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Making the Most of a Miracle
"Opening Our Minds"
Pastor John R. Wiuff
March 7, 2010
First Church of God, Medford, Oregon
www.fcog.us
John 11:38-44
"Opening Our Minds"
Pastor John R. Wiuff
March 7, 2010
First Church of God, Medford, Oregon
www.fcog.us
John 11:38-44
40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
John 11:38-44
You could be in the midst of a miracle. Based on what I have seen so far, I believe that you really are. Miracles are happening all around us all the time. They don't wait for you to have enough faith, or for when you are ready. Christ has a miracle in mind for you and you are in the middle of that miracle.
What we want to learn is how to make the most of the miracle we are in so that we won't waste the ones that are yet to come. So far we have learned to…
1. open our hands to see what we already have that God can use
2. open our eyes to see what God is already doing around us
3. and today we are going to learn to open our minds.
I have to say that in comparison to closed hands and blind eyes, nothing is more closed in our society than our minds to the things of God. But then that shouldn't surprise us because we think very highly about our intelligence, science, and our grasp of reality. America is an opinionated country becoming more entrenched in its opinions everyday.
Media is partially to blame for this condition. The most popular shows express opinions about what is right and wrong and judgments on the left and right. We are polarized nation drawing lines and demanding that people gather in our camps against the others who don't agree with us and are threatening our way of life.
This condition is not unique to our time, just more intense, because the fatal tendency to think to highly about what we think is common to all of humanity. In fact it was this temptation that brought Adam and Eve down to the level of Satan in the Garden of Eden. They began to think to highly about what they were thinking about God's command not to eat of the tree of life, to the point where they stood in judgment of God's motives and found Him guilty in their own eyes.
If we are going to open our minds to the miracle we are in the midst of right now, we are going to have to consider that we don't understand or comprehend the real events of our day, or what it is that God really wants to accomplish.
There are many events from the life of Christ that show us this principle but few are as powerful as the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. Not only was a tomb opened but some minds as well.
38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39"Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
What we want to learn is how to make the most of the miracle we are in so that we won't waste the ones that are yet to come. So far we have learned to…
1. open our hands to see what we already have that God can use
2. open our eyes to see what God is already doing around us
3. and today we are going to learn to open our minds.
I have to say that in comparison to closed hands and blind eyes, nothing is more closed in our society than our minds to the things of God. But then that shouldn't surprise us because we think very highly about our intelligence, science, and our grasp of reality. America is an opinionated country becoming more entrenched in its opinions everyday.
Media is partially to blame for this condition. The most popular shows express opinions about what is right and wrong and judgments on the left and right. We are polarized nation drawing lines and demanding that people gather in our camps against the others who don't agree with us and are threatening our way of life.
This condition is not unique to our time, just more intense, because the fatal tendency to think to highly about what we think is common to all of humanity. In fact it was this temptation that brought Adam and Eve down to the level of Satan in the Garden of Eden. They began to think to highly about what they were thinking about God's command not to eat of the tree of life, to the point where they stood in judgment of God's motives and found Him guilty in their own eyes.
If we are going to open our minds to the miracle we are in the midst of right now, we are going to have to consider that we don't understand or comprehend the real events of our day, or what it is that God really wants to accomplish.
There are many events from the life of Christ that show us this principle but few are as powerful as the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. Not only was a tomb opened but some minds as well.
38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39"Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
John 11:38-44
As we have been exploring the truth that miracles begin with God and not with us, I have been faced with the question, when does the miracle begin? So far we have discovered that a dilemma can announce the coming of a miracle, and that painful situations often serve as wonderful backdrops to miracles. But that is not where they begin.
Miracles begin not with our situation, but in the heart and mind of Christ. He already has in mind what he wants to do in response to the effects of this fallen world on our lives. What others intend for evil, Christ want to turn into good in a miraculous way that will bring real change to our hearts and minds.
The story of Lazarus illustrates this great truth. When did the miracle of the resurrection begin in this story? Christ got word that his friend Lazarus was ill and dying. He could have gone and healed Him right away but He chooses not to because he had something else in mind.
Often times we call out to Christ to have mercy on us and deliver us from sickness, and situation that threaten our comfortable way of life. I have spent most of my life praying such prayers and many of you have as well. In those moments, when he did so come and answer us, we wonder like Martha why He is so late.
