THIS EPISODE:
Hope is powerful. And also one of the defining marks of Christ followers. What's at the center of your hope right now?
We so often need to be reminded of the depth & absolute solidity of our true hope. That despite the confusion, pain and suffering that comes from living in a fallen world, we can know with absolute certainty that God will one day complete what he's started in the lives of believers and in the whole of his created universe.
Jesus constantly shows up in scenes of deep hopelessness. Then he changes the future, heals the sick, raises the dead and speaks life & hope into hopelessness. Let's unpack this and more in today's message…
PRIMARY TEXTS:
John 11:23-26 and 39-44
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 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. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
