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Advent HOPE Sabbath School

Sebastien Braxton

Dead Man Walking

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, we are so privileged to be in your house.

We don't need to invite you home because you already live here, but we ask that you would prepare our hearts to be in your presence.

God, we have suffered some painful things this week.

And Lord, there's been days that may seem to be uneventful but were just testimonies of your protection and your blessing from dangers unseen.

Now God, in this time, we have not come to listen to the words of a man, but our desire is to hear the Word of God.

So Lord, we pray that you would use this man who is nothing but dust.

That you would speak through me, that you would speak to me.

That Christ may be lifted up and that the sweet, sweet Spirit of Jesus may rest upon this place, moving in every heart and mind.

And Lord, may we not resist as you draws closer to yourself Is our prayer in Jesus name let all of God's people say Amen I'm gonna grab 1 of these waters.

The title of my sermon is Dead Man Walking.

In the United States of America, there are 2, 331 death row inmates in America right now.

Now the idea of a dead man walking is defined in the United States as a man or woman who is condemned walking from his or her prison cell to a place of execution.

The phrase originates from a traditional announcement that is made in a prison in the context of death row.

You see, historically, it was used by a prison guard to announce the departure of a condemned prisoner from his cell to the place of execution.

So the moment he took him out and he was heading to his execution, he would announce dead man walking.

It signified that the person walking while still alive was considered as good as dead due to their soon-to-be execution.

I want to introduce you in the Gospel of John, if you turn there with me, chapter 11, to a man who was a dead man walking 3 times.

And we're gonna explore those 3 instances of this dead man walking.

John chapter 11, when you're there you can say amen.

Okay, if you're not there just say have mercy.

John chapter 11, beginning in verse 1, are we there?

Alright, the Bible says, Now a certain man was what?

The Bible doesn't necessarily record those.

We have Peter's mother-in-law had a fever.

But the Bible says in verse 2, it was Mary, it was that Mary which anointed the Lord with anointment, which actually happens in the next chapter, but the writer wants you to know, there's a relationship here.

And he wiped, and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick." So this is going to show you he is the relative of someone who has loved Jesus very deeply, who's going to commit an act of enormous sacrifice and anoint Jesus for his burial according to Jesus in his own words clearly she's touched by Christ and they had a relationship verse 3 therefore his sister sent unto him saying Lord behold he who you love is what is sick when Jesus heard that he said this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

He loved Martha and her sister and who else?

In verse 6, when he heard therefore that he was sick he stayed 2 days still in the same place where he was seems a little confusing does it not the Bible says that Mary and Martha that Jesus received the text message He was there with his disciples and he opened up his text message and he saw a message from them, he who you love is sick.

And you know it's interesting to note that sometimes people who Jesus loves get sick.

You see, just because God loves you doesn't mean you will never suffer something uncomfortable.

And because you're suffering something uncomfortable doesn't mean Jesus doesn't love you.

You see we must recognize that what you do with what you know reveals your character.

In order for God not to address the situation of his child it must be because of ignorance.

Because if Jesus knows that you're in a desperate situation we already know what Jesus is going to do which is why Jesus had to stay I need you to hear me if he shows up ministry of healing says disease flees at his touch So in order for Lazarus disease to progress, Christ has to stand back.

Because if he shows up, Mary and Martha already know.

Notice the request was not come and heal him.

The text message said, he who you love is sick.

Do you think somebody has to say, Sebastian, your baby girl is hurt.

Do they have to say, you should come check on her?

No, because all I need to know is that my baby girl is hurt.

Listen, God loves you and I more than I love my baby girl.

He knows that someone whom he loves is sick, he's going to show up, you don't even have to ask.

But you see, we wonder and feel like we got to beg God to give us blessings he already wants to give.

We have to beg him for our love that he's already bestowed.

In the text message they said, he who you love is sick.

And as long as Jesus knows, I'm comforted.

Because if Jesus knows, I know what he's going to do.

But the Bible says Jesus loved and Jesus stayed what's the deal how could the Bible repeat twice in 5 verses that Jesus loved this man and his response was to wait.

Now if you said Sebastian your baby girl is hurt and I said yeah I'll stay here get let me wait a couple days.

See what you and I must understand that Because Jesus allows our situation to go from bad to worse doesn't mean He didn't hear you.

It doesn't mean that He doesn't love you.

We pray to God, we inform him, we bring our requests, our burdens to Jesus, and sometimes the situation goes from bad to worse.

But I need you to know that it doesn't mean that God doesn't care.

It doesn't mean that God is not interested in your situation.

It doesn't mean he didn't get the memo, that he missed the prayer request, it somehow slipped by.

It doesn't mean that he doesn't love you.

While Jesus stayed, Lazarus was a dead man walking.

I need you to think about this definition.

The definition of a person who is a dead man walking means any person in a doomed or untenable position.

You are in a situation where it doesn't seem to be any hope or any option that things are going to change.

And while Jesus stayed, Lazarus was a dead man walking.

Though he was alive, he was on his way, ultimately, to his execution.

And Jesus said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.

Now can you imagine what happened to Lazarus in the end?

Yes he did, but Jesus said to his disciples, this sickness is not unto death.

That would seem a little confusing to you, would it not?

So Jesus stays 2 days and I need you to recognize that sometimes Jesus saves his greatest miracles for his closest friends.

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Dead Man Walking

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