R262 The Absolute Certainty of Life After Life

We all could use some encouragement, fighting together today to the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton on the Encouraging Word for just a moment with John Chapter 11 about the message the absolute certainty of life after life we do so connect with us online@tewonline.org and we love to connect with you now Dr. Don Wilton I want to invite you to take a copy of God's word with you right now. Turn with me to John's Gospel. Chapter 11 to follow along in God's word with me and I'm going to be reading a long passage lie. I'm sure that I'll stop every now and again as I'm prone to do, just as I prepared for this message.

Today I came to understand that within the context of what God would teach each one of us. It's very difficult to take little bits and pieces out of God's word. You have to understand God's word in its contextual whole. That's read together are subject this morning is the absolute certainty of life after life not preached a message. I'm not sure if I preached a child I don't believe that I have but I preach a message entitled the absolute certainty of life off the bed. You see, that makes far more sense to most people. But the Bible teaches us and began to discover that one of the greatest joy is about knowing Jesus Christ is that life follows life because in Christ Jesus all people are made alive. John chapter 10 in verse 10 Jesus put it like this.

He said I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly. We going to discover hearing God's word this morning.

The absolute certainty of life after life. Now man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wipe these feet with her hair so the sister same word to Jesus Lord, the one you love is sick when he heard this, and this full is going to be the most critical verse in this entire context. In fact, I'm going to submit to you today ladies and gentlemen that we cannot understand exactly what it is that the Lord Jesus Christ teaches us at this juncture outside of the school. Verse four is one of the most pivotal issues that Jesus Christ addresses as far as we're concerned in our human predicament cold this when he heard this, Jesus said, this sickness will not. Ending date know it is for God's glory so that God's son may be glorified through Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Then he said to his disciples, let us go back to Judea, but Rabbi they sin a short while ago, the Jews tried to stone you and yet you are going back to Jesus wanted all the not 12 hours of daylight man who walks by day will not stumble. For he sees by this world's life is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no life after he had said this, he went on to tell her our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going there to wake him up.

I'm going to say to my friends. This bubbled their minds. I immediately the disciples just like you and me became absolutely confused. There was an apparent contradiction generally guided we going to discover why his disciples replied in verse 12.

Lord, if he sleeps he will get better. Jesus had been speaking of his day, but he's disciples thought he meant natural sleep, so he told him plainly.

This is where Jesus lays it down with the water hits the will, he says, okay Lazarus he did and for your sake. I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe, but let us go to him, verse 17. On his arrival. Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the 244 days verse 21 Laurel married 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 want us Jesus said to her little brother will rise again. Both Onset now this lady apparently had a theology in order that you think I mean this lady was in the student Bible student. She must've had some kind of seminary training. She must've been a member of First Baptist Church Spartanburg in bygone days where they study and read the Bible in place a total complete emphasis upon the word of God. Listen to Onset. She makes no apology for she says in verse 24 I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the loss day.

Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will do even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this yes Lord, she told, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God who was, into the world. Verse 33 when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews would come along with her also weeping. He was deeply moved in spirit and trouble.

Where have you laid him. He almost come and see. Lord, they replied. Then we have the shortest and most unbelievable verse in all of Scripture. Jesus where then the Jew said see how Jesus loved him, but some of them said could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying. Jesus once more deeply moved, came to the two. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.

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 for four days. Then Jesus said, did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God. So they took away the stone. They Jesus looked up and said father I thank you that you've heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I say this here it is for the benefit of the people standing here in order that they may believe that you sent me when he said this, Jesus called out in a loud voice, Lazarus, not dead man came out he's hands and his feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face rather significant. Don't you think he's eyes were closed.

These is restocked up. Eddie's mouth was completely bandaged over. There was no way by which this man was dead in his trespasses and sins could've seen anything could've heard anything could've spoken anything and Jesus said to them, Jesus said, take off the grave close and letting go take all the grave close and letting go the absolute certainty of life after life. I want you to notice your with me this morning seven principles seven facts that we learn about this extraordinary account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, number one, it is absolutely certain that Lazarus live a life what a profound statement to Mike and all the philosophers and all the educators say goodness me. Dr. Wilton you really have deepening your understanding. Number one, it's a very significant point.

If we live again. Understand the absolute certainty of life after life we go to understand in the first place.

My friend that it is absolutely certain that Lazarus live a life you see life is the most significant fact as far as the life of Christ is concerned. The Bible says my friends that when God created man, he created man in his own image and he breathed into his nostrils the nappy sky, the breath of life itself. And when God read blacking to him. He breathed a very X question of his uncritical flood blood flow that flowed between himself and man who he had created, and soon came into the world, and the life of Adam, and it interrupted and it's good that black blood flow between man and his maker. And yet, the Lord Jesus Christ reminds us at the first instance that before we can talk about lack of the life we go to talk about lack now that's good news this morning. You know why because all of us in your today upstairs and downstairs.

Everyone watching by way of television is alive. I like adventure will align we don't all feel alive.

Some people don't feel alive more I look around some of you don't look alive, but I want you to know all of us in this place are alive.

