Power Over Death | Never Alone in Crisis

A New Beginning presents a new book from Pastor Greg Laurie. We are offering a brand new resource called The House of David Devotional and it's based on the great Psalms of David as well as the life of David. So I'm going to put this brand new devotional in your hand so you can learn from this man of God. Or your gift of any size at harvest.org.

It's the official companion resource for the new Amazon TV series also called The House of David. There's nothing wrong with telling God how you feel. If you're hurting tell God you're hurting. If you don't like what's happening to you go ahead and tell him you don't like what's happening to you but cast it on the Lord. Today Pastor Greg Laurie points out the best thing we can do in our time of need is to bring that need to God. Sometimes we withdraw from God in times of crisis. We don't talk to God. We're in our little cocoon of depression and misery. No you've called out to God. Ever had your car break down out in the middle of nowhere?

Scorching heat, no cell service, no other cars to stop and help, no friendly little farmhouse beckoning you in the distance. Crisis compounded by solitude. Well today on A New Beginning Pastor Greg Laurie points out we never have to face our challenges by ourselves. We'll learn to reach out to the Lord in our times of need and that He's our anchor when we're feeling helpless and hopeless.

Good encouragement is coming your way. This is a story before us now in John 11 of three people that were impacted by the death of someone they loved. We're talking about Mary, Martha and Lazarus and we're talking about when Lazarus the brother got sick and died. John 11 I'm starting in verse one. I'm reading from the New King James Version. Now a certain man was sick Lazarus of Bethany the town of Mary and her sister Martha and it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick.

Therefore the sisters said to him saying behold he whom you love is sick. And this is an excellent example of what we need to do when we are in crisis. We are not here to tell God what He should do but we are here to tell Him about our problem and say Lord here's my problem and they describe it to Jesus. Call on the Lord. There's nothing wrong with asking God to help you. Nothing wrong with asking God to deliver you.

In fact you should do it because in the book of James it says you have not because you ask not. Now God may deliver you from your problem and He may simply walk with you through your problem but bring it before the Lord. Psalm 46 one reminds us that Jesus is a very present help in times of trouble. Let's pick the story up John 11 verse four. When Jesus heard about it He said Lazarus sickness will not end in death no it happened for the glory of God so the Son of God will receive glory from this. Now don't miss this verse. Although Jesus loved Martha Mary and Lazarus He stayed where He was for the next two days then He said to His disciples let's go back to Judea.

So Mary and Martha I wonder if they bragged on Jesus a little. Hey we know Jesus. Look He's we've got them in contacts on our phone. Look right there Jesus right there.

I could text them right now. He's over here all the time. Let me tell you all of His favorite meals. Let me tell you what's He like in person. Let me tell you what He's like in person. They might have said you see Jesus will show up.

He's our friend. And not only did Jesus not show up but He got there late and even missed the funeral. So Lazarus has now died and not only has he died he's in the process of decomposition. In fact that's Martha who says to Jesus Lord by now He stinketh. That's King James.

I like that translation. That's a nice way to tell someone they don't smell right. Have you used deodorant lately? Well I don't know why do you ask. Because by now you stinketh.

Think about using that if you like. It's all yours. But um so He shows up late. He comes into town. The funeral service is over.

It's a complete disaster. What happens next? John 11 verse 20. Then Martha as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met Him. Mary was sitting in the house and Martha said to Jesus Lord if you would have been here my brother would not have died.

But now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. Jesus said your brother will rise again. Martha says I know he'll rise again in the resurrection of the last day. Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live if he whatsoever lives and believes in me shall never die. I love that statement.

Don't you? What a powerful statement of Jesus Christ. But Martha is effectively saying allow me to paraphrase Jesus you blew it. We were bragging on you. We were expecting you to show up. If you had been here my brother would not have died.

You miss the opportunity. Jesus says your brother will rise again. Yeah I know in the resurrection.

No Martha read my lips. I am the resurrection. I am the life. He that believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live.

But we've all said things like this maybe to the Lord. Where were you Lord? Where were you when my marriage dissolved? Where were you when my parents divorced? Where were you when my child went astray?

Where were you when my loved one died? And so there's nothing wrong with telling God how you feel. You know I think sometimes people say you know never pray a prayer like that. No pour your heart out to God. And if you're hurting tell God you're hurting. If you're confused tell God you're confused.

If you don't like what's happening to you go ahead and tell him you don't like what's happening to you. But cast it on the Lord. See I think the problem is sometimes we withdraw from God in times of crisis. We don't talk to God. We don't talk to anybody else.

We're in our little cocoon of depression and misery. No you call out to God. God why did you let this happen?

Now don't expect an answer. I think if God told you why things happen you wouldn't be satisfied anyway. You know because how is it going to make things better? God says my ways are above your ways. My thoughts are above your thoughts. We live on promises not explanations.

So we should not spend too much time asking why. But I love what Jesus says. He says your brother will rise again and I am the resurrection and the life. And then Mary now comes.

We pick the story up. John 11 verse 32. Then Mary came where Jesus was and saw him and fell down at his feet saying Lord if you would have been here my brother would not have died. Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping he groaned in the spirit and was troubled and he said where have you laid him? They said Lord come and see.

