Faith and Timing: Embracing God's Presence in Pain
Summary
In today's sermon, we embarked on a journey through the story of Lazarus, exploring the depths of faith and the nature of God's timing. We began by setting aside the familiar ending of Lazarus's resurrection to truly immerse ourselves in the emotional turmoil and tension experienced by Mary, Martha, and Lazarus as they awaited Jesus' intervention. This narrative invites us to confront the reality of pain and the seeming delay of God's response to our urgent pleas.
We delved into the profound truth that our pain does not negate God's love. The sisters' plea to Jesus, "the one you love is sick," reminds us that even in the midst of suffering, we are deeply loved by God. This love is not measured by the immediacy of His response but by His ultimate purpose and glory. We were challenged to consider that God's timing is not our timing, as Jesus waited two additional days upon hearing of Lazarus's illness, despite being only two miles away. This delay is not a sign of indifference but a divine orchestration for a greater revelation of God's glory.
We also explored the concept of radical faith, as exemplified by Martha's declaration, "even now God will give you whatever you ask." Radical faith is not about trivial requests but about believing in the supernatural, even when circumstances seem irreversible. It's about seeing with the eyes of faith, recognizing that God's miracles may manifest differently than we expect, as illustrated by the story of Katherine Wolf, who found her miracle in surviving a catastrophic stroke and embracing her new purpose.
Furthermore, we were reminded that Jesus is intimately acquainted with our pain. The shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," reveals the depth of His empathy and humanity. It is a profound reminder that we serve a God who is not distant or detached from our suffering but one who weeps with us and understands our grief.
As we concluded, we were encouraged to pick up the radical faith we may have set aside. We were called to believe for miracles that seem too far gone and to adopt a new perspective that recognizes the miraculous in our lives, even when it looks different from our expectations.
Key Takeaways:
- Our pain is not an indicator of God's absence or lack of love. It is in our moments of deepest sorrow that we may find the profound truth of God's unwavering affection for us. He is not repelled by our anguish but draws near to us, offering His presence as a source of comfort and strength. [25:15]
- God's timing is perfect, even when it feels like a delay to us. His sovereignty means that He sees the bigger picture and orchestrates events for the ultimate good and His glory. Trusting in His timing requires a surrender of our own schedules and an embrace of His divine plan. [10:42]
- Radical faith is the courage to believe in God's power even when hope seems lost. It is the audacity to look at a situation that appears dead and gone and still declare that God can breathe life into it. This faith is not blind optimism but a confident assurance in the character and promises of God. [15:51]
- Seeing with the eyes of faith means recognizing the miraculous in unexpected ways. Sometimes, the miracle is not the change in our circumstances but the transformation within us, giving us a new vision and appreciation for life's challenges as part of God's redemptive work. [20:46]
- Jesus's empathy towards our pain is a testament to His humanity and divinity. He wept for Lazarus, not because He was powerless to change the situation, but because He fully entered into the human experience of grief. His tears validate our own and assure us that we are not alone in our suffering. [22:41]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. John 11:1-44 (NIV) - The story of Lazarus
2. Isaiah 53:3 (NIV) - "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Jesus' initial response when He heard that Lazarus was sick? (John 11:6)
2. How did Martha express her faith when she met Jesus after Lazarus had died? (John 11:21-22)
3. What does the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," reveal about Jesus' character? (John 11:35)
4. How long had Lazarus been in the tomb before Jesus arrived, and why is this detail significant? (John 11:17)
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus waited two additional days before going to Lazarus, even though He loved him? (John 11:6) [10:42]
2. How does Martha's declaration, "even now God will give you whatever you ask," demonstrate radical faith? (John 11:22) [15:11]
3. What does Jesus' weeping tell us about His empathy and connection to human suffering? (John 11:35) [22:41]
4. How does the story of Lazarus challenge our understanding of God's timing and His purpose in delays? (John 11:4) [10:42]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt that God was delaying His response to your urgent plea. How did you handle the waiting period, and what did you learn from it? [10:42]
2. Martha showed radical faith by believing in Jesus' power even after Lazarus had died. Is there a situation in your life that seems beyond hope where you need to exercise radical faith? [15:11]
3. Jesus wept with Mary and Martha, showing His deep empathy. How can you be more empathetic towards others who are suffering, and what practical steps can you take to show that empathy? [22:41]
4. The sermon mentioned that our pain does not negate God's love. How can you remind yourself of God's love during times of intense pain or suffering? [09:31]
5. The story of Katherine Wolf was shared as an example of seeing miracles in unexpected ways. Can you identify a situation in your life where the outcome was different from what you expected, but you now see it as a miracle? [20:46]
6. Jesus' delay in coming to Lazarus was for a greater revelation of God's glory. How can you trust in God's timing and purpose, even when it doesn't align with your own plans? [10:42]
7. The sermon encouraged picking up radical faith that may have been set aside. What is one specific prayer or dream you have given up on that you feel called to pick back up and believe for again? [30:12]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Pain as Divine Affection
Pain often feels like a barrier to experiencing God's love, yet it is in the depths of our suffering where His presence can be most profoundly felt. The story of Lazarus teaches that anguish and delay do not signify God's absence or a lack of care. Instead, they offer an opportunity to experience the closeness of God in a unique and powerful way. When faced with the silence of heaven, it's tempting to equate it with indifference. However, the truth is that God's silence is not a rejection but an invitation to draw nearer to Him, to lean into His love that remains steadfast even in the darkest moments. It is in the waiting that faith is refined and the realization that God's love is not dependent on circumstances can bring comfort and strength to the weary heart. [25:15]
Psalm 34:18-19 ESV
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."
