Hearts of Sin
If God would just __________, then my friend would believe.
If God would just __________, then my sister would believe.
Maybe even - If God would just _________, then I would believe.
How easily did you fill in those blanks? If God would just do something, show us a sign, perform the miracle, then what choice would we have but to believe?
But what if the signs and wonders aren’t the problem? What if there’s something else in the way of our belief? What if our own hearts are the barrier?
Consider the story of Lazarus in the Bible. Many of you will remember Lazarus. He was a friend of Jesus and in John 11 we read about Lazarus falling ill and then he dies. Jesus arrives and weeps with the mourners. When Jesus weeps we should watch out. We might associate weeping with weakness. But when the one who holds all authority in heaven and earth weeps - you should be aware of your surroundings. You should be on the lookout. Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb and though he has been dead for days, Lazarus walks out - alive!
That’s chapter 11. Do you remember chapter 12? Jesus arrives at Bethany and has dinner with Lazarus and others. Then beginning in verse 9 we read:
“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.”
Did you hear it? “So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well…” They did not see Lazarus, a dead man now alive, walking in their midst and fall on their faces to worship Jesus. They did not repent nor rejoice. This miracle - this sign - this wonder said something about who Jesus is and who they were and rather than reconcile those realities they said, “We need to kill Jesus and put Lazarus back in the grave.”
Friends, this should be alarming to us. It should frighten us that the human heart has the capacity to process events this way. We need to examine ourselves lest we hear of a man raised from the dead and we think, “Kill him again.”
This reminds us of our need to confess our sins.
Father, forgive us. Forgive us for testing you, demanding that you perform for us. Forgive us for pretending that our knowledge of what should be done surpasses yours. Forgive us for living as if our ways are superior to yours. What foolishness, O God! We blind our own eyes to your mercies and we invent our own realities to justify ourselves as sovereigns. These are great sins. We know, God, that if we regard sin in our own hearts our prayers will be ineffectual, so we confess our own sins to you now in this moment of silence.
Father, thank you for sending your son, Jesus. Where we have tested the depths of depravity in the human heart, he has shown us the heights of glory! We have modeled covetousness that leads to murder, but he has shown us compassion that leads to resurrection! Each morning and every evening the heavens declare your glory! Every breath we take is a mercy from you. Every child we hear in this service is a reminder of your grace - a sign that you have not given up on us. Far from giving up on us or condemning us to the wrath we deserve, you have provided a strong and perfect plea before your throne - a great High Priest whose name is love, who ever lives and pleads for us! Hallelujah! Thank you, God!
In Jesus’ beautiful name we pray, amen.