39
And, of course, when
death comes well what next?
00:01:41.59\00:01:45.43
Every religion on
the face of this planet
00:01:45.63\00:01:48.24
has struggled to find the
answer to this very question
00:01:48.44\00:01:51.47
and surprisingly nearly
all of them have stumbled short
00:01:51.67\00:01:55.68
of the truth. And
friends, without the truth
00:01:55.88\00:01:59.20
then fear is our default.
00:01:59.40\00:02:01.62
And nothing buries
faith faster than fear.
00:02:01.82\00:02:05.70
Life is hard, let's face it,
00:02:05.90\00:02:07.73
because nobody
makes it out alive.
00:02:07.93\00:02:10.19
To be or not to be? I
think it's a trick question.
00:02:10.39\00:02:13.63
Because it doesn't matter
who you are, where you are,
00:02:13.83\00:02:17.37
what you do in this
world. You could be the world's
00:02:17.57\00:02:19.59
greatest athlete or the
world's greatest musician,
00:02:19.79\00:02:22.61
the end to the road
that we travel in this life
00:02:22.81\00:02:26.31
always has a dead end.
00:02:26.51\00:02:28.90
And truly if life were a novel
00:02:29.10\00:02:31.72
then dead would mark the
end of the first chapter.
00:02:31.92\00:02:35.23
And so tonight we
want to answer the question
00:02:35.43\00:02:38.55
what happens in chapter 2?
00:02:38.75\00:02:41.19
And once upon a long time
ago, Jesus told us the answer
00:02:41.39\00:02:45.35
and I think you will
find it very exciting.
00:02:45.55\00:02:48.24
I know that's surprising,
but I do think you will.
00:02:48.44\00:02:50.50
So we go to the
story... our story tonight...
00:02:50.70\00:02:54.06
in John chapter
11 verses 1 to 3.
00:02:54.16\00:02:57.13
And actually if you do have
your Bibles, you're very welcome
00:02:57.34\00:03:00.12
to follow along in them
because it's a story tonight.
00:03:00.22\00:03:02.83
We can step
through it as we go along.
00:03:03.03\00:03:05.82
The Bible says:
00:03:06.02\00:03:07.55
Now friends, while
Jesus was on this earth
00:03:30.42\00:03:32.91
it is true that there
were many people who loved Him
00:03:33.11\00:03:36.02
and followed Him,
but it is also true
00:03:36.15\00:03:38.75
that there were
many people who hated Him
00:03:38.85\00:03:41.50
and despised His very shadow.
00:03:41.61\00:03:44.26
And surprisingly, most of
those people were religious.
00:03:44.46\00:03:48.00
But there was one family
on the face of this planet
00:03:48.20\00:03:51.55
in whom Jesus found true
friendship and companionship...
00:03:51.75\00:03:55.62
and it was this
family right here in Bethany.
00:03:55.82\00:03:58.61
Whenever He was
passing through Bethany
00:03:58.81\00:04:00.92
He never got on the
Internet and looked up a motel
00:04:01.12\00:04:04.03
because there was
always a room waiting for Him
00:04:04.23\00:04:07.01
in the home of these three.
00:04:07.21\00:04:09.97
But friends, one day a
cloud came over that home.
00:04:10.17\00:04:14.09
A cloud with which too many
of us are all too familiar with.
00:04:14.29\00:04:18.09
Because Lazarus - whose
name means "without help" -
00:04:18.29\00:04:21.98
one day he grew very sick
00:04:22.18\00:04:24.14
and when he did,
Jesus was not in town.
00:04:24.34\00:04:27.81
Things did not look good.
But Mary and Martha... they
00:04:28.01\00:04:31.33
tried their best to nurse their
brother back to full health
00:04:31.43\00:04:35.56
and strength... but
nothing seemed to work.
00:04:35.66\00:04:38.31
And so they thought: "Well,
we'll just send word to Jesus"
00:04:38.51\00:04:41.51
because they knew that it
was no problem for Jesus to heal
00:04:41.61\00:04:45.15
anybody. I mean, He had
given sight to a blind man.
00:04:45.25\00:04:49.38
He could heal a crippled woman.
00:04:49.58\00:04:52.64
Um, they had even
heard the story of how Jesus
00:04:52.84\00:04:56.23
had healed the
Centurion's servant...
00:04:56.44\00:04:58.63
and He had done
that long distance.
00:04:58.83\00:05:01.40
And so they knew that it
would be no problem for Jesus
00:05:01.60\00:05:04.84
to help them in
their time of need.
00:05:05.04\00:05:07.43
And friends, if they had
had mobile phones back then
00:05:07.63\00:05:11.40
then this was the
message - the SMS text message -
00:05:11.60\00:05:15.12
they would have sent to
the Lord. They would have said:
00:05:15.15\00:05:17.77
There was no need to
put a name to that message
00:05:22.38\00:05:25.24
because they knew that
Jesus would know who they were
00:05:25.44\00:05:28.53
talking about.
How do I know that?
00:05:28.63\00:05:30.66
Because notice verse 5 it says:
00:05:30.77\00:05:32.47
And friends, I wish you
would just ponder those words
00:05:38.73\00:05:41.64
for just a moment
00:05:41.84\00:05:42.94
because this means
that those who love Jesus -
00:05:43.14\00:05:46.02
those whom He loves - they
do get sick and they do die.
00:05:46.22\00:05:51.59
And that means that
should the day come where
00:05:51.79\00:05:54.21
either... any one of us here
in this room... should the day
00:05:54.32\00:05:57.30
come when we would be
found in an examination room
00:05:57.40\00:06:00.11
and the doctor comes in and
says: "Listen, I have bad news
00:06:00.31\00:06:03.21
for you... you have some
terminal disease or illness, "
00:06:03.31\00:06:06.37
it doesn't matter what it is.
You're sick and you're dying.
00:06:06.57\00:06:10.12
But friends, when that
time comes, remember the words
00:06:10.32\00:06:14.03
of Jesus. Remember the
message that they sent to Jesus.
00:06:14.23\00:06:18.54
Remember that Jesus
loves you just as much
00:06:18.74\00:06:22.34
as He loved Lazarus.
00:06:22.44\00:06:24.86
Verse 6... the Bible says:
00:06:25.07\00:06:28.54
Now this is
absolutely remarkable to me,
00:06:37.34\00:06:40.32
because what does Jesus do when
He hears that His best friend
00:06:40.52\00:06:45.02
is sick and dying?
00:06:45.12\00:06:47.48
He does absolutely
nothing for two whole days.
00:06:47.88\00:06:52.67
And in fact,
times keeps going on.
00:06:52.80\00:06:55.10
And how Mary and
Martha must have waited...
00:06:55.20\00:06:59.17
and still Jesus didn't
come and Lazarus grew worse.
00:06:59.37\00:07:04.76
And so they waited some more
and they prayed some more...
00:07:04.96\00:07:08.70
and still Jesus didn't come.
00:07:08.90\00:07:11.53
So they prayed some
more, they waited some more,
00:07:11.73\00:07:14.38
and perhaps they
even fasted some more...
00:07:14.58\00:07:17.38
but still there
was no sign of Jesus.
00:07:17.58\00:07:20.13
And then the unthinkable
happened: Lazarus died.
00:07:20.33\00:07:24.90
Still no sign of Jesus.
00:07:25.10\00:07:28.56
Mary and Martha were crushed.
00:07:28.76\00:07:31.06
Because a million
deaths is always a statistic
00:07:31.27\00:07:34.45
but a single death
is always a tragedy.
00:07:34.65\00:07:37.40
They thought they
could count on Jesus.
00:07:37.60\00:07:39.72
They thought they knew Jesus.
00:07:39.93\00:07:42.65
They thought He
could do anything!
00:07:42.85\00:07:45.35
He had never let
them down before, and yet
00:07:45.55\00:07:49.03
here He was... He
hadn't come to help them.
00:07:49.23\00:07:51.36
Hadn't... hadn't even
lifted a finger to help them.
00:07:51.56\00:07:54.77
Even the disciples were
puzzled by Jesus' delay.
00:07:54.97\00:07:57.66
Why didn't He go and
help the ones whom He loved?
