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Do You Believe This? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We'll turn together now to read in God's Word in the Gospel of John, reading in chapter 11.
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John chapter 11, we're going to take up our reading at verse 17 and read down to verse 44.
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The way we take up our reading here is Jesus has already been informed about Lazarus,
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who was a good friend of his, along with Mary and Martha, his sisters, Lazarus' sisters,
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that Lazarus was unwell and that they were calling for Jesus to come and to help.
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And when we take up our reading at verse 17, Jesus has actually been told and is telling them,
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as you see in verse 14, that Lazarus has died.
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And for your sake, he says, I am glad that I was not there.
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So that you may believe.
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We take up our reading then in verse 17.
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Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
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Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
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and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.
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So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him.
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But Mary remained seated in the house.
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Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
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But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.
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Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again.
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Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.
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Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.
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Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
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And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
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Do you believe this?
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She said to him, yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.
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When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private,
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the teacher is here and is calling for you.
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And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.
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Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
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When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out,
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they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
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Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him,
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Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
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When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping,
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he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
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And he said, where have you laid him?
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They said to him, Lord, come and see.
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And Jesus wept.
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So the Jews said, see how he loved him.
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But some of them said, could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man
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also have kept this man from dying?
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Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb.
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It was a cave and a stone lay against it.
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Jesus said, take away the stone.
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Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him,
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Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days.
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Jesus said to her, did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?
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So they took away the stone, and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said,
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Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
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I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on occasion,
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on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.
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When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice,
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Lazarus, come out.
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The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound in linen strips,
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and his face wrapped with cloth.
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Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go.
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And so on.
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And may God bless that reading from his word.
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Before we turn back to look at this passage,
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we're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 16.
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In the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 16, we'll sing this psalm in two parts.
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Our last singing will also be from this psalm,
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but we're going to sing from verse 1 to 7 just now,
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page 16 of the psalm books.
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Protect me, O my God, you are my refuge through.
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I said, you are my Lord, I have no good apart from you.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to 7 on the tune of Selma.
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We sing to God's praise.
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Protect me, O my God, you are my refuge through.
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I said, you are my Lord, I have no good apart from you.
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The Godly in the land, for holiness renowned,
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They are the glorious one in whom almighty light is found.
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Their sorrows will increase, who on false gods rely.
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I will not sacrifice to them, their worship I defy.
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O Lord, you are my cup and portion sure.
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The share that is aside to me, you guard and keep secure.
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The land allotted me, is it a place inside?
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And surely my inheritance to me is a delight.
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I'll praise the Lord, my God, whose counsel guides my choice.
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And even in the night, my heart recalls instructions voice.
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Well, let's turn back to a reading in the Gospel of John, chapter 11.
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We're reading here of Lazarus and Jesus coming to him.
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As it would seem almost too late, Lazarus had died.
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And yet we are reminded here of the great hope that there is in Christ.
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A hope that we will in many ways remember in this coming week as our people,
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as we think of Easter week.
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And all that it means is a time for close reflection on these things.
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It's always a time for it, but perhaps more so even in this week as we hear more of it.
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And pray that others would hear of the wonderful message of the power of the resurrection.
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And as we read here, the one who is the resurrection and the life.
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We're going to read just a few verses from verse 25, where Jesus is speaking to Martha.
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Martha.
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Jesus said to her,
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I am the resurrection and the life.
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Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
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Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
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Do you believe this?
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She said to him,
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Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ,
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the Son of God who is coming into the world.
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Martha is asked a question.
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And that's the question I want us to think about ourselves this evening.
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In many ways, it's a simple question, but it's based on a very powerful fact.
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The fact is that Jesus says,
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I am the resurrection and the life.
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He is the one who has power over death,
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who is able to raise Lazarus from the grave,
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who we remember as our risen Savior,
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the one who died on the cross for our sins,
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but who rose on the third day.
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And the question that comes from that is this.
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Do you believe this?
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Do you believe this?
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Do you believe this?
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And it's a question for us to reflect on,
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always at all times,
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but especially in this week ahead.
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Do you believe this?
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All that you hear about Christ and his resurrection.
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Emotions are always a big part of our lives.
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We go through all kinds of different emotions and experiences in life.
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There are times when we are happy and glad,
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and there are times when we are sorrowful and sad.
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But what makes a difference to us when we ask,
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well, what makes you happy?
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What makes you glad?
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Or what makes you sorrowful?
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What makes you sad?
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There'll be times when we maybe have different answers
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from one another to what makes us happy
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and also what makes us sad.
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But there are certain events in our lives
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that will be the same for us all.
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events that fill us with great joy
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and events that fill us with great sorrow.
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And as you read through this passage in John 11,
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what emotion does it bring to you, if any?
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Does it bring any emotion to your heart
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as you read through these words?
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It may be that as you read through this passage,
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you enter into the experience of sorrow and sadness
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as you read about Lazarus and his death
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and the impact this has on Mary and Martha
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and also the Lord himself
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and the many friends that gathered around
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and wept with them.
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It's a passage that can make you sad.
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That's one perspective on it.
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If we look at it from a human perspective, that is.
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But we can also look at it from another perspective.
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And that is as we read these words of Jesus
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when he says, I am the resurrection and the life.
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Jesus has these I am sayings in the Gospel of John.
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And they explain to us things that he is
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and that we cannot be.
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Things that he is for us
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and that if we put our trust in him,
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he gives us this hope.
