The message I’m bringing before you I shared in a LIVE video last Monday, but in case you didn’t hear the spoken word, I wanted to make sure you heard it. This message is relevant for where we are right now.

As 2020 is coming to a close, this may be the first time you cannot wait for a new year. In addition to the pandemic that has literally halted life, in recent days, we’re witnessing unbelievable division, hatred, and deception. These things have caused doubt, confusion, disillusionment, discouragement, and depression in both believers and unbelievers.

And many of us have experienced loss of some kind: maybe loss of a relationship, loss of a business, loss of a loved one, loss of a job. And you recognize that Satan is the culprit here and he has stolen a lot from you.

As this war continues to rage, we’re worn out and tired.  

So, what do we need right now? I would say there are two things we need…

Encouragement and Hope

Well, there was a family in the New Testament that needed encouragement and hope as well. The story is found in John 11 (you may want to read it again). It takes place at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Here’s the background…

Mary, Martha and Lazarus were good friends of Jesus. They lived in Bethany, just a few miles from Jerusalem. Jesus would sometimes use their house as a meeting place. They had seen Jesus heal the sick and even raise the dead. They heard Him teach truth, knew of His compassion, and witnessed how He treated His own. They loved Him. And He loved them.

One day, Lazarus got sick and as he lingered close to death, the sisters sent word to Jesus that His dear friend was very sick. Surely, He would come and heal him before he died. The text tells us that when Jesus heard, He purposely stayed where He was for two more days. 

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, He found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days, Mary and Martha were grieving, and many town’s people had come to mourn with them. I’m guessing that everyone in that crowd had heard of Jesus, but almost assuredly there were doubters, unbelievers, skeptics, and haters among the throngs of people.

Jesus led everyone to the tomb and with a power only He could exert, He called Lazarus from the grave. And Lazarus came walking from the tomb to the amazement of many. The text tells us that many believed, but some did not.

Imagine being there that day. Imagine the ground beneath your feet move. Imagine the sound of Jesus’ voice as He called out Lazarus. Imagine the wonderment on Mary and Martha’s faces. Imagine the people who fell on their knees as they recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah. Just imagine…

I believe this miracle shows us some important lessons for today. Allow me to draw out four principles that can give us encouragement and hope in the midst of our struggles and uncertainty.

1. God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect!

Surely Jesus could have come before Lazarus had died. So, why didn’t He? Why did He purposely wait? Well, Jesus tells the disciples: “For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe” (John 11:15). You see, if Jesus had simply healed Lazarus from the sickness, it would have been a miracle, but it could have also been explained away. “He simply got better” is what many would have thought.

However, Jesus had a BIGGER plan. A plan that could not be denied. A plan that would cause many to fully believe, even His own disciples. What Jesus did could not be explained away. There was NO DOUBT. Lazarus was dead and had been for four days. AND THEN JESUS RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD. Each of them looked into the absolute power of God. It may not have been Mary and Martha’s timing, but it was Jesus’ timing. And His timing WAS PERFECT!

Perhaps you’re right where Mary and Martha were. You’ve asked Jesus to come and claim your loved one as His own. In fact, you’ve been praying for a long time. Or perhaps you’ve been asking for justice. You know that evil and corruption run deep, so you believe now is the time for all that to be exposed. Or maybe you’ve been praying for unity because you’re tired of all the division. And you think NOW is the time. Well, let me remind you that God does hear the prayers of His people, but He will act in His timing and it will be PERFECT. 

2. God has a purpose in EVERYTHING!

Jesus had a purpose in how the things transpired on those days. His purpose was to bring many to believe. And that would only be possible through the resurrection of their beloved friend, brother, and community leader. He wanted to WOW that crowd with the power of God. He wanted to reveal His sovereignty over death. He wanted them to see that who He claimed to be, He truly was. 

King David writes: “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16). Therefore, God’s purpose for your life and the events in your life will go forward. But remember that His thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, and His ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8). 

So, God has a purpose in how things are going to go today and how things will transpire tomorrow. Whatever happens in your life is for a grander purpose. Perhaps it’s to show us how to trust Him. Or to wait on Him. Or to fix our eyes on Him. Or to increase our faith. Or to walk by His side. And since God has a purpose, it would be to our advantage to learn from everything going on. 

3. Jesus loves to show up in the MIDST of the impossible!

Could others have helped in the healing of Lazarus? Absolutely! If Jesus had simply come when Lazarus was still sick, his family, friends, and medical professionals would have thought that perhaps the medicine, the remedies, the care, and the prayers played a part in his recovery. But could anyone or any measure have helped in raising Lazarus from the dead. Absolutely NOT! Only Jesus, the One who has control over death, could.

There are other times when Jesus comes in the midst of the impossible: the disciples in the storm (John 6:16-21); the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15); the demonic boy (Mark 9:14-29); His followers after the resurrection (John 20), among many other times. 

So, why does Jesus love to show up then, in the midst of the impossible? I believe it’s to show us how much we need Him. He wants us completely dependent on Him and He will bring forth situations where we have to throw up our hands in surrender and say, “Lord, I can’t do it. I need You.” He longs for us to see His power and supremacy. He waits for us to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit that resides in us. 

Do you have an impossible situation right now? Are looking into the face of a 9-foot giant that seems to be taunting you and calling you names? If so, ask Jesus to show up. Ask Him to do what you simply cannot do in and of yourself.

4. Only Jesus can give us COMPLETE freedom!

At the end of our story in John 11, we watch Lazarus walk out of the tomb still wrapped in his grave clothes. But this is not the end of the story. Jesus tells the people to “unwrap him and let him go” (John 11:44). You see, the grave clothes were keeping him bound up, not free to live again. But it was Jesus’ command that set him free. Because ONLY Jesus can give us COMPLETE freedom. 

All true Christians have walked out of the grave (by placing their faith and trust in Jesus they have conquered the grave). But, many are still bound up with grave clothes. They aren’t walking in the freedom that Jesus came to give them. How do we know this? Well, we’re seeing an increase in Christians attacking other Christians. There’s a ton of judgment, division, and quarrels within the Church right now. And the only reason for this is because many believers have yet to have their grave clothes ripped from them.

We need to seek COMPLETE freedom. Complete freedom allows us to enhance the kingdom of God rather than tear it apart. Complete freedom is more than just conquering the grave… it’s the ability to walk according to God’s ways and to stay on mission with Jesus. So, if you find yourself jealous, argumentative, bitter, unhappy, always on the defense, or unable to forgive… then you need to seek freedom in Jesus. He is the ONLY ONE who can set you totally free.

I trust this message offered you encouragement and hope right where you are at. Please share it with others.

Blessings,