Nothing of My Own
Jesus' actions in the story of Lazarus teach us the importance of seeking God's will and trusting in His sovereignty, even when we don't understand the circumstances.
K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the profound obedience of Jesus to the will of the Father, illustrating this through the story of Lazarus. Despite His deep love for Lazarus and his sisters, Jesus chose to delay His arrival, demonstrating that His actions were guided by divine purpose rather than human emotion. This delay served to reveal God's glory and power, as Lazarus was raised from the dead after four days. The sermon challenges listeners to trust in God's timing and sovereignty, even when circumstances seem dire. Ultimately, it calls for a deeper understanding of living in accordance with God's will rather than our own desires.
Text
How many times must the disciples have heard Jesus say, "I do nothing of my own. I do only what My Father tells Me" (paraphrase, see John 5:19, 8:28)?
One of the many examples of this is found in John 11. Lazarus, the man Jesus loved dearly, is terribly sick. So his sisters send word to Jesus to come quickly to their aid, I'm sure with the hope that perhaps Jesus will heal him.
Upon hearing of His friend's sickness, I am certain that many emotions were stirred in Jesus' heart. Just imagine how you would feel if your closest and dearest friend was terribly ill and dying in the hospital. Would you not rush to your friend's aid, laying aside your plans and agendas just to be with him in his time of need?
Jesus was fully God and fully man, so I am sure that He very much wanted to make the trip immediately, to go and touch His friend Lazarus and raise him up. When He heard about Lazarus's sickness, He was about 30 miles away from the town he lived in--at least a two-day journey! But the Bible does not tell us that Jesus rushed out the door to go to Lazarus. Instead, "When Jesus heard that, He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was" (John 11:4-6,emphasis mine).
Later in the chapter we read of Jesus finally arriving at the tomb of Lazarus, who had now already been dead for four days. Both Mary and Martha cried to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, [our] brother would not have died" (John 11:21).
Why was Jesus not there sooner? Why didn't He go right away, as soon as He heard the news, before Lazarus died?
Sermon Outline
- Jesus' Relationship with the Father
- Jesus' Priorities in Ministry
- Implications for Our Lives
- The importance of seeking God's will
- The value of trusting in God's sovereignty
Key Quotes
“I do nothing of my own. I do only what My Father tells Me.” — K.P. Yohannan
“This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” — K.P. Yohannan
Application Points
- We should seek God's will and trust in His sovereignty, even when things don't go as we planned.
- Waiting on God's timing is often better than rushing into action on our own.
- God's glory should be our primary motivation in all that we do.