Lazarus and the Choice: Who Is Jesus?

Devotional

Day 1: The Intentional Invitation of Jesus

Jesus begins His ministry not with demands, but with gentle and compelling invitations. He calls ordinary people to follow Him, sparking curiosity and wonder through parables about the Kingdom. He welcomes the outcast, the sinner, and the child, demonstrating a heart that desires connection over condemnation. This initial phase of His work is an open door, an offer of relationship extended to all who would listen. [39:11]

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Mark 1:17-18 (NIV)

Reflection: Where in your life are you sensing a gentle, perhaps curious, invitation from Jesus to draw closer to Him? What would it look like to respond to that invitation with a simple, trusting step today?

Day 2: Moving from Invitation to Confrontation

As Jesus’s ministry progresses, His words begin to challenge comfortable assumptions. He moves from simply welcoming people to revealing His true, divine identity in ways that demand a response. He declares authority to forgive sins and calls Himself the Bread of Life, statements that force listeners out of passive observation. These moments are not meant to push people away, but to lovingly confront them with the truth of who He is. [46:26]

“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
Luke 5:24 (NIV)

Reflection: Is there an aspect of Jesus’s identity or a claim He makes—like being the only source of true life—that you find difficult to fully accept? What might be holding you back from embracing Him completely in that area?

Day 3: The Confrontation That Demands a Decision

The resurrection of Lazarus serves as a final, undeniable confrontation. By waiting until the fourth day, Jesus performed a sign that Jewish tradition held to be impossible, demonstrating His absolute authority over life and death itself. This miracle was a definitive declaration that He was far more than a teacher or prophet. It presented an ultimatum that could no longer be ignored, forcing everyone who witnessed it to make a choice. [01:03:57]

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 (NIV)

Reflection: The story of Lazarus presents a Jesus who holds ultimate power. When you consider your own circumstances, what situation feels “beyond hope” or “four days dead” that you need to trust His power can still resurrect?

Day 4: The Compassionate Confronter

Even in His most confrontational moments, Jesus’s heart is revealed. He is deeply moved by the grief of Mary and Martha and weeps alongside them, even though He knows the joyous outcome. This shows that His confrontations are never cold or detached; they are filled with compassion and a shared feeling of our pain. He is not a distant God, but one who enters into our sorrows with us, even as He calls us to deeper faith. [01:00:34]

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.
John 11:33-35 (NIV)

Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus weeps with you in your pain change your perspective on the difficult circumstances He allows you to walk through?

Day 5: Getting Off the Fence of Indecision

The call of the gospel is not to remain a neutral observer or an appreciative fan of Jesus’s teachings. The evidence of who He is—forgiving sins, being the Bread of Life, conquering death—demands a personal response. Following Him is a decision that will cost everything, but it is the only path to gaining everything that is truly life: peace, joy, and a restored relationship with God. [01:12:31]

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
Matthew 12:30 (NIV)

Reflection: If you were to honestly describe your current position, are you fully following Jesus, sitting on the fence as an observer, or somewhere in between? What is one practical step you can take this week to move from observation to wholehearted participation with Him?

Sermon Summary

The service opened with practical invitations: a local Crop Walk to raise funds for Lutheran Social Services, a schedule of Holy Week gatherings (contemplative prayer, Maundy Thursday communion, Good Friday stations, a corporate fast, and an early-morning Easter sunrise service), and a call to support building and beautification projects through giving. Worship and prayer framed the morning, centering gratitude for Christ’s willing sacrifice and the everyday gifts of life. Attention then turned to the shape of the gospels: an intentional movement from invitation into confrontation, where parables, miracles, and teaching invite curiosity, but deeper claims about identity force a choice.

Scripture scenes traced that arc. Early ministry imagery shows Jesus offering invitations through parables, compassion toward outcasts, and childlike access to the kingdom. Confrontation emerges when claims about authority collide with religious expectation: forgiving sins, declaring himself the bread of life, and demanding discipleship test listeners’ commitments. Mark’s healing of the paralytic and John’s bread-of-life discourse illustrate how words and signs push people from comfortable admiration into decisive belief or rejection.

The Lazarus episode becomes the climax of confrontation. Delay, the four-day tomb, and the public call “Lazarus, come out” expose authority over life and death rather than mere miracle-work. The resurrection of Lazarus compels belief for some and triggers a council plotting execution for others; the sign both gathers followers and hardens opposition. That moment threads directly into Holy Week’s narrative: the clarity of who Jesus claims to be requires a response.