00:07:57.87\00:08:00.98
And so the Bible goes
on and notice what happens
00:08:01.19\00:08:03.74
in verses 11 to
15. The Bible says:
00:08:03.85\00:08:07.68
And I wish you would hit
the pause button right here
00:08:39.85\00:08:43.73
because Jesus has just said
something absolutely remarkable.
00:08:43.93\00:08:47.44
Did you catch
what Jesus calls death?
00:08:47.64\00:08:50.30
He calls it a sleep.
00:08:50.50\00:08:54.04
Friends, you read the
Bible from cover to cover
00:08:54.24\00:08:57.87
and you will not find a
single instance of Jesus saying
00:08:58.07\00:09:01.76
that when you die
you go straight to heaven
00:09:01.96\00:09:04.09
or when you die you go
straight to hell or purgatory
00:09:04.29\00:09:07.22
or some other hot place.
00:09:07.42\00:09:08.59
You just don't
find it in scripture.
00:09:08.79\00:09:10.76
Jesus always taught that
when we die we go to sleep.
00:09:10.96\00:09:16.11
And believe it or not,
but the Bible compares death
00:09:16.31\00:09:19.44
to a sleep over 50 times.
00:09:19.64\00:09:22.90
Why would the Bible
do something like that?
00:09:23.10\00:09:26.30
Well, to answer this question
you and I need to go back
00:09:26.50\00:09:29.44
to the very beginning of time.
00:09:29.54\00:09:31.36
You see, when God
created this world
00:09:31.56\00:09:33.91
and the Bible
documents its creation...
00:09:34.11\00:09:37.00
The Bible doesn't just say
"In the beginning God created
00:09:37.20\00:09:40.36
the heavens and the earth"
and then just stop right there
00:09:40.56\00:09:43.88
and just keep going with -
you know - the story of Noah.
00:09:44.08\00:09:46.39
No, the Bible
actually goes step by step
00:09:46.59\00:09:49.82
through the
details of how God did it.
00:09:49.92\00:09:53.32
And we are told
through the Genesis account
00:09:53.35\00:09:55.98
that God spoke and it happened.
00:09:56.18\00:09:59.11
And David backs this up
in Psalm chapter 33 verse 9.
00:09:59.31\00:10:03.42
The Bible says:
00:10:03.62\00:10:04.73
In other words, He
said: "Let there be light"
00:10:12.39\00:10:14.70
and there was light.
00:10:14.90\00:10:16.27
He said: "Let dry
land appear, " and it did.
00:10:16.47\00:10:19.38
He did not speak and
then wait for millions of eons
00:10:19.58\00:10:23.83
for dust particles to
start conglomerating together
00:10:24.03\00:10:27.26
in a single location in order
for a mountain to suddenly,
00:10:27.36\00:10:31.10
miraculously appear
billions of years later.
00:10:31.20\00:10:33.83
No, it was instant creation.
00:10:34.03\00:10:36.38
God speaks and
worlds come into being.
00:10:36.48\00:10:39.56
But the Bible tells us that
when it came to the creation
00:10:39.76\00:10:43.07
of mankind it was
something different.
00:10:43.27\00:10:46.81
Now I used to babysit my
little 3-year-old neighbor...
00:10:47.11\00:10:51.75
nextdoor neighbor.
00:10:51.85\00:10:52.91
Her name was Chloe
and she was very adorable.
00:10:53.11\00:10:56.24
And I remember when she
first started going to preschool
00:10:56.44\00:11:00.03
all I heard about
when I went to see her
00:11:00.23\00:11:02.76
and look after her
was her day at preschool.
00:11:02.86\00:11:05.20
And it just so happened
that she was going to the same
00:11:05.41\00:11:08.62
preschool that I went
to when I was her age.
00:11:08.82\00:11:11.44
And so I said to her... I said
to her: "Chloe, you know what?
00:11:11.65\00:11:14.69
I used to go to
your preschool, too. "
00:11:14.89\00:11:16.83
And she looked
at me and she said:
00:11:17.04\00:11:18.95
"Well where was I? Was I there
when you were at my preschool? "
00:11:19.15\00:11:22.95
And I said: "No, Chloe.
You weren't even born yet.
00:11:23.15\00:11:26.86
You weren't around. "
00:11:27.06\00:11:28.19
She couldn't understand it.
She says: "Well where was I? "
00:11:28.39\00:11:30.86
And I said: "Chloe,
you weren't born yet. "
00:11:31.16\00:11:34.38
And she was puzzled,
and she thought for a moment
00:11:34.58\00:11:37.16
and then looked up
at me and she said:
00:11:37.36\00:11:38.77
"Was I all mixed up in
the ingredients, Charissa? "
00:11:38.97\00:11:41.68
And I had to laugh. And
friends, in the same way
00:11:43.11\00:11:46.02
as we look here in the book
of Genesis the Bible actually
00:11:46.22\00:11:49.74
tells us the ingredients
that God used to make life...
00:11:49.84\00:11:53.70
to make human beings.
Notice what the Bible says
00:11:53.90\00:11:56.59
in Genesis
chapter 2 and verse 7:
00:11:56.80\00:11:59.85
Now according to
the verse we just read
00:12:12.38\00:12:15.32
there are two ingredients that
God used to make human beings:
00:12:15.52\00:12:19.76
the dust of the ground
plus the breath of life.
00:12:19.96\00:12:22.83
And of course if we
express these two ingredients
00:12:23.03\00:12:25.93
in a mathematical formula
00:12:26.13\00:12:28.13
we could put them in an
equation that looks like this:
00:12:28.27\00:12:31.12
We could also
express it this way:
00:12:36.29\00:12:38.41
In other words, life cannot
exist without the breath of life
00:12:44.74\00:12:49.33
and consciousness depends
entirely upon the union of
00:12:49.53\00:12:54.29
body and breath.
00:12:54.39\00:12:56.43
And I'll have you notice,
too, that here in the verse
00:12:56.63\00:12:59.61
Genesis 2 and verse 7 the
Bible doesn't say: "And God
00:12:59.81\00:13:03.74
gave Adam a soul...
" The Bible says that
00:13:03.94\00:13:07.19
Adam became a soul. In other
words, you and I ARE souls.
00:13:07.39\00:13:12.68
And so this is the
formula that we have for life.
00:13:12.88\00:13:16.54
Then it follows that the
formula for death is just simply
00:13:16.75\00:13:20.84
the reverse of this
one. So we would have:
00:13:21.04\00:13:23.61
We can express the
same thing differently:
00:13:28.67\00:13:31.00
Does the Bible
support what we deduced here
00:13:37.79\00:13:41.04
from Genesis chapter 2
and verse 7? Yes it does.
00:13:41.25\00:13:44.57
Notice what Ecclesiastes
12 and verse 7 says:
00:13:44.77\00:13:47.90
Now according to
this text when one dies
00:13:56.49\00:13:59.88
the body just decomposes.
We turn back to the ground
00:14:00.08\00:14:03.27
and the breath
returns back to God.
00:14:03.47\00:14:06.32
And this happens to individuals
whether they are righteous
00:14:06.52\00:14:10.07
or wicked, saved or lost.
00:14:10.28\00:14:12.72
This is why Ezekiel says:
00:14:12.92\00:14:15.42
OK, the Bible just
says that souls do die.
00:14:22.91\00:14:26.53
Now many people in our world
today live under the impression
00:14:26.63\00:14:30.66
that when they die there
is this soul that's in their
00:14:30.86\00:14:35.01
innermost being and it
just continues to keep on living
00:14:35.21\00:14:39.25
and living. And
perhaps, you know, it may...
00:14:39.35\00:14:41.84
it leads to reincarnation
and things like this.
00:14:42.04\00:14:45.57
But friends, according
to the Bible souls do die.
00:14:45.77\00:14:50.47
And in fact, never is the
word immortality mentioned
00:14:50.67\00:14:54.76
in conjunction
with a human soul.
00:14:54.96\00:14:56.90
The Bible mentions immortality
00:14:57.10\00:14:58.91
but listen to who it
ascribes it. It says:
00:14:59.01\00:15:02.07
God, according to the
Bible, is the only One
00:15:11.35\00:15:14.96
who has immortality.
00:15:15.16\00:15:17.17
So then does this mean that
good people don't go straight
00:15:17.37\00:15:21.17
to heaven when they die and
bad people don't go straight
00:15:21.37\00:15:25.26
to hell? Well keep
reading what the Bible says.