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And this is one of these powerful I am sayings.
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I am the resurrection and the life.
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And it speaks into the midst of this time of sorrow
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for our grieving family.
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It speaks to them in a powerful way,
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but they don't even realize immediately
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just how powerfully Jesus is going to minister to them.
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But they come to believe.
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Even before they see the power of what Jesus does,
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they believe.
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That's the reply of Martha in verse 27.
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Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ.
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And they have this hope,
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both Mary and Martha have this hope
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that the Lord can make a difference for them
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in the midst of their sorrow.
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And so what perspective do we have
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on these events here?
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And do they affect us?
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Or how do they affect us?
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There are many events that happen in this world.
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Events that when they happen,
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we can maybe think,
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it's really got nothing to do with me.
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It's got no impact on me personally.
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That is at first.
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You think even of events in our world
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that go on almost week by week at the moment.
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You think of what happened in Moscow just now,
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the great tragedy that unfolded there
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with so much loss of life.
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You think of the conflicts going on
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between the Ukraine and Russia
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in the Middle East
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and in other parts of the world as well.
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You think of little things
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like you hear in the news
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that ships cannot really get safely through
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the Red Sea just now
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because of fear of being attacked.
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So they've got to sail around South Africa,
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a much longer journey.
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You think of times
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when you hear of hurricanes
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affecting the east coast of America.
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And all of these events
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are events that we're hearing regularly at times
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and we see happening in our world,
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but our attitude can be one of,
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well, it doesn't really impact me.
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That's all happening at a distance
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in other parts of the world,
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far away from me and my situation
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here in Stornoway.
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But that's if you look at it
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just from a close perspective to ourselves.
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Because if you look at it
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from another perspective,
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a bigger perspective,
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you see that all these things
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actually do impact our lives.
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What's happening in the conflicts,
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the wars that are taking place just now,
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the fact that ships cannot sail
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through the Red Sea.
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No impact on us?
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Well, if you look at your shelves
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in the supermarkets,
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you look at the prices of food
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and other supplies,
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you see maybe foods
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that you used to be able to get,
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you can't.
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Or the prices have risen significantly.
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We've all seen these impacts.
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You think of a hurricane
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that hits the east coast of America.
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America.
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How often do we start wondering,
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will we get the tail end of it?
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Will it come our direction?
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At the time, we can think
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it's far away from us.
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It doesn't impact us.
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But actually, it does.
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And so as you read through
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this passage here in John,
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you can think of it
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in these two different ways as well.
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You can think of it,
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well, this is just something
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that doesn't really impact me.
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This is something that only impacted
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Mary and Martha and Lazarus.
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Or it was only for Jesus' day.
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You can think of it in that way.
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Or you can think of it
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in what it's actually saying to us.
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That is continuing to speak
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to generation after generation.
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And to ourselves this evening,
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it continues to speak to us.
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In a week when we approach Easter,
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when our thoughts are turned,
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directed towards events in Jerusalem
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on the cross at Calvary
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and at the empty tomb
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2,000 years ago
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in a far-off land,
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does that not impact us?
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You can think,
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well, it's got nothing to do with me.
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But it does.
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Because the impact of these events
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comes to us all.
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They speak to us,
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not just to Mary and Martha
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and the loss of their brother.
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It speaks to us
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about the reality of death.
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But it speaks to us
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of the reality of Jesus.
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And it speaks to us
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of Jesus as He says,
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I am the resurrection
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and the life.
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Whoever believes in Me,
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though he die,
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yet shall he live.
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And everyone who lives
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and believes in Me
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shall never die.
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speaks to us
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about death.
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It's more than a question
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to Martha.
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Jesus is saying,
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do you believe this?
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He's not just saying it to Martha.
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He's saying it to you.
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He's saying it to me.
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He's asking that question
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of us all.
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Do you see
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the impact
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of this event?
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The death
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of Lazarus
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and Jesus
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calling him
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out of the tomb.
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And how it relates
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to Easter,
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to Jesus Himself
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giving His life
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for us,
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dying on the cross
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at Calvary,
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being placed
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in a tomb Himself,
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but coming out
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of that tomb,
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rising from the grave.
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Do you believe
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this?
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Do you believe
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that this is for
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life,
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for you?
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So when it comes
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to our time
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when we die,
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these words,
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as we so often
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quote them
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at funerals,
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these words
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will reflect
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our life,
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your life
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and mine,
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that it will be said
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of us,
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though he die,
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though she die,
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yet shall he live,
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yet shall she live
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through Christ.
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Why?
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Because He is
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the resurrection
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and the life.
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There is sorrow
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in this passage.
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But there is also
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hope,
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hope of glory
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in Christ,
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because He is
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the resurrection
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and the life.
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So it speaks
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to us
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of our life
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and our eternity.
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And it reminds us,
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too,
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of our responsibility
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to all around us
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to make this message
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known,
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even as we think
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of these invitations,
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to think even
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in light
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of this passage
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as Jesus says.
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I am the resurrection
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and the life.
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Do you believe this?
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Well,
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come and hear
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about it.
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Come and see this
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for yourself.
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Come and hear
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this glorious message
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of hope,
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even for the darkest
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of times.
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And so there's three points
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in this passage
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for us this evening
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I want to take.
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We have first
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the pain,
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the pain that is evident
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here in this passage.
