Bible ReadingJohn 11:1-44 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
[06:03]Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 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. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from 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. 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?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
[11:15]When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
[23:08]When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
[26:58]Romans 4:18-22 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
[15:25]John 12:1-2, 9 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
[38:11]Observation questions- What two statements does Martha make in John 11:21-22 that show both her disappointment and her remaining hope in Jesus? [11:15]
- When Jesus arrives at Lazarus’s tomb, what details make the situation seem completely final to Martha and the people around her?
- What are the two different instructions Jesus gives to the people around Lazarus: one before Lazarus comes out and one after he comes out? [25:54]
- In John 12, where is Lazarus found after being raised, and why does the crowd come to Bethany?
Interpretation questions- Martha says, “If you had been here,” but she also says, “Even now I know.” What does this show about bringing disappointment and honest questions to Jesus without giving up faith? [14:33]
- Abraham considered his body and Sarah’s barrenness, yet remained convinced that God could fulfill His promise. How does this help distinguish real faith from pretending that a painful reality does not exist? [17:54]
- Jesus tells others to remove the stone and later to unbind Lazarus. What might these two actions show about Jesus giving new life while also calling people into obedience and helpful community? [28:10]
- Lazarus’s restored life drew others to come and see Jesus. Why can a person’s story of God’s faithfulness become an opportunity for someone else to find hope? [39:42]
Application questions- What “what if not?” question has been taking up the most space in your thoughts lately—about family, health, work, finances, or a prayer that has not been answered? What would it look like to bring that reality to God and still say, “But even now, I know”? [19:49]
- Is there an area where you have felt pressure to act like everything is fine, even though it is not? How can you honestly name what is hard while continuing to trust that God is greater? [17:00]
- The stone can represent something that holds a person back from Jesus, even if that thing is not automatically sinful. Is there a relationship, schedule, job demand, habit, or fear that may be keeping you from obeying Jesus more fully? What is one faithful step toward removing that stone? [24:36]
- Grave clothes can picture patterns, wounds, or struggles that remain after a person has received new life in Christ. What is one area where you need trusted believers to help you walk in greater freedom? [27:13]
- Who are the godly people you can allow to speak truth, ask caring questions, and help carry burdens with you? If those relationships are missing, what is one simple way you could move toward community this week? [29:07]
- Think of one dead end that has seemed like an obstacle for a long time. How might God use even that situation as an opportunity to show His power, shape your faith, or give hope to someone else? [32:04]
- What is one specific thing God has done in your life that you have kept quiet about? Who could you encourage this week by sharing that part of your story and pointing them to Jesus? [40:20]
