Laurelbrook Academy SDA Church

Wildwood's Robert Johnson Discusses the Resurrection of Lazarus

Laurelbrook’s church service on November 16, 2019 began with a Wildwood health nugget on genes. The same genetic information in one cell is the same as in all the genes of our body. These genes tell the body how to grow and develop - two eyes, two legs, etc. Sometimes the genes don’t work well with abnormal results like four arms. The church is similar to our genes.  Each person has his/ her work in the church.  The way we live affects our genes.

Michael (student elder) and Rodney Herra welcomed everyone and made the announcements. Both elders announced membership transfers.  Rodney Herra mentioned that Paul Frechette (former Laurelbrook business manager) has a grandson needs our prayers because he has been very sick.  He then called Sebastien and Stephanie Roy-Lavallee to the platform to thank them and pray for them before they leave and go back to Canada.

Leilani (senior) played a musical introduction to the service. Robert Johnson had the invocation.  The congregation sang “Until Then”.  Michael had the Morning Prayer; the congregation sang “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.

Mark (senior) announced the church offerings. Daryen (senior) and Sebastien Roy-Lavallee collected the tithes and offerings.  Any money not designated for a particular purpose went toward the local church budget.  The congregation sang “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”. Mark prayed for the offerings.

One of the Wildwood personnel played her cello and talked to the children about how she first learned to play. Essence (freshman) read Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”

Robert Johnson had the sermon on “They That Wait Upon the Lord”. Two young ladies from Wildwood sang a vocal duet for special music. Robert Johnson had the closing prayer.

Personnel Other Than Students:

Robert Johnson – one of the Wildwood chaplains

Sabastien and Stephanie Roy-Lavallee – Sebastian was the men’s work coordinator and the head local church deacon, Stephanie the head girls’ dean as well as an administrative assistant to the president

Wildwood is a Seventh-day Adventist self-supporting medical lifestyle center located in Wildwood, GA just south of Chattanooga, TN.

Following are some notes on the sermon:

1. God sometimes waits before He answers – Abraham and Sarah, for example.
2. Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”
3. Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
4. Exodus 14:14 “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
5. John 11 is the story of Lazarus.
6. John 11:1- 3 “1 ¶ Now a certain [man] was sick, [named] Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was [that] Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”   Jesus knew and loved Lazarus.
7. John 11:4-6 “4 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. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.”
8. Note Jesus stayed two days longer.
9. John 11:7-14 “7 Then after that saith he to [his] disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 8 [His] disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”
10. John 11:15-17 “15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 ¶ Then when Jesus came, he found that he had [lain] in the grave four days already.”
11. Jesus was four days late for funeral.
12. Luke 11:18-25 “18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat [still] in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give [it] thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”
13. If Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died, according to the two sisters.
14. Luke 11:26-37 “26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard [that], she arose quickly, and came unto him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 ¶ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?”
15. Jesus wept because everyone dies, especially when it involves a young person.
16. Luke 11:38-39 “38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been [dead] four days.”  God wants us to participate in the resurrection or healing.
17. This is the crowning act of Jesus’ life.  Before God does certain things, there are many times difficult times.
18. Luke 11:39-44 “39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been [dead] four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up [his] eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said [it], that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
19. What are the lessons in this story? Death is not final. We know that one day we will talk to that person again. Even if a body disappears, he/she will receive a new body when Jesus resurrects that person. When you are waiting for the Lord, can you still trust the Lord? Even if we are spiritually dead, there is hope. With God we can do everything, without God nothing.