"Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect."
-Matthew 5:48
I've recently been thinking about the idea of perfection. People often say things like "this burger is perfect", or "this weather is perfect". Can anything really be perfect though? Isn't it interesting that we all have an idea of perfection, but nothing we know is perfect? For example, I have a notion of what a perfect person is. I strive to be that perfect person, but I know that I'll never be perfect. I also know that no one is that perfect person. If no one is perfect, then how can I know what a perfect person is? Where does my idea of perfection come from?
I argue a lot that everyone has innate desires and knowledge. For example, everyone has a desire for pleasure and fulfillment. People naturally have knowledge of what is right and wrong. Of course, we all are affected by sin, so our ability to judge right and wrong is skewed. However, we all have some notion of right and wrong. All of these desires and knowledge come from our Creator, God. Our desire for pleasure and fulfillment arise from our longing to be with our Father. Our knowledge of right and wrong arise because we are created in the image of God.
I believe that our idea of perfection also comes from God. I said earlier that no one is perfect, but I left out one significant person- Jesus Christ. Jesus was a perfect gift from the Father, and He lived a perfect life as a perfect man. What if when we think about what perfection looks like in a person, we are thinking about Jesus? What if all our thoughts on perfection are thoughts about God? It makes sense, doesn't it? We are created in God's image, so we desire to be with the Father and to be like Him. Our ideas of perfection are actually reflections of our idea of God. When you look for perfection, maybe you are really looking for God.
-Smart
People Praising
"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth."
-Psalm 96:1
Today I wanted to write about a less serious topic than I normally do on this blog. I've titled this post "People Praising" and I just want to share what I have observed as a praise team member. Specifically, I am going to talk about how I see people worship God in different ways. To be clear, I am not trying to pick on anyone, nor do I think that there is a specific way we need to praise God. I can't see people's hearts, only God can.
On a normal Sunday, about 70-80% of the congregation does the same thing during praise. They have their heads tilted back a bit as they read the words off of the PowerPoint. It's funny because I can sometimes see people trying really hard to read the words, as if they are having trouble reading the slides. Hands are by their sides, maybe they sway a bit to the music, and they try their best to sing along with the praise team.
A small percentage of the congregation does the same as the last group, but they don't sing. They just stand there staring at the PowerPoint, or at the ground. I don't know the reason behind this, but I assume it is because they don't want to sing. Perhaps they don't think they sing very well, or they don't know the song, or they just don't feel like singing. While I don't want to jump to conclusions and say that these people aren't worshiping God, I can say that as a worship leader it is quite discouraging to see people who seem disengaged like this.
Another small percentage, normally the younger people, get really into praise. These people know a lot of the songs, so their eyes are closed, they are swaying (much more than the first group), and they are singing their hearts out. Again, I can't say if they are really worshiping God or not, but I can definitely say that these are the people that encourage me.
Our church is quite conservative when it comes to outward displays of worship, which is why you may have noticed that I never mentioned hand raising, people shouting amen, or anything of that nature. In fact, when I see someone who raises a hand (or hands), I'm almost shocked. It does happen from time to time, and surprisingly it's not restricted to the younger congregation. It's interesting how much people's praise is influenced by the people around them. I've been to other churches where people are very active during praise. Almost everyone raises their hands, sings loudly, and sometimes even dance. I can almost say with certainty that if any of those people came to my church, they would feel out of place.
So this is all interesting, but you may be wondering, how do I praise? I've been in the praise team for many years, and I also lead praise for a lot of the smaller events at our church. This means that I almost never am part of the congregation during praise. When I play drums, I actually don't look out into the congregation very often. I am focused either on playing the drums or reading the words of the song. When a song has a really good feel to it, I often sway a bit because it helps me keep time and it feels natural.
When I play the guitar, I move around a bit more than when I play drums (for the obvious reason that I can't really move when drumming). I am thinking about a lot of different things, like the tempo, where I want to go next, how people are engaging, dynamics, and other aspects of praise. I've been trying to memorize songs so that I don't have to keep looking down at a music stand, which I have found can detract from praise. It may not affect how the congregation praises, but looking at a music stand definitely hinders my personal ability to focus on the words of the song.