Our opinion on the matter is set upon facts we think we know very well. If God can do miracles in our lives then why doesn't he do them when we call on Him? We know that God often does not perform the miracles we ask. We also know that He is often too late and terrible consequences happen, and none worst than the death of someone we love.
This leads us to stand in judgment over God and put Him on trial. We accuse Him of only two possible charges, in our opinion:
1. God is not a loving God or He would have answered our request positively.
2. God is not powerful enough to do what He claims and therefore is not worthy of our attention, loyalty, or love.
Powerful emotions of grief and fear will deepen our opinion that these accusations are true facts and that there is not possible argument with them. Atheism of many is based on these strongly held opinions. We have concluded that either God is for us or He is against us, or worse, irrelevant to us all together.
In this scene, Jesus comes to the tomb after his friend Lazarus has died. He is deeply moved and cares for what has happened. It matters to him that Lazarus had died even though Christ has the power to prevent that death, if not postpone its eventual arrival. So let's open our mind to the possibility that God can still care deeply about our situation even if He does not act the way we have asked.
Jesus then asks for the stone covering the tomb of Lazarus to be removed. Martha warns that the dead body will be rotting and have a terrible smell. Most likely she thinks that Jesus wants to see the body of his friend as part of His grieving. In other words it is obvious that Christ loved Lazarus. But what is not obvious is that Christ had something else in mind that everyone watching could not have guessed.
Now let me ask you a question before the opening tomb of Lazarus. Is a miracle really a miracle if it is in the realm of the possible? If Christ only does what we expect Him to do, what is accomplished by the miracle?
Miracles are meant to bring change in our lives not to keep us comfortable in the way we live, act or even think. The miracles that Christ has in mind for your life that you are in the midst of right now, are meant to change your opinions and consider that there are more choices that your camp or mine. There is your opinion, my opinion and then there's God's. We can rarely guess what God's opinion is and miracles are given to us so we will open our minds to greater possibilities that He has in mind.
Jesus reminds Martha that if she would believe in Him that she would SEE the glory of God. Believing does not invoke the glory of God in our midst. We don't use believing like magic to invoke His spiritual presence. Some people think believing in Jesus is like calling up a spirit that is not here but is called to be here when we have a séance.
God is already here. You are in the miracle He had in mind for you. The glory of the Lord is in this place. If you will believe, open your mind to the possibility, you might just see what is happening right now.
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I 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."
Miracles begin not with our situation, but in the heart and mind of Christ. He already has in mind what he wants to do in response to the effects of this fallen world on our lives. What others intend for evil, Christ want to turn into good in a miraculous way that will bring real change to our hearts and minds.
The story of Lazarus illustrates this great truth. When did the miracle of the resurrection begin in this story? Christ got word that his friend Lazarus was ill and dying. He could have gone and healed Him right away but He chooses not to because he had something else in mind.
Often times we call out to Christ to have mercy on us and deliver us from sickness, and situation that threaten our comfortable way of life. I have spent most of my life praying such prayers and many of you have as well. In those moments, when he did so come and answer us, we wonder like Martha why He is so late.
Our opinion on the matter is set upon facts we think we know very well. If God can do miracles in our lives then why doesn't he do them when we call on Him? We know that God often does not perform the miracles we ask. We also know that He is often too late and terrible consequences happen, and none worst than the death of someone we love.
This leads us to stand in judgment over God and put Him on trial. We accuse Him of only two possible charges, in our opinion:
1. God is not a loving God or He would have answered our request positively.
2. God is not powerful enough to do what He claims and therefore is not worthy of our attention, loyalty, or love.
Powerful emotions of grief and fear will deepen our opinion that these accusations are true facts and that there is not possible argument with them. Atheism of many is based on these strongly held opinions. We have concluded that either God is for us or He is against us, or worse, irrelevant to us all together.
In this scene, Jesus comes to the tomb after his friend Lazarus has died. He is deeply moved and cares for what has happened. It matters to him that Lazarus had died even though Christ has the power to prevent that death, if not postpone its eventual arrival. So let's open our mind to the possibility that God can still care deeply about our situation even if He does not act the way we have asked.
Jesus then asks for the stone covering the tomb of Lazarus to be removed. Martha warns that the dead body will be rotting and have a terrible smell. Most likely she thinks that Jesus wants to see the body of his friend as part of His grieving. In other words it is obvious that Christ loved Lazarus. But what is not obvious is that Christ had something else in mind that everyone watching could not have guessed.