It is the most wonderful. It is the most invigorating, it is the most unbelievable dynamic of the life of Jesus Christ. That Jesus died for those who are alive. Bible says it is appointed on the man once to die Martha that the judgment, the judgment of Christ. My friend is completely eliminated. Only when we have life in Christ, and it is absolutely significant that the Bible tells us that this man is absolutely certain.

Live the life notice in the second part is absolutely certain that Lazarus was low while he lived this life I like to start your it's right there in verse five Bible tells us very clearly look at it for yourself. Bible tells us Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

You can go to verse 36 then the Jew said see how Jesus loved him. This man was low, my beloved friends this morning. I know that there are many, many tragic circumstances in life. One of the greatest desires of men and women in Boys and Girls Club diet is simply to be low.

It is simply to be loved. That's what I love about this congregation.

You say were Gary goes again. You gonna tell us very brother. What seems to be a problem. I want you to know that I will stand on a mountaintop, and I will talk about the loving this congregation Jesus put it like this, he said. By this shall man know that you are my disciples, if you love one another here in Spartanburg County and all of these United States of America from sea to shining sea. There are teenagers who are crying out for someone to love them. There are entertainers crying out for somebody to love them, their husbands and wives crying out for someone to love them we not talking about a copy kind of love we not talking about a smoochy smoochy kind of love we not talking about a fickle kind of love we talking about a real life-changing love that it is apparent from every dynamic that this man experienced. It is absolutely certain that Lazarus was low while he lived his life. He was loved by his friends. Did you notice I didn't read all this is, but from 28 to 33 when they heard about what happened to Lazarus all these people around began to run together and congregate together around the tomb of the one who was deceased and good Pakistan. They love to. He was surrounded by people. What about Marion Barclay. What a tremendous thing to be loved like that. The Bible says that the one who loved him more than anything else was the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said it himself. Jesus love my friends and I want you to know that according to Scripture, Jesus would never have said that he loved Lazarus had not Lazarus loved him in return. This is one of the theological predicaments.

God is a God of love, of course, is what how can the garden is a God of love, the spires will save anybody predicaments held judgment seat of Christ, my friend. You see, God doesn't send anybody away from his presence. God doesn't send anybody to whom God doesn't judge anybody out of darkness if people die and they go to a crisis eternity.

They go there and not because God has sent them but because the love because they have refused to respond to the love of God while they're still alive, that is particularly relevant this morning as we gathering God's house and we study God's word and the spirit of the living God close to our hearts and souls and he speaks to us and he convicts us that he draws us unto himself. It is the love of God. Jesus loves me this I know Bible to be so little one to him belong. They all week, but he is strong yes Jesus loves me yes Jesus loves me.

Sometimes a simple thing to drive home the biggest points you're listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word will be back with a complete message in just a moment the Dr. Wilton want you to know that this if you are needing someone to pray you through a situation were perhaps you are finding that you are weak and you need the strength of Jesus would love to pray you through phone numbers 866-899-WORD that's 866-899-9673 valve activities teaching with Dr. Don Wilton significant if we are to understand the certainty of live off the lot that it is absolutely certain that Lazarus live is absolutely certain that Lazarus was loved while he was alive and I want you to note in the third place that it was certain that he loved while he was alive. You see friends. The Bible tells us in verse 11 that he loved the Lord.

There was this reciprocal response. This relationship, the Bible teaches. My friend that you cannot come into a relationship with God by virtue of osmosis. God doesn't seep into your system on invited God doesn't have a family plan of salvation. You cannot go to heaven.

You cannot have your sins are forgiven because you're boarding the church or because you're born in the United States because you been baptized or because you read your Bible because you're a good person. The Bible says my friend Lazarus love the Lord, why because the 100 to the love of God in Christ Jesus. How do we know this well. There are three suggestions you're in this passage that he love the Lord. First of all, as I said to you, because the Lord said so. The Lord spoke of his love of this man, but number two because godly friends surrounded last.

It seems remarkable how these people seem to gather.

The Bible says in verse 19.

Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort for them comfort them in the loss of their brother. Later on in verse 33 when Jesus saw her weeping and Jews who had also come along also weeping. There was a family gathering of sorts in which people from all walks of life, and neighbors at the people down the road came together. This man was obviously surrounded by like-minded people. Someone told me one time and I believe it's true. If you want to know if a man or a woman has a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at the people who gravitate towards me just run that by giving casual flavored play with team lost yesterday someone told me one time. If you want to know whether or not a man or woman has a genuine relationship with God, look at the people who gravitate toward. The Bible says my friend that a Christian is like a magnet. He will attract people to himself. It is absolutely impossible for lack to attract darkness love our young people. We brought some of the finest young people in Spartanburg) church are teenagers love them to bits teenagers. I would say to you today. One of the greatest marks of your genuineness in terms of your relationship with Jesus Christ is in direct relationship to the kind of people who gravitate toward you. What kind of company who are your friends who hangs around with you. Are they people who are godly are they people who talk about the Lord Jesus Christ. Are they people who are spiritual people always there.