00:15:25.36\00:15:28.02
In the book of Acts chapter
2 verse 29 we go to the sermon
00:15:28.22\00:15:33.53
that Peter preached on the
Day of Pentecost. And he said:
00:15:33.73\00:15:36.84
He didn't say anything
about David going to heaven
00:15:47.93\00:15:51.07
right there. Again,
Ecclesiastes chapter 9
00:15:51.27\00:15:54.27
verses 5 and 6:
00:15:54.47\00:15:56.19
Friends, the
Bible is very clear.
00:16:15.46\00:16:18.03
You remember Hogan's Heroes
and Schultz? He always says:
00:16:23.83\00:16:27.10
"I know
nothing... I know nothing? "
00:16:27.20\00:16:29.17
He's behaving like a dead man.
00:16:29.37\00:16:31.14
Friends, the Bible
says we don't know anything
00:16:31.34\00:16:33.88
when we die. Why?
Because we're asleep.
00:16:33.98\00:16:37.58
That's why. That's what
the Bible teaches right the way
00:16:37.78\00:16:41.39
through. That's what
Jesus teaches and friends,
00:16:41.49\00:16:44.24
that's what
Peter taught as well.
00:16:44.38\00:16:45.48
Again, back to his sermon:
00:16:45.68\00:16:47.77
That seems pretty clear to me.
00:16:52.35\00:16:55.29
And that has been one of
the most Spirit-filled sermons
00:16:55.49\00:16:58.30
in all of human history.
00:16:58.40\00:16:59.87
Now it has been said that
if you want your spouse to
00:17:00.07\00:17:03.53
listen to every
single word that you say
00:17:03.63\00:17:06.08
then you should talk in
your sleep. Because when you do
00:17:06.28\00:17:10.99
talk in your sleep you're not
actually aware of what you are
00:17:11.09\00:17:13.79
saying. None of us are
aware really of what's going on
00:17:13.89\00:17:16.78
when we're asleep.
And I confess to you
00:17:16.98\00:17:19.48
that when I was growing up
there was this time in my life
00:17:19.68\00:17:22.72
where I was afraid of the dark.
00:17:22.92\00:17:25.34
I became afraid
that maybe in the night
00:17:25.54\00:17:27.99
some bandit would
come and take me away.
00:17:28.19\00:17:31.06
And so it got so bad
that I just couldn't sleep.
00:17:31.26\00:17:34.00
And so my dad said to
me... He said to me one night:
00:17:34.20\00:17:37.03
"Charissa, " he said,
"listen. I'm here in this house.
00:17:37.13\00:17:39.84
If anybody steps
foot in this house
00:17:40.04\00:17:42.97
look, I'll sort them
out. " Now my dad's a big man,
00:17:43.08\00:17:46.43
you know. He's a strong man.
00:17:46.56\00:17:47.91
And I knew when he said
"sort them out" it involved
00:17:48.11\00:17:50.91
some sort of physical contact.
00:17:51.01\00:17:52.76
And so I thought to myself:
00:17:52.96\00:17:55.82
"Well, if dad's going to
look out for me, then it's OK. "
00:17:56.02\00:17:58.75
So for years I slept.
00:17:58.95\00:18:01.31
I trusted in my
dad to protect me.
00:18:01.51\00:18:04.19
Then one night I had to get
up in the middle of the night
00:18:04.39\00:18:07.02
to go to the bathroom.
And on my way to the bathroom
00:18:07.22\00:18:10.38
I tripped over
something in the hallway
00:18:10.58\00:18:13.09
and this loud noise
rang throughout the house.
00:18:13.29\00:18:16.14
And I became
scared. I thought to myself:
00:18:16.34\00:18:18.89
"Oh no. Dad's going to
think that I'm someone intruding
00:18:19.09\00:18:23.10
in the house and
he's going to wake up.
00:18:23.20\00:18:25.28
And he might 'sort me out! ' "
00:18:25.39\00:18:27.28
And so I was very afraid.
I just froze and stood there
00:18:27.48\00:18:30.99
in the hallway.
And you know what?
00:18:31.09\00:18:32.87
Nothing happened
because he was asleep.
00:18:33.07\00:18:36.29
And I've since
talked to him about it,
00:18:36.49\00:18:38.74
and he said: "That's because
I knew that you weren't making
00:18:38.94\00:18:40.94
the sounds an
intruder would make. "
00:18:41.04\00:18:42.77
But really I
know he was sleeping.
00:18:42.97\00:18:45.49
And friends, when you're
asleep you miss everything!
00:18:45.70\00:18:48.53
You have no
idea what's going on.
00:18:48.73\00:18:50.45
That's what the Bible is saying.
00:18:50.65\00:18:52.15
I used to have a little
puppy dog. That's my puppy dog.
00:18:52.35\00:18:55.10
His name is Texas. And
Texas... he loved attacking
00:18:55.30\00:18:59.50
big dogs from behind the fence.
00:18:59.60\00:19:01.73
And whenever a German shepherd
walked up the side of our house
00:19:01.94\00:19:05.66
my little dog would be tearing
up and down the side of the
00:19:05.86\00:19:09.29
fence growling at
them and barking at them.
00:19:09.40\00:19:11.98
And I was so proud of
him. You know, I'd say:
00:19:12.08\00:19:14.70
"Easy boy; don't bite them. "
00:19:14.90\00:19:16.78
Because he just made
me feel very proud of him;
00:19:16.98\00:19:18.94
he was so brave.
00:19:19.04\00:19:20.20
But towards the end of his life
he started to sleep a lot more,
00:19:20.39\00:19:24.71
and he loved to sleep on
our back porch in the sun.
00:19:24.91\00:19:27.98
And I remember one day
I looked out the window
00:19:28.18\00:19:30.25
and I saw this Doberman
walking by. And I thought: "Ah,
00:19:30.45\00:19:33.21
what's Texas doing?
He would love this. "
00:19:33.41\00:19:35.79
And so I went and I saw
him and of course he missed it
00:19:35.99\00:19:38.63
because he was sound asleep.
And I said: "Texas, wake up.
00:19:38.83\00:19:41.18
Go get 'em... "
and so off he went.
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.15
But he was asleep, and he
missed everything in his sleep.
00:19:43.36\00:19:46.70
That's why in
English we have this saying:
00:19:46.90\00:19:48.90
"You're dead to the world... "
00:19:49.10\00:19:50.80
because you don't
know what's going on.
00:19:51.00\00:19:52.56
And so, friends, the
Bible says you don't go straight
00:19:52.76\00:19:56.22
to heaven when you die.
00:19:56.32\00:19:57.66
You don't go straight
to hell... you go to sleep.
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.29
And friends, there is
nothing to fear in that because
00:20:01.49\00:20:04.32
when you sleep,
according to the Bible,
00:20:04.52\00:20:06.94
when we enter death's peaceful
slumber we feel no pain,
00:20:07.14\00:20:10.89
no suffering. All of
our consciousness ceases.
00:20:11.09\00:20:14.02
We know nothing. And that's
why Psalm 15 verse 17 says:
00:20:14.22\00:20:19.13
And certainly if one did
go to heaven when they died
00:20:24.80\00:20:28.89
well you'd think that they
would be praising God up there,
00:20:29.09\00:20:31.96
wouldn't you? But this text
says they don't praise the Lord
00:20:32.06\00:20:36.00
and so that seems to be
a pretty good indication
00:20:36.11\00:20:39.08
that they don't go to heaven.
00:20:39.18\00:20:40.71
So friends, the
Bible is absolutely clear.
00:20:57.15\00:21:01.12
We know nothing; we
just... We are unconscious.
00:21:01.32\00:21:04.08
We are in an unconscious sleep.
00:21:04.28\00:21:06.40
You say: "It doesn't make sense;
we've got to go somewhere. "
00:21:06.60\00:21:08.97
Well let me illustrate.
If... supposing I had a pile
00:21:09.17\00:21:12.50
of wood and a pile of nails
00:21:12.70\00:21:15.40
and miraculously I
made a box... I built a box.
00:21:15.60\00:21:19.46
Well supposing I took the nails
out and I put them back here
00:21:19.67\00:21:23.70
and I put the wood back
here, where did the box go?
00:21:23.90\00:21:27.27
Did it go to
heaven? Did it go to hell?
00:21:27.57\00:21:30.60
Did it go to Germany?
