PART 11 HOW TO CARE ABOUT OTHERS

TEXT- JOHN 11:30-46

INTRODUCTION

IN TODAY’S SERMON INSERT YOU WILL FIND A BAND-AID.  I’VE BEEN SEEING BAND-AIDS ALL OVER THE FLOOR AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING “WHAT ARE THESE BAND-AIDS FOR?”  SOMEONE THIS MORNING THOUGHT IT WAS FOR ME TO HAVE EVERYBODY PUT IT OVER THEIR MOUTHS, SO THAT THEY’D KEEP QUIET WHILE I WAS PREACHING.

KEEP THAT BAND-AID.  YOU’RE GOING TO NEED IT LATER ON.  DON’T DROP IT OR MISPLACE IT.

TWO MEN  WENT TO VISIT WITH THEIR FRIEND WHO HAD JUST BEEN WHEELED  OUT  OF  THE  OPERATING ROOM. "YOU'LL  BE  ALL  RIGHT,  DON'T WORRY," SAID THE FIRST MAN REASSURINGLY.   "THE  SAME  DOCTOR WHO FIXED ME UP HAD TO REMOVE A SMALL SPONGE THAT HE LEFT IN ME."  THE SECOND MAN SPOKE UP, "I  HAD A LITTLE  SET  BACK  TOO.   THE SAME DOCTOR HAD TO OPEN ME UP AGAIN  TO REMOVE  A PAIR  OF FORCEPS. AT ABOUT  THAT TIME  THE DOCTOR  CAME OUT OF THE OPERATING ROOM AND ASKED,  "HAS  ANYONE  SEEN MY HAT?"

THIS MORNING  OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN JOHN 11:30-46 AND THE TITLE OF  MY  MESSAGE  IS,  "HOW TO SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS."

FOR THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SEVEN MIRACLES MENTIONED IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.  THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY MIRACLES THAT JESUS DID, BUT THEY ARE THE ONES JOHN MENTIONS FOR A VERY SPECIAL REASON.

JOHN 20:31  BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME.  (NIV)

SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN...

    IN CHAPTER 2 HOW JESUS  CHANGED  THE  WATER INTO WINE.  THROUGH THAT MIRACLE WE LEARNED HOW JESUS IS ABLE TO CHANGE OUR LIVES TODAY.

    WE LEARNED IN CHAPTER 4 HOW JESUS HEALED THE NOBLEMAN'S SON AND HOW EACH OF US GROWS THROUGH SEVEN DISTINCT STAGES OF FAITH.

    IN CHAPTER 5 WE SAW HOW JESUS HEALED THE PARALYTIC MAN AND LEARNED HOW JESUS HELPS THOSE WHO ARE HELPLESS.

    IN CHAPTER 6 JESUS FEED THE 5,000 AND WE LEARNED HOW TO MEASURE THE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES WE FACE FROM DAY TO DAY.

    ALSO IN CHAPTER 6 WE LEARNED HOW JESUS WALKED ON THE WATER AND HOW THROUGH FAITH WE ARE TO FACE OUR FEARS.

    LAST SUNDAY WE SAW IN CHAPTER 9 HOW JESUS HEALED THE BLIND MAN AND LEARNED HOW TO HAVE 20/20 SPIRITUAL SIGHT AND SEE GOD AT WORK IN OUR LIVES.

THIS LAST MIRACLE RECORDED IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN SHOWS US HOW TO CARE ABOUT OUR FRIENDS.

WHILE EACH  OF THESE MIRACLES SHOW US THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD THEY ALSO TEACH US  HOW MUCH  JESUS CARES ABOUT PEOPLE AND THE WAYS WE CAN  BECOME INVOLVED  IN THIS CARING MINISTRY.

IN THESE MIRACLES THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT TRUTHS THAT ARE TAUGHT.

FIRST, JESUS DEALS WITH  THE MAIN  ISSUES OF LIFE, DEATH  AND  HEALING.