See now the shortest verse in all of the Bible. John 11 35. Jesus wept.

Two words. Jesus wept. And the Jews said see how he loved him. Because Jesus loves us he weeps with us in our times of pain. Because Jesus loves us he weeps with us in our times of pain. Yes Jesus was God walking among us but Jesus was also a man who felt our pain and sorrows. Isaiah 53 says of Jesus he was despised and rejected a man of sorrows and acquainted with the bitterest grief.

We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised and we did not care yet it was our weaknesses that he carried. It was our sorrows that weighed him down.

Wow. Jesus has walked in your shoes and then some. He voluntarily put himself in the way of danger to bear your sorrows on the cross.

He didn't just bear your sins he bore your sorrows. You might say God doesn't know what it's like to live in this earth. Oh doesn't he? Well God doesn't know what it's like to lose a son. Doesn't he?

He gave his only begotten son. Well God doesn't know what it's like to be misunderstood. Oh I think he does. God doesn't know what it's like to be rejected by people and be betrayed.

Oh he knows that well. Well he doesn't know what it's like to be lonely. Listen Jesus was the loneliest man who ever walked this earth. When he hung on that cross and bore the sins of the world and even his father turned his face away at that moment causing Christ to say my God my God why have you forsaken me. Jesus understands everything that you are going through right now. And he cares. And he sorrows with you in that time of sorrow. Hebrews 2 17 says it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us. That's why he had to enter into every detail of human life. And then when he came before God as high priest to get rid of people's sins he would have already experienced it on himself all the pain all the testing and would be able to help where help was needed.

He knows what you're going through. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment. Don't miss House of David a brand new original television series on Amazon Prime. Can one stone change the course of history. I will tell you the story of David who became one of the most famous kings who ever lived. It's not about the greatness of the giant. It is about the greatness of God.

Can one stone change the course of history. Well if you listen to A New Beginning you know that I like to tell Bible stories. I try to tell the story as accurately as I can then get the context of the background of it and then apply it to our life right. So in the same way we have something very special that we have put together called Beyond the House of David. It's a companion piece to the series streaming on Amazon right now called House of David and in Beyond the House of David I go on the sets I go to the places where they shot the film and I apply the teachings of David's writings and the psalms and the principles from his life to the listener to the viewer to you.

So we kind of pick up where the series leaves off. It's beautiful. It's cinematic and it's something I think you're really going to enjoy. You can watch it with your whole family. So go to Harvest Plus that's our streaming platform.

Download that app and you can start watching our special new documentary series Beyond the House of David right now. Well today Pastor Greg is pointing out Jesus is not only with us in our times of crisis he knows what we're going through. Today's message titled Power Over Death. Death breaks the heart of God just as it breaks ours. So we say then why doesn't he do something about it?

Well actually he has. Look at John 11 verse 33 and then I'll drop down to verse 38. When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled.

And again verse 38 he was deeply troubled and they came to the grave and it was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. Now this word used here for trouble could be translated mad. Jesus was mad. Yes Jesus had anger.

He never lost his temper like we do. But he had righteous indignation. He was angry. Why was he angry? Was he angry at Mary and Martha for doubting him? No. Was he angry at the people who were mourning the death of Lazarus?

Again no. He was angry with the grim reaper if you will. He was angry with death itself. He was angry because this was not the way it was meant to be. And it made him angry. Then he says remove the stone.

Martha says Lord he stinks. Move the stone. And then he says Lazarus come forth. And Lazarus comes back from the other side. He's still wrapped up in bandages. So it's not like Lazarus comes back.

Hey. He's more like um um. Someone unwrap these things. It's a good thing Jesus said Lazarus come forth because if he simply said come forth every body in every grave in every place would have burst out at that moment. Lazarus in particular come forth. And by the way I feel sorry for Lazarus.

You say why? Because he had to die twice. Isn't it bad enough to die once?

This poor guy had to go twice. You know when a loved one leaves you, you want to communicate with them. And sometimes people try to contact people on the other side. Never do that.

The Bible forbids it. They can't hear you. And any messages people see are coming from the other side.

That's not true. Okay. But I understand the longing to communicate with someone that has died. You can't talk to them. They can't talk to you. So don't try.

But you can talk to the Lord about what you're facing. But let's just say for the sake of a point that we could call our loved one in heaven and say I've missed you so much. And guess what? I want you to come back here again. You know what would happen?

They'd hang up on you. What? I don't want to go back there. No come back. It's so great.

We have the greatest burger. What? What? We saw an amazing sunset.

I'm sure you did. If they could speak to you. But you're not seeing what I'm seeing right now.

I can't wait till you join me here. No one in heaven would ever want to come back to earth if they were even given the choice. But having said that here's Lazarus called from the other side. Now he has to die again and face all of the challenges of life. But here's the big story. Not just that a man was raised from the dead.

But it's this. Death is not the end. The tomb for the Christian is not the entrance to death but to life. Heaven is the earthly life of the believer glorified and perfected. Okay so your loved ones they're in pure bliss.

