Pray
Read John 11:1-6
Lazarus
1 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and
Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet
and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”
Vs.5 “So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Vs. 6 he
stayed where he was for the next two days.”
What can we know and assume about Lazarus by these verses?
What do we know about Mary?
What message do they send to Jesus and when do they ask Jesus
How does Jesus respond to their request?
Talk about a time when you or someone you know have been in a position to help someone right away, but decided to wait?
What was the outcome of your situation?
What is the expected outcome here at this point in the story, and knowing Jesus’ character so far?
So what do you think Mary and Martha expected of Jesus?
Read John 11:20-22
20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary
stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my
brother would not have died.”
22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
Compare and contrast Mary/Martha’s response to Jesus’ coming too late?
Why do you suppose Martha goes to see Jesus and Mary stays?
What has been your response when God doesn’t seem to answer your request in the timing or in the way you thought He should?
Read John 11:23-27
23 . Jesus told her, “Your
brother will rise again.”
Martha said to Him, 24 “Yes, he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live,
even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
27 “She said to Him, “Yes Lord; I believe that you are
the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Where is Mary in this conversation?
What kind of faith does Martha have here?
What kind of resurrection does Martha think Jesus is talking about?
What is He actually talking about?
What does this tell us about Martha’s expectation of Jesus’ being able to raise the dead?
Read John 11:35-42
35 Then Jesus wept.
36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”
37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
38 Jesus was still angry (deeply moved) as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.
39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested,
“Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”
40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”
Why do you think Jesus weeps?
What was the response of those who were watching Him?
What kind of resurrection does Martha think Jesus is talking about?
What point is Jesus trying to make with saying out loud that God always hears Him?
Do you feel like God always hears you? Why or why not?
What is the point of this miracle?
Read John 11:43-46
43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” 44. “Unwrap him and let him go.”
What is the response of the crowd as a result of this miracle?
What are the things that bind us and hold us in our grave spiritually?
What are the things that bind us physically?
Do we believe that God has the power over these physical and spiritual situations?
How do our experiences sometime keep us from believing God’s desire to work in our lives?
Think on This…
How do you trust the Lord and put your faith in Him during your difficult circumstance, even when your past experiences or friends’ experiences haven’t resulted in a Lazarus type of miracle?