No, it just ceases to exist.
00:21:30.80\00:21:35.27
And that is what
the Bible is saying.
00:21:35.47\00:21:37.38
And friends, for the Creator of
the universe, death is a sleep.
00:21:37.58\00:21:41.20
And I recognize that this truth
is something that many people
00:21:41.23\00:21:45.35
just fail to
miss... or they fail to see
00:21:45.56\00:21:48.90
in our society today.
00:21:49.00\00:21:50.45
Many people... they turn
to psychics and spiritualists
00:21:50.65\00:21:54.75
because they believe or
at least they want to believe
00:21:54.95\00:21:57.71
that it is still possible
to communicate with the dead
00:21:57.92\00:22:01.59
when they die. But
friends, if the Bible says that
00:22:01.79\00:22:05.20
when we die we go to sleep
00:22:05.40\00:22:07.85
and there are so many
people in our world today
00:22:08.05\00:22:10.62
who think that they are
communicating with the dead,
00:22:10.82\00:22:13.53
well then who are
they really talking to?
00:22:13.73\00:22:16.66
Well according to the Bible
- Revelation 16 and verse 14:
00:22:16.86\00:22:22.28
And friends, if the devil
can change himself into an angel
00:22:28.80\00:22:32.29
of light... If he could
hide himself and speak to Eve
00:22:32.39\00:22:37.05
through a serpent, then it is
possible for him and his demonic
00:22:37.26\00:22:41.35
hosts to play a masquerade
as loved ones who have died
00:22:41.45\00:22:46.04
as well. In fact,
they can do it so well
00:22:46.14\00:22:49.08
that they may even be able
to say things to the living
00:22:49.28\00:22:52.41
that was only known
between the living person
00:22:52.61\00:22:56.52
and their dead relative.
00:22:56.72\00:22:58.38
The Bible tells us that
Satan will work many deceptions
00:22:58.58\00:23:01.56
in the last days. And
this verse isn't on your screen
00:23:01.76\00:23:04.81
but we looked at it
last night: Matthew 24:24.
00:23:05.02\00:23:08.74
It says: "For false
Christs and false prophets
00:23:08.94\00:23:12.12
will rise and show
great signs and wonders
00:23:12.33\00:23:15.00
to deceive if
possible even the elect. "
00:23:15.20\00:23:18.72
So this is what we know
Satan is doing and will do,
00:23:19.02\00:23:23.06
but where did all
the confusion start?
00:23:23.20\00:23:25.54
Again, a lot we can learn from
going back to the very beginning
00:23:25.75\00:23:29.58
because it was actually Satan...
00:23:29.78\00:23:32.13
He was the very first one who
preached the very first sermon
00:23:32.33\00:23:36.40
on the immortality of the soul.
00:23:36.60\00:23:39.09
And he preached it to Adam
and Eve right back there in the
00:23:39.19\00:23:42.53
Garden of Eden. He said to them
in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 4
00:23:42.63\00:23:47.64
This was the very first
lie ever told to mankind.
00:23:53.52\00:23:57.94
And friends, the word
soul... it appears in the Bible
00:23:58.15\00:24:01.38
858 times but never once
is it linked with the word
00:24:01.48\00:24:06.31
immortal. The teaching
of the immortal soul is not
00:24:06.51\00:24:11.24
according to God, it is accord-
ing to Satan: the arch deceiver.
00:24:11.34\00:24:15.18
You say: "Charissa, OK.
You are making some pretty good
00:24:15.32\00:24:18.81
statements; you're making
some pretty good arguments
00:24:18.91\00:24:21.08
but I think you have overlooked
one very important detail
00:24:21.28\00:24:25.11
which will just
upset your apple cart.
00:24:25.31\00:24:27.43
You see, you have
forgotten to tell us
00:24:27.63\00:24:29.63
about the rich man and Lazarus.
Because, ah, there you go...
00:24:29.83\00:24:33.91
there's a
problem for you there. "
00:24:34.11\00:24:35.52
And I'm so glad
you reminded me of that
00:24:35.72\00:24:37.69
because we need
to ask the question:
00:24:37.89\00:24:40.21
It's in Luke chapter 16.
And yes, it is a story that
00:24:44.23\00:24:47.64
Jesus told about a rich
man who died and went to hell
00:24:47.84\00:24:52.39
and a beggar named Lazarus
who died and went to the bosom
00:24:52.59\00:24:56.69
of Abraham. And yes,
Jesus told this story...
00:24:56.80\00:25:00.58
But friends, He told it to
illustrate to His listeners
00:25:00.78\00:25:04.33
that their
"chosenness" and "religiousness"
00:25:04.36\00:25:07.52
did not secure them
a ticket to heaven...
00:25:07.72\00:25:10.72
because that's what
they were trying to do.
00:25:10.82\00:25:12.49
Because they were Jews
they were enabled to go straight
00:25:12.69\00:25:15.47
to heaven. But Jesus was saying:
"No, that's not how it is. "
00:25:15.67\00:25:18.73
And yet there are many religious
people - good many people -
00:25:18.93\00:25:22.52
who read this parable and
say: "Well, there you have it!
00:25:22.72\00:25:26.18
There's your evidence.
When you die you go to heaven
00:25:26.39\00:25:30.26
to the bosom of
Abraham or you go to hell.
00:25:30.46\00:25:32.61
But listen: if heaven
is in the bosom of Abraham
00:25:32.81\00:25:37.40
well that doesn't
really sound like heaven to me
00:25:37.60\00:25:40.22
because it sounds a lot
better in Revelation 21.
00:25:40.42\00:25:43.59
And if the people in
heaven can see the suffering
00:25:43.80\00:25:48.17
of those in hell, well
that doesn't really sound like
00:25:48.37\00:25:51.78
heaven to me either.
00:25:51.89\00:25:53.19
And so friends, the logical
conclusion that one can draw
00:25:53.39\00:25:56.82
from this is simply that
Jesus was telling a parable...
00:25:57.02\00:26:00.42
a folk story. And friends,
a parable is just an earthly
00:26:00.62\00:26:04.58
story with a heavenly meaning.
00:26:04.68\00:26:06.47
You say: "OK, well, OK. You can
talk that one away, Charissa,
00:26:06.67\00:26:10.79
but you've
forgotten someone else.
00:26:10.99\00:26:13.09
What about the
thief on the cross?
00:26:13.29\00:26:15.03
Ah, you can't run
away from this one! "
00:26:15.23\00:26:17.61
I know you're going too fast
for me, but I have an answer
00:26:17.81\00:26:21.04
for that as well.
Let's go to the Bible...
00:26:21.14\00:26:23.49
what the Bible says in
Luke chapter 23 verses 39-43.
00:26:23.69\00:26:29.30
Ah-hah! See, there it is
right there. There's your proof.
00:27:11.55\00:27:15.69
But friends, we have
forgotten about Mary.
00:27:15.89\00:27:19.06
Because do you
remember what happened
00:27:19.26\00:27:20.91
on the resurrection day?
00:27:21.11\00:27:22.85
We have to remember that.
Let's go and see what happened.
00:27:23.06\00:27:25.85
John chapter 20
verse 17 Jesus said to Mary
00:27:26.05\00:27:30.31
who met Him at
the tomb... He said:
00:27:30.51\00:27:32.55
Now we have a
problem because somebody...
00:27:47.28\00:27:51.32
or Jesus is lying to
somebody. He's either lying
00:27:51.46\00:27:54.09
to Mary or He is
lying to the thief.
00:27:54.29\00:27:57.70
And I personally don't think
that Jesus is a liar, do you?
00:27:57.90\00:28:02.20
No. So we need to sort
this out. And thankfully
00:28:02.40\00:28:05.65
a history lesson
does. Because you see,
00:28:05.85\00:28:08.63
when Luke was
writing his manuscript
00:28:08.83\00:28:11.36
the original Greek
manuscript had no commas
00:28:11.56\00:28:15.84
or word divisions. It
was just one long line
00:28:16.04\00:28:19.56
of words. And those
word divisions weren't added
00:28:19.67\00:28:22.83
until 1490 AD. And when they
were added by the translators
00:28:22.93\00:28:27.18
well they then had the
problem of deciding where
00:28:27.39\00:28:30.56
they were going
to put the comma.
