Even Now, I Know (John 11:22)

Introduction

We could point to a number of biblical stories that poignantly illustrate the truth that we just sang in your time. One of those stories that we could point to is the one that we’ve been studying on Sunday morning the last two weeks in connection with the resurrection of Lazarus. We pointed out how dear he was to not just Jesus but his disciples. Remember the word that was sent to Jesus. Behold, he whom you love is sick. Our friend Lazarus, Jesus styled him in verse 11. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep. And then the onlookers, as he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, behold how he loved him. They observed. We noted in our study two weeks ago that there’s something more important than the family’s pain in his time.

We’ve sung.

That’s more important than the family’s pain. And when Lazarus is finally dead, and Jesus knows that, even though he is away from the scene, he says, I am glad for your sakes, verse 15, that I was not there, so that you may believe. Let us go to him. And so for the glory of God, and that people might believe, he waited in his time.

All things were made beautiful in relation to his friend Lazarus. This event, as we noted, is the clinching event that would precipitate Jesus’ death. If we let him go on like this, the religious leader said, all men will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. And in chapter 12, we did not look at this, in verses 9 through 11. The great multitude, therefore, of the Jews learned that he was there in Bethany. And they came not only for Jesus’ sake, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he raised from the dead. I mean, this Lazarus had become a celebrity as a result. They wanted to see Lazarus also, but the chief priest took counsel that they might put Lazarus to death also.

It’s not enough that he’s died once. Let’s kill him again. Because on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus. Jesus had previously affirmed that he would raise men from the dead. The words of life that he uttered in John 11, remove the stone. Lazarus come forth. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live even if he dies. There’s our hope. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Why is it important for you to embrace the story of Jesus, to believe in him, so that you can overcome your greatest enemy, and that is death. Sin and death. Do you believe this? Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

He had said this, as I mentioned in John chapter 5. In John chapter 5 and verse 24, truly I say unto you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, Jesus said. And does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death and into life. An hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live. The righteous unto a resurrection of life, and the evil unto a resurrection of judgment, he would say in verses 28 and 29. This was indeed a significant event leading to the great sacrifice that was made on our behalf.

In John 11, verses 21 and 22. As she comes to the Lord and says, Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died. That was an expression of confidence in Jesus, in his ability. But then she says in verse 22. Even now, I know that whatever you ask of God will give you.

1. Even Now: Convictions Squarely Placed Upon Jesus

Even now. I know what you are capable of and what you could request and receive from the Father’s hand. And so I want to talk to you about those four words of John chapter 11 and verse 22. I know it departs from the typical three points and the lessons yours. We only have two points this morning. As we focus on that phrase, even now, I know. I don’t want to focus first on the first two words, even now. In the midst of pain, in the midst of turmoil and trouble and trial, she utters the words, even now. And one thing that we learned in regard to the words, even now, is that our convictions must be squarely placed upon Jesus even in our darkest moments. He alone is your hope.

The Hebrew writer says as much. In Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 6. As it speaks of Jesus as the faithful son over his house, it says to believers whose house you are. If you hold fast your confidence and the boast of your hope firm to the end.

As I also mentioned Hebrews 10 and verse 35, therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. Is that where your confidence is squarely placed? The problem is the latter part of verse 6 that says, we hold our confidence firm and the hope of our boast firm unto the end. The problem is so many throw away their confidence, they lay aside their faith, they lay aside their perseverance in the midst of their pain, whatever it is, however great and severe it has come to their lives, it is no longer worth fighting the fight anymore. And they lay it aside because we must have this hope firm until the end. The end. I told this story. Wayne heard it because he was there. When I was with J.R.

Bronger up in Indianapolis a couple of months ago, he told me so many stories, and I wrote down several of them. And one of the stories he told me was he had run a mini marathon recently. And he had met a guy before the mini marathon who was running his first race. And so they ran the race, and after it was over, he found the guy that he had met before the race and asked him how he had done, how he had performed during the race. And he said, Well, when I started, everything was going fine, and I was running from mile marker to mile marker. But then as the race wore on, I started running stop light to stoplight. And then as it progressed a little bit further, I was running block to block.

