Jesus the Resurrection and the Life: Hope in Grief

Jun 13, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Chooses the Town Called Misery

Bethany’s name meant “poor place” – a refuge for outcasts and strugglers. Yet Jesus kept returning to this town of cracked hopes, just as he gravitates toward those feeling forgotten. His presence turns spaces of shame into holy ground. Resurrection begins where we’ve stopped expecting miracles. [02:52]

A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is the Mary who later poured perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” (John 11:1-3, NLT)

Reflection: Where in your life feels like Bethany – a place of lingering disappointment? How might Jesus be rewriting your story of “misery” into a testimony of His presence?

Day 2: When God’s Delay Feels Like Abandonment

Lazarus’ sisters watched their brother worsen as Jesus waited. Sometimes obedience to the Father looks like stillness when everything screams for action. Trust grows in the tension between “He could have” and “He didn’t.” True faith holds chicken soup in one hand and resurrection hope in the other. [08:32]

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for the next two days. (John 11:5-6, NLT)

Reflection: What prayer have you stopped bringing to God because His timing confused you? How might His delay be preparing a deeper revelation of His character?

Day 3: The Resurrection Is a Person, Not Just an Event

Martha recited theology about the last day’s resurrection. Jesus redirected her to His living presence: “I AM the resurrection.” Eternal life isn’t a distant concept but a current relationship. Every miracle Jesus performs is a signature confirming His identity as the Death-Slayer. [26:45]

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26, NLT)

Reflection: Are you leaning on doctrines about God or encountering the Person of Christ? How would living as if resurrection breathes in your lungs today change your fears?

Day 4: God Weeps Before He Resurrects

Jesus knew Lazarus would walk again. Still, He wept at the tomb – not from helplessness, but solidarity. Our High Priest enters our grief before dismantling it. The same tears that fell on Mary’s cheeks would soon water resurrection seeds in that burial cave. [45:30]

Then Jesus wept. (John 11:35, NLT)

Reflection: Where have you felt God’s silence as indifference? How does His willingness to enter your pain reshape your understanding of His power?

Day 5: Calling What Is Not as Though It Were

Lazarus stumbled out bound in grave clothes. Like Abraham hoping against dead wombs, we serve a God who speaks life into impossible situations. What seems permanently entombed – relationships, dreams, callings – still answers to Christ’s command: “Come forth!” [58:51]

God…calls into existence things that do not exist. (Romans 4:17, ESV)

Reflection: What “dead” area of your life have you stopped praying for? How might declaring God’s power over it today shift your posture from mourner to expectant watchman?

Sermon Summary

John 11 sets the scene in Bethany, the town nicknamed misery and house of figs, where Jesus draws near to the lowly and the overlooked. Lazarus, “whom you love,” is sick, and Jesus says the illness is “for the glory of God,” then stays two more days. The delay looks heartless, but the text drives faith toward God’s timing and purpose. Jesus speaks of day and night to press a spiritual point: walking in the light means moving in the Father’s will, not in fear or impulse. Resentment and hidden hate blind the believer into darkness, but love keeps the soul in the light.

At the tomb’s edge, Martha balances grief with hope. She knows the doctrine of resurrection on the last day because Jesus taught it. Jesus presses it home: “I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe this?” The claim is not that he distributes life, but that he is Life himself. First Corinthians 15 makes the stakes plain. If Christ is not raised, faith is empty, sin remains, and the dead are lost. Because he is raised, the Father accepted the sacrifice, Jesus is proven sinless and truly born of a virgin, and death has no grip on him. The resurrection declares his divinity, validates all his hard claims, including judgment and hell, and fuels courageous witness that loves people enough to tell the truth.

Jesus then steps into tears. “Jesus wept.” He knew what he would do, yet he enters their grief as the sympathetic High Priest. He groans. The Spirit intercedes with groans too deep for words. Then the voice that called worlds into being calls a man by name. “Lazarus, come out.” Life answers. The grave obeys. “Unbind him and let him go.”