00:28:30.66\00:28:32.70
And you say: "Really? And
that makes a big difference? "
00:28:32.90\00:28:35.78
Yes it does,
because let me illustrate.
00:28:35.98\00:28:38.31
Supposing we take
this line right here.
00:28:38.51\00:28:41.59
There is no punctuation.
00:28:44.12\00:28:45.48
Let's add some punctuation.
00:28:45.68\00:28:47.20
Let's move it
around just a little bit.
00:28:50.71\00:28:53.37
OK. Can you see how
the placement of a comma
00:28:56.31\00:28:59.45
can make all the difference
in determining the meaning
00:28:59.65\00:29:02.68
from something. OK?
00:29:02.88\00:29:04.52
So where are we going to put
the comma here in this story?
00:29:04.72\00:29:07.92
Well friends, I think we should
put it where the Bible really
00:29:08.12\00:29:11.08
ought to put it...
where Jesus would have put it.
00:29:11.18\00:29:13.66
He says... He says here:
00:29:13.86\00:29:15.97
He has told Mary: "I have
not yet ascended into heaven"
00:29:21.38\00:29:24.10
and so this really is the
way the text ought to read.
00:29:24.30\00:29:27.47
"Assuredly I say to you today,
00:29:27.68\00:29:30.47
you will be with
Me in paradise. "
00:29:30.67\00:29:33.89
"Today when all seems lost;
00:29:34.09\00:29:36.04
today when My hands are
nailed to the cross... "
00:29:36.24\00:29:39.29
Jesus said to that thief:
00:29:39.49\00:29:41.18
He said: "I can
still save you. "
00:29:41.38\00:29:44.41
And friends, at first
glance tonight it may seem
00:29:44.62\00:29:47.97
a little disappointing
to think that our loved ones
00:29:48.17\00:29:51.15
who we thought were up in heaven
00:29:51.36\00:29:52.91
are not really there and that
they are really in the grave
00:29:53.11\00:29:56.22
sleeping, awaiting the resurrec-
tion when Jesus comes back.
00:29:56.32\00:30:00.48
But friends, when you
think about it, it's really
00:30:00.68\00:30:03.52
kind of God to do it that way
00:30:03.62\00:30:05.39
because if they were in heaven
they would be having to watch
00:30:05.59\00:30:09.05
their families go
through hell on this earth.
00:30:09.15\00:30:12.29
And so friends, the
good news about death
00:30:12.50\00:30:15.18
is not really so
much that it's a sleep
00:30:15.38\00:30:17.95
but that it is a sleep
from which Jesus will come
00:30:18.15\00:30:20.83
and wake us up from. Amen?
00:30:20.93\00:30:23.07
And we talked about
this just the other night,
00:30:23.37\00:30:25.68
but again a little refresher.
Daniel chapter 12 verse 2:
00:30:25.88\00:30:29.60
Again in I Thessalonians
chapter 4 verses 13, 16-18:
00:30:34.98\00:30:40.82
And one more text
before we go back to our story:
00:31:14.39\00:31:17.30
Amen? Amen. The hope
of the friends of Jesus
00:31:40.06\00:31:43.21
is not the
immortality of the soul...
00:31:43.31\00:31:45.79
it is the
resurrection of the body.
00:31:45.89\00:31:48.32
Friends, Lazarus is
asleep but his story is not yet
00:31:48.52\00:31:53.25
complete. Let's go
back to the book of John.
00:31:53.35\00:31:55.73
Not only did Jesus
not get there in time
00:32:10.17\00:32:13.76
to prevent the death of Lazarus
00:32:13.96\00:32:16.06
but now He's so late
He's even missed the funeral.
00:32:16.26\00:32:19.22
For four long days Lazarus
had been lying in a cold tomb.
00:32:19.42\00:32:24.57
And the Bible goes on.
Notice verses 20 to 22:
00:32:24.77\00:32:27.83
With grief surging in her
heart and hoping that even now
00:32:48.56\00:32:54.02
Jesus could do
something to comfort her
00:32:54.22\00:32:56.74
Martha comes to Jesus and
she says what she and Mary
00:32:56.94\00:33:00.68
have been thinking all alone:
"Oh, Lord, if only You had
00:33:00.89\00:33:04.91
been here things
could have been different. "
00:33:05.01\00:33:07.65
And as those
words leave her lips
00:33:07.85\00:33:11.11
the memories flood her mind.
00:33:11.31\00:33:14.02
The horror film of the
last few days plays itself over
00:33:14.22\00:33:18.85
again in her heart and
the tears begin to flow.
00:33:18.95\00:33:22.60
I know exactly how she feels
because my little puppy dog -
00:33:22.80\00:33:27.41
that one right there,
Texas - last year he fell sick.
00:33:27.61\00:33:32.23
And when he did we
rushed him to the vet.
00:33:32.37\00:33:35.81
We tried to make
him feel better first,
00:33:36.01\00:33:38.35
but it didn't seem to work.
00:33:38.45\00:33:39.49
So we took him to
the vet one morning,
00:33:39.59\00:33:41.28
and he had been my
best friend for 11 years.
00:33:41.48\00:33:45.42
He was so faithful,
so loyal, so loving.
00:33:45.45\00:33:49.18
Every time my family and
I went out and we came home
00:33:49.38\00:33:52.62
there he would
be at the side gate.
00:33:52.82\00:33:55.38
And he'd be wagging his
tail and squealing with joy.
00:33:55.58\00:33:59.11
He made me feel like I
was the most important person
00:33:59.31\00:34:02.53
in the world. But
friends, without warning
00:34:02.73\00:34:06.87
on the 12th of March
last year Texas died.
00:34:07.07\00:34:10.64
And when he did my world just
felt like it came crashing in.
00:34:10.84\00:34:15.23
I couldn't go in the back
yard and get his bowl because
00:34:15.43\00:34:18.31
that's where he had left it.
00:34:18.51\00:34:20.03
I couldn't walk up and down
the street because it didn't
00:34:20.23\00:34:22.75
feel right because he
was supposed to be with me.
00:34:22.85\00:34:25.47
I couldn't go to the side gate
00:34:25.68\00:34:27.62
because he was
supposed to be there.
00:34:27.72\00:34:29.58
And the finality of it all...
that's what really upset me.
00:34:29.78\00:34:33.96
And friends, when I was going
through that grief at that time
00:34:34.16\00:34:37.98
these... this question...
this sentence: "If only... "
00:34:38.18\00:34:41.95
I said that to
myself so many times.
00:34:42.05\00:34:44.21
If only we had taken
him to the vet sooner.
00:34:44.42\00:34:47.55
If only I had spent more
time with him the other day
00:34:47.76\00:34:51.85
maybe things could
have been different.
00:34:52.06\00:34:54.92
And friends, that
question: "If only... "
00:34:55.13\00:34:58.33
is the cry of the human heart.
00:34:58.43\00:35:00.62
There is not a single
funeral that you will go to
00:35:00.82\00:35:03.50
where you will not hear
that cry because friends
00:35:03.60\00:35:06.99
death is an enemy. It
grabs us unexpectedly.
00:35:07.19\00:35:11.04
But friends, Jesus has good
news for Martha. He says to her:
00:35:11.24\00:35:14.86
Now friends, Jesus did not say:
"Your brother will come back
00:35:22.32\00:35:26.14
from heaven today. "
00:35:26.25\00:35:27.61
He did not say: "I will bring
your brother back from hell. "
00:35:27.81\00:35:30.60
Because, you know, if
Jesus was going to say that -
00:35:30.80\00:35:33.74
if that's where he was, in
either of those two places -
00:35:33.94\00:35:36.71
then saying something like that
would have been appropriate.
00:35:36.91\00:35:40.50
And Martha says to Him:
00:35:40.70\00:35:42.62
Friends, Martha's faith is
fragile but it is still alive.
00:35:49.99\00:35:54.86
And so for her Jesus
speaks these wonderful words
00:35:55.06\00:35:58.52
which have become immortal
because they're in the Bible:
00:35:58.72\00:36:01.54
Now when Jesus said: "I am
the resurrection and the life"
00:36:20.65\00:36:23.38
He was not making
idle conversation.
