Pleasant Hill Baptist Church

This lesson is so critical today. It applies to school, sports, the workplace, the home, politics, church and just in life.  

Never stop growing and learning. Be coachable, teachable, and trainable.  Never reach a point where you think you have nothing else to learn. 

At the same time be careful who you allow to teach you.  The world will say to keep an open mind, but the Bible teaches us to be careful to whom you open your mind to.

Allow your mind to be open to enough to allow in the light of truth, but not so open that you invite an invasion of darkness.  

Think about this...

For 30 pieces of silver, Judas (one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ) gave up those that he proclaimed to love, and that which he professed to believe.  

After over 3 years of following Jesus every day, Judas was beginning to learn that Jesus was not going to set up His kingdom on the earth at that time.  Perhaps Judas was tempted to believe that by betraying Jesus, he (Judas) was going to achieve his own agenda, and that which was really important to him.  

But in the end it cost Judas everything.  It cost him those that he loved, it cost him his dignity, it cost him his life, and it cost him his soul. 

1.  What is your cost?  What is your price?  What would it take for you to give up those that you proclaim to love or that which you claim to believe?

2.  What is the devil promised you,  to tempt you to give up what you profess to hold dear?

Whatever the price or promise is, rest assured the Devil is a cunning liar and cannot be believed.  

Also ask yourself this...

3.  What is it going to cost you to surrender to that temptation?

The answer just might be everything.  Just as it was for Judas.  

Read John 11:21-33 and then ask think about this:

1.  What is it that you are blaming God for?

In vs. 21, Martha essentially blames Jesus for her brother dying.  Verse 1, tells us that Lazerous was sick, and that Martha and Mary had sent word to Jesus to let him know and so that Jesus could come and heal their brother.  

Jesus then decides to stay where He is at for two day, before telling the disciples that Lazerous is dead before they pack up and head to the town of Bethany, where they find that Lazerous has been dead for four days.  The disciples are shocked by this news (perhaps at the apparent lack of urgency of Jesus to go and heal Lazerous, but Jesus says that it was for their benefit that 

(It is important to note that the journey from Bethany to where Jesus was, would take one day to travel and thus the journey from Jesus to Bethany a day of travel as well.  Thus when Jesus is told in verse 17 that Lazerous had been dead for four days, we are able to determine that Lazerous died before the messengers ever reached Jesus.)

Upon hearing that Jesus had arrived in town, Martha goes to him and essentially blames him not being there to prevent Lazerous from dying.

Which brings me back to my question: What is it you are blaming God for?

Somtimes in life things don’t go they way we would like, or the way we planned.  When this happens, there are times, that a person might blame God for allowing those things to happen.  If that has happened in your life, you are not alone.  Moses, Elijah, David, Job and many others questioned God at various times in their life.  “God, where are you”, why did this happen”,  “it’s not fair” , “ why me”, and “when are you going to do something”, are all questions we might ask at various times in our life.

With that in mind I would like to point out two more things to consider from this passage:

1.  Jesus did not rebuke Martha for blaming him.  

He understood her frustration, pain, and grief.  God has big enough shoulders to handle your questions.  He understands our feelings of frustration when things don’t go the way we wanted.  Don’t be afraid to turn to God in times of hurt and frustration to ask Him, that is part of the reason that He allows things in our life, to draw our attention to Himself.”

Don’t be afraid to turn to God humbly in prayer with your hurts, fears, frustrations, and questions.  

2.  Jesus had a reason for not being there to prevent Lazerous from dying.

In verse 15 tells us the reason, “to the intent that ye may believe.”  Jesus knew that by delaying the use of His healing power and even foreknowledge of Lazerous condition, (He certainly knew of Lazerous impending sickness before the messengers ever showed up to late, because He is all knowing God) that He would have a greater impact upon their faith by raising Lazerous from the dead.  

God knew what He was doing with and through the circumstances surrounding Lazerous life and death.  He knows what He is doing in your life.  

When you turn to God and He does not answer in the way you wanted, remember, He is about to do something even greater.  All things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.  

So when you begin to blame God something in your heart, or out loud to others, don’t be afraid to turn to God and express your concerns yourself, but realize that God never says, “Oops!”  God is in control and although you may not yet realize it... He is about to do something greater than you can realize.