Some believe. Others report him. The rulers plot. Even so, God speaks through a broken vessel when Caiaphas unknowingly prophesies that one man will die for the nation. God can put truth in a flawed mouth, so the wise listener gleans the gold without swallowing the dross. The chapter finally leans forward into prayer and hope. Romans 4 names God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls into existence what does not exist. When ministries, marriages, bodies, or nations look barren, the God of resurrection is not done. He teaches his people to pray “Thy will be done,” to forgive, to ask for bread, and to believe that the One who is Life still calls dead things to live.

Key Takeaways

1. Love that waits for glory [08:32] Jesus loves and still delays, not from indifference but for a deeper good. The wait exposes what the heart wants most and forces trust in what the Father sees. Faith matures when it yields timing to God and refuses to measure love by immediacy. Glory often blooms in the space that feels like neglect. [08:32]
2. Walk in light, refuse resentment [10:41] Light is not moods or momentum, it is obedience and love. Hidden bitterness blinds even a believer and turns discernment dim. Repentance restores sight, and prayerful dependence guards action so help is given when, where, and how the Father directs. Holiness is how the day stays bright. [10:41]
3. He is the Resurrection Himself [30:32] Jesus does not hand out life like a package; he is Life in person. First Corinthians 15 ties salvation to his bodily resurrection, which proves his sinlessness and divinity and that the sacrifice was accepted. Hope is not optimism but union with the Living One whose victory over death now anchors every lesser loss. [30:32]
4. Tears that speak and intercede [44:53] “Jesus wept” means God stands inside human sorrow without flinching. His groans tell sufferers they are not alone, and the Spirit translates wordless pain into effective prayer. Compassion and power meet at the tomb, where empathy does not cancel authority but carries it into the darkest place. [44:53]
5. God calls dead things alive [58:51] Romans 4 names God as the One who gives life to the dead and summons what is not yet. Faith looks at barren facts and then looks longer at a faithful God. Prayer dares to ask for what seems impossible because promise, not probability, sets the horizon. Where cruciform hope persists, resurrection often follows. [58:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:52] - Bethany and the lowly Jesus loves
[04:32] - Lazarus, “whom you love”
[06:40] - For God’s glory, not death
[08:32] - Love that waits two days
[09:43] - Walk in the day, not night
[21:08] - Martha meets Jesus in grief
[26:25] - “I am the resurrection and the life”
[30:32] - He is the Resurrection, not just a gift
[34:13] - If Christ not raised, no hope
[44:53] - “Jesus wept” and shared sorrow
[50:21] - “Lazarus, come out”
[53:49] - Caiaphas speaks more than he knows
[58:51] - God calls dead things to life
[62:02] - The Lord’s Prayer in hope

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- 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?'"
- 1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 17 (ESV): "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."
- Romans 4:17 (ESV): "[God] gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist."

Observation Questions

In John 11:25-26, what two titles does Jesus use to describe Himself, and what promise does He attach to belief in Him?
According to 1 Corinthians 15:13-14, what are the consequences if Christ was not resurrected?
What specific action does Jesus take in John 11:35, and how does the sermon connect this to His role as our High Priest? [44:53]
Romans 4:17 describes God as the One who does what two things?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus’ delay in coming to Lazarus (John 11:6) have been necessary for His disciples’ faith, even though it caused temporary grief? [08:32]
How does Jesus’ statement “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) redefine hope beyond mere optimism or future events?
The sermon mentions that “hidden bitterness blinds even a believer” [10:41]. How does this relate to Jesus’ teaching about walking in the light (John 11:9-10)?
In Romans 4:17, God “calls into existence what does not exist.” How does this truth challenge our natural responses to seemingly hopeless situations?

