Counting the cost IV: The Cost of Comfort

*Joh 11:1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Joh 11:2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. Joh 11:3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” Joh 11:4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”*

Its going to be ok-God has a plan-Have faith and other rejected info

*Joh 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Joh 11:6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.*

Sometimes Jesus will tarry for His fullness to be fully realized

*Joh 11:7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”*
*Joh 11:8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. Joh 11:10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”*

There is always risk when following the will of God. It takes faith

*Joh 11:11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”*
*Joh 11:12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”*
*Joh 11:13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Joh 11:14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,*
*Joh 11:15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Joh 11:16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”*

*Joh 11:17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.*
*Joh 11:18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,* *Joh 11:19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.* *Joh 11:20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.* *Joh 11:21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died* *Joh 11:22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”*
*Joh 11:23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”* *Joh 11:24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, Joh 11:26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Joh 11:27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”*

The moment of trust

*Joh 11:28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” Joh 11:29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Joh 11:30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.*

*Joh 11:31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Joh 11:32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”*
*Joh 11:33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. Joh 11:34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”Joh 11:35 Jesus wept. Joh 11:36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”*
*Joh 11:37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”*

Nay Sayers

*Joh 11:38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Joh 11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Joh 11:40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” Joh 11:41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. Joh 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” Joh 11:43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” Joh 11:44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”*

Where is your tomb?
What is growing in it?
When will you emerge? At the right time