Lastly, when I am in the congregation, as rare as that is, I am usually like the first group I described. I sing a bit louder than most people, because I have a naturally loud voice, and I know many of the songs that are sung. I sometimes fall into the third group, where I get really into a song, close my eyes and sway back and forth. I sometimes feel like raising my hands, but to be honest, 99% of the time I am too self-conscious to do it.
Regardless of how you are during praise, the most important thing is that you really are praising God. The longer I have been on the praise team, the more I realize how important it is to worship God from your heart. Music is nice, but music in itself is not enough. We will eventually get bored of a song if we only sing it because we like it. The reason I can sing the same songs over and over again is because I believe the words I am singing. The songs are my worship to God, not just something I play for my own enjoyment.
The things I described today are just some examples of people's expressions of worship. None of these is right or wrong, they are only expressions. What really matters is what is going on in the heart. If we choose to be still, is it because we don't want to be there, or is it so that we can focus on God? If we choose the be active, is it because we are enjoying the song, or is it because we are responding to the Holy Spirit? You may think that you are not a musical person, so it's hard for you to praise God through music. I understand that, because I thought that way in the past too. I encourage you to find another way to worship God during the praise and worship times. Think about the words that are being sung. Pray to God using the songs as a guide. Listen for God's voice during praise. Just do something to worship God. He deserves it, and you need it.
-Smart
(P.S. I don't really know where I was going with this entry, but I hope you enjoyed reading it.)
-Psalm 96:1
Today I wanted to write about a less serious topic than I normally do on this blog. I've titled this post "People Praising" and I just want to share what I have observed as a praise team member. Specifically, I am going to talk about how I see people worship God in different ways. To be clear, I am not trying to pick on anyone, nor do I think that there is a specific way we need to praise God. I can't see people's hearts, only God can.
On a normal Sunday, about 70-80% of the congregation does the same thing during praise. They have their heads tilted back a bit as they read the words off of the PowerPoint. It's funny because I can sometimes see people trying really hard to read the words, as if they are having trouble reading the slides. Hands are by their sides, maybe they sway a bit to the music, and they try their best to sing along with the praise team.
A small percentage of the congregation does the same as the last group, but they don't sing. They just stand there staring at the PowerPoint, or at the ground. I don't know the reason behind this, but I assume it is because they don't want to sing. Perhaps they don't think they sing very well, or they don't know the song, or they just don't feel like singing. While I don't want to jump to conclusions and say that these people aren't worshiping God, I can say that as a worship leader it is quite discouraging to see people who seem disengaged like this.
Another small percentage, normally the younger people, get really into praise. These people know a lot of the songs, so their eyes are closed, they are swaying (much more than the first group), and they are singing their hearts out. Again, I can't say if they are really worshiping God or not, but I can definitely say that these are the people that encourage me.
Our church is quite conservative when it comes to outward displays of worship, which is why you may have noticed that I never mentioned hand raising, people shouting amen, or anything of that nature. In fact, when I see someone who raises a hand (or hands), I'm almost shocked. It does happen from time to time, and surprisingly it's not restricted to the younger congregation. It's interesting how much people's praise is influenced by the people around them. I've been to other churches where people are very active during praise. Almost everyone raises their hands, sings loudly, and sometimes even dance. I can almost say with certainty that if any of those people came to my church, they would feel out of place.
So this is all interesting, but you may be wondering, how do I praise? I've been in the praise team for many years, and I also lead praise for a lot of the smaller events at our church. This means that I almost never am part of the congregation during praise. When I play drums, I actually don't look out into the congregation very often. I am focused either on playing the drums or reading the words of the song. When a song has a really good feel to it, I often sway a bit because it helps me keep time and it feels natural.
