Transformative Worship: Trusting Jesus in Every Season

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Is the Resurrection and the Life

Jesus reveals Himself as the resurrection and the life, inviting us to trust Him even when circumstances seem hopeless. In the story of Lazarus, both Martha and Mary express their grief and confusion, yet Jesus calls them to believe in His power over death and His authority to bring new life. Even when we do not understand God's timing or ways, He asks us to place our faith in Him, knowing that He holds the ultimate victory over every loss and sorrow. Our belief in Jesus transforms our perspective on suffering and death, anchoring us in the hope of eternal life. [22:54]

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: What is one area of your life where you feel hopeless or defeated? How can you invite Jesus to speak His resurrection life into that situation today?

Day 2: Worship Impacts Us and Those Around Us

True worship, like Mary’s act of anointing Jesus’ feet with costly perfume, leaves a lasting mark not only on ourselves but on everyone we encounter. When we give Jesus our best—our time, our resources, our reputation—His presence fills our lives and overflows to others. Just as the fragrance of the nard lingered on Mary, our encounters with God cannot help but change us and influence the atmosphere wherever we go. Worship is not just a private act; it is a testimony that can draw others closer to God. [18:14]

John 12:3 (ESV)
Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Reflection: In what practical way can you offer your “best” to Jesus this week, so that His presence might impact those around you?

Day 3: Delay Is Not Denial—God’s Timing Serves a Greater Purpose

When Jesus delayed coming to Lazarus, it seemed like He was absent or uncaring, but His timing was purposeful, leading to a greater revelation of God’s glory. Sometimes, our trials and unanswered prayers are not signs of God’s neglect but opportunities for Him to work in ways beyond our understanding. Even when we long for immediate answers, God’s delays can prepare us and others for a deeper experience of His power and love. Trusting His timing means believing that He is always at work for our good, even in the waiting. [25:20]

John 11:6 (ESV)
So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Reflection: Think of a situation where you are waiting for God to act. How can you shift your perspective to trust that His delay may be preparing you or others for something greater?

Day 4: Worship in the Midst of Crisis

Mary and Martha’s relationship with Jesus was established before their crisis, enabling them to turn to Him and worship even in their darkest hour. When everything seems to go wrong and understanding fails, choosing to worship God can change the atmosphere of our hearts and circumstances. Worship in crisis is not denial of pain but an act of faith that invites God’s presence and power into our struggles. It is in these moments that we can experience God’s comfort and see Him move in unexpected ways. [29:55]

Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Reflection: When you face difficulty or pain, what would it look like for you to intentionally worship God in that moment? Can you try it the next time a challenge arises?

Day 5: Letting Go of Grave Clothes—Embracing New Life

After Lazarus was raised, he was still bound in grave clothes, a picture of how we can carry remnants of our old life even after encountering Jesus. God invites us to let go of old patterns, mindsets, and hurts that keep us from fully living in the freedom He offers. Sometimes, we need the help of others to recognize and remove these “grave clothes,” and we are also called to gently help others in their journey. Embracing new life means allowing God to transform us and being open to His work through community. [34:22]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)
…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Reflection: What “grave clothes” from your past do you sense God inviting you to let go of? Is there someone you trust who can help you in this process?

Sermon Summary

Today, the focus is on Jesus—His eternal nature, His presence throughout Scripture, and the transformative power of worshipping Him. From the outset, it’s clear that elevating Jesus in our hearts and minds is not for His benefit, but for ours. When we gather and speak of Him, something shifts within us and among us, just as it did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus is not a distant figure; He is God, present from before the foundation of the world, and intimately involved in our lives.

Looking at John 11, the story of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, we see a family deeply connected to Jesus. Mary’s act of anointing Jesus’ feet with costly nard and wiping them with her hair is a profound example of worship that costs something—financially, socially, and personally. Her worship was not a reaction to crisis, but a lifestyle, cultivated before trouble came. This connection to Jesus outside of crisis made it possible for her to turn to Him in her darkest hour.

The narrative reminds us that God’s timing is not always our own. Jesus delayed coming to Lazarus, not out of neglect, but for a greater purpose. Delay is not denial; sometimes our trials serve a higher good that we cannot yet see. Even when we don’t understand, we are invited to trust, to worship, and to bring our pain honestly before Him. Jesus wept—not because He was powerless, but because He entered into the pain of those He loved.

