Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44 God’s “Valuable” People “Behold How He Loves” The Seventh Miracle

God’s “Valuable” People  We are God’s treasures because of what He made us and will yet make of us!  We are made in God’s Trinitarian image according to Genesis 1:27,28 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Genesis 1:26-28 (NASB) 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it;

God’s “Valuable” People  We are God’s treasures because of what He made us and will yet make of us!  We are made in God’s Trinitarian image according to Genesis 1:27,28  Body – which came first, Jesus or Adam?  Soul – personality, mind, emotions  Spirit – part of us that communes with God, as in John 4:24 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

John 4:24 (NASB) 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

God’s “Valuable” People  Even in our fallen state, we still reflect God’s image – Genesis 9:6; James 3:9,10 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Genesis 9:6 (NASB) 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man. James 3:9-10 (NASB) 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

God’s “Valuable” People  Even in our fallen state, we still reflect God’s image – Genesis 9:16; James 3:9,10  We are a shattered image, our sin has marred the image of God – Rom. 1:21-25 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Romans 1:21-25 (NASB) 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. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

God’s “Valuable” People  Even in our fallen state, we still reflect God’s image – Genesis 9:16; James 3:9,10  We are a shattered image, our sin has marred the image of God – Rom. 1:21-25  We need God in order to regain the image in which we were created – Isaiah 53:5 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Isaiah 53:5 (NASB) 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed

“Behold How He Loves”  He loves us through the everlasting covenant that transcends time and space – Isaiah 59:16; Hebrews 13:20 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Isaiah 59:16 (NASB) 16 And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him. Hebrews 13:20 (NASB) 20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,

“Behold How He Loves”  He loves us through the everlasting covenant that transcends time and space – Isaiah 59:16; Hebrews 13:20  He loves us through His Son leaving heaven to become a servant in the form of flesh and blood – Philippians 2:5-8 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB) 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond- servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

“Behold How He Loves”  He loves us through the everlasting covenant that transcends time and space – Isaiah 59:16; Hebrews 13:20  He loves us through His Son leaving heaven to become a servant in the form of flesh and blood – Philippians 2:5-8  Jesus is like us in our temptations, disappointments, and sufferings Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

“Behold How He Loves”  He loves us so much that Jesus became our sin bearer – 2 Corinthians 5:21 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB) 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

“Behold How He Loves”  He loves us so much that Jesus became our sin bearer – 2 Corinthians 5:21  He loves us so much through His Son, Jesus, that He called us personally, individually, and persistently  God pursued us through Jesus Christ!  From eternity past, Jesus’ incarnation, His death on the cross, His call to us to come to Him, and His bestowing of all spiritual riches to us – we can truly say, “behold how He loves us”! Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

The Seventh Miracle  We say, “Seeing is believing,” which speaks to man’s untrustworthiness  Jesus says, “Believing is seeing,” which speaks to God being absolutely trustworthy! His promises are true – Numbers 23:19 Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Numbers 23:19 (NASB) 19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

The Seventh Miracle  The replies to Jesus’ command show a lack of faith and understanding within Martha (v.39) and the crowd (v.37)  Jesus then demonstrates the faith He has in the Father  His faith is personal – Father  His faith is perfect – thanked in advance  His faith was public – for all to see and hear Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Application Do you know how valuable you are to God? Do you know how much He loves you? Can others say of you, “Behold how much he loves his Master”? Have you responded to Jesus’ call to you from death to resurrection? Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44

Application Are you willing to play your part in Christ’s miracles? Jesus does the work of salvation! Amen But we can do the preparation (rolling the stone away) and the follow-up (removing the grave cloths)! Believing Is Seeing John 11:35-44