The sermon closed with an appeal to respond practically: move off the fence, participate in Holy Week, and recognize that following Christ costs everything yet yields true, lasting life. Grace invites imperfect, baby steps toward obedience, and the community of faith exists to walk alongside those who begin. Prayer and pastoral care stood ready for anyone who needed help taking that next step.

Key Takeaways

1. Invitation gives way to confrontation Jesus’ ministry moves deliberately from open invitations—parable, compassion, teaching—to moments that demand a decision. When claims touch forgiveness, authority, and the nature of God, curiosity must become commitment or rejection; spiritual curiosity without confrontational clarity eventually yields only fandom rather than discipleship. The gospel asks more than admiration; it requires a reorientation of trust and allegiance in light of Jesus’ identity. [43:40]
2. Resurrection asserts authority over death Raising Lazarus after four days demonstrates control over life and Hades, not merely a miraculous touch. That public reversal of decay and burial confronts common assumptions about mortality and exposes divine sovereignty in the face of finality. Such a sign functions less as spectacle and more as a demand: reckon with who calls life back. [63:34]
3. Following Christ demands everything and more Discipleship carries cost—count the cost, take up the cross, consider the tower before building—because true allegiance reshapes priorities and possessions. Material prosperity can accompany faith, but spiritual maturity often requires loss, testing, and the stripping of idols so that eternal realities take root. The invitation to follow remains simple; the cost, total. [52:13]
4. Grace meets hesitant, imperfect steps Grace does not wait for full competence before responding; it meets small acts of faith and the fumbling first steps of the uncertain. The community’s role is to accompany, not shame, recognizing that growth proceeds by persistent, imperfect following rather than polished piety. Courage to step forward unlocks ongoing transformation. [78:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:46] - Crop Walk & Announcements
[07:24] - Holy Week Schedule
[09:10] - Building Projects & Giving
[10:28] - Opening Prayer and Worship
[37:33] - Gospel Shape: Invitation
[39:11] - Parables and Childlike Faith
[44:12] - Confrontation: Mark 2 Healing
[47:14] - Bread of Life Teaching
[52:13] - Cost of Discipleship
[56:41] - Lazarus: The Turning Point
[78:24] - Call to Decide and Follow

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: John 11:1-44 (ESV)

Observation questions

In the story of Lazarus, what specific reason does Jesus give for not going to him immediately when he first hears he is sick?
What does Martha say to Jesus when she first meets him, and what does this reveal about her belief at that moment?
What is significant about the fact that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days, and what was Martha's practical concern about moving the stone?
How did the people who witnessed this event respond? What were the two different reactions described?

Interpretation questions

Jesus states that Lazarus's illness is "for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." How does a seemingly tragic event ultimately serving God's glory change how we might view our own difficult circumstances?
When Jesus sees Mary and the others weeping, he is "deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled" before he weeps himself. What does this tell us about the nature of Jesus and his heart for people who are grieving, even when he knows the good outcome he has planned?
The resurrection of Lazarus was the event that finally prompted the religious leaders to plot to kill Jesus. Why would a miracle of life cause such a violent reaction and a decision to bring about death?
The sermon described a pattern in the gospels where Jesus moves from "invitation" to "confrontation" [43:40]. How does the raising of Lazarus serve as the ultimate confrontation that forces a decision about who Jesus is?

Application questions

Invitation gives way to confrontation, moving from curiosity about Jesus to a decision about his identity [43:40]. Where are you currently on that arc? Are you in a season of comfortable curiosity, or are you feeling confronted by a specific claim Jesus makes about who he is and what he requires?
Following Christ demands everything [52:13]. What is one thing—a comfort, a dream, a relationship, a habit—that Jesus might be asking you to surrender to him as you count the cost of discipleship?
The call to "get off the fence" was given because spiritual curiosity without confrontational clarity eventually yields only fandom rather than discipleship [43:40]. In what practical area of your life (e.g., time, finances, relationships) does your current level of commitment look more like a "fan" in the stands than a "follower" on the field?
Grace meets hesitant, imperfect steps and the community’s role is to accompany, not shame [01:18:24]. What is one "baby step" of obedience you feel God is inviting you to take, and who is one person in your community that you can share this with for encouragement and accountability?
The power displayed in raising Lazarus asserts authority over death itself [01:03:34]. What area of your life feels like a "four-day tomb"—a situation that seems beyond hope, decayed, and final—that you need to trust Jesus can still speak life into?
Participating in the life of the church and having other believers to walk with you is described as essential, not optional [01:28:00]. How are you intentionally investing in and being invested in by your spiritual community? Is this an area of strength or an area needing growth for you?

