Finding Life and Hope in Jesus' Delays

 

Summary

In life, we often face unmet expectations and trials that leave us questioning and sometimes even blaming God. These moments can lead to anger and bitterness, especially when we feel that God has not met our expectations. However, in John chapter 11, we find a profound revelation through the story of Lazarus. Jesus reminds us that He is the resurrection and the life, and those who come to Him will live. This message is crucial when we face life's disappointments and pain. Instead of harboring bitterness, we need an encounter with Jesus, who offers healing, hope, and peace.

The story of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha illustrates this truth. Despite their close relationship with Jesus, Lazarus falls ill and dies, leading to questions and doubts. Yet, through this narrative, we see that Jesus offers more than answers; He offers Himself. He invites us to see our trials as opportunities for God's glory to be revealed. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we are not alone. Jesus walks with us, offering comfort and the chance to experience His miraculous power.

Jesus' delay in coming to Lazarus was strategic, demonstrating that God's timing is perfect. He challenges us to shift our perspective from fear and doubt to faith and trust. Jesus' declaration, "I am the resurrection and the life," calls us to believe in His power to bring life to dead situations. This story encourages us to remove the stones we've placed over areas of our lives we consider too far gone. Jesus invites us to trust Him to bring life and freedom where there was once death and bondage.

Ultimately, this passage is a call to encounter Jesus at His feet, where we find life and resurrection. It is an invitation to see from His perspective, to believe in His power, and to experience the freedom He offers. Whether we are running to Jesus or avoiding Him in our pain, He calls us to come and see, to open the tombs of our hearts, and to let Him bring life and healing.

Key Takeaways:

1. Encountering Jesus in Disappointment: When expectations are unmet, it's easy to become bitter towards God. Instead, seek an encounter with Jesus, who offers life and healing. He is the resurrection and the life, and in Him, we find hope beyond our circumstances. [02:45]

2. God's Glory in Trials: Our trials are opportunities for God's glory to be revealed. Like Lazarus' sickness, what seems like a setback can be a setup for a miracle. Trust in God's timing and perspective, knowing that He can turn what the enemy meant for harm into good. [06:28]

3. Perspective Shift: Jesus invites us to see from His perspective, where dead situations are opportunities for life. Our faith should not be limited by what we see but expanded by who Jesus is. He calls us to believe in His power to do the impossible. [15:37]

4. Removing the Stone: We often place stones over areas of our lives we consider too far gone. Jesus calls us to remove these stones and trust Him to bring life and freedom. He is the resurrection and the life, and nothing is too dead for Him to revive. [30:17]

5. Invitation to New Life: Jesus calls us out of our tombs, offering new life and freedom. He invites us to leave behind the grave clothes of our past and walk in the newness of life He provides. This is an invitation to encounter Jesus and experience His transformative power. [32:21]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:19] - Unmet Expectations and Bitterness
- [02:45] - Encountering Jesus in Pain
- [04:02] - The Story of Lazarus
- [06:28] - Trials as Opportunities for Glory
- [07:59] - Experiencing God in Challenges
- [09:07] - Spiritual Warfare and Perspective
- [10:23] - Jesus' Strategic Timing
- [13:14] - Walking in Light
- [14:23] - Awakening with Jesus
- [15:37] - Seeing from Jesus' Perspective
- [17:33] - Martha's Encounter with Jesus
- [19:23] - Jesus as Resurrection and Life
- [21:37] - Mary's Avoidance and Jesus' Call
- [25:02] - Jesus' Compassion and Mission
- [28:17] - Invitation to a New Perspective
- [30:17] - Removing the Stone
- [31:19] - Lazarus' Resurrection
- [32:21] - Freedom from Grave Clothes
- [34:00] - Invitation to New Life
- [36:06] - Prayer and Invitation to Follow Jesus

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 11:1-44

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the initial reaction of Mary and Martha when Lazarus fell ill, and how did they communicate with Jesus? [04:57]

2. How did Jesus respond to the news of Lazarus' illness, and what was His perspective on the situation? [06:28]

3. What was the significance of Jesus waiting two more days before going to Lazarus, and how did the disciples react to this decision? [11:34]