There’s also a call to examine what “grave clothes” we might still be wearing—old patterns, ways of thinking, or wounds that keep us from fully living in the resurrection life Jesus offers. Sometimes, we need the help of others to remove these, and sometimes we are called to gently help others, always with humility and respect for their unique journey.

Ultimately, the invitation is to run into Jesus’ presence, to let worship transform us, and to trust Him even when we don’t understand. Our worship not only changes us, but it also impacts the world around us, carrying the fragrance of Christ wherever we go.

Key Takeaways

1. Worship is most powerful when it is cultivated outside of crisis. Mary’s devotion to Jesus was not born out of desperation, but out of a consistent relationship. When crisis came, she was already positioned to turn to Him, showing that a life of worship prepares us to face life’s storms with faith and peace. [12:29]
2. God’s timing often confounds our expectations, but delay is not denial. Jesus’ decision to wait before visiting Lazarus was not a lack of love, but a purposeful act to reveal a greater glory. Our trials may serve purposes beyond our understanding, and faith means trusting God’s heart even when His hand seems delayed. [25:20]
3. Understanding is not a prerequisite for faith. The disciples and the sisters did not grasp what Jesus was doing, yet He still worked His purpose. We are called to trust and obey, even when we cannot see the full picture, knowing that God’s wisdom far exceeds our own. [27:05]
4. True worship always leaves a mark on us and those around us. Just as Mary carried the fragrance of nard after anointing Jesus, authentic encounters with God change us in ways that are evident to others. Our worship can shift atmospheres and bring the presence of Christ into our workplaces, homes, and communities. [18:14]
5. We must be willing to let go of our “grave clothes”—old habits, mindsets, and wounds that keep us bound. Sometimes, we need the help of others to identify and remove these, and we are called to help others with humility, never presuming to know their journey fully. The resurrection life Jesus offers is one of continual transformation and freedom. [34:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:58] - Focusing on Jesus: Elevating Him in Our Lives
[02:51] - Jesus: Chosen Before the Foundation of the World
[04:04] - Introducing Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
[05:33] - Jesus in the Old Testament
[06:51] - God’s Presence Throughout History
[12:29] - Mary’s Worship Outside the Crisis
[13:44] - The Cost and Impact of True Worship
[15:07] - God’s Trust Despite Our Failures
[17:19] - Worship Changes Us
[18:14] - God’s Presence: Omnipresence and Manifest Presence
[19:02] - The Importance of Sitting at Jesus’ Feet
[21:40] - Jesus’ Delay and the Purpose in Suffering
[24:04] - Jesus Weeps: Entering Our Pain
[25:20] - Delay is Not Denial
[27:05] - Trusting God When We Don’t Understand
[28:59] - Individual Faith and Responsibility
[29:55] - Worship in the Midst of Pain
[34:22] - Removing Our Grave Clothes
[36:52] - Helping Others with Humility
[38:05] - Stirring Ourselves to Seek God’s Presence
[40:07] - Closing Prayer and Invitation to Worship

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 11:1-44 (ESV) — The story of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha—Jesus’ delay, His compassion, and the raising of Lazarus.

John 12:1-8 (ESV) — Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and wipes them with her hair.

1 Peter 1:20 (ESV) — “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.”

Observation Questions

In John 11, what do Mary and Martha do when their brother Lazarus becomes sick? How does Jesus respond to their request? [21:40]
What does Mary do for Jesus in John 12, and what does this act of worship cost her? [13:44]
According to the sermon, what is significant about Jesus’ delay in coming to see Lazarus? [25:20]
When Jesus arrives at the tomb, what emotions does He display, and why is this important? [24:04]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says Mary’s worship was “outside of crisis.” Why is it important to cultivate a relationship with Jesus before trouble comes? How did this help Mary and Martha in their darkest hour? [12:29]
Jesus wept at Lazarus’ tomb, even though He knew He would raise him. What does this reveal about Jesus’ character and how He relates to our pain? [24:04]
The sermon talks about “grave clothes”—old habits, mindsets, or wounds. What might these look like in a believer’s life today, and why is it important to remove them? [34:22]
The story highlights that God’s timing is not always our own. How does the idea that “delay is not denial” challenge or encourage your understanding of God’s work in your life? [25:20]

