Heb 6:19-7:10
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. 5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. 6 But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 9 And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

**1. Melchizedek is greater than Abraham**

Heb 5:9-14 - And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Heb 6:17-20 - In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Heb 7:1 - For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,  

Gen 12:2-3
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Gen 13:5-6 - Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together.

Gen. 14 - (Four Canaanite Kings fight against the five kings including the kings of Sodom and Gamorrah where Lot ended up settling.   The four kings defeat the five and Lot is captured in the midst of this.  Abram is notified and gathers up his people and defeats the four kings and brings back Lot and the spoils of war he got)

**a. The one who collects the tithe is greater than the one who gives it.**
**v. 4 “ Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils”**

Lev 27:30 - 'Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord.

Heb 7:9 - And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,

John 8:33 - They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free'?

**b. The one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed.**

V. 7 “But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater”

**c. The one who serves perpetually is greater than the one who serves temporarily.**

Heb 7:3 - Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life

Ps 110:4 - The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind,"You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."

Heb 7:23-25 - The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, **since He always lives to make intercession for them**

John 15:4 - "Abide in Me, and I in you. **As the branch *cannot bear fruit* of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you *unless you abide in Me.***

Luke 6:43-43 - "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 

**1.      To dwell or to make your home in Christ.**

Ps 27:4-5
4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may **dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,**
**To behold the beauty of the Lord**
And to **meditate in His temple.**
5 For in the day of trouble **He will conceal** me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will **hide me;**
He will **lift me up on a rock.**

Ps 84:10-11
10 For a **day in Your courts** is **better than a thousand outside.**
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
 
**2.      To Remain or to continue to Christ**

1 John 2:19 - They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Heb 3:6 - And we are his house if indeed we **hold fast** our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
                                        
Heb 3:14 - For we share in Christ, if indeed we **hold our original confidence firm to the end.**

Heb 4:14 - Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Heb 6:11 - And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,

Heb 10:23 - Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

Matt 10:22 - "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

**3.      To Depend or rely on Christ**

Col 1:29 - For this purpose also I labor, striving **according to His power, which mightily works within me.**

Phil 2:12-13 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, **work out your salvation with fear and trembling;** 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Acts 1:8 - but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Ps 37:4-6
4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and **He will do it.**
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

John 15:7 - "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:16 - "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

John 16:23-24 - "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.  24 "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

John 15:1-11 - "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

John 15:2 - "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit

John 15:6 - "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

**1. Jesus is the true vine so we must abide in Him.**

John 15:1 - I am the true vine,

John 14:16-18 - I will ask the Father, and He will give you **another Helper, that He may be with you forever;** 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18 "I **will not leave you as orphans;** I will come to you.

**a. Another (allos) same kind in contrast to (héteros) different kind qualitatively.**

John 16:7 - "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

John 1:14 - 14 And the Word became flesh, and **dwelt** among us,

John 14:17 - that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He **abides** with you and will be in you.

**b. Jesus said I will not leave you as orphans.**

John 14:26 - "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, **He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.**"

John 16:13 - "But when He, the **Spirit of truth**, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

Rom 8:26 - In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

**c. He will be with us forever.**

Eph 1:13-14 - In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were **sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.**

Eph. 5:18 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

**2. You can only bear fruit by abiding.**

John 15:4 - "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

Col 1:29 - For this purpose also I labor, striving **according to His power,** which mightily works within me.

Phil 2:12-13 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Acts 1:8 - but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

John 15:7 - "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:16 - "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

John 16:23-24 - "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

**3. When we abide in Christ and bear fruit four things happen.**

a. God is glorified. v.8

b. We prove to be His disciples v.8b

c. We abide in His love v.9,10

d. Our joy is made full v.11

John 13:33 - "Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'"

John 13:36-37 - Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now?"

John 14:1-6 - **Do not let your heart be troubled;** believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to **prepare a place for you.** 3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 "And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to Him, **"Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"** 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

**1. Jesus is The Way**

**a. To comfort them**

Josh 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Matt 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

**b. To prepare them**

John 13:36-38 - Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? **I will lay down my life for You.**" 38 Jesus answered, "**Will you lay down your life for Me?** Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Luke 9:23 - And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

**2. Jesus is The Truth**

**a. To comfort them**

John 14:18 - "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 6:66-69 - As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" 68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 "We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God

1 Tim 2:5-7 - For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

**b. To prepare them**

1 Cor 1:22-24 - For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Peter 1:24-25

"ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,

AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.

