Trusting God's Delay: Lazarus and Resurrection Hope

Because, you know, Lazarus, he walks out of the grave. He walks out of the tomb, but only because Jesus is about to walk into his. You see? That's what's coming and you know it. And unlike Lazarus, no one will call Jesus out. He will absorb death fully. He he will bear the judgment that was ours completely, and then he rises. He will rise. And and the authority that's on display in this incredible passage, it is not temporary. It's ultimate. [01:08:32] (41 seconds)  #JesusConquersDeath

Here here's the weight of it. Okay? Here's the weight of it. When Jesus calls the dead here, when Jesus speaks, the dead arise. Look. Four days in the tomb. Four days in the tomb. No ritual from Jesus. No delay in this case. Just just a word from his mouth. A word from his mouth. He's not working against dead. He's the master over death. He's the master over the grave, and the dead man walks. The dead walks. Now, look. This is amazing. This is an incredible story, but this is not the climax. This is not the climax of the gospel. No. It's the setup. [01:07:46] (46 seconds)  #MasterOverTheGrave

Trust the delay. Where where are you in in the the the two more days? You know? Jesus stayed back two more days when he heard the last where are you in the two more days moment of life? Where where have you assumed that what you perceive to be silence from God means that he's absent? Trust the delay. K? Or here's secondly, You know, the second summary statement. Confront your your functional unbelief. This is one to to check yourself on. Where where have you said to God, not here. Not this. Not anymore, God. This person will never change. This situation is irreparable. This can't be reversed. Where where have you said that to God? [01:10:23] (66 seconds)  #TrustTheDelay

Jesus approaches the tomb. He asks for the stone to be moved. And then Martha, she she pauses. She says, Lord, don't. She says, don't do that, Jesus. In other words, this is too far gone. This situation can't be helped. This this is functional unbelief. That's what this is. You know, it's it's Jesus. I know what you can do, but but not here. Not not not now. Not this Jesus. Man, what have you written off? What what have you written off as dead? [01:04:49] (39 seconds)  #DontWriteOffHope

So Jesus presses the question. What does he say? He says, do you believe this? Do you believe this? And Martha, it's great. She answers with a beautiful confession. Martha says, she, you know, she she moves away from thinking about outcomes, and in this moment, she moves toward who Christ is. This is the move. And she says, yes, Lord, you are. She says, you are the Christ. You are the son of God. You are the one who's been sent by the father into the world. [00:58:13] (36 seconds)  #BelieveInWhoHeIs

And Jesus could do this. Jesus can intend resurrection and still share your sorrow. He could do both. He he can be sovereign, and he can be present. And and the same one who is is about to call Lazarus out of the tomb is the one who stands and weeps in front of it. [01:03:32] (25 seconds)  #SovereignAndPresent

Jesus is redefining our understanding of it. And and what he is telling us is that what looks like an ending isn't an ending. Because what where Jesus is, where he is, death does not have the final word. He does. He has the final word. And what he's saying here is that's not all just in the future. It's not just later. It is now in him, in Christ. Because, listen, where Jesus is, where Jesus stands, resurrection. The power of resurrection is present. And Martha, Martha believes in resurrection, but she she doesn't recognize him. Do you see? [00:57:18] (55 seconds)  #ResurrectionIsNow

Some of some of you right now know grief personally. You're grieving. You you've stood at a grave. You're feeling the pain of loss in some way. I want you to see this. Okay? Jesus does not rush past their grief to get to the miracle. It's beautiful. The one the one who delayed is the one who who also meets them in their grief. So let me speak to your heart. Okay? The delay of Jesus in your life is not it is not the absence of his love. See this in God's word. Even when it feels like it, I'm telling you it's real. [01:02:40] (52 seconds)  #JesusMeetsGrief