4. How did Martha and Mary each respond to Jesus' arrival, and what does this reveal about their faith and understanding? [17:33]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does Jesus' statement "I am the resurrection and the life" mean in the context of Lazarus' story, and how does it challenge our understanding of life and death? [19:23]

2. How does the story of Lazarus illustrate the concept of God's timing and perspective, and what can we learn from Jesus' strategic delay? [11:34]

3. In what ways does the story of Lazarus encourage believers to shift their perspective from fear and doubt to faith and trust in Jesus' power? [15:37]

4. How does Jesus' interaction with Mary and Martha demonstrate His compassion and understanding of human pain and suffering? [25:02]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when your expectations were unmet, leading to disappointment or bitterness. How can you seek an encounter with Jesus in those moments to find healing and hope? [02:45]

2. Consider a current trial or challenge in your life. How can you view it as an opportunity for God's glory to be revealed, rather than a setback? [06:28]

3. Identify an area of your life that feels "dead" or beyond hope. What steps can you take to remove the "stone" and invite Jesus to bring life and freedom to that situation? [30:17]

4. How can you cultivate a perspective that sees challenges as opportunities for growth and encounters with Jesus, rather than obstacles to avoid? [10:23]

5. Think about a time when you avoided Jesus in your pain, like Mary initially did. What would it look like to run to Him instead, and how might that change your experience of the situation? [21:37]

6. Jesus calls us to leave behind the "grave clothes" of our past. What specific "grave clothes" do you need to shed to walk in the newness of life He offers? [32:21]

7. How can you practically support someone in your life who is experiencing unmet expectations or trials, helping them to encounter Jesus and find hope? [25:02]

Devotional

Day 1: Encountering Jesus in Our Disappointments
In moments of unmet expectations and trials, it is easy to become bitter and question God. However, these are the times when an encounter with Jesus is most crucial. Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, offers healing and hope beyond our circumstances. The story of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha illustrates that even in close relationships with Jesus, disappointments can occur. Yet, Jesus offers more than just answers; He offers Himself. He invites us to see our trials as opportunities for God's glory to be revealed. Instead of harboring bitterness, we are called to seek Jesus, who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death, offering comfort and the chance to experience His miraculous power. [02:45]

John 11:25-26 (ESV): "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'"

Reflection: Think of a recent disappointment or unmet expectation in your life. How can you invite Jesus into that situation today to find healing and hope?


Day 2: God's Glory Revealed in Trials
Our trials are not just challenges to endure but opportunities for God's glory to be revealed. The story of Lazarus' sickness and death seemed like a setback, but it was a setup for a miracle. Jesus' delay in coming to Lazarus was strategic, demonstrating that God's timing is perfect. He challenges us to shift our perspective from fear and doubt to faith and trust. By trusting in God's timing and perspective, we can see how He turns what the enemy meant for harm into good. This perspective allows us to witness God's glory in the midst of our trials. [06:28]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: Reflect on a current trial you are facing. How can you shift your perspective to see it as an opportunity for God's glory to be revealed?


Day 3: Shifting Our Perspective to Faith
Jesus invites us to see from His perspective, where dead situations are opportunities for life. Our faith should not be limited by what we see but expanded by who Jesus is. He calls us to believe in His power to do the impossible. The story of Lazarus challenges us to remove the stones we've placed over areas of our lives we consider too far gone. Jesus invites us to trust Him to bring life and freedom where there was once death and bondage. By seeing from Jesus' perspective, we can experience the freedom He offers. [15:37]

Ephesians 1:18-19 (ESV): "Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might."

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you feel hopeless. How can you begin to see this situation from Jesus' perspective and trust in His power to bring life?


Day 4: Removing the Stones of Doubt
We often place stones over areas of our lives we consider too far gone. Jesus calls us to remove these stones and trust Him to bring life and freedom. He is the resurrection and the life, and nothing is too dead for Him to revive. The story of Lazarus reminds us that Jesus' power is not limited by our doubts or fears. By removing the stones of doubt and trusting in Jesus, we can experience His miraculous power in our lives. This act of faith allows us to witness the resurrection power of Jesus in areas we thought were beyond hope. [30:17]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: What "stones" of doubt or fear have you placed over areas of your life? How can you begin to remove them and trust Jesus to bring new life?