When I play the guitar, I move around a bit more than when I play drums (for the obvious reason that I can't really move when drumming). I am thinking about a lot of different things, like the tempo, where I want to go next, how people are engaging, dynamics, and other aspects of praise. I've been trying to memorize songs so that I don't have to keep looking down at a music stand, which I have found can detract from praise. It may not affect how the congregation praises, but looking at a music stand definitely hinders my personal ability to focus on the words of the song.
Lastly, when I am in the congregation, as rare as that is, I am usually like the first group I described. I sing a bit louder than most people, because I have a naturally loud voice, and I know many of the songs that are sung. I sometimes fall into the third group, where I get really into a song, close my eyes and sway back and forth. I sometimes feel like raising my hands, but to be honest, 99% of the time I am too self-conscious to do it.
Regardless of how you are during praise, the most important thing is that you really are praising God. The longer I have been on the praise team, the more I realize how important it is to worship God from your heart. Music is nice, but music in itself is not enough. We will eventually get bored of a song if we only sing it because we like it. The reason I can sing the same songs over and over again is because I believe the words I am singing. The songs are my worship to God, not just something I play for my own enjoyment.
The things I described today are just some examples of people's expressions of worship. None of these is right or wrong, they are only expressions. What really matters is what is going on in the heart. If we choose to be still, is it because we don't want to be there, or is it so that we can focus on God? If we choose the be active, is it because we are enjoying the song, or is it because we are responding to the Holy Spirit? You may think that you are not a musical person, so it's hard for you to praise God through music. I understand that, because I thought that way in the past too. I encourage you to find another way to worship God during the praise and worship times. Think about the words that are being sung. Pray to God using the songs as a guide. Listen for God's voice during praise. Just do something to worship God. He deserves it, and you need it.
-Smart
(P.S. I don't really know where I was going with this entry, but I hope you enjoyed reading it.)
The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:1-44 Message)
Today I wanted to share a message that I gave at an early morning prayer meeting. It was in preparation of our church's spring Bible conference. I hope you learn from it.
I was assigned the longest passage, but today I am only going to talk about three points. It’s early, we’re all tired, and let’s face it: we’d rather be sleeping. I’ll admit it. I’d rather be sleeping right now. However, we are here because we want God to work at the Spring Bible Conference. We are here to pray. So I promise to keep the message short and to the point. Here are the three points: Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory. Let’s read the key verses, verses 25-26. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
A couple years ago YDJ went to a winter retreat in Delaware. The place we went to was awesome. There was a ropes course that Abe Lee had reserved for us to use on the second day of the retreat. We all split up into groups, and proceeded to the ropes courses. The first part was some boring low ropes stuff, to build up “teamwork”. The part I was waiting for was the high ropes, because that’s where all the danger is, and danger is fun.
After the boring low ropes course, the teams went to different high ropes obstacles. My group went to a pretty simple course that consisted of climbing a rope ladder. We all completed it pretty easily, with the exception of Adriana. We then proceeded to the next course, which is when I started talking to some of the other groups. They were talking about how one of the courses was really hard, and how no one could do it except Allan Guevara. Apparently it took Allan a really long time to finish it though. If you know me, you know that I am extremely competitive, so I went around telling people that I was going to finish that course. Person after person told me, “Look, no one finished the course except Allan, and even he took like 15 minutes. You can’t do it.” If you want to talk about adding fuel to the fire, that was it. The more that people told me I couldn’t do it, the more I was sure was going to do it. Maybe that sounds foolish to you, but that’s how I thought.
So finally my group gets to do this “impossible” ropes course. This course had two ropes stretching horizontally across two trees: one on the top and one on the bottom. Hanging from the top rope were some vertical ropes that you had to use to complete the course. Everyone in my group who went before me failed. Every single person. Now it’s my turn, and I’m not nervous at all. Watching all those people fail didn’t faze me at all. I finished that course, and it didn’t take me 15 minutes. It took me 3 minutes. After I came down, I went to all those doubters and told them what I had done.
