Living with Hope pt. 1

Mark Finley: Think of the worst thing that can happen. It does not compare to the joy, the glory, the majesty of the second coming of Jesus Christ when the dead are resurrected and the living righteous rise and we travel forever and ever and ever and ever and live with him in all eternity.
Guest (Male): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, Living with Hope, Part 1. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: If you know Israel at all, you know that Bethany is about 2 to 3 miles from Jerusalem. But to get to Bethany, you have to leave Jerusalem, cross the Kidron Valley, go up the western slope of the Mount of Olives, and then come down the eastern slope onto Bethany. And so when Mr. Saud was building his new home on this beautiful section of the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives, as the construction men were digging the foundations, they came across a large open empty cave. Now, in that part of the world, often caves were used for burial grounds for families. Many families would bury their dead together. It was like a communal familial cemetery. When you are digging in Israel, if you come across one of these caves, you stop immediately and bring in the archaeologist. And so that's what Mr. Saud did. He brought in the archaeologist. Now, it was 1874. So, they there was a French archaeologist by the name of Clermont-Ganneau that was working in Israel, very renowned archaeologist. And he came in and the first thing he began to do is date the cave. And he dated the cave and this burial plot as 2,000 years old. Well, that was significant because it took you back to the first century, the days of Christ. As they began examining the cave, one of the first things you look for is ossuaries. Now, ossuaries are like coffins, but they're stone coffins. And they looked at the ossuaries and they studied them. Sure enough, the ossuaries were 2,000 years old. The artwork on these ossuaries came back to the first century. The next thing you look at is symbols or names. Now, remember we're at Bethany. We're at a family grave that's fairly well to do. And this fairly family grave is 2,000 years old. As they're looking at the ossuaries, they notice one that says Mary. They notice another ossuary that says Martha. Are the wheels begin turning in your mind? They look at another one and it says Eleazar. Now, Eleazar is the Hebrew form of the Greek word Lazarus. So, by this time, Professor Clermont-Ganneau is absolutely amazed because he senses he has a tomb that's 2,000 years old that is next to Bethany, that's a family tomb that has no doubt the ossuaries and the coffins of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Further studies on that tomb by the world's leading archaeologists discover that indeed Ganneau's observations were right. One of the most amazing stories in the Bible is the resurrection of Lazarus. He was resurrected from the dead, but he didn't live forever. So, obviously, he died again. If you have your Bible and I hope you do, take your Bible and turn to John chapter 11 because this morning we want to study that amazing story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This story speaks hope and encouragement to us today. This story brings us hope for the challenging days ahead. There are challenges on the horizon. The ground beneath our feet is shaking. It's crumbling. The economy hangs on a slender thread. Natural disasters are increasing every single week and month and year, it seems. The next terrorist attack is just around the corner. Last weekend, I was in New York City preparing for some large meetings there. I was with our General Conference President Elder Ted Wilson traveling. And our driver happens to be a man who's deeply entrenched in the security systems of New York. And he said to me as he drove us, he said, you know, Pastor Finley, the the leading officials in New York, the mayor of this city, the controller of the city, the financial people of this city, the security people of this city know that another terrorist attack is coming. We just don't know when it is. So, it's not if there will be a terrorist attack, it's when there will be a terrorist attack. Natural disasters, a crumbling economy, terrorist attacks, violence increasing in unprecedented numbers in our schools, the Newtown, Connecticut shooting. And it seems that you turn on the news today and there's one disaster after another. You look at the uncertainty in Northern Africa today. And Northern Africa is becoming the new home for Al Qaeda. And the recent kidnappings and terrorist attack at the Algeria oil refinery indicates that Northern Africa is becoming incredibly unstable. And it seems like we deal with Al Qaeda in Iraq and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. But like mushrooms in a North Virginia spring, they Al Qaeda seems to sprout up someplace else. And now, Northern Africa has become the new area. What will you do if the economic bottom falls out of America? What will you do if natural disasters hit with unprecedented numbers? What How will you survive if indeed everything we know is changed? If life as we now know it is changed, where can we find hope and encouragement? As we study John the 11th chapter, there are seven great principles that enable us to live with hope in times of crisis. There are seven great principles that enable us to live in hope in times of challenge. You know the story well. It begins in John chapter 11 verse 11. Now, a certain man was sick. John 11 verse 11. We'll follow the story throughout the text. John 11 verse verse 1 we start with. John 11 verse 1. Now, a certain man was sick. Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. We pause there just for a moment. Lazarus is sick. In the ancient world, names had significance. The name Lazarus meant simply God is my help. God is my help. In times of crisis, God is my help. When the economy falls apart, God is my help. When this we when the ground beneath my feet is shaking, God is my help. When terrorist attacks hit, God is my help. So, the very name of the one that was resurrected from the dead speaks hope and courage to you and to me today. Now, a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany. Lazarus, God is my help. The town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil, wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore, the sisters sent to him saying, Lord, behold him whom you love is sick. Now, there's something significant here. Jesus loved to go to the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Bethany was this little village outside of Jerusalem. And Jesus could go there away from the hustle and the bustle of the crowd. He could go there away from the taunts and the skepticism and the cynicism of the Pharisees. Jesus was able to go and when he walked into the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus, he knew they'd get a good meal. He knew he was among friends. He knew he could sit and nap if he wanted to or he could openly discuss. He didn't have to watch his words at all. It's a wonderful thing to create an atmosphere in your home whether it's little or no tension. An atmosphere in your home where people can come and say, you know, when I walk into that home, I just feel incredibly relaxed. That's the way Jesus felt in the home of Mary and Martha. Now, in verse 3, there is something quite significant that brings us to our first principle. Often in the Bible, if you look at things from a surface perspective, you miss them. But when you look at things with eyes divinely anointed, you see things that you never saw before. Look at verse 3 carefully. Therefore, the sisters sent to him saying, Lord, behold he whom you love is sick. First, what did they not say? There is no urgent request here. There is no petition for help here. There is no begging for healing here. There is no pleading with Jesus to come here. There is no request at all. It's quite surprising. Lazarus is sick and he's dying. And Mary and Martha don't say, Lord, please come and heal him. None of that. They don't say, Lord, you have visited our home so many times. Lord, you owe us one. Lord, come now and heal Lazarus. They don't even ask Jesus to come. Notice verse 3 again. They simply said, verse 3, Lord, he whom you love is sick. Why? The question is why. Why don't they beg Jesus to come? Why don't they plead for healing? Why do they just say, Lazarus is sick? Here is simply why. The answer is this. They had such confidence in Christ that they knew he would be there when they needed him because friends help friends. They didn't have to beg. They didn't have to coerce. They didn't have to control. They had such confidence in Christ that they knew that he would be there when they needed him. CF Murray tells an amazing story CF Andrews tells amazing story of two friends after the Second World War. And these two friends were out in battle. And the battle was fierce. The bombs were dropping, the shells were exploding. And one of these two soldiers was shot in the legs and he was lying in the battlefield dying. The trenches of the enemy forces were here. The trenches of the allied forces were here. And this man is lying bleeding. And he's bleeding to death. And amidst those shells exploding and amidst the gunfire and the machine guns, his buddy who had been friends with him for some 20 years or so, his buddy, his childhood friend, crawled on his stomach out to this man at the risk of his life. And as he cradled his friend in his arms to carry him back, his friend said one thing, I knew you would come. I knew you would come.
Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: Mary and Martha knew that Jesus would come. There was no doubt in their mind at the great at the time of their greatest need. When Lazarus was sick and they needed him most, there was no begging, there was no cajoling, there was no pleading. They knew he would be there at the time of your greatest need. At the time when you need him most, Jesus, your friend is near. John 15 verse 15. Take your Bible, please. I knew that you would come. Those were the words of that soldier. They are the words of Mary and Martha. Lazarus was sick and needed help and there was no doubt in the two sisters' mind because they knew that friends help friends. 15 verse 15. I love the words of Jesus. Jesus said, no longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends. For all things that I heard from my father, I have made known to you. Jesus said, I have called you what?
Guest (Male): Friends.
Mark Finley: Friends. I love the song, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Are there trials and tribulations? Is there trouble anywhere? Ellen White in the book Steps to Christ page 100 pens these words. Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden him. You cannot weary him. Take to him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for him to bear for he upholds the world. He rules over the affairs of men and is not unobservant of our cares. Here's the first principle. Your best friend rules over all the universe. And like Mary and Martha, no matter what happens in this world, we have nothing to fear because just when I need him, Jesus is near. Principle number two. You'll find it there in John chapter 11 and verse 4. Seven great principles for times of need. The first principle is that you and I have a friend who anticipates our needs before we speak them. You and I have a friend who knows what we need before we even ask him to meet the need. You and I have a friend who's on his way to help us before we even ask him to come near. Principle number two. You find that in John chapter 11 verse 4. When Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the son of God may be glorified through it. Now, notice this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God. What did Jesus mean in John when he said this sickness is for the glory of God? Well, the surface response to that is that God would raise Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead and that would bring glory to God. That's the surface response. And that's right, but it's only partially true. How would the resurrection of Lazarus bring the greatest glory to God? One of the things you notice about John's gospel is that Jesus is constantly talking about God's glory and equating it with his own death. Now, let me give you an example of that. Turn to John chapter 17 because there's something amazing here that doesn't appear on the surface. John 17 verse 1. Jesus spoke these words and lifted up his eyes to heaven. This is Christ's great intercessory prayer. Father, the hour has come. Now, when you read the expression in John's gospel, the hour has come, it's always talking about the hour of the cross, the hour that Judas would betray him and that Peter would deny him and that Thomas would doubt. The the hour that the Jews would reject him and the disciples would forsake him and the Romans would crucify him. The hour has come. The hour of the nails, the hour of the whip, the hour of the crown of thorns, the hour of his crucifixion, the hour of