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Then we have
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the power
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and then we have
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the plea.
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The pain,
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the power,
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and the plea.
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There are many kinds
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of pain
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that we suffer
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in life.
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There are many kinds
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of physical pains
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that we suffer.
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maybe if you're
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into DIY,
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you've hit your thumb
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with a hammer
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at some point
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and you know
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the pain
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that that brings.
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Maybe you're suffering
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different kinds
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of pains
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yourself just now.
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Joint pains,
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stabbing pains,
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sore heads.
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We go through
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all kinds
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of physical pain.
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And when we have
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these kinds of pain,
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we want to either
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take something
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to help that pain
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or to do something
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about that pain
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being eased
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for us.
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But there are
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other pains
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that we suffer
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as well.
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Pains that maybe
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aren't as obvious
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or even as clear
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to those
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around us.
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The pain
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of anxiety,
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the pain
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of illness,
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the pain
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of grief
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and sorrow.
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The pain
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that the psalm
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that we sang,
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Psalm 116,
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spoke about.
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The pains
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of hell
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took hold
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of me.
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I grief
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and trouble
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found.
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These pains
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that come our way.
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But in the psalm
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as we sang,
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we saw the psalmist
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was able to cry out
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to the Lord
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in the midst
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of this.
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And there is pain
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in this passage
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for us.
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There is the pain
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that Mary
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and Martha
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were experiencing
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at this time.
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The pain
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of their brother,
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the one they loved,
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who was ill,
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and ultimately
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who we see
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Jesus reminding us
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who had died.
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There is the pain
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of grief.
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There is the pain
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of their weeping
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as they would go
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to the tomb.
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He had been in the tomb
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for four days
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before Jesus
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arrived there.
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There was this pain.
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There was this heartache.
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There was this sorrow.
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They loved him.
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And we are reminded
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as we read of earlier
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on in the passage,
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we didn't read it,
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that Jesus loved him
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as well.
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In verse 3,
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so the sisters
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sent to him
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saying,
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Lord,
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he whom you love
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is ill.
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Jesus had a love
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not just for Mary
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and Martha
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but Lazarus too.
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They were obviously
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close.
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And we read
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that later on
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that Jesus himself
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wept here.
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So there was this love
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and what you expect
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was that maybe
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Jesus would come running
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but instead
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he delayed,
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he stayed.
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In verse 6,
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you read there
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when he heard
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that Lazarus
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was ill,
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he stayed
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two days longer
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in the place
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where he was.
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How strange.
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Why didn't he just come
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immediately
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knowing Lazarus,
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his friend,
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was ill?
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We are told
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a little of why
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in verse 4.
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But when Jesus heard it,
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he said,
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this illness
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does not lead to death
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for it is for the glory
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of God
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so that the Son of God
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may be glorified
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through it.
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Something powerful
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was going to come
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from this.
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But yet it's in the midst
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of pain.
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For in the midst
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of Lazarus' illness,
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Jesus speaks
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and says
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he has died.
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He is dead.
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But he hadn't come.
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He hadn't come.
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And this obviously
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grieves both
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Martha and Mary
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when they say to him,
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Lord,
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if you had been here,
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my brother
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would not have died.
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does he not care?
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Has he no compassion
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in the midst of this?
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Why is he not rushing
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to their aid?
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Pain brings questions.
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And the question here is,
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why, Lord?
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Why, Lord,
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didn't you come?
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Why didn't you help?
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Even the people
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around them
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were saying,
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could not he
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who opened the eyes
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of the blind man
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also have kept
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this man from dying?
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Even the crowd
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that was aware
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of this
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in verse 36.
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Why?
25:01
Does he not care?
25:03
Well,
25:03
we're looking at it
25:04
from a human
25:06
perspective here.
25:08
When we think,
25:09
why?
25:10
Why didn't he come?
25:11
It's a very personal
25:15
and individual experience,
25:17
pain and sorrow
25:18
and grief.
25:20
But Jesus is seeing this
25:22
from a much greater perspective.
25:26
The perspective of verse 4,
25:28
that this would work
25:29
for glory.
25:33
This is why he came.
25:36
This is why he came
25:38
into this world,
25:39
that people in the midst
25:40
of grief and sorrow
25:41
and pain and sin
25:43
might know
25:44
that he is one
25:46
who is able to deal
25:47
with all of these things.
25:50
That's why,
25:51
as we read through
25:52
this passage,
25:53
the cross
25:53
is looming large
25:55
in the background
25:56
here as well.
25:57
When you think of
25:58
Jesus' own suffering
26:00
and death
26:01
being laid
26:02
in the grave
26:03
and rising again
26:05
from the dead,
26:06
it's so much clearer
26:07
for us
26:08
when we look ahead
26:08
and see that.
26:10
But in the midst
26:11
of this,
26:11
this time,
26:12
it's sorrow
26:13
and pain.
26:15
One commentator
26:16
puts it like this.
26:18
He says,
26:18
He, Jesus,
26:19
knew that only
26:20
when it was darkest
26:22
does the light
26:22
shine most brightly
26:24
against the backdrop
26:26
of oppressive
26:27
darkness of death.
26:29
Christ would shine
26:30
the light of his power
26:32
on his friend.
26:33
into this darkness
26:37
that Jesus seemingly
26:39
was keeping himself
26:40
away from,
26:42
there is a light
26:43
going to come
26:44
as Jesus shows
26:46
what he can do.
