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Jan 22, 2017

Grace in the Grave

Grace in the Grave

Speaker: Dennis Gallaher

Series: John

Category: Sunday Morning

What would happen if this generation broke the mold their lives are in? What would it look like if you twisted your life together with Jesus? You might just make a mark on your generation that means something important.

3 Great Truths from God’s Word

John 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus, were some of Jesus’ best friends.

Lazarus had take ill - serious enough for a message to be sent a day’s travel away to Jesus.

vs.3  So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

This form of love, “phileo,” means affection and emotion to the fullest; love for your best friend.

vs.5  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

This form of love, “agapeo,” means devoted; the God kind of love.

Jesus was devoted to His friends; His love was more than affection or feelings. This is the kind of love God has for us.

vs.6   So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.

Truth #1 - The end of the story is not the end of the story.

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

The grave is not the end of the story. Your plan that has crashed and burned is not the end of the road.

2 Corinthians 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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Twice before, He had raised the dead.
- Jarius’ child = “Wake up, little lamb!”
- The son of the widow of Nain
Both were raised just a few hours after death.

But with Lazarus, the one He was devoted to, He waits until His power would be shown to be supreme.

For those He is devoted to, the end of the story is not the end of the story.

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Truth #2 - Grace is often found in a grave.

John 11:39  Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

Jesus has them remove the stone. Martha is concerned because of the smell.
Things can’t change. Life stinks.

You can say, “I believe God, but it is what it is!”

No, it’s not:
Isaiah 43:19  “Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Ezekiel 37:3-6  He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’ Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’”

It’s not “it is what it is,” because grace is often found in a grave!

Don’t give up - God has something new!
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They moved the stone . . . and the stench of rotting flesh must have been appalling.

vs.41  So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.”

vs.43   When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”

Then a dead man walks out of the tomb!

vs.44  The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
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Truth #3 - In order to truly live, you’ve got to shed the grave clothes.

Ephesians 4:24  Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Ephesians 5:8  For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.

Galatians 3:27  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
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Psalm 37:3-5  Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.

Here “commit” means to be rolled up or twisted together. Our lives are to be twisted together with Jesus.

When the prodigal son returned home, his father wrapped him in a new robe.

Isaiah 61:10  I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, he has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
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