They the reason they don't want to come back is because it's better where they are. It'd be like imagine the most beautiful place you've ever been. You know maybe some tropical island looking at the greatest sunset of all time eating your favorite food with someone you love and dolphins are jumping out and unicorns are galloping by.

I don't know they don't know unicorns but you know. Yeah it's just a perfect moment. Oh this is so great. And then imagine someone saying we need to leave immediately and go to the dump. I hear they're burning some trash right now. Why would I want to go to the dump when I'm here? And that's what it would be like to go from heaven to earth. That's why Paul said I have a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better. But it's important for me to stay here with you. Heaven is so much better but the real message here is that death is not the end and God will be with you in the hardest times of your life and he'll be with you in the greatest times of your life. He'll be with you for all of your life.

He'll never abandon you. Jesus said I will never leave you or forsake you. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 43 when God says when you go through deep waters in great trouble I'll be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned up. The flames will not consume you. David said in Psalm 23 yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.

Why David? Because you are with me. God will be with you in every phase of your life going back to the first miracle. Water into wine. Wedding day.

Amazing day. He's there at the birth of a baby. He's there at the death of a loved one. He's there at the beginning of life.

The middle of life and he's there at the end of life and then he's there to take you to the afterlife. So you don't have to be afraid anymore. It doesn't mean we want to die. Christians don't just sit around and say hey man I wish I would die today.

That'd be cool. No we don't want to die but we don't fear death. If this is the day we say fine Lord you know to be absent from the body is to be present with you whatever you have in mind because no one loves life more than the Christian right but he will be with you. You don't have to be afraid. So I want to close with this statement of Jesus.

I just love it. He says I'm the resurrection and the life he that believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. But what does it mean to believe in Jesus? Does it mean to merely acknowledge a man named Jesus walked this earth some 2,000 years ago and even to acknowledge he died on a Roman cross and even to acknowledge he rose from the dead.

Well that's important but it's more than that. It's believing in him and what does that mean? It means to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior.

I know we use this phrase a lot but I think it's accurate. Personal Lord and Savior. He becomes your God. He becomes your Lord. He becomes your friend and he comes into your life.

You say well how does that happen exactly? Through prayer. When I say Lord I'm sorry for my sin. I believe you died on the cross for me and paid the price for every sin I've committed and I turn from my sin or as the Bible puts it I repent of my sin. I change my direction in life and I believe in you. I trust you and if you do that God will forgive you of all of your sin and you can know with certainty that you will go to heaven when you die and you can find the meaning and purpose of life.

You say well I want that to happen for me now. Well it can and it will for some of you because we're going to pray together and I'm going to extend an invitation for anyone here that wants to ask Jesus Christ to come into their life and be forgiven of all of their sin so they can know with certainty they'll go to heaven when they die and so they can find the meaning and purpose of life. Let's all pray. Father I ask you to speak to the hearts of all those that are here all those that are watching wherever they are. If they don't know you we pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their sin and their need for Jesus and help them to come to you and believe right now. In Jesus name I pray. In Jesus name I pray.

Amen. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie with an important prayer with those who know they need to make a change in their relationship with the Lord. And Pastor Greg could you help someone who wants to do that right now?

Yes I'd be delighted to. This can be the moment where you change your eternal address literally from hell to heaven. I'll pray a simple prayer and I would just ask you to pray this prayer out loud if you like after me just pray these words. Lord Jesus I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the savior who died on the cross for me and rose again from the dead. Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward in your name I pray.

Amen. I know it's such a simple short prayer but you just called on the name of the Lord and you know what he heard that prayer and if you meant that prayer in your heart he answered that prayer. Now let me help you to get started on the right foot in your new life in Jesus Christ. The greatest adventure awaits you the life of walking with God and I have a resource I want to send you it's called the New Believers Bible. So the New Believers Bible is the New Testament in the New Living Translation with hundreds of notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this commitment you are making to follow Christ. There's some other materials included as well in what we call the New Believers Growth Pack but let me get this New Believers Bible into your hands as quickly as possible.

Here's Dave to tell you more. Yeah to get that New Believers Bible along with the other items in our Growth Pack just let us know you prayed along with Pastor Greg to receive Christ today. We'll be glad to send our New Believers Growth Pack your way. Call us at 1-800-821-3300.

Call anytime 1-800-821-3300. Just let us know you want our free New Believers Growth Pack or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. And then let us say a word of thanks to those who support us financially.

Those who make it possible for us to bring you these studies each day. We are definitely a listener supported ministry. It's the generosity of listeners that help us be here with these programs. So if you've partnered with us thank you and if you have yet to partner with us well I hope you'll get in touch today and let us know that you're standing with us. Even a small investment would help. It's actually an investment in changing lives. Thank you for partnering with us. You can donate securely online at harvest.org or write a new beginning box 4000 Riverside California 92514. Or call us at 1-800-821-3300. Again that's 1-800-821-3300. Well next time, a practical message we all need to hear. It's called How to Deal with Trials and Temptations. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher, Greg Laurie.