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Thank God Introduction:
We hear expressions such as “You had better thank your lucky stars” or,
“You just need to be thankful for what you
have” or, “You need to thank God.” Have you ever wondered what Jesus was
thankful for? Twice he used the expression “I thank you” in His ministry. To
whom was Jesus speaking and for what was He giving thanks? I)
Matthew 10.25ff; Luke 10.21-24 A)
Background 1.
Jesus sent out the seventy to the cities that He was about to go, v. 1 2.
Those that would receive these men would receive Christ and those that will not
receive these men will not receive Christ, v.
16 3.
The seventy return and report what they had been able to do, v. 17 4.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced, v. 21a. B)
For what was Jesus thankful? 1.
That which had been hidden from the wise and prudent – we see the unfolding of
God’s plan of salvation in stages.
a. The coming of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross up to this time had
not yet been revealed to the “wise and prudent”
b. The wise – the rabbis, priest, scribes, leaders of the Jewish
nation, did not understand Jesus or His ministry. 2.
Examples
a. He eats with sinners – Jesus came to call sinners to repentance,
Mark 2.17
b. He did not go by “their traditions” of washings, Mark
7.2-5
c. Jesus emphasis was on the inner part, the spirit and not the
physical. They did not get it!
d. Many today do not get it, 1
Corinthians 1.26 3.
The babes got it. (NIV
“little children”, Strong’s Concordance: simple minded) They accepted
Jesus, the unlearned, the spiritually minded
a. Who were the simple minded? The 70 Jesus sent out; the
multitudes that followed Jesus; those that looked by faith.
b. Why did Jesus speak in parables? Matthew
13.10-13 4.
Jesus came to reveal the will of God to those that will listen. 5.
Who are the babes?
a. Matthew 18.4 those that will humble themselves
c. Those that thirst after righteousness, Matthew
5.6 6.
We need to be thankful that Jesus came to reveal the will of the Father to us.
a. We can all be saved if we will humble ourselves and listen to God’s
word
b. We need to be thankful that Jesus came to reveal God’s plan of
salvation (there is no closing act except the Last Day). II)
John 11 the death and resurrection of Lazarus A)
Jesus’ ministry was about to end 1.
At the Feast of Dedication, they asked Jesus if He was the Christ, John 10.24 2.
He said that the Father and He were one,
v. 30
a. To claim to be the Son of God meant He was claiming to have the
same attributes of God
b. To claim to be one with God meant He was God, v.
33 3.
They took up stones to kill Him, v. 31 4.
What was their problem?
a. Was it a lack of clarity in the Old Testament?
b. Was it a lack of attention from Jesus?
c. They did not believe the works of Jesus, v.
38 5.
Jesus withdrew from
a. There they receive Him
b. There they believe, v. 42 B)
Jesus received word that Lazarus was sick, John 11.1 1.
They stayed 2 days before going to 2.
Lazarus is dead and buried before Jesus arrives
a. Jews considered the body of a dead person unclean
b. People are mourning the death of Lazarus 3.
Jesus explains a little in verse 15,
the miracle was to produce faith 4.
Jesus speaks of His intention to raise Lazarus in verse
23. 5.
Martha thinks He is speaking of the resurrection on the Last Day, v. 24 6.
Jesus explains that He is talking about raising Lazarus now, v. 25
a. Jesus came to overcome and defeat the power of sin and death
b. it is through Christ man can have eternal life and only through
Christ that is possible C)
Jesus’ prayer to God, v 41-42 1.
All that happened was to produce faith, for the benefit of those there 2.
Jesus came to do the will of the Father
a. It is hard for us to appreciate and comprehend the unity between
God the Father and Jesus the Son of God
b. They were one in divinity, one in purpose, one in thought
c. Jesus was thanking God not for what He wanted but for what He
had with the Father. Communion and fellowship is something to be
thankful for. 3.
To understand that God was listening to and answering His prayers. D)
We are like Lazarus- Colossians 2.13 1.
Lazarus was dead in the tomb – we are dead in sin 2.
Jesus was proving His and God’s power over death by raising Lazarus from the
dead. On the Last Day all that are in the graves will be brought forth. John 5.28-29 3.
Jesus called Lazarus by name, we are called by the Gospel of Christ. 4.
Lazarus was told what to do, come forth; we are told what to do. 5.
Lazarus came out of the grave alive; we come out of the watery grave of baptism
alive. 6.
Lazarus came out of the grave wrapped or bound in grave clothes and they were
told to unbind Him; we are slaves of sin but are free in Christ. Conclusion:
We can glorify God in our lives and have fellowship with in Him through Jesus
Christ. We need to be thankful to God that Jesus came to do for man what man
could not do for himself, overcome sin and death. We ought to thank God for the
Gospel being sent to babes and Jesus being the resurrection. |