00:36:23.58\00:36:26.63
He did not say:
"I am going to be
00:36:26.83\00:36:29.33
the resurrection and the life. "
00:36:29.43\00:36:30.67
"I will think about being
the resurrection and the life. "
00:36:30.87\00:36:33.42
"I'm going to try and be
the resurrection and the life. "
00:36:33.62\00:36:36.27
He said: "I AM the
resurrection and the life. "
00:36:36.47\00:36:39.50
And that's good news,
Amen? Amen. And by the way,
00:36:39.70\00:36:42.52
if Jesus says He is the
resurrection and the life
00:36:42.72\00:36:45.72
then friends, your
eternal destiny and mine...
00:36:45.93\00:36:49.98
it all depends upon our
relationship to Jesus Christ.
00:36:50.18\00:36:54.46
Everything hinges on
whether or not you and I
00:36:54.66\00:36:57.87
believe Jesus to
be the Son of God
00:36:57.98\00:37:00.60
and the Savior of the world and
our own personal Savior as well.
00:37:00.80\00:37:05.18
The story is
told of Mrs. Einstein.
00:37:05.48\00:37:08.46
Someone once asked her
one day if she understood
00:37:08.66\00:37:12.54
the theory of relativity.
And she said: "Of course not! "
00:37:12.74\00:37:15.53
And so the interviewer
asked: "Well, how do you know
00:37:15.56\00:37:19.67
it's true then? "
00:37:19.77\00:37:20.87
She said: "Because
I know Mr. Einstein. "
00:37:21.07\00:37:23.05
And friends, we can know.
00:37:23.25\00:37:24.97
Jesus says: "I am the
resurrection and the life. "
00:37:25.17\00:37:26.99
And if you truly know Him
00:37:27.19\00:37:28.91
then it is really
true for you as well.
00:37:29.11\00:37:31.92
Notice verse 27:
00:37:32.12\00:37:34.31
Martha looked
into the eyes of Jesus
00:37:41.75\00:37:44.64
and she chose to
believe in what He said.
00:37:44.94\00:37:48.56
She did not know why
things had happened this way.
00:37:48.66\00:37:51.62
She didn't fully understand
what Jesus was calling her
00:37:51.72\00:37:54.88
to believe. But friend, Martha's
faith was not in something...
00:37:54.98\00:37:59.38
it was in someone.
00:37:59.58\00:38:00.96
And so Jesus...
Notice what happens next...
00:38:01.16\00:38:03.62
The grief of these two
sisters is absolutely raw.
00:38:15.44\00:38:19.78
And she comes... She
comes to Jesus and she asks
00:38:19.98\00:38:23.52
exactly the same question
that Martha had just asked.
00:38:23.62\00:38:26.85
But does Jesus say: "Listen,
just talk to your sister...
00:38:27.05\00:38:29.74
I've already answered that? "
00:38:29.94\00:38:31.15
No, friend.
Notice what happens next.
00:38:31.36\00:38:33.69
He doesn't rebuke her at all.
00:38:33.89\00:38:35.38
The Bible tells us
in verses 33 to 35:
00:38:35.58\00:38:38.87
Sighing heavily like a teacher
who has been trying to make
00:38:58.23\00:39:02.07
the point to his
students so many times
00:39:02.17\00:39:04.89
and they just don't get it,
00:39:05.09\00:39:06.87
they lead Jesus to
the burial site. And then
00:39:07.07\00:39:10.30
the Bible records almost
the sweetest words that I know:
00:39:10.50\00:39:14.56
"Jesus wept. "
00:39:14.76\00:39:16.89
Because friends,
sometimes we say it best
00:39:17.09\00:39:19.67
when we say nothing at all.
00:39:19.87\00:39:22.11
Do you think that
the grief and the sadness
00:39:22.31\00:39:25.23
and insanity of
death makes God happy?
00:39:25.43\00:39:28.08
No, the Bible says Jesus weeps
00:39:28.38\00:39:32.48
because there are no
words, there is no logic...
00:39:32.68\00:39:36.57
There are no Bible
verses, no pious clichés
00:39:36.77\00:39:40.05
that can take away the
pain of a grieving person.
00:39:40.25\00:39:43.41
When you are grieving,
when you are suffering grief,
00:39:43.51\00:39:46.30
you hurt. And friends, you
can't talk a person out of that,
00:39:46.50\00:39:49.70
and Jesus doesn't try.
00:39:49.90\00:39:52.16
He didn't
apologize for the delay.
00:39:52.37\00:39:55.03
He didn't make an
excuse for the delay.
00:39:55.23\00:39:58.26
He didn't try
and explain it away.
00:39:58.46\00:40:00.34
He did not try and
give a theological lecture
00:40:00.54\00:40:04.08
on suffering to explain
the reason why He delayed.
00:40:04.18\00:40:07.40
Friends, the Bible tells us He
weeps with them in their loss.
00:40:07.60\00:40:13.08
He weeps with us in our grief.
00:40:13.28\00:40:15.30
And notice verse 36:
00:40:15.40\00:40:17.28
Oh yes, see how
Jesus loved Lazarus
00:40:22.30\00:40:25.72
but see how He loves us as well.
00:40:25.92\00:40:29.60
Notice verses 38
and 39. The Bible says:
00:40:29.80\00:40:35.21
Friends, Martha's impulsive
reaction reflects our universal
00:40:54.28\00:40:59.24
approach to
problems, doesn't it?
00:40:59.34\00:41:01.14
"Oh, Lord, it's too late. "
00:41:01.34\00:41:02.61
"Oh, You can't change it.
It's too hard to change now. "
00:41:02.71\00:41:05.51
Friends, even though she had
faith her doubts were emerging
00:41:05.71\00:41:09.81
on the top. Her thoughts
were still on the corpse
00:41:09.91\00:41:13.40
and so she didn't want to
see the stone rolled away.
00:41:13.61\00:41:17.46
She wanted to
remember Lazarus as he was.
00:41:17.66\00:41:20.90
Martha believed that
it was too late for Jesus
00:41:20.93\00:41:25.76
to help her now.
00:41:25.86\00:41:27.23
But friends, she had
just totally misunderstood
00:41:27.43\00:41:30.29
what Jesus was trying to do.
00:41:30.49\00:41:32.27
Because it's a bit
like this little boy.
00:41:32.37\00:41:34.21
He got to church one morning
and he was standing in the foyer
00:41:34.41\00:41:38.80
and he was reading
this plaque just quietly.
00:41:39.00\00:41:41.85
And so the pastor saw
him. He was seven years old...
00:41:42.05\00:41:44.67
his name was John.
And he came over to Johnny
00:41:44.78\00:41:47.29
and he said: "Good morning
Johnny. How are you today? "
00:41:47.40\00:41:49.55
Said: "I'm well. " He said:
"I'm just reading this plaque. "
00:41:49.75\00:41:52.96
He said: "Yes, I can see
that. What's on your mind? "
00:41:53.16\00:41:55.28
He said: "Well, what is
this? What does it mean?
00:41:55.41\00:41:58.22
What are all these
names on the plaque? "
00:41:58.42\00:42:00.58
And the pastor said:
"Ah, those are all the names
00:42:00.78\00:42:03.35
of the men who have
died in the service. "
00:42:03.55\00:42:05.87
There was silence as
Johnny pondered this.
00:42:06.08\00:42:08.94
Then he asked the
question in almost a whisper:
00:42:09.14\00:42:12.23
"Which one? The
8:30 or the 11 o'clock? "
00:42:12.43\00:42:15.54
He had misunderstood
what the pastor had said
00:42:16.05\00:42:19.87
and he thought they were
dying in the church service
00:42:19.97\00:42:21.98
when they were
dying in the military.
00:42:22.18\00:42:24.08
And friends, like that Martha
had just totally misunderstood
00:42:24.28\00:42:27.84
what Jesus was trying to say.
00:42:28.04\00:42:29.86
Notice what happens in verse 40:
00:42:30.06\00:42:32.19
Friends, Martha had been
fighting a battle of faith
00:42:39.72\00:42:42.72
and doubt, focusing
her thoughts on the corpse
00:42:42.92\00:42:45.70
rather than on
Christ. But praise God
00:42:45.90\00:42:48.64
that when you and I
are at our very worst
00:42:48.84\00:42:51.75
in our faith Jesus is
at His very best. Amen?
00:42:51.95\00:42:55.34
Notice verses 41 and 42:
00:42:55.47\00:42:57.85
The stone was rolled away
00:43:19.31\00:43:22.61
and as it was, the
cries of the mourners ceased.