Application Questions

When have you experienced a “delay” in God’s response to your pain, and how did it shape your trust in His timing? What practical step can you take to surrender a current struggle to His purpose? [08:32]
Resentment can spiritually blind us. Is there a relationship or past hurt where you’ve allowed bitterness to take root? How might repentance and forgiveness restore your “sight” to discern God’s will? [10:41]
Jesus’ resurrection proves His divinity and the acceptance of His sacrifice. How does this truth change the way you confront fear, guilt, or shame in your daily life?
The sermon emphasizes praying for “impossible” things [58:51]. What “dead” area in your life (a relationship, dream, or spiritual dryness) do you need to ask God to revive, even if it feels unlikely?
How can you intentionally “walk in the light” this week by obeying a specific prompting from Scripture, even if it conflicts with your emotions or impulses?
When faced with grief or others’ suffering, how can you mirror Jesus’ example of entering into tears while still holding onto hope? [44:53]
Romans 4:17 calls us to believe God creates life from nothing. What step of faith (e.g., generosity, reconciliation, bold witness) is He asking you to take that requires trusting His power over “barren” circumstances?

Sermon Clips

53s

#SpiritualBlindness

“Passages like this should rattle our cage. Think about what he's saying there. You can be a believer and be blind, walking in darkness. And to me, the most alarming and scary thing is to be deceived. Why? Because you don't know you're deceived. If you think you're right, then you're not gonna cry out to the Lord. And how many times do we see people walking in darkness? And here, John says, listen. You smoldering hate in your heart, holding resentment for someone can actually put you as a believer in darkness, spiritual darkness. Now I don't believe he's talking about salvation. But, man, how often have maybe we've been in the dark and not even realized it because there's things that the Lord says, you haven't dealt with that in your heart.”

54s

#WhenGodIsSilent

“What a letdown. I mean, call it for what it is. You called out to Jesus. You sent a prayer up. You came to a worship night, you poured out your heart. But Jesus didn't show up. And another day goes by, and they're watching Lazarus. And I'm sure they claim Psalm one zero four. He heals all your diseases. How many times have we done that? You claim those promises, and Jesus didn't show up. And so they're running cold rags, and they're giving him chicken noodle soup and whatever they can to nurse Lazarus back to help. And then the worst happens. Jesus didn't show up.”

52s

#JesusIsResurrection

“Well, the other thing I like about that passage is this. Jesus now claims something absolutely radical. He doesn't just say or claim that he gives resurrection or hands out resurrection or raises people up. He claims to be the resurrection. Now I wanna pause here for a moment and talk resurrection. I think it's absolutely essential. If there's anything that you need to learn or at least be somewhat versed on, it's the crux the crux of our salvation. There is no other doctrine more important than the doctrine and the understanding of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.”

57s

#DoYouBelieve

“But if you lose sight of the cross and if you lose sight of eternity in heaven, then you're just stuck with your grief. And so Jesus meets her there. And she says, you're and she goes, hey. Well, pardon me. I know that he will rise again in the resurrection. Jesus said to her, verse 25, the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Well, her test has come and gone. The real question is, do you believe this? See, this is for you, and this is for me. Do you believe this?”

47s

#JesusWeeps

“Did it ever strike you? Why? He clearly knew what he was going to do. He told his disciples, we're gonna go wake him up. But I like this about the Lord. This is one of those things among many that I go, who are you? He's not aloof, like, showing up and everyone's crying. He's like, oh, guys. It's all gonna be better. He could have, but he comes up. And he's so gentle. And he takes her aside, he talks to Martha, and brings some light and some truth to her conversation, and to his friend Mary. And he takes time with them, and he weeps with them.”

43s

#EternalHopeMatters

“And so if you claim to be a Christian and there's no hope of eternal eternal life, you're a double loser. You lost out in this life, and you lost out in the next life. But for those who have been saved like you and I, we got it all. Man, we're gonna be in heaven. This is the worst it will ever be for you and for me. Adversely, for the unbeliever and for people who just think, god, you know, it's not really important. It's not a big deal. This is the best it'll ever be for them. And word on the street is life's pretty hard.”