26:48
And it's a reminder
26:50
to us
26:50
that Jesus knows
26:53
your pain
26:54
and mine
26:54
because there is
26:56
no one of us
26:57
who can avoid
26:58
this pain,
26:59
this pain
27:00
of grief
27:01
at some point,
27:02
maybe even now
27:04
you know it
27:05
and know its pain,
27:06
know the hurt
27:08
that grief brings.
27:11
Either recently,
27:12
in the last few weeks,
27:13
even years gone by,
27:15
we've experienced it
27:17
or we will experience it.
27:19
And you know
27:19
how that pain rises
27:21
and the grief
27:23
it brings,
27:24
the tears
27:25
it brings.
27:28
And you can maybe
27:29
even cry out,
27:30
God,
27:30
do you not care?
27:32
God,
27:33
do you not know
27:34
what I am going through?
27:36
But this reminds us
27:38
he does.
27:40
He does.
27:43
Because when Jesus says,
27:46
I am,
27:47
he is reminding us
27:49
of the one
27:49
who knows.
27:52
When God spoke
27:54
to Moses,
27:55
as Moses was called
27:56
to lead the Exodus,
27:58
Moses,
27:59
Moses asked him
28:00
a question,
28:01
who will I say
28:02
that sent me?
28:04
God's response is,
28:06
I am
28:07
has sent you.
28:09
The great
28:10
I am,
28:12
the one who knows
28:13
the suffering
28:14
of his people.
28:15
The one who we see
28:17
in the Gospel of John
28:18
earlier in chapter 3,
28:19
speak of
28:20
the God who knows
28:21
the pain
28:22
and consequences
28:23
of death.
28:24
death.
28:25
And yet says,
28:27
for God so loved
28:28
the world
28:29
that he gave
28:30
his only son,
28:33
that whoever
28:33
believes in him
28:34
should not perish,
28:36
but have
28:37
eternal life.
28:41
Pain
28:42
is real.
28:45
Grief
28:45
is real.
28:47
But how do we
28:48
respond?
28:51
Where do we
28:52
turn?
28:54
Well,
28:54
here we see
28:55
the one who has
28:56
the power
28:57
over this pain.
29:00
And that's the
29:00
second thing
29:01
we see here.
29:02
We still have
29:03
that question,
29:05
why he delayed,
29:07
why he put
29:08
Mary and Martha
29:09
through this pain,
29:11
maybe even as
29:12
Lazarus was ill
29:13
and he still
29:15
had his senses.
29:16
He was wondering,
29:16
where is Jesus?
29:18
He could help.
29:21
And in these
29:22
circumstances,
29:23
it could be
29:23
difficult to believe
29:24
that in the
29:25
goodness of God,
29:28
in the goodness
29:29
of this Christ
29:30
who came into
29:31
the world,
29:32
but who seemed
29:32
to be turning
29:33
his back
29:34
in their greatest
29:34
time of need.
29:37
But there was
29:37
a purpose
29:38
here.
29:40
Jesus had
29:41
his purposes
29:42
here that we
29:43
only begin to see
29:44
as he comes
29:44
into their midst.
29:46
many of you
29:48
will be familiar
29:48
with the poem,
29:50
The Weaver's Shuttle.
29:53
Part of it
29:54
says this,
29:54
Not till the
29:55
loom is silent
29:56
and the shuttle
29:57
cease to fly,
29:58
will God
29:59
unroll the canvas
30:00
and reveal
30:01
the reason why.
30:02
The dark threads
30:03
are as needful
30:04
in the weaver's
30:05
skillful hand
30:06
as the threads
30:08
of gold and silver
30:09
in the pattern
30:10
he has planned.
30:12
And that's the
30:13
threads that you
30:14
see here.
30:15
There's the
30:16
dark threads,
30:17
the sorrow
30:18
and the grief
30:19
that Mary and
30:20
Martha are
30:20
suffering.
30:21
But then you
30:22
have these threads
30:23
of gold and
30:24
silver,
30:26
of Jesus
30:26
coming and
30:27
showing the
30:28
power that
30:29
he has.
30:31
The one who
30:31
comes and
30:32
says,
30:33
I am the
30:34
resurrection
30:35
and the
30:36
life.
30:37
the one who
30:39
shows the
30:40
power that
30:41
he has.
30:44
Again,
30:44
one commentator
30:45
puts it like
30:46
this,
30:46
Christ delayed
30:47
coming to
30:48
his faithful,
30:49
loving followers
30:50
in Bethany
30:51
in order to
30:53
strengthen their
30:54
love and
30:55
their faith.
30:58
And God
30:58
can put us
30:59
through things,
31:01
things that we
31:02
don't understand
31:03
even for a
31:05
long time after
31:06
we don't
31:06
understand,
31:08
but they
31:08
are there to
31:10
strengthen our
31:10
love and
31:12
our faith for
31:13
him.
31:15
In John's
31:16
Gospel, as
31:17
we're reading
31:17
through here,
31:18
this is the
31:18
last and the
31:19
ultimate miracle
31:20
that Jesus
31:21
performs.
31:25
And isn't it
31:25
amazing just
31:26
how it shows
31:27
us what
31:28
Christ himself
31:29
had come
31:30
to do.
31:32
It's more
31:32
than just
31:33
words.