THE GRASS WITHERS,

AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER."

**3. Jesus is The Life**

**a. To comfort them**

John 14:19 - "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

John 4:13-14 - Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to **eternal life.**"

Ps 84:10-12

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.

I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

The Lord gives grace and glory;

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts,

How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

**b. To prepare them**

John 11:25-26 - Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

2 Tim 4:10 - for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica;

1 John 2:15-17 - Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever

Col 3:4 - When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

John 10:7 - 7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:11 - 11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

**1. Jesus is the owner and not a hired hand.**

John 10:1 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a **thief and a robber**.

Jer 14:14 - 14 Then the Lord said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.

Matt 7:15 - 15 "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

John 10:12-13 - 12 "He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the **wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them**. 13 **He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep**.

Matt 9:36-37

John 10:2-3 - 2 "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper open.

Matt 3:15 - 15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.

**2. Jesus knows His sheep and His sheep know Him.**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIn2CnTUCb0

John 10:3-5 - 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and **the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out**. 4 "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers."

Mark 13:22 - 22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

**3. Jesus leads us to green pastures and to have abundant life.**

John 10:9-13 - 9 "**I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved**, and will **go in and out and find pasture**. 10 "The thief comes only **to steal and kill and destroy**; I came that they may **have life**, and **have it abundantly**. 11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd **lays down His life for the sheep**. 12 "He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 "He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.

2 Peter 1:11 - 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

**Isa 55:7**

7 Let the wicked forsake his way

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

And let him return to the Lord,

And He will have compassion on him,

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

Ex 34:6 - 6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness and truth

Ps 36:7-9 - 7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!

And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

8 They drink their **fill of the abundance of Your house**;

And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.

9 For with You is the fountain of life;

In Your light we see light.

Ps 23 - The Lord is my shepherd,

**I shall not want**.

2 He makes me **lie down in green pastures**;

He leads me beside **quiet waters**.

3 **He restores my soul**;

He guides me in the **paths of righteousness**

For His name's sake.

4 **Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me**;

Your **rod and Your staff, they comfort me**.

5 You prepare a table before me in the **presence of my enemies**;

You have **anointed my head with oil**;

**My cup overflows**.

6 Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

**1. Darkness represents ignorance as light represents revelation**

Isa 5:13 - 13 Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;

Hos 4:6 - 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Luke 23:34 - "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

John 1:9 - 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

2 Cor 4:6 - 6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

**John 1:14** - 14 And the Word became flesh, and **dwelt among** us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

**John 14:8-9** - 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

**Heb 1:3** - 3 And He is the **radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature**, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

**Acts 17:26-29** - ..and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 **that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'**

**Matt 7:7** - 7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

**2. Darkness represents sinfulness as light represents righteousness**

**Romans 1:21-23** - 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

**John 8:31-33** - 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free'?"

**John 8:59** - 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

**John 3:19-21** - 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

**1 John 1:6-7** - 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

**Ps 36:7** - 9 For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.

**1 Tim 6:15-16** - He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and **dwells in unapproachable light**, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

**3. Darkness represents lostness as light represents direction**

**Ps 18:28-29** - 28 For You light my lamp;

The Lord my God illumines my darkness.

29 For by You I can run upon a troop;

And by my God I can leap over a wall


**Matt 4:19** ----- And He said to them, "**Follow Me**, and I will make you fishers of men."

**John 12:26** -- "If anyone serves Me, he must **follow Me**; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

**John 10:27** ---- "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they **follow Me**.

**Matt 5:14-16** - 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

**Heb 2:14-15** - 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that **through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death,** that is, the devil, 15 and might **free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.**

**Scene 1—The sickness that leads to glory (vs. 1-6)**

- 11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

- 3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

- 4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

- 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.


**Scene 2—The clueless disciples (vs. 7-16)**

- 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 8 The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?"

- 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. 10 "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

- 11 This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep."

- 12 The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.

- 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,

- 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." 16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."