50s

#ResurrectionProvesDivinity

“The resurrection declares that Jesus Christ is, in fact, divine. It proves that he is who he said he is, that he has power over death. Not just the father raised him up, but Jesus said in John chapter two, hey. Kill destroy this temple in three days. I will rise it up again. In as many places as where it talks about the father or even the holy spirit raising Christ from the dead, Jesus also claims to raise himself up from the dead. He said that in John chapter 10. I lay my life down, and I take it back up again. Those are divine attributes that only God can have. Jesus God. Amen? So the resurrection declares Jesus' divinity. The second thing is it validates what Jesus claimed. And, man, he said some crazy stuff.”

63s

#MarthaMeetsJesus

“And these two gals would probably have to scrape by even worse. They were already in the town of misery. And now to make things worse, their brother dies. Their protector is gone, sinking lower and lower and lower. And that's where Jesus meets Martha. What's interesting, though, is we're gonna see in just a moment. Martha is unique. She balances her grief with this incredible hope. So take a look at this. So when Martha heard, verse 20, Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you'd only been here, my brother wouldn't have died. But even now, I know that whatsoever you ask of God, God will give it to you.”

38s

#JesusForTheOutcast

“For the poor and the outcast and and people maybe seeking shelter outside of the city of Jerusalem, they would often find them themselves in a place like Bethany. And I just find that very interesting that the Lord seemed to frequent that that little town, and that's just like him. Don't you love it about our God, Jesus Christ? He always gravitates towards those who are low. He gravitates towards people who are feeling down or maybe who have been, you know, discouraged. Kinda like those guys that found David and made him their king.”

46s

#ServeInUnity

“But I found that God has given a husband and a wife unique insight to situations, sometimes to cause humility in the other. God, you're speaking to my wife right now and not to me. Or God God is speaking to your husband maybe and not giving you that insight. My point being is this, being in harmony, you're one. And when two are giving together and serving together as one, man, it's amazing what God can do. Let God direct your steps. And I I think here, this specific situation, Jesus is telling them, hey. Listen. There's twelve hours in the day. If anyone walks in the day, he doesn't stumble. Why? Because Jesus was perfectly in tune with the father. He wasn't being led by his emotions.”

45s

#WalkInTheLight

“They're saying, hey. Aren't they gonna kill you again? And Jesus starts talking about walking and sleepwalking or walking during the day, and they're just like, what are you talking about? So oftentimes, the Lord, he's trying to get them like, he's trying to get us to think spiritually. But what is he getting at? And this is very interesting. This theme of walking at night or being awake during the day is not a unique theme to hear. Paul in Romans chapter 13 describes walking in the light as living a holy life, living unto the Lord, not giving into sexual immorality or impurity or just living for the things, the temporal things of this world. Paul takes the same idea there in Romans chapter 13.”

62s

#ShareTheGoodNews

“Pray. The only answer is that Jesus Christ would continue to come into our communities, And that doesn't happen without people sharing the gospel, with us preaching the good news, with people getting saved, and being pulled out of situations. But people think that God is indifferent. People think that God doesn't care. But Jesus said, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Don't let those words become true or pardon me, trite or or just shallow. That is the sum of it. That God has loved this world that I've come to hate oftentimes. I hate what I see around me. It's dark. It's depressive. But God says, I love the people in that place. So much so, I gave down I gave my life. Amen? These are the claims that Jesus made. The only person who could make them would be God. And Jesus proved himself to be God. Amen?”

46s

#GodHelps

“Now Lazarus means his name means who God helps. But before God helps him, God really lets him down because he's gonna die. Lazarus is the brother of Mary and Martha. So these three siblings living together probably because life was difficult. So Lazarus, Mary, and Martha living together in misery surrounded by dates and palms and all of the rest and just trying to eke out a living. But there's something interesting about this. Lazarus also has a title given to him that we'll see in just a minute. His sister describes him as the one whom you love.”