What is the point of this story? At the ropes course, we were presented with a seemly insurmountable obstacle. People kept telling me that it was too hard for anyone to finish. They saw other people fail the course, and assumed I would fail to. They based their faith in me on what they saw, rather than on who I am. In today’s passage, we see the same thing. Mary and Martha are presented with the death of Lazarus. They kept telling Jesus that raising Lazarus from the dead is impossible, despite Jesus repeatedly telling them that Lazarus would rise again. One thing that we hear repeatedly in this passage is “Jesus, if you had been here, Lazarus would not have died.” First Martha says it, then Mary, and even the Jews who were there say it too. They thought that Jesus was limited to healing the sick, and was incapable of raising Lazarus from the dead. They based their faith on what they saw, rather than on who Jesus was.
Whenever I read and study a passage like this, I always try to think about who I can learn from. When I first read this passage, I originally thought that I was like Martha, Mary, or the disciples. Maybe I need to have more faith, and not doubt Jesus’ power to give resurrection and life. However, when I thought more about this passage, I realized that I am actually Lazarus. I often lie down in a cave, I don’t smell good, but most importantly, I am dead. Have you ever thought about that? C.S. Lewis has a great quote that says “Jesus did not come to make bad people good; He came to make dead people live.” Did you know that you were dead? We aren’t just bad people- we are dead people without Jesus. Sometimes we have the same mindset as Martha or Mary, and we want Jesus to just fix some small sin or problem in our life. However, Ephesians 2 says “as for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.” We need Jesus because He is the resurrection and life, and we are dead.
Can you imagine being there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? Imagine going to the tomb, and seeing Jesus tell the people to take away the stone. Then imagine being there when Jesus shouts “Lazarus, come out”. Seeing Lazarus walk out of that tomb. Watching the people take off his grave clothes. Wouldn’t that be crazy? But imagine if Jesus told Lazarus to come out, but then he didn’t come out because he didn’t want to get up. That would be weird, because Jesus just raised him from the dead. Why would he stay there? Or what if Lazarus came out, but left the grave clothes on? No! That would be stupid! But the funny thing is that we sometimes do exactly that: Jesus gave us life, but we are still marked by the grave clothes of our past. We still look like we are dead. It’s not enough to just believe, we have to obey. Only by believing and obeying Jesus can we get up from our sin and death, and live as His disciple. Let me ask how Jesus asked it: “Do you believe this?” Then that wraps up point one, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you.
Let’s move to our second point, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others. I remember one day I was watching a basketball game between the Rockets and the Spurs. If you don’t know what those teams are, it’s fine, just follow along. The Rockets have a center, the biggest guy on the team, who is a terrible free throw shooter. A free throw is a free shot awarded to a player that is fouled by the other team. While I was watching the game, I saw the Spurs do something very interesting. They kept on purposefully fouling the Rocket’s center, every play. Now, I don’t know how many of you watch basketball, but I can tell you that watching a person shoot free throws is boring. Really, really boring.
The Spurs kept fouling in order to use the weakness of the other team so they could win the game. While this is great for the Spurs, it is bad for the viewers. The Spurs were just trying to win the game, but they made the game extremely boring to watch. Now, let me ask you this, why do professional sports teams play? They play to entertain. Yes, every team wants to win games, but their primary purpose is to entertain the viewers. If they use a strategy like the Spurs did, they go against that purpose. They’re only thinking about themselves.
Jesus is not only the resurrection and the life for you. While yes, He does want you to experience the resurrection and the life, He also wants you to share it. How can I say this? Glad you asked. (Appoint someone) Please read verses 14 and 15. “So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’” (Appoint someone else) Can you read verse 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.” Can we all read the key verses together, verses 25 and 26? “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” Lastly, let me read our conference key verse, 1 Corinthians 15:22. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Do you notice a pattern in these verses? They all suggest that Jesus didn’t just raise Lazarus for Lazarus’ sake. When Jesus spoke to Martha, He said “whoever lives by believing in me will never die”, not “if you believe in me, you will never die.” Our conference theme is “in Christ, all will be made alive”, not “in Christ, you will be made alive”.
