Waiting on God: Lessons from the Story of Lazarus

Waiting on God is one of the most challenging and transformative experiences in the Christian journey. Today, we explored the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, not just as a miracle, but as a profound lesson in how God works in seasons of waiting. The narrative reveals two plot lines: the expectations of Mary, Martha, and the disciples, and the divine agenda of Jesus, who moves only at the Father’s command. Often, our expectations and God’s timing seem to be at odds, leaving us confused or even despairing. Yet, it is precisely in these moments that God is setting us up for something greater than we could imagine.

Jesus’ delay in coming to Lazarus was not a lack of love, but a demonstration of a deeper, agape love—a love that sometimes allows pain for the sake of a higher purpose. God’s ways are not our ways, and His timing is not always what we desire. But in the waiting, He is working out a testimony that is far more powerful than a simple answer to prayer. Lazarus was not just another person healed; he became a living witness to resurrection power, someone whose story drew others to Jesus.

Waiting on God is costly. It often means being misunderstood, even by those closest to us. Jesus Himself had to set aside His own preferences and the expectations of His friends to obey the Father. There is a temptation to step ahead of God or to act out of a desire to please people, but true fruitfulness comes from obedience, even when it doesn’t make sense. Sometimes, God asks us to do things that seem counterintuitive, but His timing is always perfect.

Seasons of waiting are also seasons where our faith is stretched and enlarged. Mary and Martha believed Jesus could heal, but resurrection was beyond their imagination. God uses waiting to call us into new dimensions of faith, to believe for things we have never seen before. Just as a child sees a garden in a patch of dirt, God invites us to see His possibilities in our barren places.

Finally, waiting shifts our focus from ourselves to God. Jesus, before calling Lazarus out, looked up and thanked the Father, confident that He was always heard. Our posture in waiting reveals our true view of God. The goodness of God is not measured by outcomes, but by His unchanging character. Seasons of waiting are opportunities for God to renew our image of Him, to move us from dread to hope, and to prepare us for greater glory.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Waiting on God reveals a higher purpose God’s delays are not denials; they are invitations to a deeper story. In the waiting, He is preparing a testimony that is greater than what we could have imagined for ourselves. Our limited perspective often misses the greater glory God intends to reveal. [35:22]
• 2. Obedience in waiting is costly and misunderstood True obedience sometimes means disappointing others or even ourselves. Jesus set aside His own preferences and the expectations of His friends to follow the Father’s will. When we resist the urge to please people or rush ahead, we make space for God’s perfect timing and purposes to unfold. [38:13]
• 3. Seasons of waiting enlarge our faith God uses waiting to stretch our faith beyond what we thought possible. Mary and Martha believed in healing, but resurrection was outside their frame of reference. In the same way, God calls us to believe for things we have never seen, to trust Him for new dimensions of His power and presence. [44:04]
• 4. Waiting shifts our focus from self to God In the midst of waiting, Jesus looked up to the Father, modeling a posture of trust and gratitude. Our waiting is not passive; it is an active turning of our hearts toward God, allowing Him to renew our vision and deepen our confidence in His goodness, regardless of outcomes. [46:59]
• 5. The goodness of God is not measured by outcomes God’s character remains good, even when our circumstances are confusing or painful. Seasons of waiting expose our expectations and invite us to trust in God’s unchanging nature, rather than in the results we hope for. This shift brings hope and resilience in the face of uncertainty. [50:25]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Honoring the Worship Team
• [02:10] - Story of Joy Dawson: Listening to God
• [06:30] - Introduction to Lazarus’ Story
• [08:15] - Reading John 11:1-15
• [12:00] - Two Plot Lines: Human vs. Divine Perspective
• [15:30] - The Nature of Jesus’ Love
• [18:40] - When God’s Words and Reality Clash
• [21:00] - God’s Higher Purpose in Waiting
• [24:30] - Lazarus’ Testimony and Fearlessness
• [27:00] - The Cost of Waiting and Obedience
• [30:00] - God’s Timing vs. Human Eagerness
• [33:00] - Enlarging Faith Through Waiting
• [36:30] - Living by Faith, Not by Sight
• [39:00] - Shifting Focus: From Self to God
• [42:00] - The Goodness of God in Waiting
• [45:30] - Invitation to Hope and Expectation
• [53:30] - Closing Prayer and Communion Invitation

Bible Reading

John 11:1-44 (ESV) — (The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead)

Observation Questions

1. In John 11, what are the two different “plot lines” or perspectives at work in the story of Lazarus—one from Mary, Martha, and the disciples, and one from Jesus? How do these perspectives differ? ([32:16])
2. According to the passage, why did Jesus delay going to Lazarus, even though He loved him and his sisters? ([32:16])
3. What kind of love does the text say Jesus had for Lazarus and his family, and how is it different from the love the sisters mention? ([32:16])
4. Before Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb, what does He do, and what does this show about His relationship with the Father? ([46:59])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says that Jesus’ delay was not a lack of love, but a demonstration of a deeper, agape love. Why might God allow pain or waiting in our lives if He loves us? ([32:16])
2. The story highlights that waiting on God can be costly and misunderstood, even by those closest to us. What does this reveal about the nature of true obedience? ([38:13])
3. Mary and Martha believed Jesus could heal, but resurrection was outside their imagination. What does this say about the limits of our faith and how God might want to stretch it? ([44:04])
4. The sermon mentions that Jesus looked up and thanked the Father before performing the miracle. What does this teach us about our posture and focus during seasons of waiting? ([46:59])

Application Questions

1. Can you think of a time when God’s timing didn’t match your expectations? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? ([32:16])
2. The sermon says that waiting on God is costly and can mean being misunderstood by others. Is there an area in your life right now where obedience to God might disappoint others or even yourself? How are you handling that tension? ([38:13])
3. Are you currently in a season of waiting? If so, what is one way you can shift your focus from your own desires to trusting God’s agenda, like Jesus did? ([46:59])
4. The story of Lazarus shows that God’s delays are not denials, but invitations to a deeper story. Is there something you have stopped praying for or hoping for because it seems “dead”? What would it look like to bring that to God again? ([50:25])
5. The sermon challenges us to believe for things we have never seen before. What is one area where you sense God might be inviting you to trust Him for more than you can currently imagine? ([44:04])
6. Jesus’ posture was to look up and thank the Father, confident that He was always heard. How can you practice gratitude and trust in your own waiting season, even before you see an answer? ([46:59])
7. The goodness of God is not measured by outcomes, but by His unchanging character. How does this truth challenge or encourage you in your current circumstances? ([50:25])