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I AM

Discipleship Pastor Ryan Akers
Sunday, May 19, 2024

But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” —Exodus 3:13-14

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” —John 11:25

A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” —John 11:1-3

But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” —John 11:4

Doubt

“Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.” —John 11:16

Disbelief

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. —John 11:20

Discouragement

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. —John 11:17

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” —John 11:21

God’s delays are not God’s denials

But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask. —John 11:22

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:35-39

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” —John 11:23-27

If you have decided to follow Jesus today, we’d like to celebrate with you and help you with some next steps. Please text Life to 63566.