36s

#HeavenIsHome

“You know, we have heaven to look forward to. And heaven, it's important to understand this. Heaven is not just gonna be great because there's no more pain there. Heaven's not just gonna be great because you're gonna see loved ones. Heaven's gonna be great because Jesus is there, and we're gonna see him. And it's all gonna make sense. And for the first hundred thousand years, we're just gonna bury our face in this robe and just say, thank you. It's done. We did it. We finished. We're church triumphant. Church victorious. It's gonna happen. It's gonna happen soon.”

36s

#DontThrowOutTruth

“My point being is this. There's a lot of messengers that have failed recently. Moral failing, whatever you wanna call it, extramarital repairs or just really hit the tank. But sometimes, they really nailed it with what they wrote. Don't often throw out the baby with the bathwater. And I'm not condoning anything. But I am saying is if truth is being spoken, if the word of God is being preached, if Jesus is being glorified, there's probably something really to learn from. Amen? Even if it's Caiaphas.”

57s

#ResurrectionIsHope

“See, if you were to take a cursory look through the book of acts and the epistles, the teaching of the resurrection is the point. It's not just, like, three better steps to improve your marriage or be a better parent or have a better life now. It's this is the resurrection. For most people in the world, there is no real trappings in life. It's abject poverty. And for some, the hope of the resurrection is their only hope. Jesus had been teaching about the resurrection. And I love that because Paul takes the same thought later on, talks about of the it was the prophets as well who talked about and taught on the the resurrection. It's scattered throughout even the Old Testament. Most of it is allegory, but there are some direct references to the resurrection.”

71s

#PrayForOpportunities

“We need to love people enough to say the hard stuff more than our own comfortability. And I wanna give you a little tip. I am not naturally an evangelist. Starting a cold conversation with a complete stranger about their eternity is not easy for anybody. But Paul exhorts the church through Timothy to do the work of an evangelist. I believe that's the body of Christ. At least do the work of an evangelist. At least if you're not bold enough to share with someone, then be someone who intercedes for people sincerely. And pray for those who do share. But I have found that prior prayer makes all the difference in the world. Putting yourself out there and saying, Lord, today, I'm probably gonna talk to someone at the gas station. I'm probably gonna talk to someone who's gonna check out my groceries. If that opportunity opens, please don't let me miss it. If you at least ask the Lord for the opportunities, I have found so many times he opens those.”

60s

#PrayerChangesAtmosphere

“I've watched them over the years struggle just to scrape by with pennies. But, man, their house has and still is the ultimate sanctuary. They had some unsaved kids that were there. And it was such a stark contrast, the atmosphere of sadness and darkness and heaviness and the atmosphere of joy and hope even though missing the loved one. And I gave her a hug, and we just talked and cried a little bit. And and it was very interesting because we began to pray knowing that everyone else in the room wasn't necessarily a believer, And the whole atmosphere just changed. And you could just see the look of, you know what? It's gonna be okay. We'll be there to we'll be there soon.”

54s

#TrustGodsWill

“There's some hard things that Jesus says. All I know is this. When we get to heaven, is and was God's will is what we would have chosen had we had all the information. All I know is this. If we knew everything that he knows, then when he tells us to do hard things or he says hard things or makes a hard decision, it's what we would choose as well. Trust me on this. If you knew everything that God knows, then you would also agree with his will. The problem is we're really shortsighted, narrow minded. We've got our eyes on our own little thing. And sometimes God says, I'm gonna do something totally different.”

60s

#SpiritualWarfare

“You gotta understand something. We who are trapped in this little physical life, we oftentimes neglect to see the greater kingdom around us. It's not about the here and now. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but this is where the fallout is. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but the struggles we face, Jesus says it's for his glory. The trials we endure, the Bible speaks highly of, even be joyful to. Now you might say, well, you know what? I don't wanna hear that. I'm just wallowing in grief right now. Or I've been in grief for a very long time. I like how James was talking about a couple of weeks ago. How why? And the question of pain, why would God allow such pain to people who love him?”

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