31:34
words that
31:36
say he
31:37
is able
31:38
to give
31:39
life.
31:41
Here we
31:41
see the
31:42
power of
31:43
these words.
31:46
How does
31:47
he show
31:48
this power?
31:50
Well, he
31:51
tells us
31:51
again and
31:52
again through
31:53
this passage,
31:53
you have it
31:54
just to select
31:55
a few verses,
31:56
15, 26,
31:58
42.
31:59
They all
32:00
speak about
32:01
the purpose
32:01
that the
32:02
people might
32:03
believe.
32:06
Believe that
32:07
God has
32:08
sent his
32:09
son to
32:10
give us
32:10
life.
32:13
And he
32:13
shows this
32:14
power in
32:16
verse 33.
32:18
He says,
32:19
when Jesus
32:19
saw their
32:20
weeping and
32:20
the Jews
32:21
who had
32:22
come with
32:22
are also
32:23
weeping,
32:24
he was
32:24
deeply moved
32:25
and greatly
32:26
troubled.
32:27
We see
32:27
power initially
32:28
is fixed in
32:29
this emotion,
32:31
this weeping,
32:32
this sorrow.
32:35
But then
32:36
it comes
32:37
to the
32:37
point where
32:38
he asks,
32:39
where have
32:40
you laid
32:41
him?
32:41
In verse
32:42
34.
32:43
He said to
32:43
him,
32:43
Lord,
32:44
come and
32:45
see.
32:46
And Jesus
32:47
wept.
32:50
And he's in
32:50
the midst of
32:51
this, you've
32:51
got this
32:51
voice behind
32:53
him saying,
32:53
could not
32:54
he who
32:55
opened the
32:55
eyes of the
32:56
blind have
32:56
kept this
32:57
man from
32:57
dying?
32:58
the sisters
32:59
who are
32:59
saying,
33:00
if you
33:00
had been
33:00
here,
33:01
he would
33:01
not have
33:02
died.
33:03
There's so
33:03
much doubt,
33:04
there's so
33:04
much fear
33:05
in this
33:06
passage.
33:07
And yet
33:08
Jesus reminds
33:09
them of
33:10
his power.
33:12
And he
33:12
says,
33:13
take away
33:13
the stone.
33:16
Take away
33:17
the stone.
33:20
And they
33:20
said,
33:20
well,
33:20
he's been
33:21
dead four
33:21
days,
33:22
there's going
33:22
to be a
33:23
stench.
33:25
But Jesus
33:25
says,
33:25
did you not
33:26
believe that
33:27
you would
33:27
see the
33:28
glory of
33:29
God?
33:30
And how
33:31
he lifts
33:31
his eyes
33:32
in verse
33:32
41,
33:32
Father,
33:33
I thank
33:34
you that
33:34
you have
33:35
heard me.
33:36
There is
33:36
a power
33:37
of God
33:37
present
33:38
here.
33:40
And then
33:41
at the
33:41
end of
33:42
verse 43,
33:43
he cried
33:43
out with
33:44
a loud
33:44
voice,
33:45
Lazarus,
33:46
come
33:47
out.
33:50
Lazarus,
33:51
come
33:51
out.
33:53
You can
33:53
imagine,
33:54
or even
33:55
try to
33:55
imagine,
33:56
the people
33:56
around about
33:57
him.
33:58
What is
33:58
he doing?
34:00
He's been
34:00
dead for
34:01
four days.
34:04
Lazarus,
34:05
come
34:05
out.
34:07
Matthew
34:08
Henry,
34:09
who wrote
34:09
a commentary
34:10
on the
34:10
whole
34:10
Bible,
34:12
he says
34:13
when he's
34:13
writing about
34:14
John's
34:14
gospel on
34:15
this occasion
34:16
of Lazarus'
34:17
death,
34:18
he says
34:18
Jesus had
34:19
to say,
34:20
Lazarus,
34:21
come forth.
34:22
Because if
34:23
he had
34:23
just said,
34:25
come forth,
34:26
then all
34:27
the dead
34:28
would have
34:28
come out
34:28
of their
34:29
grave.
34:30
Because that
34:31
is the
34:31
power that
34:32
Jesus has.
34:34
He had
34:35
to be
34:35
specific
34:36
to
34:37
Lazarus.
34:39
But that
34:40
reminds us
34:41
that a day
34:41
is coming
34:42
when the
34:44
Lord will
34:45
say,
34:46
come out,
34:47
and all
34:48
the graves,
34:49
all the
34:51
dead
34:51
will rise.
34:53
Because that
34:54
is his
34:54
power.
34:56
That is
34:57
the power
34:58
that Jesus
34:59
Christ has.
35:01
The power
35:01
that was
35:02
shown here
35:03
is a power
35:04
that we
35:04
will see
35:05
one day
35:06
when he
35:07
calls every
35:08
one of us
35:09
to account
35:09
before him.
35:11
Come
35:11
out.
35:13
He'll be
35:13
calling us
35:14
out to
35:15
face the
35:15
judgment.
35:18
Do you
35:18
believe this?
35:21
Because that
35:22
is what
35:22
the
35:22
scriptures
35:23
say.
35:25
And the
35:26
power
35:26
that Jesus
35:27
had and
35:29
cried out
35:29
come out
35:30
and says
35:30
in verse
35:31
44,
35:32
the man
35:32
who had
35:33
died
35:33
came out.