Often times, I find myself acting like the Spurs. I only think about my own salvation, my own walk with Jesus, and my own resurrection and life. However, throughout this passage we see that Jesus’ intent was for all people to experience His resurrection power, not just Lazarus, and not just me and you. Jesus used Lazarus’ resurrection to help others believe in Him. He also wants to use our resurrection to help others believe in Him. The last thing Jesus told His disciples when He was on earth was “Therefore go (Matthew 28:19)”. He is telling us the same thing today. We aren’t meant to only live for ourselves, but to go. Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others.
Let’s move on to the last point, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory. How many of you either go to school or go to work? If you didn’t raise your hand, you are a liar, and if you aren’t lying, I envy you. Anyway, what is the point of going to school or work? Is it to get an education? Is it to make money? It is because that’s what you’re supposed to do or else you’re a lazy bum? Yes all these things are true, but ultimately we go to school or work for the sake of the school or employer. When we go to school, we are giving the school a ton of money, and when we do well in school, we make the school look better. When we go to work, we are making money for the employer. Think about it. They wouldn’t pay you if they weren’t making money off of you.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, it wasn’t only for Lazarus’ sake, or only for the people who were watching’s sake. It was also to give glory to God. Let’s read verse 4 together. “When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” Let’s also read verse 40 together please. “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” Jesus was there to give life to Lazarus, faith to those watching, and glory to God.
There’s a famous expression that John Piper uses in his book “desiring God”. “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” What this means is that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him. When Jesus raises us from our sin and death, it is for His glory. It isn’t so that we can boast. Like Lazarus, we were completely dead in our sins and transgressions. It is only when Jesus comes to us and when we accept Him that we can live a resurrected life. Romans 3:27 says “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.” No, because of the law that requires faith. It is not of our effort that we can find life, but only through faith in Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life. 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” As we go through our life and to the spring conference, let’s remember to give glory to Jesus.
Let’s recap the three points we’ve talked about today. First, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you. We were dead in our sins and transgressions, but Jesus came so that we can be made alive. Second, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others. We aren’t meant to only live for ourselves, but to go and share Jesus with others. Last, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory. Jesus gives us life so that we can glorify Him.
Did you know that these three points are related? Let me show you. How do we glorify God? By sharing Jesus with others. How do we share Jesus with others? By accepting Him and receiving resurrection and life through Him. When we get up from sin and death, go and share Jesus with others, we glorify Jesus. Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory, so let us getup, go, and glorify. Getup, go, and glorify. When Lazarus was in the tomb, he had to get up, go out of the tomb, and by doing so he glorified Jesus. Are you willing to get up, go, and glorify Jesus? Do you believe that He is the resurrection and the life for you? For others? For His glorify? Let’s read the key verses one more time. Verses 25-26. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
I was assigned the longest passage, but today I am only going to talk about three points. It’s early, we’re all tired, and let’s face it: we’d rather be sleeping. I’ll admit it. I’d rather be sleeping right now. However, we are here because we want God to work at the Spring Bible Conference. We are here to pray. So I promise to keep the message short and to the point. Here are the three points: Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory. Let’s read the key verses, verses 25-26. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
A couple years ago YDJ went to a winter retreat in Delaware. The place we went to was awesome. There was a ropes course that Abe Lee had reserved for us to use on the second day of the retreat. We all split up into groups, and proceeded to the ropes courses. The first part was some boring low ropes stuff, to build up “teamwork”. The part I was waiting for was the high ropes, because that’s where all the danger is, and danger is fun.
After the boring low ropes course, the teams went to different high ropes obstacles. My group went to a pretty simple course that consisted of climbing a rope ladder. We all completed it pretty easily, with the exception of Adriana. We then proceeded to the next course, which is when I started talking to some of the other groups. They were talking about how one of the courses was really hard, and how no one could do it except Allan Guevara. Apparently it took Allan a really long time to finish it though. If you know me, you know that I am extremely competitive, so I went around telling people that I was going to finish that course. Person after person told me, “Look, no one finished the course except Allan, and even he took like 15 minutes. You can’t do it.” If you want to talk about adding fuel to the fire, that was it. The more that people told me I couldn’t do it, the more I was sure was going to do it. Maybe that sounds foolish to you, but that’s how I thought.
