...And So We Wait

Cole Edwards • December 14, 2022

For some, waiting is filled with purpose and joyous expectation. 


They seem to understand, as Heinz proclaims, “Good things come to those who wait.” Patience is a fruit of the Spirit after all (Gal 5:22). Still, for others, waiting can feel a bit like the eternal refrain of the child's road-trip question: Are we there yet? Or perhaps, more fitting for this advent season: How many days until Christmas? But being impatient does not hasten the days.


For the Christian, the focus of Advent season is on preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ, both in the form of His birth and His Second Coming. But the definition of advent is not limited to the special meaning of Christ's birth and return. Indeed, the definition includes the arrival of a notable person (Jesus, of course, being the most notable). We see examples in Scripture where people were waiting for Jesus, waiting for His advent, even while He was walking the earth some 2000 years ago. 


One such instance is recorded in Luke starting at Chapter 8 verse 40. Jairus, a synagogue official, falls at Jesus' feet, imploring Him to heal his daughter. Can you imagine being in Jairus' position? Your daughter is dying and you ache for her to live. There's no hope, but then you remember Jesus. You remember that Jesus has healed others.


Jesus healed the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof by his friends. Jesus healed the leper. Jesus even healed the Centurion's servant. A Roman occupier! Maybe He will heal your daughter. “Jesus! Come quickly!” You implore Him. Then, the crowd descends on Jesus. People are pressing in on Him from all angles and you can't get Him through the crowd. Then suddenly He stops. A woman apparently has touched Him and she has been healed. Jesus is talking to her. He takes the time to call her “daughter.” “But Jesus!” you think, “Time for my daughter is short. She's dying! Come quickly! Come, Lord Jesus!” But before you even finish the thought, while you are still waiting on Jesus, your servant comes and conveys the sad news. “It's too late,” you're told. “Your daughter has died.”  


What would you be thinking in that moment? Maybe, “Why Jesus? Why did You wait? Why did You delay? Why didn't You come? If only You had been there.” The Scriptures don't tell us what Jairus was thinking or what questions he wanted answers to. But we do see what Martha said to Jesus when her brother Lazarus died.  


The Bible records in John 11 how when their brother was dying—Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus saying at verse 3, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” Odd it seems then that the story continues in verse 6 with Jesus delaying, “So when He heard that [Lazarus] was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, were left waiting on Jesus to arrive, waiting for His advent. 


And while Jesus delayed, Lazarus died. After Lazarus' death, with Jesus on His way to see her and Mary, Martha went to meet Him. Martha expresses in verse 21 what many of us seem to frequently feel, “Lord, if You had…”. “Lord, if you had been here,” Martha states, “my brother would not have died.” Mary echoes this sentiment in verse 32. I'm sure it is something they discussed in the days since their brother died. “Lord, if you had been here, things would be different.” “If you had been here, I wouldn't be hurting.” “Lord, if I didn't have to wait for You…” We understand Martha's implied question because so often it is our question: Lord, where were you?


In one sense, it would be easy to see Mary and Martha rebuking Jesus, “Why weren't you here, Jesus?” And as we wait on the Lord, for His advent in any given situation, we must make sure our posture is appropriately reverential toward Almighty God. But Martha doesn't lose faith (see v. 22 and v. 27). She just doesn't understand the ways of God. 


Again, Martha serves as a placeholder for us. How can we understand God unless He reveals Himself to us? Whether it be through His creation, His word, or in the very advent of the Son at the incarnation, our understanding of God is dependent on God in all respects. And He is so far beyond what we can understand: 


[Isa 55:8-9 ESV] 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.


Just as Martha or Jairus may have felt, we might become frustrated believing that God should come when we want Him. We may feel like His advent should be when we think it best. We may demand to know why God did or did not do something. Of His advent, we may say, as Mary and Martha did, “Lord, if You had been here...” Why then does our Lord tarry? 


CS Lewis states, “I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless he sees that it is good for him to wait.” 


Consistently, we see God do things for His glory and our benefit. It is no different with Mary and Martha in this story. Of Lazarus, Jesus says that this sickness is “for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” (v. 4) And again, He tells the sisters in v. 40, “…if you believe, you will see the glory of God.” And God's glory is brought forth in glorious display as the dead find life again.


[John 11:41-44 ESV] 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (emphasis added)


Lazarus lived again. In the continuation of the story of Jairus, the synagogue official, we see that his daughter lived again too. And as we wait again for His advent, indeed because of His first advent at the birth of the Son, and because of His work, His death, His resurrection, and His glorious return, so will we. We too will live again, even after death. 


Why do we wait for the Lord? For His advent?


For His glory and our benefit.


God offers the means of reconciliation. One day we will be with Him as He desires and as He designed: without sin separating us—and so we wait.


We wait for that day of His glorious appearing, when our Lord will be supremely glorified and our ultimate benefit, eternal life with God, will be realized. “…Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev 22:20)

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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