July 5, 2026 - The Church That Don't Believe

Scripture Reading — John 11:43–45 (KJV)

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.

45  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

Sermon Summary

Two Days That Changed Everything

Jesus was nearing the end of His earthly ministry, only a few weeks from the cross, and He had spent this season training the disciples for what was coming. Word reached Him that His dear friend Lazarus was sick. Rather than rushing to Bethany, Jesus waited two more days, then told the disciples, “Lazarus sleepeth.” They took Him literally, assuming rest meant recovery. But Jesus meant Lazarus had already died, and He said it plainly so the disciples could see something deeper about who He really was. This wasn't carelessness. It was a lesson He needed them to learn before He could go any further with them.

More Than a Miracle Worker

The disciples had walked with Jesus long enough to see what He could do. They had watched Him heal the sick, calm a raging sea, walk on water, and heal a paralyzed man lowered through a rooftop. They believed He was the Son of God. But believing He could heal and believing He had power over death itself were two different things. Jesus wanted them, and wants us, to move past treating Him like someone we call only in an emergency, and to start recognizing Him as Lord over everything, including the things we've already given up as lost. It's easy to reduce Him to the blessing we say over a meal or the habit we repeat when we first wake up, without ever truly stopping to consider who is actually holding our life together.

He Heard the Prayer

Fifteen furlongs away, Jesus was already speaking with His disciples about Lazarus before anyone brought Him the news. That detail matters. It means Mary and Martha's prayer reached Him before word ever did. Whatever burden you carry to God, believe first that He heard it. Scripture says our prayers rise before Him like sweet incense. That should encourage anyone who has ever wondered whether their prayer made it past the ceiling. God delights in our conversation with Him, not only in our need.

He Is Coming

Mary and Martha didn't just grieve; they interceded, carrying their brother's need straight to Jesus. And even from far off, Jesus was already moving toward Bethany. No matter what you're facing, when your name and your need are lifted up to God, He is on His way. You may not see Him yet. You may not feel Him yet. But He is coming.

Nothing Is Too Hard for God

When doctors reach the end of what medicine can do, that isn't the end of the story — that's where God's part begins. Genesis 18:14 asks the question directly: is anything too hard for the Lord? Sarah laughed when she heard the promise of a child in her old age, yet God still kept His word. Whatever the “impossible” looks like in your life right now, it was already answered for someone else in scripture, and God has not changed. If He brought a people through slavery and through every hardship since, He is still able to bring you through whatever you're facing today.

Holding On Through the Storm

The hardest part of faith is often not the storm itself, but staying steady when the people around us, even people inside the church, discourage us or talk us out of believing. Faith has to be personal. It has to come from knowing scripture for yourself, not just hearing it secondhand. Rebuke the discouragement, but keep loving the people who bring it. Hold on to God's word even when you don't feel Him, even when you find yourself standing alone.

Still Standing

Looking back over every obstacle, every sleepless night, every trial that could have taken us under, we're still standing. That's reason enough to praise God in the middle of hardship, not only after it passes. The same Jesus who called Lazarus by name out of the grave knows your name, your storm, your struggle, and He can fix what nothing else can touch. Make the decision, like Joshua did, to serve the Lord whether or not anyone around you chooses to believe.

Key Takeaways

•       Jesus hears every prayer, even one spoken far away or in silence — believe He heard it before you focus on believing He'll answer it.

•       Believing Jesus can heal is good, but He is Lord over life and death itself, not just a helper for emergencies.

•       When your need is lifted to God, He is already on His way, even before you can see or feel Him moving.

•       Nothing is too hard for God — not sickness, not the impossible, not even death.

•       Stay rooted in God's word and hold on to Him even when others, including people in the church, discourage your faith.

Baker's AME Zion Church •  We Saved You a Seat.