So finally my group gets to do this “impossible” ropes course. This course had two ropes stretching horizontally across two trees: one on the top and one on the bottom. Hanging from the top rope were some vertical ropes that you had to use to complete the course. Everyone in my group who went before me failed. Every single person. Now it’s my turn, and I’m not nervous at all. Watching all those people fail didn’t faze me at all. I finished that course, and it didn’t take me 15 minutes. It took me 3 minutes. After I came down, I went to all those doubters and told them what I had done.
What is the point of this story? At the ropes course, we were presented with a seemly insurmountable obstacle. People kept telling me that it was too hard for anyone to finish. They saw other people fail the course, and assumed I would fail to. They based their faith in me on what they saw, rather than on who I am. In today’s passage, we see the same thing. Mary and Martha are presented with the death of Lazarus. They kept telling Jesus that raising Lazarus from the dead is impossible, despite Jesus repeatedly telling them that Lazarus would rise again. One thing that we hear repeatedly in this passage is “Jesus, if you had been here, Lazarus would not have died.” First Martha says it, then Mary, and even the Jews who were there say it too. They thought that Jesus was limited to healing the sick, and was incapable of raising Lazarus from the dead. They based their faith on what they saw, rather than on who Jesus was.
Whenever I read and study a passage like this, I always try to think about who I can learn from. When I first read this passage, I originally thought that I was like Martha, Mary, or the disciples. Maybe I need to have more faith, and not doubt Jesus’ power to give resurrection and life. However, when I thought more about this passage, I realized that I am actually Lazarus. I often lie down in a cave, I don’t smell good, but most importantly, I am dead. Have you ever thought about that? C.S. Lewis has a great quote that says “Jesus did not come to make bad people good; He came to make dead people live.” Did you know that you were dead? We aren’t just bad people- we are dead people without Jesus. Sometimes we have the same mindset as Martha or Mary, and we want Jesus to just fix some small sin or problem in our life. However, Ephesians 2 says “as for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.” We need Jesus because He is the resurrection and life, and we are dead.
Can you imagine being there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? Imagine going to the tomb, and seeing Jesus tell the people to take away the stone. Then imagine being there when Jesus shouts “Lazarus, come out”. Seeing Lazarus walk out of that tomb. Watching the people take off his grave clothes. Wouldn’t that be crazy? But imagine if Jesus told Lazarus to come out, but then he didn’t come out because he didn’t want to get up. That would be weird, because Jesus just raised him from the dead. Why would he stay there? Or what if Lazarus came out, but left the grave clothes on? No! That would be stupid! But the funny thing is that we sometimes do exactly that: Jesus gave us life, but we are still marked by the grave clothes of our past. We still look like we are dead. It’s not enough to just believe, we have to obey. Only by believing and obeying Jesus can we get up from our sin and death, and live as His disciple. Let me ask how Jesus asked it: “Do you believe this?” Then that wraps up point one, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you.
Let’s move to our second point, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others. I remember one day I was watching a basketball game between the Rockets and the Spurs. If you don’t know what those teams are, it’s fine, just follow along. The Rockets have a center, the biggest guy on the team, who is a terrible free throw shooter. A free throw is a free shot awarded to a player that is fouled by the other team. While I was watching the game, I saw the Spurs do something very interesting. They kept on purposefully fouling the Rocket’s center, every play. Now, I don’t know how many of you watch basketball, but I can tell you that watching a person shoot free throws is boring. Really, really boring.
The Spurs kept fouling in order to use the weakness of the other team so they could win the game. While this is great for the Spurs, it is bad for the viewers. The Spurs were just trying to win the game, but they made the game extremely boring to watch. Now, let me ask you this, why do professional sports teams play? They play to entertain. Yes, every team wants to win games, but their primary purpose is to entertain the viewers. If they use a strategy like the Spurs did, they go against that purpose. They’re only thinking about themselves.
