Bible Reading
John 11:17-37 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.” When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”
[31:45]Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
[01:06:38]Psalm 56:8 You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?
[01:06:49]Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
[35:01]Observation questions
- What details in John 11 show that Lazarus’s death was real, that the sisters’ grief was deep, and that many people had gathered around them? [43:22]
- Martha and Mary say the same words to Jesus: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” What differences can be observed in the way each sister comes to Jesus?
- What does Jesus say about Himself after Martha speaks of the resurrection “on the last day,” and what question does He ask her? [51:21]
- What words and actions reveal Jesus’ response when He sees Mary and the others weeping? [01:02:13]
Interpretation questions
- Martha’s words include both disappointment and trust: “If You had been here,” yet “even now I know.” What does her response show about bringing painful questions to Jesus without turning away from faith? [49:33]
- Jesus does not only point Martha to a future resurrection; He says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Why does hope for eternal life need to rest in the person of Jesus, rather than merely in the idea of a future event? [52:26]
- Jesus knows that He will raise Lazarus, yet He is deeply moved and weeps. What does this reveal about Jesus’ compassion for grief and His view of death in a fallen world? [01:04:19]
- Psalm 34 says that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and Psalm 56 says that He takes account of tears. How do these promises help a grieving believer hold together real sorrow and real hope?
Application questions
- Is there a disappointment, fear, loss, or unanswered question that has been kept guarded from God? What might it look like to bring it to Him honestly, as Martha and Mary did? [49:40]
- Jesus asks, “Do you believe this?” Where does the truth that Jesus is the resurrection and the life meet a present fear about death, suffering, or the future? [54:16]
- Grief is a journey rather than a chart. Is there a loss—recent or long ago—that still comes in waves? How can this group make room for grief without pressuring someone to “move on” too quickly? [59:50]
- Psalm 56:8 reminds God’s people that their tears are not overlooked. What helps when prayer feels difficult or when emotions are hard to put into words? Would writing out a prayer, a lament, or a few honest sentences before God be helpful this week? [01:07:12]
- Who has shown themselves to be a trustworthy person who can listen, pray, and keep confidence? Is there a burden that may need to be shared with that person rather than carried alone? [01:08:36]
- When someone shares grief or pain, is there a tendency to rush toward explanations, advice, or fixing the problem? What would it look like instead to offer patient presence, prayer, Scripture, or even quiet silence? [01:09:09]