Now let me ask you a question before the opening tomb of Lazarus. Is a miracle really a miracle if it is in the realm of the possible? If Christ only does what we expect Him to do, what is accomplished by the miracle?
Miracles are meant to bring change in our lives not to keep us comfortable in the way we live, act or even think. The miracles that Christ has in mind for your life that you are in the midst of right now, are meant to change your opinions and consider that there are more choices that your camp or mine. There is your opinion, my opinion and then there's God's. We can rarely guess what God's opinion is and miracles are given to us so we will open our minds to greater possibilities that He has in mind.
Jesus reminds Martha that if she would believe in Him that she would SEE the glory of God. Believing does not invoke the glory of God in our midst. We don't use believing like magic to invoke His spiritual presence. Some people think believing in Jesus is like calling up a spirit that is not here but is called to be here when we have a séance.
God is already here. You are in the miracle He had in mind for you. The glory of the Lord is in this place. If you will believe, open your mind to the possibility, you might just see what is happening right now.
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I 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."
John 11:38-44
Prayers are very important if we are going to make the most of a miracle, but maybe not for the reason you think. I wonder if we could our minds to the possibility that we have misunderstood the power of a prayer. It is not our prayer that moves God to do what He would not have done if had not asked. Many of us think God is reluctant or negligent in His attention to our situation, so we pray to remind God about what He has forgotten, or to suggest what He has not considered.
Prayer, if offered with either of these attitudes is a sad request weakened because we think too much about what we think. Our opinions have once again placed a judgment on God. It is not just the atheist, but the believer who thinks this when they pray. The atheist is just more honest about how they feel.
The truth is that God already knows what He wants to do because He not constricted by what needs to happen. God doesn't 'need' to do anything. We are the needy ones, not God. The Lord God has more options in front of Him than you or I could ever dream. With all the possibilities of what He could do it comes down to what He decides he would want to do in our lives. That will of God, according to the Bible is determined by a unique kind of love that determines what would be best for us in the long run.
But if we think that God is up there coldly considering options like some rational Vulcan you will make prayer irrelevant. God's will is important. He wants what is best for you, but there is one other consideration that will influence His decision. He considers what you want and why you want it. Our situation is not news to Him. He knows what we need before we even ask, so why ask? Because miracles are meant to bring change and there is not greater change that to consider what you really want and why you want it. Prayer is about rethinking about what we want and why we want it. Prayer is opening our minds to consider what God wants, and why He wants it in our lives.
That, my friends, is an opening of a mind that is as scary as opening a tomb of a dead man. We fear not just what is in the tomb but what might come walking out.
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
Prayer, if offered with either of these attitudes is a sad request weakened because we think too much about what we think. Our opinions have once again placed a judgment on God. It is not just the atheist, but the believer who thinks this when they pray. The atheist is just more honest about how they feel.
The truth is that God already knows what He wants to do because He not constricted by what needs to happen. God doesn't 'need' to do anything. We are the needy ones, not God. The Lord God has more options in front of Him than you or I could ever dream. With all the possibilities of what He could do it comes down to what He decides he would want to do in our lives. That will of God, according to the Bible is determined by a unique kind of love that determines what would be best for us in the long run.
But if we think that God is up there coldly considering options like some rational Vulcan you will make prayer irrelevant. God's will is important. He wants what is best for you, but there is one other consideration that will influence His decision. He considers what you want and why you want it. Our situation is not news to Him. He knows what we need before we even ask, so why ask? Because miracles are meant to bring change and there is not greater change that to consider what you really want and why you want it. Prayer is about rethinking about what we want and why we want it. Prayer is opening our minds to consider what God wants, and why He wants it in our lives.
That, my friends, is an opening of a mind that is as scary as opening a tomb of a dead man. We fear not just what is in the tomb but what might come walking out.
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
John 11:38-44
I have been around graveyards my whole life. I remember carrying the small casket of a pre-school friend who part of our church. It was small and light and six children carried it out of the church and to the grave. I remember standing at the grave of my best friend and fellow pastor just a few short years into his ministry. I remember standing at the grave of my mother after she died of cancer in response to many passionate prayers by me, my family and friends. After more the twenty years of ministry the graveyard is a familiar place to me and I have many friends buried in the ground around the Rogue Valley.
I can tell you that people in grave yards walk slowly and quietly. They whisper, and talk gently to each other. Occasional light laughter happens, but it does not last because we are standing in the presence of a harsh reality. With certainty I can tell you one thing that people never do in cemeteries. They don't shout!