No semblance whatsoever of any kind of spirituality God maybe just some pie-in-the-sky that every now and again you pull out of the box or he someone to mock or he's just as big old daddy up in heaven or he's just any way by which anybody as long as that Sarah, who would bother to go to church anyway. You can always tell a person's relationship with God, my friend, by the gravitation of the company they keep this affair. The indicator here in the third place.

We know that he love the Lord because he had a happy hope.

I like this. He had a happy home. There's no question about Dr. Kirk meeting would probably concur with me this morning that amongst many, many other sad things in this world.

One of the greatest desires of mankind today is to have a happy hope. Have you got any idea what it's like to live in an unhappy home. Have you got any idea what it's like to live in a home when mother and father drink and carry on and cost of each other and find with children fact with each other, where there is separation and there is division where there is unhappiness in faith and pride and jealousy and anger. I want you to know friend if we live again on this and absolute certainty of life after life we must understand, my friend, that this man understood life after life and because the beneficiary of the had a happy home all cool of the Lord Jesus, all I love you today my friends is your posture.

I have seen on many occasions marriages that are on the rocks that are being reconciled because Jesus Christ came into the center of our being in homes where sons haven't spoken to fathers in months and years. And Jesus comes into the center, but all of a sudden a reconciliation takes place are being amongst people. My friend had been searching from north to south and from east to west with an emptiness and agony in this whole trying to find out the meaning in life. And Jesus comes into the center of their life and there is a reconciliation.

There is a coming together, there is a feeling of the There is a full and meaningful life. The absolute certainty of live off the lot is absolutely certain that Lazarus live the life there's no docket is absolutely certain that Lazarus was love while he lived this life that it is absolutely certain that Lazarus love the Lord while he lived this life, but I want you to notice in the fourth place that it is absolutely certain that Lazarus was sick while he lived this line already agonized over verse one it seems to me a pretty raw the because it's so different to me and to you. You not you and I do we tell everybody everything good. I mean we tell all the good things and then we dropped the ball. We get everybody pumped up first and then we dropped the ball.

Not Jesus. Jesus dropped the bomb) verse one. He didn't start out with older happy home in the good things in the low verse one. It's one of the most stark salient isolated versus non-man named Lazarus was sick just there. It is right in front of now man named Lazarus was sick. Why did Jesus begin with that. I am convinced my friend because that is the reality of life. The Bible says this man was sick. People are sick, none are exempt.

The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. You know the irony that we find so hard to fathom that my friend is that all of us are born to die love little babies. I my wife and I just love being around 10 yard surrounded Whitney Sanders home the other night could've eaten up his little boy adjusting Chuck precious like you cannot describe.

But you know the moment we are born as we begin to grow we die.

You got go down to the store and see see how we try and stop ourselves from God we doing it all the time.

You know, one of the greatest rules that I have is cost of this church is what I call the thrill of my inheritance. You know these disciples. They were such skeptics. They couldn't understand that they couldn't handle it. I couldn't understand the deep theological significance of you ever met anybody who always wants to debate theology with have you ever met the modern day Pharisees and the skeptics always wanting to find out what kind of fish. It was that swallowed Jonah is an incredible to think that there is life off the line. There are people who would say pretrial. We should calm down. I wish you wouldn't get so excited. I wish you would be cool, calm and collected friends I have set watch football games and I watched Crimson and USC playing basketball games.

I've seen fellow preachers sitting there shouting so loud that they're about to burst a blood vessel.

I want to say to you today my friend if there's anything you and I need to get excited about. It's not a music concert. It's not a television program.

It's not a business deal. It's not any Radisson life is the fact that it is absolutely certain that there is life off the line in the first place is absolutely certain that Lazarus did die is no question about the dire in the sixth place and this is so critical and so important. It is absolutely certain. My friends, that Lazarus day brought glory to God and death and sickness always brings glory to God. Why, because outside of Jesus Christ.

You and I own nothing, but in him we have line. That's the same, it is absolutely certain. My friend according to God's word that there is live powerful truth from Dr. Don Wilton as he's been preaching and teaching to the word of God, but I pray that easy steps in the studio and just shares his heart be open to what he wants to share next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sins and by faith I receive you into my heart in Jesus night, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just prayed to receive Jesus as Dr. Wilson was leading you welcome the family of God may be rededicated your life. Either way, Dr. Wilton has wonderful resources.

He wants you to have Julie to call us and let us know how we can send them to you.

Our number is 866898668999673 or meet us online@online.org while you're there, discover who we many of you are asking how you can prayerfully and financially support us.

We call it becoming encouragers the promise of spring brings the promise of hope.

Where do we find help me find hope in Jesus share this great help with as many people as possible. Will you join us.

Your help. Encouragers call at 866899 wearing 66899963. Information on how you can support the work of The Encouraging Word The Encouraging Word is a newer listener supported ministry. Thank you for listening today. We would be blessed if you are led to get involved in supporting the ministry of another with you to encourage you in tomorrow gatherings the message John chapter 12 there will be diving into a Dr. Wilton hope you come back and join us again between now and then online. The place to BTW online.org insight about the new book Dr. Don Wilton and his relationship with Dr. Billy Graham. What a powerful details of TW online.org is there.

That's tewonline.org large