Calvary's mountain, the hour of Golgotha's hill. He says the hour has come. Glorify your son that your son may also glorify you. So, the hour that Christ bore the sins of the world, the hour that he suffered the most, the hour that he took on the guilt and shame of all humanity. That was the hour of Christ's greatest glory. Now, how does this relate to John chapter 11 and verse 4? So, obviously, in John chapter 11 and verse 4, Jesus is pointing beyond Lazarus' death to the cross because he says, when Jesus heard this, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the son of God may be glorified through it. So, if Christ's greatest glory is at the time of his death, what does the resurrection of Lazarus have to do with the death of Jesus? We get a clue in John chapter 11. So, take your Bible and John chapter 11 in verse 53. John chapter 11 and verse 53. Here the Bible says in John 11 verse 53, once Christ raises Lazarus from the dead, then from that day on they plotted to put him to death. So, when Jesus raised Lazarus, the scribes and the Pharisees at that moment sensed that he had divine power. They knew that the only way they could deal with Jesus was to put him to death. The resurrection of Lazarus was the trigger point that led the scribes and Pharisees to begin plotting to put Jesus to death. And it was in his death that he would reveal his greatest glory. Therefore, they contribute to revealing the greatest glory possible because on the cross, Jesus reveals that the father is love. On the cross, Jesus answers the deepest questions about the great controversy. On the cross, Jesus casts out the principalities and powers of hell. So, Lazarus' death reveals Jesus' greatest glory because it opens the door for the scribes and Pharisees to plot against him that ultimately leads him to his death. Now, what if you were a bystander at the cross and you are standing and you're seeing nails driven through Jesus' hands? You are seeing a crown of thorns placed upon Jesus' head. You are watching as Jesus breathes his last and dies. Suppose you're a bystander at the cross. Suppose your eyes are not divinely enlightened. What would you have thought? You've thought this is an incredible defeat. You would have had no clue that this was done for the glory of God. No clue at all. When you look at John chapter 11, there is a deeper meaning here. Jesus is speaking to you and to me that the things that challenge us, the apparent defeats we play we face in our lives, the things that are mountains that seem too hard to climb, the difficulties, the problems, all of those rightly understood in your life are going to bring glory to God because the Christ that is near you, the Christ who is your friend will take everything that Satan throws against you and bring it to God's glory. He'll take all your defeats and cause them to be triumph. He will take all everything that's against you and cause that which is against you to be a victory for his name. A number of years ago in 1989, I was in England. We were living in England at the time. And uh I was the minister or secretary of the Trans-European Division, which means that we had about 17 countries in our division and Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, all the Scandinavian countries and all of uh most of Northern in fact all of Northern Europe. So, we traveled often to Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark. And one day our office was in St. Albans, England. And so one day I was walking into the office and I noticed the London Times sitting there and I had a little while and I began to read the London Times. And there was an article in the London Times about a church. Uh it happened to be a Seventh-day Adventist church. Now, remember this is 1989 and the church was in Romania. And the the dictator of Romania was Nicolae Ceaușescu. And Ceaușescu had ordered that that Seventh-day Adventist church be totally destroyed. And he did it in a ruse. He said, well, we're going to build a new road in this part of the world of of the city. And we need to take the church so that the road can be built. The Adventists went down to the church on the day that the government was to come to knock the church down and they began to worship in the church. The forces of Ceaușescu's Communist government surrounded the church and there was a standoff for about three days. Pretty soon, Ceaușescu got a number of his worst criminals, let them out of prison. They came to the church, smashed the windows, broke down the doors, dragged the Adventists out and totally destroyed the church. I mean, it was just destroyed. The next Sabbath, the Adventists came to the same site. And among broken glass and twisted metal and shattered concrete, the Adventists had worship on that very site. But pretty soon, the site was cleared. They built the road. And the Adventists had to meet in a tent. It was a terrible situation. Romania can be very cold in the wintertime. They tried to put a few heaters in there. End of story, right? Great defeat for the true God. Everything is is gone and over. Fast forward about 10 years. I was visiting Romania to hold a meeting in Sala Sala Palatului is was the Communist Party building. And after the fall of communism, that building became available. And I spoke there and I sat at the very desk that the dictator sat at, Nicolae Ceaușescu. And we had thousands coming to our meetings. By now, liberty had come to Romania. And so I said to my host, I said, please, I read this story 10 years ago in the London Times about this church that was smashed down. What is the sequel to the story? Tell me the sequel to the story. And he said, how would you like to go to that church? And I said, I'd love to go there today. And I didn't know what to expect, whether they're going to be meeting in a tent or where to go. He took me to one of the most beautiful churches in Europe I've ever been in my life. It was absolutely gorgeous. And as we were driving there, the president conference president said to me, uh Mark, um you know what the name of this street is? I said, no. Victory Street. Do you know what number Victory Street the Seventh-day Adventist church is built on? You know. Number 7 Victory Street. That church stands today as a monument to the glory of God.
Guest (Male): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.
Mark Finley: One day, Jesus will come. One day, the sky will be illuminated with his glory. One day, the earth will shake. The dead will be resurrected. And one day, we will go home with him forever. Praise his holy name. Let's pray.