00:43:22.81\00:43:26.73
All who had gathered
there outside the tomb
00:43:26.94\00:43:30.05
were given the opportunity
to gaze in and know that
00:43:30.25\00:43:33.47
no sorcery or
deception was being practiced
00:43:33.57\00:43:36.45
Because there in the cold
tomb lay the still, cold body
00:43:36.65\00:43:41.00
of Lazarus. And
outside that tomb
00:43:41.10\00:43:43.74
Jesus stands calmly. And
notice what happens in verse 43:
00:43:43.94\00:43:48.89
The weeping Savior, His
voice the sound of many waters.
00:43:57.91\00:44:01.86
Penetrating and strong and clear
00:44:02.06\00:44:05.13
it pierces the
ear of the dead one
00:44:05.34\00:44:08.34
and as He speaks
"Lazarus, come forth"
00:44:08.55\00:44:12.41
divinity flashes
through humanity.
00:44:12.61\00:44:15.51
The crowd stand
frozen outside the tomb
00:44:15.71\00:44:19.03
staring at the
entrance to that tomb.
00:44:19.23\00:44:22.23
Every eye is fixed on
the entrance of that cave.
00:44:22.43\00:44:26.21
Every ear is bent to
catch the slightest sound
00:44:26.41\00:44:30.07
of movement because
this was a critical moment
00:44:30.17\00:44:33.37
in the ministry of
Jesus if there ever was one.
00:44:33.48\00:44:36.80
Because if
Lazarus didn't come out
00:44:37.01\00:44:40.63
well Jesus'
credibility was on the line.
00:44:40.83\00:44:44.52
He had called the
shots and it had to happen.
00:44:44.53\00:44:48.44
The whole universe watched
on with wonder at this moment.
00:44:48.64\00:44:53.55
And friends, Jesus did not say:
00:44:53.75\00:44:56.06
"Lazarus, come down from heaven;
you'll have to come back. "
00:44:56.26\00:44:59.65
He did not say:
"Come up from hell. "
00:44:59.79\00:45:02.51
He says: "Lazarus, come forth. "
00:45:02.71\00:45:05.37
And notice what
happens verse 44:
00:45:05.57\00:45:08.21
There is a stir
in the silent tomb
00:45:20.78\00:45:24.15
and as everybody
watches, a man - a figure
00:45:24.35\00:45:28.24
wrapped in grave clothes -
slowly steps into the sunlight
00:45:28.45\00:45:32.60
outside the tomb.
Friends, Lazarus was alive!
00:45:32.70\00:45:37.33
On that bright afternoon as
Lazarus stepped into the sun
00:45:37.63\00:45:41.97
blinking into the sun, what
a moment that must have been
00:45:42.17\00:45:45.26
for him. He comes out.
00:45:45.36\00:45:47.13
He looks up and
there in front of him
00:45:47.33\00:45:49.76
is the smiling happy face of
his best friend Jesus Christ.
00:45:49.96\00:45:55.43
One of my favorite
authors, a lady by the name of
00:45:55.63\00:45:58.46
Ellen G. White... she
writes in her commentary -
00:45:58.57\00:46:02.11
wonderful commentary
on the life of Christ,
00:46:02.21\00:46:04.22
a book called
The Desire of Ages -
00:46:04.42\00:46:06.47
she says this:
00:46:06.67\00:46:07.76
Why could she say that?
00:46:15.05\00:46:16.76
Because friends, no one had
ever been able to raise anybody
00:46:16.96\00:46:21.83
from the dead and bring them
back to life after 4 long days.
00:46:21.93\00:46:27.10
And so friends
tonight the raising of Lazarus
00:46:27.30\00:46:30.40
shouted to all
those people back then
00:46:30.60\00:46:32.98
as it shouts to all of us today
00:46:33.18\00:46:35.12
that Jesus Christ
truly was the Son of God.
00:46:35.32\00:46:39.70
With three words...
"Lazarus, come forth... "
00:46:39.90\00:46:44.24
Jesus changed everything.
00:46:44.44\00:46:47.18
Because when Jesus
speaks things happen.
00:46:47.38\00:46:50.80
When He speaks
worlds come into being.
00:46:51.00\00:46:53.55
When He speaks the wind and
the waves are completely still.
00:46:53.75\00:46:57.61
When Jesus speaks
the dead come forth.
00:46:57.81\00:47:02.40
It is said that D.
L. Moody... he once said
00:47:02.70\00:47:06.48
that had Jesus not
said "Lazarus, come forth"
00:47:06.68\00:47:09.95
and if He had just
said "come forth, "
00:47:10.15\00:47:12.24
every grave on the face of
the planet would have split open
00:47:12.44\00:47:16.71
as the sleeping saints
heard the call of their Creator.
00:47:16.91\00:47:20.46
Friends, Jesus
is all about life.
00:47:20.66\00:47:23.58
We can rejoice tonight
that death is just a sleep
00:47:23.78\00:47:27.77
for the friends of Jesus.
00:47:27.97\00:47:29.54
The raising of Lazarus
demonstrates to you and I
00:47:29.74\00:47:32.82
tonight God's
ability to give us life.
00:47:32.92\00:47:36.30
And when we encounter Jesus
00:47:36.50\00:47:38.50
we encounter a God who is
the resurrection and the life
00:47:38.71\00:47:42.45
who has the
power over the grave.
00:47:42.65\00:47:45.89
Revelation 1 and
verse 18 Jesus says:
00:47:46.09\00:47:49.64
And friends,
when Jesus comes back
00:48:03.98\00:48:06.14
we're going to be
reunited with our loved ones
00:48:06.34\00:48:09.23
who have died
believing in Jesus Christ.
00:48:09.43\00:48:11.85
And what a
wonderful day that will be.
00:48:11.86\00:48:14.84
But friends,
should the Lord tarry,
00:48:15.04\00:48:18.42
should He not come as soon
as we are expecting Him to come
00:48:18.63\00:48:21.86
because He continues to wait
for more people to come to Him,
00:48:22.06\00:48:25.61
then friends we too may
have to pass through the valley
00:48:25.81\00:48:29.46
of the shadow of death.
But if we have encountered
00:48:29.60\00:48:32.83
Jesus now. If we have
encountered Him and believed
00:48:32.93\00:48:36.46
in Him as the
result of that encounter -
00:48:36.56\00:48:38.91
then friends, I believe
the experience of Lazarus
00:48:39.01\00:48:42.48
will be ours as well.
00:48:42.68\00:48:44.95
For this reason
Paul writes... He says:
00:48:45.15\00:48:47.24
Ah, yes, death is a
decided fact but it is also
00:48:52.64\00:48:56.66
a defeated foe. Amen?
00:48:56.76\00:48:58.80
It may buzz around and
frighten us and scare us
00:48:59.00\00:49:02.92
but Jesus bears its sting.
00:49:03.05\00:49:05.43
He has taken the
sting out of death.
00:49:05.63\00:49:08.12
And He offers to you
and I tonight hope and life
00:49:08.32\00:49:11.58
everlasting. Oh yes,
00:49:11.68\00:49:13.62
the Bible says that
the wages of sin is death.
00:49:13.82\00:49:17.02
But Jesus died and
He was not a sinner.
00:49:17.22\00:49:20.29
And yet He willingly,
vicariously, voluntarily
00:49:20.49\00:49:24.44
laid down His
life for you and I.
00:49:24.54\00:49:28.08
When He did, Satan
thought he had the victory.
00:49:28.29\00:49:31.35
Old king death laid his
icy cold bony hand on Jesus
00:49:31.55\00:49:36.59
Christ and
shackled Him in a cold tomb.
00:49:36.69\00:49:39.97
But he couldn't hold Him there
00:49:40.17\00:49:41.95
because three days
later defying all the odds
00:49:42.15\00:49:45.82
Jesus rose from
His resting place.
00:49:46.03\00:49:48.60
And when He did, He
defeated and decimated death
00:49:48.80\00:49:52.94
in that tomb. Amen?
00:49:53.04\00:49:54.65
He got up from that stone slab
00:49:54.85\00:49:57.34
and the Bible actually
tells us He turned around
00:49:57.54\00:49:59.34
and He folded the
napkin that covered His face.
00:49:59.44\00:50:01.80
He was in complete
control... there was no hurry.