Application Questions

Mary’s act of worship was costly—financially, socially, and personally. Is there an area in your life where worshipping Jesus might cost you something? What would it look like to offer that to Him this week? [13:44]
The sermon says worship is most powerful when it’s cultivated outside of crisis. What are some practical ways you can build a lifestyle of worship and connection with Jesus before trouble comes? [12:29]
Jesus delayed coming to Lazarus, but it was for a greater purpose. Can you think of a time when God’s timing didn’t match your expectations? How did you respond, and what did you learn? [25:20]
The “grave clothes” represent old patterns or wounds that keep us from living in the freedom Jesus offers. Is there a specific “grave cloth” you sense God is inviting you to let go of? What step could you take toward freedom this week? [34:22]
Sometimes we need help from others to remove our “grave clothes,” and sometimes we’re called to help others. Is there someone you trust who can help you in your journey? Or is there someone you feel called to gently support? How can you approach this with humility and respect? [36:52]
The fragrance of Mary’s worship lingered and impacted those around her. In what ways can your worship and relationship with Jesus influence your workplace, home, or community? [18:14]
The sermon invites us to run into Jesus’ presence, even when we don’t understand what He’s doing. Is there a situation right now where you need to trust God without having all the answers? How can you bring your honest pain and worship to Him in this moment? [27:05]

Sermon Clips

You are so important to God that Jesus knew, even before the world was formed, that you would be made and that you would fall. Yet he still did it. You could say that I'm not that important, he's done it for everybody else. Yes, but he did it for you too. And if there hadn't been everybody else, he would still have done it for you. [00:03:11] (23 seconds) #LovedIndividuallyByGrace

She cleaned his feet with all the best, she couldn't do anything better. But after she cleaned his feet, and cleaned all this nard that she'd anointed his feet with, right, what would she have smelled like? It would have stayed with her. She would have smelt of that nard wherever she went for quite some time. And my experience is, we cannot connect to God, and worship God, and it not impact us. And when that impacts us, it impacts the things around us, and the people around us. You can't come to God and stay the same. [00:17:33] (45 seconds) #WorshipTransformsUs

When I get to worship him, there's something about his presence, he's magnified in me, in you, in us as a church we worship together that makes a difference and we carry that presence with us wherever we go. Hence I think I change the atmosphere in work or rather I think that God through me changes the atmosphere in work. I really believe that. [00:18:56] (26 seconds) #PresenceChangesAtmosphere

Delay is not denial. Okay? God's timing is perfect. Now, it would have been better for Mary, Martha and Lazarus, for Jesus to have gone straight away and healed him. But, sometimes our trials are for a greater purpose and a greater good. And that's what happened here. [00:25:31] (24 seconds) #DelayIsDivinePurpose

They worshipped him and gave him honour, even though their worst nightmare had happened. So in verse 32, then when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down on his feet, saying to him, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. In her mind, her brother had died. In her mind, her brother had died. But what did she do? She worshipped. She didn't understand. She did not realise what was going on. But she still worshipped. So if things go wrong, if you can't understand, don't blame God. Worship him. Because it changes the circumstance. [00:29:09] (50 seconds) #EmpathyInSorrow

He wasn't weeping as the one who was mourning, because he knew he was going to rise from the dead. But can I suggest that he wept as a...those who entered into the pain of the people that he was with. He felt their sorrow. He felt their pain. And I'm sure that if he could have avoided it, he would have done. But he knew that a greater purpose was being worked, and therefore Lazarus had to die, had to rise again, and he felt their pain. So it wasn't because of Lazarus' death, but because of Mary and Martha's pain that he felt it for them. [00:31:30] (35 seconds) #FaithBeyondReality

Are there grave clothes that you and I need to unwrap? Are we still tainted by the world in which we live and the world in which we've dwelt in for so long? Are there ways of thinking? Are there ways of seeing things? Are there ways of doing things actually know that that's not really the best way? That's not God's way. We need to let that go. Because there's a way of life which is so much better. [00:34:22] (32 seconds) #SeekWisdomInHumility

Will you run into his presence? I am determined to stir myself up to go into his presence more than I have been. There have been seasons in my life where I was so close to God, and I want more of that again, and only I can make that happen. [00:38:21] (22 seconds) #MultiplyWorshipImpact

Will we accept when we don't understand and things don't seem to go right? Can we trust God in those times and say, God, I don't understand. I don't even agree with this. This isn't, you know, I don't get it, but I get you. And I know that all things work together for good to those who love you and accord according to your purpose. And I don't need to understand this, Lord. I'll let it go, and I'll enjoy this moment with you. [00:38:55] (30 seconds) #CrisisTransformsLife

And in the crisis, we can have some incredible times with God. Will we let him strip us of all trace of our old life of death? And will the impact, will he impact the lives of people we do life with? [00:39:42] (21 seconds)

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