ONLY JESUS CAN GIVE LIFE AND HEAL.

SECOND, IT  IS  OUR  RESPONSIBILITY  TO DEAL WITH THE SECONDARY ISSUES.

WHILE ONLY JESUS COULD CHANGE THE WATER  INTO WINE,  HE ASKED THE SERVANTS TO FILL THE POTS WITH WATER.  WHILE ONLY JESUS CAN FEED 5000 PEOPLE WITH A FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD AND TWO FISH, HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES TO PASS IT OUT.

HERE IN CHAPTER 11 THESE SAME TWO PRINCIPLES ARE CLEARLY PRESENTED.

IN VERSES 1-16 WE FIND JESUS DEALING WITH THE MAIN ISSUES OF PHYSICAL LIFE AND DEATH AND IN VERSES 17-29 HE DEALS WITH THE ISSUE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE AND DEATH.

WOULD YOU AGREE THAT ONLY JESUS HAS THE POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH NO MATTER IF IT IS PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL?

DEATH IS A REALITY.  THIS LAST WEEK I RECEIVED WORD THAT A YOUNG 28 YEAR OLD MAN THAT SOME OF US KNEW SUDDENLY DIED.  HIS DEATH WAS A SHOCK TO ALL OF US WHO KNEW HIM.  NO ONE HAD ANY CONTROL OVER THAT EVENT.  ONLY GOD HAS THE POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH.

BUT, IN VERSES 30-46 WE FIND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS MIRACLE DEALING WITH THE SECONDARY ISSUES.  THEIR INVOLVEMENT SHOWS US WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.

IN THESE VERSES JESUS ASKS THEM THREE THINGS.  IN VERSE 34 HE ASKS THEM “WHERE IS HE?”  IN VERSE 39, HE ASKS THEM TO “REMOVE THE ROCK.” AND LASTLY, IN VERSE 44 HE ASKS THEM TO “REMOVE THE BANDAGES.”

A MAN HAD A TERRIBLE COLD  AND DECIDED  TO GO TO HIS  DOCTOR.    AFTER  AN EXAMINATION THE DOCTOR SAID, "YOU'VE GOT A  TERRIBLE  COLD."    "I KNOW THAT DOC,"  REPLIED THE  MAN, "THAT'S WHY I CAME   TO SEE YOU."  WHAT ARE  YOU GOING  TO DO?"   THE DOCTOR TOLD  HIM, "I WANT YOU TO GO  HOME, TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES, GO OUTSIDE AND STAND IN THE  SNOW FOR AN HOUR "   "BUT  WON'T THAT GIVE ME PNEUMONIA?" THE MAN ASKED.    "YES,"  RESPONDED  THE DOCTOR, "BUT, I KNOW  HOW TO  CURE PNEUMONIA, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CURE A COLD."

THERE ARE  SOME THINGS  THAT ONLY  JESUS IS ABLE TO DO  TO HELP  PEOPLE, BUT, THERE ARE ALSO SOME THINGS HE WANTS US TO DO.  DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT OUR PURPOSE MOTTO IS?  IT IS ON OUR CHURCH LOGO.  IT IS “CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE AND GOD.”  SAY THAT WITH ME.

ONE OF THE WAYS TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE IS TO SHOW THEM HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT THEM.  THAT’S WHAT JESUS DID THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE MIRACLES.

AS INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS AND CHURCH MEMBERS JESUS WANTS YOU AND ME TO GET INVOLVED IN HIS MINISTRY AND SHOW HOW MUCH WE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

MATTHEW 22:37-39  JESUS SAID: " 'LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT. 39AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: 'LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'  (NIV)

THAT IS WHAT THE BRIDGE IN CORONA IS ALL ABOUT.  CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE AND GOD.

AS WE LOOK AT THE THINGS JESUS ASKED THESE PEOPLE TO  DO JOHN GIVES US FOUR WAYS TO SHOW HOW MUCH WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.