And he said, as the end neared, I was just running crack to crack. And that’s sort of how it is in our lives as we run this race. We look at the big picture and the full marathon that we’re running, not a mini marathon. It resembles more a full marathon. And we may start off thinking, well, we can go mile marker to mile marker, but when things press in on us in our lives, sometimes we find ourselves just trying to get from crack to crack. And we have to hold firm. Our boast. Even now.

I immediately think of the book of Revelation when I read these words. Even now. I read about the church in Pergamon in Revelation chapter 2, where the Lord’s faithful witness had been martyred. His name was Antipas. Pergamon, Pergamum, it says, is where Satan’s throne is. This is where Satan dwells. I don’t know what all that entails, but I’ve got to tell you, being a saint in Pergamum wasn’t easy. This is where Satan had a stronghold. The threats against God’s people were severe. And all of that, the potential for the loss of a family member, martyrdom for the cause, persecution that was coming upon the church, none of that affects what was true in the spirit realm. Jesus was still the king. And we see that in chapter 4 and chapter 5 of the book of Revelation, despite all of the pain, not to mention the spiritual maladies that existed in the church in Pergamum that had to be dealt with.

They had to repent of some things in verses 14 through 16. Not just the outside, external forces that were brought to bear upon them, but the internal spiritual struggles that they were experiencing. Don’t lose your confidence in the king. And then in chapter 6, the souls are crying beneath the altar. Oh Lord, how long? In the fifth seal. Oh Lord, how long, holy and true, will thou refrain from judging and avenging the blood, our blood on those who dwell on the earth. And the severity of the situation is only going to intensify. There’s an hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world. The Church of Philadelphia is told in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 10. And of the ferocious sea beast, and that’s really a very small way of saying how awful he appears in the story.

The ferocious sea beast, the text says it was given to him to make war with the saints and overcome them. Chapter 13 and verse 7. Put yourself in the shoes of those early saints as they face this enormous ferocious opposition. Here is the perseverance and faith of the saints. I’ll tell you, we have to endure some things, but I’ve got to tell you, I’m not sure we can really appreciate what these first century saints had to endure. The perseverance and faith of the saints. Even now, whatever it is. Even in regard to perhaps our personal struggle. When my spirit and conduct is less than the image of Christ. When I have lost sight of the king. And it occurred to me this week that’s exactly what happens when the former is true.

When my thoughts and my conduct are not what they should have been, it is always because I have lost sight of the king. That’s why we are compelled later in Hebrews to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Because in the previous verse, because of the great cloud of witnesses that we’ve just read about in chapter 11, he says, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us. Why is it that the encumbrances weigh us down? Why is it that the sins that so easily entangle us have entangled us? It is because we’ve lost sight of Jesus, and that’s why we’re admonished to fix our eyes on him. Daily reflections upon the King. My purpose, my calling, my hope, will be essential.

Even now. No matter the pall of the moment, the dark clouds of trying circumstances, or even the spiritual darkness that I’ve wandered into. I must rely on andor return to. That which is solid, reliable, trustworthy, and dependable in the midst of every storm of life. We have to come back to. Even now. Regardless of what it is. Even now. That’s what the psalmist Asaph is dealing with in Psalm 73. He looked at the world around him and he said, there are inequities everywhere. The righteous are barely making it. We’re barely getting along in life. Everything seems to be turning up, not roses but thorns for the righteous. It’s trouble after trouble. And then I look at the wicked. Those people who do not incur God’s favor, and they’re living it up.

They’re having the times of their lives. They’re prosperous in fact. And sometimes we look at the wicked around us and say, boy, I would like to be in their shoes. I’d like to have what they have. They seem to have the world by the tail. Why does it seem that way? Because you know what? The devil is perfectly fine with their present happiness and prosperity. He’s not opposing them. He’s just willing to let them have the time of their lives. Because he knows the dead end that’s coming. And so we look at them sometimes. Oh, if I could just be like them, if I could just have their friendship and their approval, and we find ourselves being drawn to the dark side. Has anybody seen any Star Wars movies?

We’re drawn to the dark side. It seems to be the appealing place. It’s where the power is, it’s where the fun is. And as he struggles with these thoughts, he says, until I came to the sanctuary of God.

Oh, there is a God. This is the place where he is worshiped. He is true and real and righteous and holy. And when I came to the sanctuary of God, then I perceived their end. How that they are destroyed in a moment. There’s a day of reckoning coming, and you don’t want to be on the wrong side of that day. And so now it all begins to make sense. And so, in the midst of our pain, in the midst of our trouble, whatever it is, even now, I know.