00:50:02.00\00:50:05.74
And friends, one day
Jesus will come again.
00:50:05.97\00:50:08.36
And when He does we
will hear the same call
00:50:08.56\00:50:11.12
that Lazarus
heard: "Come forth. "
00:50:11.22\00:50:14.38
And when we hear that, the
dead in Christ... they will come
00:50:14.58\00:50:18.61
as they hear the call of
their Savior and forever Friend.
00:50:18.71\00:50:22.37
D. L. Moody was once
asked at short notice to perform
00:50:22.57\00:50:27.25
a funeral service and to preach
the sermon for the service.
00:50:27.45\00:50:30.92
And being young
and new to the ministry
00:50:31.12\00:50:33.58
he went home and
madly went through his notes
00:50:33.78\00:50:36.71
to try and find
something that Jesus said
00:50:36.91\00:50:40.01
at a funeral service. And
as he read through the gospels
00:50:40.11\00:50:43.36
looking for Jesus
preaching a funeral sermon
00:50:43.56\00:50:46.21
he discovered
that there isn't one.
00:50:46.41\00:50:48.41
Because every funeral
that Jesus turned up to
00:50:48.61\00:50:51.76
He broke it up, because death
could not exist where Jesus was.
00:50:51.96\00:50:56.39
Death could not exist where
the King and the Creator of
00:50:56.59\00:51:00.60
life was. Jesus conquered death.
00:51:00.70\00:51:03.93
His grave is empty!
00:51:04.13\00:51:06.27
He is alive and
alive forevermore.
00:51:06.47\00:51:09.52
There is no other event as
significant in our human history
00:51:09.83\00:51:14.66
as the atoning
sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
00:51:14.86\00:51:17.85
Thanks to Jesus,
brighter days are ahead of us.
00:51:17.88\00:51:22.18
Thanks to Jesus, no
situation is hopeless.
00:51:22.38\00:51:26.67
Thanks to Jesus, real joy
awaits us on the other side
00:51:26.77\00:51:31.58
of sorrow. In
closing, this story:
00:51:31.68\00:51:35.05
An elderly man fell sick
and when the doctor saw him
00:51:35.25\00:51:39.91
the prognosis was not good.
00:51:40.01\00:51:41.81
He said: "Look, you
have a terminal illness
00:51:42.01\00:51:44.16
and you have but a
few weeks to live. "
00:51:44.36\00:51:46.68
The man went home, and his
daughter came. And she stayed
00:51:46.88\00:51:50.17
with him to look after
him during his final few weeks
00:51:50.27\00:51:53.43
of life. And the local
pastor in town when he found out
00:51:53.53\00:51:56.80
about it, he made arrangements
to come and visit the man.
00:51:56.90\00:52:01.19
When he came to the house
the daughter met him at the door
00:52:01.42\00:52:04.05
and she ushered him
into her father's room.
00:52:04.25\00:52:06.71
And as he came in, he
smiled at the old man in the bed
00:52:07.01\00:52:10.93
and he noticed a
chair beside his bed.
00:52:11.13\00:52:13.97
And he said: "Ah, I see
you've just had a visitor...
00:52:14.17\00:52:16.33
or were you expecting me? "
00:52:16.53\00:52:17.92
And the old man... he
smiled back and he said: "No,
00:52:18.12\00:52:20.53
I wasn't expecting you
but come and take a seat
00:52:20.63\00:52:23.10
and I'll tell you
what the chair's for. "
00:52:23.20\00:52:24.64
So the pastor sat
down and the man began.
00:52:24.84\00:52:27.45
He said: "Pastor, this
may seem strange to you
00:52:27.65\00:52:30.49
but there was a time where
I just found it really hard
00:52:30.62\00:52:33.61
to pray. I just
couldn't pray at all.
00:52:33.71\00:52:36.23
And so I confided in a good
friend of mine, and I told him
00:52:36.43\00:52:39.41
about my situation.
And my friend said to me:
00:52:39.51\00:52:42.55
"Well why don't you just
take a chair into your room
00:52:42.65\00:52:45.10
and pretend that Jesus
is sitting in that chair
00:52:45.30\00:52:48.12
and then talk to Him.
Pray to Him as though He was
00:52:48.32\00:52:51.24
right there in
the room with you. "
00:52:51.37\00:52:52.97
And so pastor, I
did that and for years
00:52:53.17\00:52:56.26
ever since I've
never had a problem.
00:52:56.46\00:52:58.88
The pastor was deeply
touched by the man's story.
00:52:59.08\00:53:02.57
He shared a few Bible
verses with him, a few promises,
00:53:02.77\00:53:05.38
and then he said a
prayer with him and then left.
00:53:05.58\00:53:08.08
A few days later
his mobile phone rang
00:53:08.38\00:53:11.06
and it was the man's
daughter letting him know
00:53:11.26\00:53:13.50
that her father had unexpectedly
passed away that morning.
00:53:13.70\00:53:17.41
She said: "Oh, I
didn't think he would do this.
00:53:17.61\00:53:20.53
I didn't think he would
die today because he seemed
00:53:20.63\00:53:22.80
so content. He
seemed so well and happy.
00:53:22.90\00:53:25.16
I only left him
for an hour or two
00:53:25.36\00:53:27.50
and then when I
came back he was gone. "
00:53:27.70\00:53:29.94
And the pastor waited for
her as she gathered herself
00:53:30.15\00:53:33.85
together on the
other side of the phone.
00:53:34.05\00:53:35.82
And then she continued. She
said "But pastor, I have to say
00:53:36.02\00:53:39.62
there was something
strange about the way he left
00:53:39.72\00:53:42.81
because when I
came back into the room
00:53:43.02\00:53:45.09
his head wasn't on the
bed... it was on the chair. "
00:53:45.29\00:53:48.53
And friends, when you and I have
Jesus as our forever Friend,
00:53:48.73\00:53:53.75
when we share a
relationship with Him
00:53:53.95\00:53:56.53
as that man shared with Jesus,
00:53:56.73\00:53:58.63
then we have
nothing to fear in death
00:53:58.83\00:54:01.66
because all we need
is Jesus to wake us up.
00:54:01.69\00:54:05.06
Yes, the Lord is
coming and when He comes
00:54:05.27\00:54:07.96
those who have died believing
in Jesus... they will rise.
00:54:08.16\00:54:10.87
But should the Lord
tarry and should Jesus not come
00:54:11.07\00:54:14.98
as soon as we think He will
00:54:15.08\00:54:16.76
well then all of us, too...
we may go through the valley
00:54:16.96\00:54:20.08
of the shadow of death. We
too may be touched by death.
00:54:20.18\00:54:23.59
But friends, Jesus
promises to us tonight life.
00:54:23.79\00:54:28.07
He weeps with us in our grief
00:54:28.31\00:54:30.13
but He does something
eternally better: He promises to
00:54:30.33\00:54:32.96
you and I eternal life tonight.
00:54:33.06\00:54:35.66
And friends, I look forward
to the day when we meet Jesus.
00:54:35.97\00:54:39.41
Don't you? Whether we are
raised to meet Him or we are
00:54:39.61\00:54:42.54
living and we are caught
up to meet Him in the air
00:54:42.64\00:54:45.16
with all of those who
have died believing in Jesus,
00:54:45.36\00:54:48.09
it will be the
world's greatest encounter.
00:54:48.29\00:54:50.32
And so tonight I
ask you this question:
00:54:50.52\00:54:52.98
are you ready to meet Jesus?
00:54:53.18\00:54:55.32
Are you ready to meet
Him whatever may come?
00:54:55.62\00:54:58.04
Would you bow your heads
with me now as we say a word
00:54:58.24\00:55:00.53
of prayer? Father in heaven,
00:55:00.63\00:55:02.83
we thank you, Lord, tonight
that death is but a sleep
00:55:03.03\00:55:05.96
for the friends of Jesus...
00:55:06.06\00:55:07.58
for those who have
encountered Him. And Lord,
00:55:07.78\00:55:10.10
we pray tonight that You would
help us to grow closer to You
00:55:10.30\00:55:13.69
to love You more. To walk with
You faithfully and continually
00:55:13.90\00:55:17.61
so that we may be ready
to meet You when You come.
00:55:17.81\00:55:21.06
This is our prayer we
pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:55:21.27\00:55:24.78