Day 5: Invitation to New Life and Freedom
Jesus calls us out of our tombs, offering new life and freedom. He invites us to leave behind the grave clothes of our past and walk in the newness of life He provides. This is an invitation to encounter Jesus and experience His transformative power. The story of Lazarus is a powerful reminder that Jesus' call to new life is not just about physical resurrection but about spiritual renewal and freedom. By responding to His invitation, we can experience the fullness of life that Jesus offers. [32:21]

Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Reflection: What "grave clothes" from your past are you still holding onto? How can you embrace the new life and freedom Jesus offers today?

Quotes

"I think a lot of the time in life, we experience moments where expectations aren't met. Or we experience moments where we walk through a trial in hardship, and it feels like the ball has dropped, and our heart has dropped as we walk through it, and it could be anything. You just name it. Fill in the blank. There's going to be a moment in life where you have hopes and dreams and expectations, and it feels like it wasn't met." [00:00:00]

"This is often what happens with people. There are so many people out there that say they're atheists, that say, I don't believe in God. And yet, if you go maybe two layers deep into their heart, what you find is that they actually do because they're angry at Him, and they're bitter towards Him. And they have a laundry list of maybe expectations, and God, why didn't you? Why did you not? All of these things." [00:00:52] (27 seconds)


"And those who come to me will live. He wants to remind you of that. And also in the midst of that message, he wants to remind you of this. That when your expectation isn't met, when the pain hits hard, when life slaps, here's what you need to do. You need to remind yourself that in that moment, rather than being bitter at God, I need an encounter with Jesus." [00:02:45] (24 seconds)


"The way Jesus viewed it, it was an opportunity for God to have glory. Now, a lot of times we can twist that into something where the sickness itself is where God gets the glory. That's not what this passage is trying to tell you, just so we're all aware. But it's a different perspective on a problem. It's that when life comes and trial comes, or when expectations drop, when we walk into situations, rather than viewing that moment as my whole world is crumbling, I need to make sure that I'm doing the right thing." [00:06:07] (36 seconds)


"Yet, when the lion comes to devour, this is an opportunity of God to show himself strong in a situation and God to do something amazing, a testimony. You could say it like this. A testimony is not produced until it meets a test. Something happens. We don't seek those things, but when they come, my perspective, this is different. This is opportunity. This is opportunity to experience him. In the same way in the green pasture, that's an opportunity to experience him, but same way in the valley of the shadow of death. He's still here. He hasn't gone anywhere." [00:10:23] (39 seconds)


"The call of the Christian is actually to see from Jesus's perspective, which walks into dead moments and sees them as opportunities to make things alive again, to bring healing, hope, and restoration. That's what encounters with Jesus do. He's going to encounter the family. But now, the disciples say this, then Thomas, the pastor, says, said to his fellow disciples, let's go so that we may die with them." [00:16:05] (30 seconds)


"Martha said, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last days. Often this is what we do. We encounter, they encounter death. They say, this is final. It's over. So let's wait until the resurrection. Let's wait until the return. They believe that event, there's going to be a resurrection. We're going to meet him in the last days after we've all died and God, you know, heals the world. Jesus returns all these things." [00:18:08] (22 seconds)


"Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life, the one who believes in me, even if he dies, he will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? Yes, Lord, she told him, I believe you are the Messiah, the son of God who comes into the world. Martha. Martha's perspective is that Lazarus' death, it's just, it's over. If you had been here, he would not have died." [00:18:40] (33 seconds)


"Maybe you run to the feet of Jesus, looking for that encounter. That's good. Keep going there. But maybe in your pain, you've avoided Jesus. And maybe you've closed. But I would like to let you know today, if you're in that place, he's calling for you, because he is resurrection, and he is life. And don't let the pain that you've experienced make you think you know who God is." [00:22:23] (23 seconds)


"Jesus said to her, didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? Again, we've... I've said this before, but what do you believe? Because he's saying, through this passage, he's saying to us, that if you believe, you would see glory. If you believed. So, they removed the stone, and then Jesus raised his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you heard me." [00:30:40] (28 seconds)


"I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowd standing here, I have said this, so that they may believe that you sent me. After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. And the dead man came out, bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. And Jesus said to them, unwrap him and let him go." [00:31:19] (31 seconds)


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Transcript
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