Sermon Clips

But Jesus says, watch. And he says, Lazarus, come out. And what happens? He comes out and everyone's like, no longer is Jesus teacher, no longer is Jesus just prophet, Jesus is the one that's able to call forth a soul from Hades itself. He is the one who holds life and death in his hand and that's what they saw. Amen. Four days. Nobody can do that but God and Jesus does it. They are forced with a decision. Who is this man? He's not just a prophet. He's not just a teacher. He's not just a miracle worker. He controls life and death itself. This man is God. He has the authority to call a soul back. [01:03:29] (69 seconds) #LazarusResurrection

I mean, we've had a seeker sensitive movement in the church, and I think there's been good things from it where we're really trying to remove any stops from people coming to know the Lord. But one thing that we've left out too is that following Christ will cost you everything. Everything. But you gain everything. Amen. Anything in this world is nothing compared to what we have in Christ and what we have in eternity and what we have in peace and joy and love and real things, tangible things. [00:52:41] (39 seconds) #CostOfFollowingChrist

How many of you know that the gospels are not a random collection of stories? Like, it's not just like, and Jesus did this, and Jesus did this, and then he did that. And it's like, I don't know. And then he went over here and over there. Jesus was probably the most intentional person on the planet. I mean, how many prophecies did he fulfill in his life? I mean, like, Old Testament prophecies, there is, like, just a I don't even know how many. There's hundreds of them of these Old Testament prophecies that point to Messiah, and he fulfilled all of them. [00:37:13] (35 seconds) #GospelsAreIntentional

again, I was about to say, who's Jesus to you? No. No. No. We don't get to make up our own version of Jesus. Yeah. We don't get to do that. Who is Jesus? Son of God. Amen. Bread of life. Living water. Savior, king of kings, lord of lords, king of glory. We don't get to decide who Jesus is. He's told us who he is, and we have been confronted with that and we need to make a decision. Jesus is no longer just a teacher in your life. Jesus is no longer just a someone who lays out a good moral code. Jesus is no longer someone who just teaches you to be compassionate though all those things are good. [01:11:30] (46 seconds) #JesusIsWhoHeSays

Now on the fourth day, decay started to set in. That's why I said, hey, he's been dead four days. He smells. Don't open it. He's gone. She's that's what she's saying. Hey. Don't bother. He's gone. It's been four days. There's no chance now. We know the Old Testament prophets, Elijah, Elisha, we know they brought people back from the dead, but, you know, that was within three days. It it was, you know, it was possible. It now it's impossible. You cannot bring this man back. His soul is long gone. He's been dead four days. Don't bother. [01:02:54] (35 seconds) #FourDaysNoHope

We thank you for who you are, Lord, and we just pray that these stories would not just be stories, not just things that bring us to awe and wonder which that's a good thing, but Lord that they would be stories that force us to make a decision, that confront our very souls, that confront our hearts, and we feel that inside. It's time to make a decision. Is he who he said he is? And if he is, is he worthy to be followed? The answer to that is yes. Yes. [01:17:35] (39 seconds) #StoriesDemandDecision

So he begins to bring revelation of who he is. No longer just a prophet. No longer just a teacher. No longer just a miracle worker. He's making some very heavy heavy claims and bringing confrontation to where we would have to make a decision, where they would have to make a decision. You guys ever get to that point where you receive some new information and that really like, oh, now I really need to make a decision. Absolutely. Yeah. This is what's happening. [00:51:38] (31 seconds) #RevelationNotJustMiracles

But we can't stop there because he's revealed who he actually is, and we need to respond to that. And I don't know. Maybe some some people in here are on the fence this morning. I don't know. Fence is kinda nice. I could sit on it, and I'm kinda high up, and I can, like, look over that side and look over to that side. You know, Jesus' side and the world's side, Satan's side. Well, Satan owns the fence. I know that's right. We can think all we want, but a good teacher, prophet, whatever Jesus was and is. But until we make a decision to believe who he said he is, we're just kinda fans. You know? Like, Jesus, you're great. [01:12:16] (57 seconds) #FenceIsNotNeutral

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does resurrection power mean for Christians?

How does Jesus move believers from invitation to confrontation?

Why did Jesus wait four days to raise Lazarus?

Lazarus and the Choice: Who Is Jesus?

Devotional

Day 1: The Intentional Invitation of Jesus

Day 2: Moving from Invitation to Confrontation

Day 3: The Confrontation That Demands a Decision

Day 4: The Compassionate Confronter

Day 5: Getting Off the Fence of Indecision

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Lazarus and the Choice: Who Is Jesus?

Share