2. I Know: The King Reigns

God will give you whatever you ask. Martha said. Even now, in the midst of our pain, the king reigns. Psalm 46. Psalm 46, verses 1 and 2, these are the affirmations of holy men of old. God is our refuge and strength of very present help in trouble. Wait a minute. When you become a Christian, shouldn’t the trouble vanish? If you’re a covenant person, if you’re in a right relationship with God, doesn’t that mean an absence of trouble? That’s what so many think. But the Lord’s people encounter trouble. And God is the refuge and strength, a very present help and trouble. And then this in verse 2, in fact, a dear preacher, a friend of mine sent me this verse this week. Therefore, we will not fear.

And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea. Isaiah 43. Isaiah 43 in verse 2. It is said this way when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers. We have big boats for that. But imagine, well, Dean, our song leader, could tell us something about raging rivers, couldn’t you? And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. The problem is this. No one really prefers the waters or the fire. Sign me up for some of that. We want God as our Savior. As our helper and our friend. And, oh, by the way, I need you to prevent all waters and fire.

Or I will not serve you. That’s so often the thought. If you’re going to be my God and my Savior and my helper and my friend, then I’m not doing waters and fire. The king reigns. For I am the Lord your God, Isaiah 43 and verse 3, the holy one of Israel, your Savior. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Whom shall I dread? Psalm 118. Verse 5. From my distress I called upon the Lord. The Lord answered me. And I love this. I love this. From my distress I called upon the Lord, and the Lord answered me, and he set me in a large place. That’s what the Lord ultimately does to us.

He takes us out of the troubles of our lives and sets us in a large place. And I’ve got to tell you, we got a large place of coming. The people of God have a great hope. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. Psalm 118 verses 8 and 9. There are facts that should not be dismissed from our minds. God came.

Jesus lives.

At all times. Whether your life is filled with pleasant or sorrowful circumstances. May we acknowledge always and continually. The Lord reigns. The king reigns, and his word is true and reliable. All flesh is like grass and the flower thereof that withers and fades away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 24 and 25. I’ll tell you what I’ve enjoyed so much about the study of Ezekiel already. And what I enjoy about all of our studies and our survey of the New Testament that we’ve been doing on Sunday morning for the last 10 years. What I appreciate about all of that is the incredible continuity that I see in the Bible story. That though written in different times in history by different individuals, all of it comes together in a unified whole with an incredible theme, all of these eyewitnesses to all of these events who confirm that this message is unlike any other in the world in our planet.

This is God’s word.

Why? Because it comes from God. It is reliable and true. Even now, I know.

Matthew 28, after he gave them their commission, after he acknowledged that all authority had been given unto him in heaven and in earth, and I believe that he still wields that authority, that he still commissions us to baptize people who would be his disciples, on the basis of all that God is in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. And then he concludes, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. And that’s true. Even if you’re an apostle, and your life is snuffed out by a sword, and your name is James in Acts chapter 12. The Lord was with him.

Or Pen and I, Mishel, and Azariah. We don’t have to give you an answer, O King, concerning this. I mean, to be able with boldness to say that to the most powerful man in the world, who by his very word can end their lives. They said, We do not have to give you an answer concerning this, O King. Our God can deliver us if he wants to. If not, we’re not going to bow down to your image.

Even before Jesus uttered the words. Lo, I’m with you always. Do you live with those words daily?

Conclusion

I will be with you. Who shall you fear? Are you a disciple of Jesus? That’s what we talked about Thursday night. When Michael expressed his desire to put on the Lord.

I am signing on to be a disciple of Jesus. They were sent out to make disciples to be followers and learners of the King. And that this is a process that begins on the day that we are converted to the Lord and we’re baptized into Christ, and our sins are forgiven, but we rise to walk in newness of life as the followers of the King.

I know most of you are. You have sports loyalties and teams that you follow. You know that can be somewhat of a painful thing through the years, can’t it, Aggies? Look, I’m a Bengals fan. I know pain. Our sports teams let us down. Way too frequently, in fact. And we get discouraged. That’s all temporary. But being a disciple of Jesus, that’s eternal. And being on his team, you are never disappointed. Won’t you sign on to be a disciple of Jesus while there’s time? Let’s stand and sing.