Post-Resurrection

[See previous lesson in series]

Campaigner Lesson. June 9 2008

John 12:1-11

12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

what do you see? what stuck out to you?

scale of faith for mary, martha, lazarus (prev 6, 8, dead)

what caused the change?

nard = 300 denarii, almost 1 year's pay

what was lazarus doing? Philippians 2:1-11

are you doing this?

what prevents us from doing this? Look at Paul's example - Phillippians 3:1-11

write down our dead clothes & burn it

this is symbolic. life isn't. jesus removes. pray be steadfast. it will be hard. it will be painful, like fire, but it is us being purified/transfigured into jesus

PRAY!

Importance of Ministry

Norwich Alliance Church. 6/8/08. Pastor Tyree

Acts 17:16-21

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

separation of what we believe vs what we do

- not just knowing but living it out

trend in society-negative view of church/christians

- stereotype: neg, mean, condescending

- society believes in a god but worships everything else

-- similar to athens...worship many idols

--- types of thought-stoic. epicurean...similarities to today?

--- test of devotion: how do i spend my time&money

paul was 'provoked'

- felt attacked not intimidated

where do we start ministry?

- find the committed christians

- dont fear admitting to his name

- understand that we will be criticized

-- paul called a babbler

- talk about christ anyways but be mindful of our manner

-- speak the truth but in grace/truth

-- dont sacrifice the truth for unbridled tolerance

-- be clear; know the truth ourselves

- look at the area we're in: jobs, friends, etc

- have a mission: patiently, respectfully explain truth

-- be gentle as they reject&counter your words

- know that it will take time

one person can change a society: Jesus

- we must be faithful as paul was

Live...don't just believe!

Resurrection and Life

Campaigner Lesson. June 9 2008.

John 11:1-45 “I am the resurrection and the life”

Passage

Key = v25-26

“Resurrection and the life”

Define resurrection: rising from the dead, life after death

- key: what has to happen? Death

End of v25-26

- believes in Jesus and will be raised, what does this correspond with?

- believes in Jesus shall never die, what does this correspond with?

- what seems odd about this?

- this must be talking about two separate, yet connected topics

- Who is around: Crowd, Marth, Mary, Lazarus, Jesus (key technique to studying scripture, list characters and ask questions about them)

Lazarus

- describe Lazarus at the beginning of the story: dead

- at the end? Living

Jesus – cares for Mary, Martha, Lazarus; upset over death, stayed two days longer

- explain Jesus emotions through the story

- how do you think he reacted when Lazarus came out?

- excited that someone came back to life

Crowd – upset, sharing in pain

- how do they see Jesus? some believed, some didn’t

Mary- upset, believes Jesus has power, same mary who anointed Christ

- how does she see Jesus? How much power does she think he have?

- What is her level of faith?

Martha – upset

- how does she see Jesus? How much power does she think he have?

- power over death but here or later?

- Read v39

- what does Martha say? What is her faith in?

- how does Jesus respond?

- they rolled away the stone; did they know if it would smell? No, did it in faith

- what happens after?

- Jesus prays (lifted up his eyes)

- Lazarus is raised (man who had died, he was literally dead then raised)

- how would Mary and Martha respond?

- eyes were opened; bigger image of who Jesus is; not just for end times, but here and now (resurrection and the life)

How is the Jesus “the resurrection and the life” in the story?

- physically: he literally raised Lazarus, gave him life

- did Lazarus call out for help? No

- What did he do to deserve this? Nothing

- why was this done? To glorify God

- how is God glorified? People believing

- who gets the credit? God even though Mary/Martha sent for Christ

- so what are we supposed to take from this story?

- works on two levels: future and now

- how does this apply to our lives in the future?

- actual physical resurrection, we know we will be raised

- how does this apply to our lives now?

- spiritual

- compare lazarus to us; how is his role in this story a metaphor for our lives?

- were dead but now alive, God alone, we did nothing to deserve it

- how do you think his life after compared to his life before?

- doesn’t really; talk about life-changing (when a life-changing event happens, everyone notices)

- Our own spiritual resurrection must be the greatest moment of our lives

-if it isn’t, doesn’t mean we aren’t saved but it means we need to see the true reality of what happened

- how do we do this?

- see God for what he did; great God, sinful people

- meditate and think on it

- he is our resurrection!

- take off the linen strips, unbind ourselves (Lazarus alive but still bound)

- leave behind the grave clothes, the things that remind us and bind us to death

- brainstorm what binds us

- these things literally bind us; the devil convinces us these things are freedom, but in reality it prevents us from living

- not convinced? Try to not do these things; they suck you in

- live alive!

- he is our life!

- brainstorm ways to live (ways to serve God and others)

- we have freedom now to choose to live this way

- focus on/trust God, act in faith (see: Martha rolling stone away)

- Why did Christ do this?

- he loved us

- to glorify God

- so that others might believe!

- They see us living! It’s unmistakable from death! That is why we take off the death clothes and things that bind us because it doesn’t make sense to wear them anymore

- like Mary and Martha, when we see others raised, we can rejoice and grow

- Challenge: Live alive in the ways we talked about above!

PRAY!

Assignment: Read 12:1-11 and we’ll discuss it next time!

Living in the Light

Sermon. Carlisle Evangelical Free Church. Shad Baker.

I John 2:7-14

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.

I. What God requires
not writing a new command
- old command is seen in v6
- God is concerned with how we live
-- from the beginning God cares about our actions because our live is made complete when we love each other
-- do we believe in God? The live like it
- God is not just concerned with our behavior but also our heart
-- good behavior is good but where is our heart?
-- we can cross every moral t and do ever legal i but still miss Jesus
--- miss the fact that we are to love
-- old command: live moral lives
-- new command: love
--- all commands can be summed up by: love
- obedience with love

II. Test of Light
Do I love my brother? (v9-10)
- can't be in light and hate brother at same time
- simple test: don't rationalize or try to stall the test
what does love look like?
- Christ
- culmination of his love seen in his death

III. How do I improve?
- CONFESS QUICKLY/IMMEDIATELY!
-- we must confess first
-- can't wait to confess till we're "clean"
--- if we do, then we will never return to Christ because it's impossible for man to clean himself up
- GET INTO LIGHT
-- must return to Christ
- PLANNED GIVING
-- plan to sacrifice (give up and NOT get anything in return)
-- plan to be unnoticed/unrecognized
-- plan to love and be hated for it
--- then we're with Christ
- REMEMBER GOD LOVES EVEN ME
-- I'm hard to love yet Jesus still puts up and sacrificed (gave up his life and did not get anything in return for a long time, and even now not the proper respect) for me while I was still a sinner
- old way (darkness/hate) is passing away
--Light is coming into the world