I have seen people pray over graves, and weep over graves. But I have not see people shout at graves with these words: "Lazarus, come out!"
We don't see this kind of Glory of God because we do not believe in something greater than our own opinion. If we were to believe what Christ says, then maybe would expect something different from the graves of buried hopes and dreams.
Do you know how serious it is to think too seriously about what you think? You can be looking at the fact of God's glory and miss the face. This passage says a remarkable event took place in a remarkable way. "The dead man came out…"
The dead don't walk. Did you know that? Did the author, the Apostle Matthew know that dead men don't walk? Yet that is what is written. At what point was Lazarus not dead? Was he dead when he walked out? Was he not alive until they removed strips of linen on his body, and cloth around his face? Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes, and let him go." Lazarus was always safe and living in the hands of God in whom he believed. It was only the body that had failed, which all bodies must as the result of living in a fallen world. But if we are more than our bodies, more than this world we see; then anything is possible.
On of the most strongly held opinions in our world today is that all there is in this life is this life and the world we see around us, and nothing more. Faith, believing in Christ and His words, require that we open our minds to the possibility that this is not true. Our hearts know that there is more to this world than what we see. There is more to a kiss than a kiss. This is more to a tear than water in our eyes. There is more to life than just living. There is more to death than dying.
Lazarus is not the only one who is restricted like a dead person by the expectations and opinions of others. He may have been more surprised at being alive than those who were watching. If we are going to make the most of the miracles we are in, we are going to need to unwrap what we thought impossible to reveal and rejoice in the glory of God.
Now comes the scary moment where I challenge us to consider what we have buried in graves and thought dead. What have we considered impossible and wrapped in linen clothes and grave clothes? Are we standing in judgment of Christ like Martha because we think to much about what we think?
Roll back that stone from the tomb. Pray a prayer trusting in God's good will and pleasure. Trust in His love, and open your mind to the great possibilities of what He could desire for us. Shout at the tomb and unwrap the glory of God. Dead and limited opinions don't walk. Faith, hope and the Love of God does!
I can tell you that people in grave yards walk slowly and quietly. They whisper, and talk gently to each other. Occasional light laughter happens, but it does not last because we are standing in the presence of a harsh reality. With certainty I can tell you one thing that people never do in cemeteries. They don't shout!
I have seen people pray over graves, and weep over graves. But I have not see people shout at graves with these words: "Lazarus, come out!"
We don't see this kind of Glory of God because we do not believe in something greater than our own opinion. If we were to believe what Christ says, then maybe would expect something different from the graves of buried hopes and dreams.
Do you know how serious it is to think too seriously about what you think? You can be looking at the fact of God's glory and miss the face. This passage says a remarkable event took place in a remarkable way. "The dead man came out…"
The dead don't walk. Did you know that? Did the author, the Apostle Matthew know that dead men don't walk? Yet that is what is written. At what point was Lazarus not dead? Was he dead when he walked out? Was he not alive until they removed strips of linen on his body, and cloth around his face? Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes, and let him go." Lazarus was always safe and living in the hands of God in whom he believed. It was only the body that had failed, which all bodies must as the result of living in a fallen world. But if we are more than our bodies, more than this world we see; then anything is possible.
On of the most strongly held opinions in our world today is that all there is in this life is this life and the world we see around us, and nothing more. Faith, believing in Christ and His words, require that we open our minds to the possibility that this is not true. Our hearts know that there is more to this world than what we see. There is more to a kiss than a kiss. This is more to a tear than water in our eyes. There is more to life than just living. There is more to death than dying.
Lazarus is not the only one who is restricted like a dead person by the expectations and opinions of others. He may have been more surprised at being alive than those who were watching. If we are going to make the most of the miracles we are in, we are going to need to unwrap what we thought impossible to reveal and rejoice in the glory of God.
Now comes the scary moment where I challenge us to consider what we have buried in graves and thought dead. What have we considered impossible and wrapped in linen clothes and grave clothes? Are we standing in judgment of Christ like Martha because we think to much about what we think?
Roll back that stone from the tomb. Pray a prayer trusting in God's good will and pleasure. Trust in His love, and open your mind to the great possibilities of what He could desire for us. Shout at the tomb and unwrap the glory of God. Dead and limited opinions don't walk. Faith, hope and the Love of God does!