Jesus is not only the resurrection and the life for you. While yes, He does want you to experience the resurrection and the life, He also wants you to share it. How can I say this? Glad you asked. (Appoint someone) Please read verses 14 and 15. “So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’” (Appoint someone else) Can you read verse 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.” Can we all read the key verses together, verses 25 and 26? “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” Lastly, let me read our conference key verse, 1 Corinthians 15:22. “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Do you notice a pattern in these verses? They all suggest that Jesus didn’t just raise Lazarus for Lazarus’ sake. When Jesus spoke to Martha, He said “whoever lives by believing in me will never die”, not “if you believe in me, you will never die.” Our conference theme is “in Christ, all will be made alive”, not “in Christ, you will be made alive”.
Often times, I find myself acting like the Spurs. I only think about my own salvation, my own walk with Jesus, and my own resurrection and life. However, throughout this passage we see that Jesus’ intent was for all people to experience His resurrection power, not just Lazarus, and not just me and you. Jesus used Lazarus’ resurrection to help others believe in Him. He also wants to use our resurrection to help others believe in Him. The last thing Jesus told His disciples when He was on earth was “Therefore go (Matthew 28:19)”. He is telling us the same thing today. We aren’t meant to only live for ourselves, but to go. Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others.
Let’s move on to the last point, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory. How many of you either go to school or go to work? If you didn’t raise your hand, you are a liar, and if you aren’t lying, I envy you. Anyway, what is the point of going to school or work? Is it to get an education? Is it to make money? It is because that’s what you’re supposed to do or else you’re a lazy bum? Yes all these things are true, but ultimately we go to school or work for the sake of the school or employer. When we go to school, we are giving the school a ton of money, and when we do well in school, we make the school look better. When we go to work, we are making money for the employer. Think about it. They wouldn’t pay you if they weren’t making money off of you.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, it wasn’t only for Lazarus’ sake, or only for the people who were watching’s sake. It was also to give glory to God. Let’s read verse 4 together. “When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” Let’s also read verse 40 together please. “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” Jesus was there to give life to Lazarus, faith to those watching, and glory to God.
There’s a famous expression that John Piper uses in his book “desiring God”. “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” What this means is that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him. When Jesus raises us from our sin and death, it is for His glory. It isn’t so that we can boast. Like Lazarus, we were completely dead in our sins and transgressions. It is only when Jesus comes to us and when we accept Him that we can live a resurrected life. Romans 3:27 says “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.” No, because of the law that requires faith. It is not of our effort that we can find life, but only through faith in Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life. 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” As we go through our life and to the spring conference, let’s remember to give glory to Jesus.
Let’s recap the three points we’ve talked about today. First, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you. We were dead in our sins and transgressions, but Jesus came so that we can be made alive. Second, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others. We aren’t meant to only live for ourselves, but to go and share Jesus with others. Last, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory. Jesus gives us life so that we can glorify Him.
Did you know that these three points are related? Let me show you. How do we glorify God? By sharing Jesus with others. How do we share Jesus with others? By accepting Him and receiving resurrection and life through Him. When we get up from sin and death, go and share Jesus with others, we glorify Jesus. Jesus is the resurrection and the life for you, Jesus is the resurrection and the life for others, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life for His glory, so let us getup, go, and glorify. Getup, go, and glorify. When Lazarus was in the tomb, he had to get up, go out of the tomb, and by doing so he glorified Jesus. Are you willing to get up, go, and glorify Jesus? Do you believe that He is the resurrection and the life for you? For others? For His glorify? Let’s read the key verses one more time. Verses 25-26. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
-Smart
Eternity
"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'"
-1 Corinthians 15:54
Last weekend my church had its annual Spring Bible Conference with the theme "In Christ, all will be made alive". I thoroughly enjoyed the conference, and I started thinking about the resurrection of the believer. The last message we had heard was about the glory of the resurrection, and how those in Christ will live to be with Him forever. After coming home from the conference and taking a much needed nap, I began thinking about what eternity will be like. Although none of the messages touched directly on this, I wanted to share some of my thoughts.
