"SPECIAL BLESSING" AT THE FEET OF JESUS - THERE IS A PLACE OF SUPPLICATION

WE WILL BE GIVING YOU A SPECIAL BLESSING today and hopefully
for many more days to come. We will continue with our articles and other
postings. We are just adding “SPECIAL BLESSINGS.”

These “SPECIAL
BLESSING” are by the Senior Pastor, JOHN SWEAT, SR, of CROSSROADS BAPTIST
CHURCH, located on Baxley Road in Middleburg, Florida.


At the Feet of Jesus – There is a Place of Supplication
John 11:32
May 15, 2011 AM

Last week I preached about a woman named Mary who spent a lot of time at the feet of Jesus. She was indeed a true worshipper of our Lord! She did not care what others said about her, she simply worshipped the Lord without hesitation or apology.

Last week we saw an occasion in Mary’s life where she sat at the feet of Jesus to listen and learned from His Word. Her life was filled with all the normal things that kept a person busy, but when Jesus was in her house she sat down in a place of stillness and worshipped at His feet.

Today we find her again…at the feet of Jesus…but the occasion that brings her to Jesus feet this time is much different. For this time she hasn’t come to listen or to learn, but rather to lean.
This time she sits not in a place of stillness…but a in place of supplication.

You may recall that last week I mentioned that there is no inappropriate time to worship at the feet of Jesus. For in the good times and the bad we can come to Him and know that He is still deserving of our worship. In busy times and in slack times we must learn to take the time to worship at His feet. Are you taking the time?

Now, there are times when we come to listen and learn as Mary did…there are times we come to praise Him for all the wonderful things He has done for us…but there are also times when we come with physical and emotional, anguish and sorrow. Times when we don’t have the answers; times when we don’t know what we will do next; times when we wonder if Jesus knows or cares about what we are going through.

I gotta tell you friend, it is times like this that we especially need to fall at the feet of Jesus and pour out our hearts to Him...because at His feet we find a place of supplication.

Let’s stand and read John 11:1-45

As we read this entire story we can see that the Lord has an expected end in mind.
Could Jesus have gotten to Bethany sooner than He did? YES!
Could Jesus have kept Lazarus from dying? YES!
So why did He delay His coming? Why did He not heal Lazarus before he died?

Truth is that Jesus allowed Lazarus to die:
So that the glory of God might be revealed - 4
So that the faith of the disciples might be increased – 14-15
So they many others might believe as well – 41-42, 45

We would all do well to remember some things about suffering and sorrow:
God never promised that we would not have any suffering or sorrow
Jesus told us that we can expect suffering and sorrow in this life
And He never promised to take us out of it, but rather that He would be with us and get us through it.

And we would say Amen to that! Yet, at the same time I don’t think that there is one of us who would say, bring on the suffering and sorrow. Truth is, we do not want it. We don’t like it; we don’t want it; and we would do almost anything to avoid it.

But we cannot avoid it! And whether we like it or not it will come…and perhaps it has come upon some of you already! So what do we do in those times? How do we endure it/overcome it?

Well, I think we will find the answers we need right here in our passage. Mary has given us insight into how to deal with suffering and sorrow. And her example is given us from a place of supplication, at the feet of Jesus.

And at the same time we will see that it is not Mary’s position or prayerfulness alone that instructs us, but it is the response of Christ to Mary’s supplication that gives us the most encouragement.

So, with this in mind notice that there at the feet of Jesus, we can find a place of supplication…

Where We Can See That He Cares About Us
Notice verse 5 – “Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.”
Notice also verse 36, after they saw Jesus weeping – “Behold how He loved him (Lazarus).”

The word love here comes from the Greek word agape, which is a strong and genuine love that is unconditional. The usage of this particular word indicates that Jesus loved them more than anyone could ever know.

He cares about us! I Peter 5:6 – Cast all your care upon Him (Jesus), for He cares for you.”

I am reminded also that He not only cares about what I am going through, but He knows what I am going through and He can relate to what I am going through.

Turn quickly to Hebrews 4:14-16…

He cares, He knows, He can relate! Therefore we can come boldly unto the throne of grace and we can obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need!
Psalm 138:6 – Though the Lord be high, yet he has respect unto the lowly.
That word respect means “to see, discern or behold”…He sees us, and He knows, and He cares!
But the real question is are we taking the time to come before His throne of grace?

At His feet there is a place of supplication where we can see that He cares and


Where We Can See That He Calls to Us
Notice verse 28 – “The Master is here and He is calling for you”

Why would Jesus want to see Mary? Because He knows that she is hurting…and He cares about her and what she is going through.

Notice also, that He came to where she was, yet He called for her to come to Him. It is the same way for us today. The Lord is near…and He is always here! But He calls for us to come to Him.

He knows what we are going to go through before it happens. He knows what is going to rock our world; or challenge our faith…yet He wants us to come to Him anyway!

He calls for us to come to Him…and to trust Him with our burdens. He wants us to learn to lean on Him and have faith that He will meet our deepest needs.

Psalm 55:22 – Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Matthew 11:28 – Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
J.C. Ryle said, "Means are to be used diligently, without question in time of need. Doctors are to be sent for in sickness. Lawyers are to be consulted when property or character needs defense. The help of all friends is to be sought. But still after all, the first thing to be done is to cry to the Lord Jesus for help."
Isn't it amazing that the Person who can do the most, the quickest is often the last One we turn to in a time of need.

Whether or not you come to Him…His offer still stands.

At His feet there is a place of supplication where we can see that He care, He calls and…

Where We Can See That He Cries For Us
Notice verses 33 – “When Jesus saw Mary and the others weeping…He groaned in the spirit and was troubled…and then in verse 35 – Jesus wept.

Keep in mind and do not minimize the fact that Jesus is God! Yet here we can clearly see that He cries because His people are hurting.

Note: In Luke 19 we also find Jesus weeping. This time He is weeping over the city of Jerusalem. He is weeping because of their rejection and lack of faith, and because judgment was coming upon them.

One other important point to consider here is the fact that Jesus cries out to the Father for us.

Hebrews 7:25 – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Romans 8:34 – Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
At His feet there is a place of supplication where we see that He cares, He calls, He cries and…

Where We Can See That He Can Answer Us
Notice verse 43 – “Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’” And praise God! Lazarus came forth!

Listen, if death itself must obey our Lord, then there is nothing that is too big for Him to overcome for us! Amen!

No matter what your problem may be; no matter how great your need; no matter how deep your sorrow…Jesus can supersede the laws of nature in order to meet your needs.

Remember the Disciples in the boat – “Lord don’t you care that we are going to die?” Peace be still.
Remember Peter when he got out of the boat and walked on the water, and then when He began to sink, “Lord save me!”
Remember the thief on the cross – “Lord Remember me…”

We could go on and on talking about how He answered prayers in the life of others, but what about you? Your needs…your life?

Friends if we can trust Him for eternal salvation, then we can certainly trust Him with anything else in this life!

And it all begins at the feet of Jesus, in that place of supplication

Closing:
Question: How much time do you spend at the feet of Jesus?
Listening to Him, learning from Him…Calling out to Him in the time of need?

The Word of God has given each of us a clear message today:
That He Cares about you…and what you are going through
That He Calls or invites you to come to Him in the time of need
That He Cries…not only in prayer for you, but His heart breaks when you heart is broken
That He Can take care of your greatest needs

Here this morning you have an opportunity to come to one of these altars…fall down at His feet and lay down your burden; lay down your sorrow; lay down your suffering; or whatever it is…if you will simply come to Jesus today He can take care of your greatest need.