Sermon Tone Analysis
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Comforting the Miserable"*John 11:17-35*
I suspect that if I asked you to, "think of someone who is hurting" you would quickly have several candidates in mind.
That's because all of us know people who have had their heart bruised and their life crushed.
Someone has said that there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.
I think we could add a third: pain.
Because pain is so prevalent we know that we will have many opportunities to help someone who is crushed by life.
There will be funerals to attend, divorced friends to encourage, people facing the horror of disease.
In these times we can either run, hide, or we can minister.
It is my desire to help us do the later this morning.
In our text we read the continuing account of the raising of Lazarus.
But as we do, it is tempting to run ahead to the grand and incredible miracle while missing all the other instruction available to us.
Last week we looked at some key truths to help us in the new year.
This week look at how Jesus related to these grieving sisters.
We can learn much from His approach.
I see three principles in this text for helping us to comfort the miserable.
In our text we read,
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
In Martha's first words, "Lord, if you had been here . . .
" we see FIRST, a cry of rebuke.
She is disappointed that Jesus wasn't there when she needed Him.
SECOND, a cry of faith.
She is confident that Jesus could have healed Lazarus.
THIRD, a cry of unbelief.
She didn't understand that Jesus had the power to heal even with a Word.
But in these words we see something very common to those who are miserable.
They are always saying, "If only . . .
"
* If only the Doctor had been different
* If only we had come sooner
* If only I hadn't . . . .
* If only I had . . . .
But all these possibilities don't change a thing.
Jesus does what all of us need to do:
Point the Person Toward Jesus
Jesus responds to Martha's comment by saying "You're brother will live again."
Martha agrees but misunderstands.
Jesus has already turned Martha aware from "what might have been" to "what will be".
Martha hears these words similarly to the one who says, "Well, you're loved one is in a better place."
It's true but it isn't always a comfort . . . .
because it seems so far removed from where we are.
Jesus goes further.
He tells Martha that HE is the resurrection and the life.
He is the answer to her dilemma still.
"I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
Jesus is the answer to whatever dilemma we have today:
* He is the assurance of life beyond the grave
* He is the anchor for the storm tossed soul
* He is the companion of the Broken-hearted (Ps.
38:18)
* He loves with an everlasting love (Romans 8)
* He is the One who brings good from the ruins of life (Romans 8:28)
Nothing is as helpful to a suffering person than to point them toward Jesus.
We can (and should be) a good friend but they need to find Jesus, the perfect friend.
We can give them books, we can give the name of an attorney or physician . . . .
but they cannot do what only the Savior can do.
Only Jesus can breathe new life into these dying lives.
The key question asked of Martha is: "Do you believe this?"
There is the key question.
We say we have faith in Christ.
When things are tough do we really trust Him?
Putting your hand in the hand of the Savior will not answer ever question but will help you to live on in the confidence that life is not meaningless.
By the way, do you believe Him?
But, let's go on with our account.
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside.
"The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you."
When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
Jesus wept.
This leads us to the next guideline for helping the miserable,
Share their sorrow
Let me make a bold statement very carefully: There is no greater hindrance to compassion than a well-developed theology.
Be very careful here.
Note what I did NOT say.
I am not saying that theology is bad.
There are some who would say, "I don't care about theology, I just want to follow Jesus."
But they lie!
Disagree with them about something they believe and you will see how fervently they care about theology.
What we believe determines who we really follow.
If our theology is wrong our faith is skewed and our eternity may be in danger.
We must study to show ourselves approved.
And we are to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope that is within us.
Pursuing a solid theology is one of best pursuits we can engage in.
Here is my point: When our theology is well-developed we are very prone to give answers rather than to quietly share the pain of one who hurts.
We barge in with our theories, our books, our gospel tracts.
Rather than bring people to Christ, we offend and push them away.
Sometimes people don't need answers, they need a friend.
We must always be careful that the key motivation of compassion is THE OTHER PERSON'S NEED . . .
NOT OUR AGENDA.
Note how differently Jesus reacts to Mary.
She makes the same "If only . . .
" statement but this time Jesus doesn't respond with an explanation.
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