35:35
He walked
35:36
out of
35:36
the grave.
35:38
He slit
35:38
the strips
35:39
on his
35:41
body,
35:42
his face
35:42
wrapped
35:43
with cloth,
35:44
and yet he
35:45
walked out
35:46
alive.
35:48
That is
35:49
the power
35:50
that Christ
35:51
has.
35:53
Joni
35:53
Erickson
35:54
Tadda,
35:54
a Christian
35:55
lady,
35:56
an author
35:56
of many
35:57
books,
35:58
she was
35:59
paralyzed
35:59
in a
36:00
diving
36:00
accident.
36:02
And when
36:03
asked what
36:04
her favorite
36:04
verse is,
36:06
she often
36:07
always replies,
36:08
Philippians 3,
36:09
verse 10.
36:11
What does
36:12
that verse
36:12
say?
36:13
I want
36:14
to know
36:15
Christ
36:15
and the
36:16
power
36:17
of his
36:18
resurrection.
36:20
I want
36:21
to know
36:21
Christ
36:22
and the
36:23
power
36:23
of his
36:24
resurrection.
36:27
To you,
36:29
the reason
36:30
why Joni
36:31
Erickson
36:31
Tadda
36:32
wants to
36:32
know it
36:33
is so
36:33
much.
36:34
It's not
36:35
for selfish
36:36
reasons,
36:38
but for the
36:38
glory of
36:39
Christ.
36:40
because she
36:42
is paralyzed.
36:43
She knows
36:44
that the
36:45
power of
36:46
his
36:46
resurrection
36:47
is what
36:48
will give
36:48
her new
36:49
life,
36:50
new hope.
36:53
She said,
36:53
in suffering,
36:54
we also
36:55
die to
36:56
worry.
36:56
We die
36:57
to fear.
36:58
We die
36:58
to grumbling
36:59
about the
36:59
inconvenience
37:00
of the
37:01
weight of
37:02
our cross.
37:03
We die
37:04
to thinking
37:05
that Jesus
37:06
doesn't
37:07
care.
37:09
What's
37:09
suffering?
37:10
Is she
37:10
talking
37:11
about
37:11
there?
37:13
Not
37:13
her own,
37:16
but the
37:17
sufferings
37:17
of Christ
37:18
and sharing
37:20
in his
37:21
sufferings.
37:23
She wants
37:24
to know
37:25
the power
37:25
of his
37:26
resurrection,
37:27
the power
37:28
that we
37:28
see here,
37:29
the power
37:30
that says,
37:30
Lazarus,
37:31
come out.
37:33
Come out
37:33
and live
37:34
because I
37:36
am the
37:37
resurrection
37:38
and the
37:38
life,
37:39
Jesus
37:39
sees.
37:42
He has
37:42
the power.
37:45
The final
37:45
thing I want
37:46
us to
37:46
think about
37:47
is the
37:48
plea.
37:50
As we
37:51
come to
37:51
the conclusion
37:52
here,
37:53
we think of
37:54
the plea
37:54
that Jesus
37:55
gives.
37:57
We know
37:58
the pain
37:58
of this
37:59
situation.
38:01
We see
38:01
the power
38:02
of Christ
38:03
in calling
38:04
him out,
38:05
but we
38:05
come back
38:06
to the
38:06
question.
38:08
When
38:08
Jesus
38:09
says,
38:09
I am
38:10
the
38:11
resurrection
38:11
and the
38:13
life,
38:15
whoever
38:15
believes in
38:16
me,
38:16
though he
38:17
die,
38:17
yet shall
38:18
he live.
38:19
And everyone
38:20
who lives
38:20
and believes
38:21
in me
38:21
shall never
38:22
die.
38:23
What is
38:23
the question?
38:25
Do you
38:26
believe
38:28
this?
38:32
Martha's
38:32
reply is,
38:33
yes,
38:34
Lord.
38:35
I believe
38:36
that you
38:36
are the
38:36
Christ,
38:37
the Son
38:37
of God
38:38
who is
38:38
coming into
38:39
the world.
38:41
What's
38:42
your
38:42
response
38:43
to that
38:44
question
38:45
tonight?
38:46
To the
38:47
resurrection?
38:49
To the
38:49
thought of
38:49
eternal
38:50
life?
38:51
What do
38:52
all these
38:52
things mean?
38:54
What does
38:55
Easter mean?
38:56
what is
38:57
the purpose
38:58
in it?
39:00
Is it
39:00
just a
39:01
holiday?
39:02
Is it
39:02
a time
39:03
for us
39:04
to have
39:05
events
39:05
in our
39:06
communities
39:06
that
39:07
many few
39:08
tie into
39:09
the real
39:09
meaning
39:10
of Easter?
39:13
Or is
39:14
it to
39:14
remember
39:15
the one
39:15
who is
39:16
the
39:17
resurrection
39:17
and the
39:18
life?
39:19
The only
39:20
one who
39:21
is our
39:22
hope
39:22
in death
39:23
and life.
39:26
do we
39:27
believe
39:28
in him?
39:30
Someone
39:31
once
39:31
illustrated
39:32
our lives
39:33
as a
39:35
24-hour
39:36
period
39:37
we live,
39:39
saying it
39:40
will take
39:40
us
39:40
78.4
39:43
years
39:43
to live
39:44
that 24
39:45
hours.