Reflection: How can your current struggles be a space to experience God's love more deeply, rather than a sign of His absence?
Day 2: Trusting in the Perfection of God's Timing
Understanding God's perfect timing can be one of the most challenging aspects of faith, especially when His schedule does not align with our own. The narrative of Lazarus's illness and subsequent death highlights the tension between human urgency and divine timing. God's sovereignty encompasses a perspective far beyond our immediate desires, working all things together for good, even when His interventions seem delayed. Trusting in God's timing involves surrendering control and embracing the belief that His plans are orchestrated for a greater purpose. This trust is not passive but an active waiting that anticipates God's movement with hope and expectation. [10:42]
Habakkuk 2:3 ESV
"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."
Reflection: In what ways can you practice surrendering your timeline to God and trust in His perfect timing today?
Day 3: The Audacity of Radical Faith
Radical faith is the daring belief that God can intervene in the most hopeless situations. It is the conviction that even when all signs of life have faded, God's power remains undiminished. The story of Lazarus reminds believers to hold onto faith that defies logic and to speak life into circumstances that appear beyond redemption. This kind of faith is not rooted in naivety but in a deep understanding of God's character and His history of faithfulness. It is a faith that looks beyond the visible and clings to the promises of God, knowing that He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. [15:51]
Ezekiel 37:3-5 ESV
"And he said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord God, you know.' Then he said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.'"
Reflection: What situation in your life needs the breath of radical faith, and how can you begin to speak life into it today?
Day 4: Recognizing Miracles in Disguise
Miracles often come in forms that we do not expect. They may not always align with our desires for a particular outcome, but they always serve a greater purpose in God's redemptive plan. The miracle may not be the removal of a trial but the strength to endure it, the transformation of our character, or the birth of a new vision. Recognizing the miraculous in our lives requires a shift in perspective, to see beyond the immediate and to find the hand of God at work in all circumstances, molding us into the image of Christ. [20:46]
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither 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."
Reflection: Can you identify a situation where you may have overlooked God's miraculous work because it didn't match your expectations?
Day 5: Jesus's Empathy in Our Suffering
The empathy of Jesus is a profound aspect of His character, as seen in His response to Lazarus's death. He wept with those who mourned, showing that He is not a distant deity but a God who enters into our pain. His tears remind us that our emotions are understood and shared by our Savior. This empathy does not negate His power to change our circumstances, but it does affirm His desire to be with us through every season of life. In recognizing Jesus's empathy, we find a God who is not only capable of transforming our situation but also willing to walk with us every step of the way. [22:41]
Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Reflection: How does the knowledge of Jesus's empathy change the way you approach Him with your own pain and suffering?
Quotes
"Our pain doesn't negate God's love what does that mean that means if you're in pain today it does not mean God doesn't love you in fact it's just the opposite they say Jesus the one you loved is sick and Jesus waits he stays there two days and Lazarus is in pain and it does not speak to God's love for him in fact later in the verse in the chapter I'm sorry we're" [09:31]
"God's time is in our time so remember what was said they said Jesus hears about it that one of his best friends is sick and what does he do well he waits two more days that's just downright offensive right we're going to find out later that where Jesus was was about two miles from where Mary Martha and Lazareth were that's crazy two miles from here is what mberry Walmart I don't know I try not to go to Walmart um but like two miles that's a quick walk 40 minutes I don't know depending on how fast you are um two miles away and Jesus can't be bothered to come no I'm the kind of person I like things done when I want them done right I'd say to my kids want you to clean your room and they go yeah do it no no yeah I'm just gonna finish this game and then I'm gon no you're not you're" [10:42]
"Jesus's brand of faith is radical radical Faith Martha steps out and has radical Faith what is faith faith is just full confidence in God we think of Faith as not seeing right like believing in things you don't see but faith is seeing faith is seeing how God sees it's very different than how we see Faith how God sees is a faith that could look at a tomb that's been sealed for four days and say even now I believe you could do this miracle I believe you could do" [15:51]
"Jesus wept has deep profound meaning for you for me it actually fulfills prophecy we'll talk about that in a minute but Jesus wept maybe gives you permission today to feel to grieve Jesus as we know was fully God and fully man okay so that means he was God but he came men lived as a man I don't think anywhere is his Humanity more on display than in this verse he wept he wept and can I say he wept knowing the end of the story that's fully God fully man he weeps because his friend is dead but as fully God he knows oh something cool is on the way but Jesus wept in Isaiah 533 it's Isaiah the prophet this is hundreds of years before Jesus would come but he's prophesying about the Savior who would come and he says this he says he was despised and" [24:33]
"today we're picking it back up with radical Faith the doctors have given d [Music] noises and today we're calling on a God who spoke when Lazarus had been in the Tomb four days some of you are going to be picking back up miracles to pray for that you have left to the side some of you the miracle is going to be like our friend Katherine that God's going to give you eyes to see the miracle his timetable is not our timetable he's not bound to our fin Ness he can do infinite Above and Beyond in a minute I I asked the band today they were so kind to come up and and sing again for you that's really asking a lot of their day but I so appreciate it because instead of doing an alter time which is really hard on a Sunday we're all going to stand in a minute we're going to make a declaration that no Miracle is so far gone that God can't do it even if it's" [31:25]
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