- ** Mark 8:31-32**

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And **Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him**

- **Mark 9:31-34**

31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later." 32 But they did not understand this statement, and **they were afraid to ask Him.**

33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, **"What were you discussing on the way?" 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.**

- ** Mark 10:33-37**

33 saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 "They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again."
35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, **"Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You." 36 And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" 37 They said to Him, "Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory."**


**Scene 3 -- Jesus meets Martha (vs. 17-27)**

- 17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

- 20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

- 22 "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

- 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."

- 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

- 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."

- 1 John 5:12 - 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

- Rom 10:9 - that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;


**Scene 4 -- Jesus Meets Mary (vs. 28-37)**

- 28 When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." 29 And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

- 32 Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

- 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34 and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

- 35 Jesus wept.

- 36 So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?"


**Scene 5 – Lazarus is raised (vs. 38-46)**

- 38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

- 39 Jesus said, "Remove the stone."
- Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days."

- 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" 41 So they removed the stone.

- Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me."

- 43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."

- 44 The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

- 45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.

- 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

- **Mark 9:22-25** - 22 "It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" 23 And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, **"I do believe; help my unbelief."**

- **Jeremiah 8:11** - 11 They have healed the wound of my people lightly,

saying, 'Peace, peace,'

when there is no peace.


**1 Cor 15:52-57** - 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

**1. God's love is deliberate**

Zech 9:9 - 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

He is just and endowed with salvation,

Humble, and mounted on a donkey,

Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.


Gen 49:11 - 11 "He ties his foal to the vine,

And his donkey's colt to the choice vine;

He washes his garments in wine,

And his robes in the blood of grapes.


Mark 10:33 - 34 - 33 saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 "They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again."

John 10:17-18 - 17 "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 "**No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative**. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."


**2. God's love is patient.**

Luke 19:41 - 41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,

Luke 19:42 - 42 saying, "**If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.**"

Luke 19:43-44 - 43 "For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."

Isa 49:15 - 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child

And have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.


Matt 9:36 - 36 Seeing the people, He felt **compassion** for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd


Matt 14:14 - When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had **compassion** on them and healed their sick.


Matt 15:32 - Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.

Isa 42:3 - "A bruised reed He will not break

And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;”


**3. God's love is powerful**

Luke 19:42 saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!


John 8:36 - "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”

Phil 4:11-13 - 11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

**1. Chapter 6 of John records one of the biggest let downs possibly in Israel’s history.**

John 6:14-15 - 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

John 6:66 - 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.

John 6:14,15 - 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.


**2. The feeding of the 5000 leads to the crowds wanting to make Jesus King**

John 6:26 - Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.


**3. Believing is the work that God requires**

John 6:27 - 27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."


John 6:28-29 - 28 Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

John 6:31 - 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'"

John 6:35 - 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.


**4. They accepted Jesus as a prophet but not as their God.**

John 6:41-42 - 41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." 42 They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?"

John 6:48-51 - 48 "I am the bread of life. 49 "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."

John 6:40 (What we believe is being tested right now)

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

John 6:52-53 - 52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

John 6:66 - as a result of these statements many of them no longer followed Jesus


**5. True faith is what will cause us to persevere**

**1. It’s been a blessing in disguise in many ways.**

a. We have such busy lives we tend to go from day to day, month to month and year to year wishing we had more time with our kids family. To be at home.

b. We have all of that right now. Let’s not have the grass is greener mentality.

c. What the virus meant for evil God meant it for good.

d. Isaiah—our fourth child.

i. Stared out into space because of the work we needed to put into it.

ii. Not one congratulations in the church.

iii. But can’t imagine life without him.

iv. His name and Serenity’s name--- means the end.


