20260628 - John 11;1-46 - Growing Through The Impossible

John 11 brings the scene to Bethany, right outside Jerusalem, in the final months before the cross. Jesus has already been laying his identity on the line through the “I am” statements, and now the raising of Lazarus shows that his power is not random or accidental. Christ has mastery over every part of creation, even relation itself, because he can take a man no longer related to this world in death and bring him back.

The sickness of Lazarus starts with Mary and Martha sending the situation to Jesus, not a plan. Their words are simple: “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.” Jesus’ love is repeated because his delay could easily look like neglect. The waiting does not mean less care, less affection, or less help. The waiting means God is doing something bigger than the family can see, something “for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified in it.”

Jesus then calls his disciples back toward Judea, right where danger is waiting. The disciples see the stones that almost came at him. Jesus sees the work that must be done while there is still daylight. Love for God and love for others gives the nerve to serve, even when the situation is risky and uncomfortable. Lazarus is dead, but Jesus speaks spiritually first because heaven’s view is more accurate than earth’s language. For a believer, death is like sleep.

Martha believes Jesus could have stopped the death, but she limits his power to another time. Jesus answers her with one of the greatest claims in John: “I am the resurrection and the life.” The issue is not just whether God can solve the whole end-times resurrection problem. The issue is whether Jesus is personally present, powerful, and good right now. “Do you believe this?” becomes the question that presses on every word God speaks.

Mary comes with the same words, but with tears and worship at his feet. Jesus weeps, deeply moved by the pain, the unbelief, and the shadow of his own coming death. Then Jesus gives a plain command: “Remove the stone.” Martha still objects because Lazarus has been dead four days, but obedience happens anyway. The stone is moved, and Jesus prays so the crowd will know the Father sent him.

Jesus cries, “Lazarus, come forth,” and the dead man comes out still wrapped in grave clothes. The miracle leaves no room for human credit. God did the work. Many believe, and others run to the Pharisees. The difference is not whether the work was seen. The difference is what a person does with the undeniable power of Christ.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Bring the situation, not the solution Mary and Martha do not tell Jesus how to fix Lazarus. They simply bring the need to the One they know loves him. That kind of prayer leaves room for God to do more than a person’s small plan could imagine. [09:34]
• 2. Delay does not mean less love Jesus waits two more days, and John still says Jesus loved them. The trial of faith is not proof that God has stepped back or gone cold. The delay may be the place where God prepares a glory that would never fit inside the immediate answer being requested. [13:04]
• 3. Jesus is resurrection now Martha believes in a future resurrection, but Jesus presses the truth closer: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Christ is not only the answer at the end of history. His power is personal, present, and able to step into the places that already look too far gone. [31:45]
• 4. Obey while faith feels small The stone gets removed even though Martha still cannot see how this could end well. Scripture gives many of these moments where obedience walks ahead of emotions. God often meets that trembling obedience with power that proves the outcome was never resting on human confidence. [50:43]
• 5. Undeniable works demand response Some people believe after Lazarus comes out, and some go straight to the Pharisees. The issue is not lack of evidence, because the dead man is standing there. The issue is whether the work of Christ will be received with surrender or resisted because change would cost too much.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:17] - John 11 And Spiritual Meat
• [02:16] - Christ’s Mastery Over Creation
• [05:15] - Lazarus And Power Over Death
• [07:35] - Love Propels Through Hard Things
• [09:34] - Bringing Jesus The Situation
• [11:20] - Why Jesus Waited Two Days
• [16:14] - Working While It Is Day
• [19:47] - Lazarus Is Sleeping
• [25:25] - Do Not Limit God’s Power
• [31:45] - I Am The Resurrection
• [40:54] - Acting Right When Faith Struggles
• [43:05] - Jesus Wept At The Tomb
• [48:14] - Remove The Stone
• [54:10] - Lazarus, Come Forth
• [56:53] - Some Believed, Some Resisted

1. What specific phrase did Mary and Martha use to bring their situation to Jesus, and how did they frame their request (John 11:3)?
2. How did Jesus describe Lazarus’ death to His disciples, and why did they misunderstand Him initially (John 11:11-14)?
3. What objection did Martha raise when Jesus instructed them to remove the stone from Lazarus’ tomb, and how did Jesus respond (John 11:39-40)?

1. Jesus delayed going to Lazarus for two days despite knowing his condition (John 11:6). How might this delay have tested the faith of Mary, Martha, and the disciples? What does this reveal about God’s timing in difficult circumstances?
2. When Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), how does this statement challenge Martha’s understanding of resurrection as a distant future event?
3. The sermon emphasized that “obedience walks ahead of emotions” when the stone was removed despite Martha’s doubts [50:43]. Why is obedience in small, practical steps significant even when faith feels weak?

1. Mary and Martha brought their situation to Jesus without prescribing a solution (John 11:3). What current struggle or need do you need to bring to God without attaching your own plan for how He should resolve it?
2. Jesus’ delay in responding to Lazarus’ sickness looked like neglect but was purposeful [13:04]. When have you experienced a “delay” in God’s answer to prayer? How did it deepen your trust in His goodness or reshape your perspective?
3. Martha struggled to see Jesus’ power as personal and present [33:51]. In what area of your life do you tend to limit God’s power to “someday” instead of trusting Him to act now?
4. The crowd split between belief and resistance after witnessing Lazarus’ resurrection [56:53]. When have you seen undeniable evidence of God’s work? How did you respond, and what might it cost you to surrender more fully to His authority?
5. Jesus commanded action (“Remove the stone”) even when it seemed irrational [50:43]. What step of obedience is God asking you to take today, even if the outcome feels uncertain or uncomfortable?