39:47
If we're
39:48
lucky enough
39:49
to live
39:49
that long,
39:51
each hour
39:52
represents
39:52
3.267
39:54
years
39:55
of life
39:56
lived.
39:57
So you're
39:57
looking at
39:58
your life
39:58
as a
39:59
24-hour
39:59
clock.
40:01
By 3
40:01
a.m.,
40:02
you've
40:03
lived
40:03
almost
40:04
10
40:04
years.
40:06
When
40:06
you reach
40:07
the age
40:07
of 20
40:08
years old,
40:09
you're at
40:10
624 in
40:12
the morning.
40:13
The age
40:14
of 30,
40:15
you're just
40:16
after 9
40:17
a.m.
40:17
in the
40:18
morning.
40:19
You seem
40:19
to have
40:20
almost the
40:20
whole day
40:21
ahead of
40:22
you.
40:22
So much
40:23
time to
40:24
go.
40:26
At the
40:26
age of
40:26
40,
40:27
it's just
40:27
past
40:28
midday.
40:30
When you
40:30
reach the
40:31
age of
40:31
50,
40:32
you're
40:32
looking at
40:33
the clock
40:33
and it
40:33
shows the
40:34
time of
40:34
20 past
40:35
3 in
40:36
the afternoon.
40:37
You're
40:37
approaching
40:38
dinner time
40:39
in your
40:39
life.
40:41
Less than
40:42
9 hours
40:43
remaining in
40:43
your life
40:44
on the
40:45
24-hour
40:46
clock.
40:47
A person
40:48
of 60
40:48
years old
40:49
is looking
40:49
at the
40:50
clock and
40:50
it shows
40:51
622
40:51
p.m.,
40:54
less than
40:55
6 hours
40:56
remaining on
40:57
the 24-hour
40:59
clock.
41:01
It's a
41:02
striking thought
41:03
when you
41:03
think of
41:04
your life
41:04
in that
41:05
way.
41:07
But it's
41:08
a reminder
41:08
how quickly
41:09
our lives
41:10
will pass
41:12
us by.
41:13
And where
41:14
are you
41:15
on that
41:16
clock?
41:17
Because the
41:18
clock is
41:19
always
41:20
ticking.
41:23
But there's
41:23
something
41:24
missing
41:24
from that
41:26
illustration.
41:28
When you
41:29
think of
41:30
our lives
41:30
78 years,
41:33
you're
41:33
thinking,
41:34
we've got
41:34
plenty
41:35
time.
41:36
Time to
41:37
live.
41:39
Plenty
41:39
time to
41:40
go.
41:41
What's
41:42
missing is
41:42
the fact
41:43
that at
41:43
any moment
41:44
clock,
41:45
that clock
41:46
could stop.
41:48
Because we're
41:49
reminded so
41:50
often in
41:52
this life
41:52
that life
41:54
is never
41:55
certain,
41:57
that life
41:57
is short.
41:58
we read
42:00
in the
42:01
scriptures so
42:02
often,
42:02
our life
42:02
is but
42:03
a vapor.
42:05
Our life
42:06
is like
42:06
the grass.
42:08
Springs up
42:08
in the
42:09
morning,
42:10
gone in
42:10
the evening.
42:12
Our life
42:12
is very
42:13
much like
42:13
that 24
42:15
hour clock,
42:17
always
42:17
ticking on.
42:20
Where are
42:21
we in
42:22
that time?
42:22
our life
42:26
is but
42:27
a weaving.
42:32
The
42:33
events
42:33
of this
42:34
world
42:34
can seem
42:35
of little
42:35
significance
42:36
to us
42:37
at times
42:38
because we
42:39
seem so
42:41
far removed
42:42
from them.
42:44
And yet
42:44
when we
42:44
look at it
42:45
in the
42:45
bigger picture,
42:46
we see
42:46
everything that
42:47
happens in
42:47
this world
42:48
as
42:49
consequences
42:50
for us.
42:52
And perhaps
42:53
we come
42:54
to the
42:54
resurrection
42:55
of Jesus.
42:57
Perhaps
42:57
we come
42:58
to Easter
42:58
time in
42:59
the thought
42:59
that Christ
43:00
died on
43:01
the cross.
43:03
And it
43:03
seems just
43:04
insignificant
43:05
to us.
43:07
It means
43:07
nothing for
43:08
us,
43:08
it means
43:08
nothing to
43:09
many around
43:10
us.
43:13
But when
43:13
we look at
43:14
the bigger
43:14
picture,
43:16
when we
43:16
are reminded
43:17
of Lazarus
43:18
and Mary
43:19
and Martha
43:19
and the
43:19
pain and
43:21
sorrow,
43:21
they found
43:22
themselves
43:22
in,
43:23
we are
43:24
reminded
43:24
that that
43:25
is our
43:25
lives too.
43:28
The time
43:28
comes when
43:30
the clock
43:30
will stop
43:31
for us.
43:33
And what
43:34
then?
43:36
Is Jesus
43:37
for you
43:37
the resurrection
43:39
and the life,
43:41
the hope
43:42
for now
43:43
and the hope
43:44
for eternity?
43:46
Because that
43:47
is the only
43:48
way to live.
43:49
death.
43:51
What happened
43:53
in Bethany
43:53
2,000 years
43:54
ago is not
43:56
insignificant.