Ravi Zacharias often says that if we think about our perception of reality, we have to come to the conclusion that we were made for the eternal. "People often say things like 'my, how you've grown', or 'oh, how time flies'. Yet if we heard a fish saying 'wow, this water is wet', we would find that weird. That is, of course, unless the fish was meant to be on land". The only logical explanation for why we would be surprised at the passing of time is that we are not beings meant for a reality bound by time. God created us to be eternal beings, not finite beings.
If we truly are meant to live forever, what would our lives look like? I thought about this question and I pondered an eternal existence. Won't life get boring after a while? Even in this short life, we struggle to find fulfillment. We look to many different things like television, the internet, relationships, and money to satisfy us. Despite the vastness of what is available to us in this technological world, we still eventually leave incomplete.
The reason we can't find fulfillment in this world is that the things we look to are finite. Only something that is infinite can fill an eternal desire. The fulfillment we get from this world is incomplete. Even if we are satisfied for a time, the next day we have to turn to something else. The things in this world can neither completely fill nor completely sustain us. So is this what eternity will look like? Day after day trying to look for fulfillment, but always coming up partially and incompletely satisfied?
No! The things this world has to offer are finite, but the God we will live with in eternity is infinite. He will both fill and sustain us, forever and ever. We won't have to look for fulfillment in anything else but God Himself. He is Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Eternity with God will be anything but boring. I don't know what it will be like exactly, but I am confident that it will be awesome. Have you ever thought about what it is that we are really looking for in our life? It's love. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16)". In eternity, we will be able to have rest in the love given by the Father, shown through the Son, and made perfect in the Spirit.
-Smart
-1 Corinthians 15:54
Last weekend my church had its annual Spring Bible Conference with the theme "In Christ, all will be made alive". I thoroughly enjoyed the conference, and I started thinking about the resurrection of the believer. The last message we had heard was about the glory of the resurrection, and how those in Christ will live to be with Him forever. After coming home from the conference and taking a much needed nap, I began thinking about what eternity will be like. Although none of the messages touched directly on this, I wanted to share some of my thoughts.
Ravi Zacharias often says that if we think about our perception of reality, we have to come to the conclusion that we were made for the eternal. "People often say things like 'my, how you've grown', or 'oh, how time flies'. Yet if we heard a fish saying 'wow, this water is wet', we would find that weird. That is, of course, unless the fish was meant to be on land". The only logical explanation for why we would be surprised at the passing of time is that we are not beings meant for a reality bound by time. God created us to be eternal beings, not finite beings.
If we truly are meant to live forever, what would our lives look like? I thought about this question and I pondered an eternal existence. Won't life get boring after a while? Even in this short life, we struggle to find fulfillment. We look to many different things like television, the internet, relationships, and money to satisfy us. Despite the vastness of what is available to us in this technological world, we still eventually leave incomplete.
The reason we can't find fulfillment in this world is that the things we look to are finite. Only something that is infinite can fill an eternal desire. The fulfillment we get from this world is incomplete. Even if we are satisfied for a time, the next day we have to turn to something else. The things in this world can neither completely fill nor completely sustain us. So is this what eternity will look like? Day after day trying to look for fulfillment, but always coming up partially and incompletely satisfied?
No! The things this world has to offer are finite, but the God we will live with in eternity is infinite. He will both fill and sustain us, forever and ever. We won't have to look for fulfillment in anything else but God Himself. He is Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Eternity with God will be anything but boring. I don't know what it will be like exactly, but I am confident that it will be awesome. Have you ever thought about what it is that we are really looking for in our life? It's love. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16)". In eternity, we will be able to have rest in the love given by the Father, shown through the Son, and made perfect in the Spirit.
-Smart
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