**2. In scripture a person's name often signifies his character or ability or mission especially when the name is given by God.**

a. God changes Abram's name to Abraham to show that he had made him the father of many nations (Gen. 17:5).

b. Jacob's name to Israel (Gen. 32:28). (one who holds the heel to wrestles with God)

c. Simon to Peter (counselor to rock)

d. Saul to Paul (Hebrew to Gentile name)


**3. God’s name is no exception.**

a. We use a generic name for God and it often reflects the generic type of relationship people have with Him.

b. Korean Christians wanted to distinguish the shamanistic understanding of god with the one true God. The traditional Korean word for God is ha nui neem. (One from above) Christians call Him ha na Neem. (which means one and only being)


**4. The meaning of the name Yaweh.**

a. Ex 3:13-15 - 13 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations


b. God was not introducing Himself but reminding them Who He is to Israel.

i. Gen 2:4-9 - 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven. 5 Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 6 But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 8 The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

ii. The Jews stopped using God’s personal name to make sure that they don’t use His name in vain.

iii. The name that is given to us is Yaweh or Jehovah (in Greek with vowels)--- don’t know for sure.

iv. This name is used 6828 times compared to the generic word for God is Elohim, 2800 times.

v. If we called each other Asian guy, or big guy or man or girl it already has a sense of distance.

c. Notice that God gives three answers to the question, "What shall I tell them your name is?"

i. First, in verse 14 God says, "I AM WHO I AM."

ii. Second, in verse 14 God says, "I AM has sent me to you."

iii. Third, in verse 15 God says, "Yahweh … has sent me to you … this is my name for ever …"


d. The meaning behind God’s name as I AM has several significance that is particularly relevant to us today.

i. The first and foremost meaning is that God Is. Not was or will be but IS.

1. Acts 17:24-28 - 24 "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist,

2. The most well known question from Hamlet

a. “To be or not to be, that is the question”

i. Contemplation of life

b. We don’t have the ability to be.

i. We are constantly changing.

ii. I don’t know if I’ll be here next week. Even if I do I don’t know if I’ll be the same person. (lose some hair, gain some weight, have different thoughts. I am not constant.

iii. I am always becoming but I am never being.

iv. Only God is I AM

3. Heb 11:6 - 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

4. In the Lord’s prayer we begin by acknowledging God and God.

a. Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed by Thy Name.

5. Ps 90:2 - 2 Before the mountains were born

Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.


6. Rev 1:8 - 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

ii. The second meaning behind His name I AM is that God is the ultimate cause.

1. God is the ultimate cause.

John 5:26 - 26 "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;

2. Only God can create something from nothing.

a. People pay good money to be tricked. Illusion.

3. Rom 4:17 - who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

4. Col 1:16-18 - 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

5. So just as God created all things from nothing in the beginning only He can recreate man into a new man from the dead.

Rom 8:29-30 - 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

6. Remember the context of this

a. God didn’t need Moses. God wasn’t asking for help.

b. He was going display His glory through Moses. All he had to do is do exactly as God told him to do.

7. Vice President Pence prayed as he took over the task force to handle this virus.

a. They mocked him and said he’s the worst person if he’s going to depend on God.

iii. The third meaning of His name is that God is the ultimate goal of our existence.

1. Our purpose in life is to reflect God’s glory.

a. Man was never meant to live independent of God.

2. The problem with the health and wealth gospel is that they see God as the road to get to other things that they covet or even worship.

3. God is the final destination. God is the reward of our salvation.

4. John 17:3 - 3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

5. John 14:1-6 - 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.


6. I was like that in Knoxville Tennesse lost in the woods without gps.

a. Jesus is our destination.

i. If we have Christ we have found out way.

ii. We have found the answer.

iii. If we have Jesus we have life.

b. It’s not if we have Christ and health we are set.

c. It’s not Christ and job, or family, or friends or even church.

d. All I have is Christ and that is enough.

i. If you have Christ you have arrived.

7. God is on His throne and even this Corona Virus and the economic melt down is under His sovereign control.

8. A conversation that a mom put up online she had with her teenager daughter during quarantine.

“I had a very interesting conversation with my 15 year old yesterday. he said, "You know, Mom. God has allowed us to be at a point in this country where so many of our gods are being taken away: sports, the arts/entertainment, education, money, travel, church and traditions. I am thinking maybe He wants us to get our eyes on Him and be like the early church, in small groups learning and growing in Him." We are blaming "big government" for this chaos and confusion. Have we ever stopped to think that God in His wonderful loving kindness is giving us this opportunity to experience Him, fresh and new?? He is Sovereign!! He is good!! I for one was very convicted by her words.”

9. Remember that God used pestilence to deliver Israel from Egypt.