43:58
Just like
43:59
what happened
43:59
at Calvary
44:00
2,000 years
44:01
ago is not
44:02
insignificant.
44:05
It's the
44:06
most important
44:07
events in
44:08
this world's
44:09
history that
44:11
Jesus showed
44:12
and reminded
44:13
us that he
44:14
has power
44:15
over our
44:16
greatest pain,
44:17
the pain
44:18
of death,
44:19
and the
44:19
consequences
44:20
of sin.
44:22
He has power
44:23
that we
44:24
might live.
44:27
I am
44:27
the resurrection
44:29
and the life.
44:31
there are the
44:33
facts.
44:35
And the
44:35
question is,
44:37
do you
44:38
believe this?
44:40
Let us
44:41
pray.
44:43
Our
44:44
Father in
44:45
heaven,
44:45
we give you
44:46
thanks for
44:47
your word
44:47
that reminds
44:49
us of your
44:49
wonderful love
44:51
towards us,
44:52
reminds us
44:52
how our
44:53
lives are not
44:54
insignificant in
44:55
your eyes,
44:56
that you
44:57
know our
44:57
every hurt
44:58
and pain
44:59
in us,
44:59
you knew
44:59
Mary and
45:00
Martha's.
45:02
And when it
45:02
seemed like
45:03
you were so
45:03
far away
45:04
from them,
45:05
Lord, you
45:06
were preparing
45:06
things for
45:07
your glory,
45:09
that these
45:09
events would
45:10
have their
45:11
effects for
45:12
many generations
45:13
and even for
45:14
our eternity.
45:16
We thank you
45:16
that it was to
45:17
show your
45:17
power, the
45:19
power over
45:20
death, to
45:20
call out
45:21
Lazarus from
45:21
the grave,
45:23
to remind us
45:24
that you are
45:24
the resurrection
45:25
and the life.
45:27
We pray,
45:27
Lord, that you
45:28
will help us
45:28
even in these
45:29
days ahead,
45:30
we may hear
45:31
so much of
45:32
Easter and
45:33
what it
45:34
entails,
45:36
that we
45:36
would remember
45:37
the greatest
45:37
and most
45:38
powerful message
45:39
behind it
45:39
all, that
45:41
you gave
45:41
your son
45:42
for this
45:43
world to
45:44
give his
45:44
life.
45:46
On the
45:46
third day
45:46
he rose
45:47
again.
45:49
He is
45:49
victorious
45:49
and help
45:51
us to find
45:51
our victory
45:52
in him.
45:54
So hear us,
45:55
Lord, we pray,
45:55
and go before
45:56
us now as we
45:57
ask it all in
45:58
Jesus' name.
45:59
Amen.
46:04
We're going to
46:05
conclude by
46:05
singing in
46:06
Psalm 16
46:07
again in the
46:08
Sing Psalms,
46:09
page 17 of
46:13
the Psalm
46:13
books.
46:17
Psalm 16
46:18
on verse
46:19
8 down to
46:20
the end of
46:21
the Psalm.
46:22
The tune is
46:22
Golden Hill,
46:23
and these
46:23
wonderful words
46:25
remind us that
46:26
Jesus is the
46:28
resurrection and
46:29
the life, and
46:30
that we would
46:30
set him
46:31
before us.
46:33
Before me
46:33
constantly I
46:34
set the Lord
46:35
alone, because
46:36
he is at my
46:37
right hand.
46:38
I'll not be
46:39
overthrown.
46:40
Sing these
46:41
four verses to
46:42
God's praise.
46:42
before me
46:49
before me
46:50
constantly
46:52
I
46:56
set the
46:58
Lord
47:00
alone,
47:01
because
47:03
he is
47:08
at my
47:10
right hand.
47:11
I'll not be
47:15
overthrown.
47:18
Therefore
47:21
my heart
47:24
is glad
47:27
my tongue
47:30
with joy
47:33
will sing
47:35
my body
47:40
too
47:41
will
47:42
rest
47:44
secure
47:45
in hope
47:48
and we
47:50
will
47:52
reign
47:53
for
47:55
you
47:56
will
47:58
not
47:59
allow
48:01
my soul
48:05
in death
48:08
to stay
48:10
nor
48:12
will
48:13
you
48:14
leave
48:15
your
48:16
holy
48:17
one
48:18
to see
48:22
the
48:23
tombs
48:24
decay
48:25
you
48:26
have
48:27
made
48:28
Lord
48:29
to me
48:31
the
48:32
power
48:33
of life
48:34
divine
48:35
the
48:37
path
48:38
of life
48:41
divine
48:42
blessed
48:46
shall
48:47
I
48:48
know
48:49
at
48:50
your
48:52
right
48:53
hand
48:54
joy
48:55
from
48:57
your
48:58
face
48:59
will
49:00
shine
49:01
shine
49:03
after
49:05
the
49:06
benediction
49:07
i'll go to the door to my right
49:08
now may grace mercy and peace
49:10
God
49:11
Father Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore
49:17
amen
49:47
2020
49:49
that
49:50
moon
49:53
will
49:54
doing
49:55
you
49:56
the
49:57
energy
49:58
the
49:59
waters
50:00
the
50:01
moon
50:02
to
50:03
use
50:04
to
50:05
passion
50:06
bug
50:07
ère
50:08
המ�
50:09
Built
50:10
良
50:11
des
50:12
運
50:13
back
50:14
is
50:15
have