April/12/ 2020 Filed in:
Who is Jesus?Who Is Jesus?
Part 3
Jesus is THE RESURRECTION
John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die”
John 11:5-6 “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days…”
1. Thomas: Dead in DOUBTS
John 11:16 “Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
2. Mary: Dead in DISCOURAGEMENT
John 11:20 “When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.”
3. Martha: Dead in DELAY
Verse 11 "Lord," Martha said "If you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died." "
So what do you do when you find that your faith is dead?
1. TAKE your DISAPPOINTMENTS to Jesus
John 11:21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:33-35 “when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept.
John 11:35 “JESUS WEPT”
I Peter 5:7 “Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you”
Psalm 56:8 NLT “You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.”
2. Turn your TOO LATES into EVEN NOWS
John 11:21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that EVEN NOW God will give you whatever you ask.”
John 11:39 “…by this time there is a bad odor”
John 11:24-25 “Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.
April/05/ 2020 Filed in:
Who is Jesus?Who Is Jesus?
Part 2:
Jesus Is the Provider
John 6:1-13 “Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”
Four things about Jesus the Provider:
1. Jesus SEES your need
verse 5 “Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd…”
Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more VALUABLE than they?
Matthew 6:28-30 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?”
2. Jesus has A PLAN to meet your need
verse 5-6 “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.”
3. Jesus EXPECTS YOU TO PARTICIPATE in the plan
Luke 9:12-13 “Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13 He replied, “YOU give them something to eat.”
God’s plan for your provision always starts with YOU!
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
How do we participate?
a. Put GOD first
Verse 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
b. Be GENEROUS
c. Tell your money where to GO.
Verse 10 “Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down.”
Verse 12 “Let nothing be wasted”
4. When Jesus blesses there is always MORE THAN ENOUGH
Verse 11-13 “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”
Jesus can’t bless what we don’t give to him.
