April 10, 2020

Do You Believe This? 

John 11:1-44

Sarah Jannusch
Friday's Devo

April 10, 2020

Friday's Devo

April 10, 2020

Central Truth

Everyone's earthly body will one day die and pass away. However, if you profess your faith and believe that Jesus has conquered sin and death for you, you will experience the life and freedom that Jesus has to offer, now and for eternity!

Key Verse | John 11:25-26

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?"

John 11:1-44

The Death of Lazarus

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 1 11:6 Greek he; also verse 17 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. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, 2 11:16 Greek Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles 3 11:18 Greek fifteen stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. 4 11:25 Some manuscripts omit and the life Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Jesus Weeps

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 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. 32 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.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved 5 11:33 Or was indignant; also verse 38 in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 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.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 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.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 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.”

Footnotes

[1] 11:6 Greek he; also verse 17
[2] 11:16 Greek Didymus
[3] 11:18 Greek fifteen stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
[4] 11:25 Some manuscripts omit and the life
[5] 11:33 Or was indignant; also verse 38

Dive Deeper | John 11:1-44

First, let's make some high-level observations:

1. Lazarus (a beloved friend of Jesus) is sick, and his sisters know that, if Jesus comes, Lazarus will be healed.

2. Jesus decides to stay where He is two more days until Lazarus is good and dead before returning to Jerusalem (which was a dangerous place for Jesus anyway since the religious leaders were after Him).

3. Mary and Martha declare their belief in Jesus, but find death to be unconquerable (in those times it was believed that after three days the soul departed from the body, and Lazarus had been dead four days).

4. Jesus declares His power over the grave by raising Lazarus from the dead.

5. Jesus calls for others to aid in Lazarus' deliverance. (John 11:44)

So, how does this apply to our lives?

1. We are God's beloved. He loves us so much He would do anything, including sending his ONLY son, to DIE for us. (John 3:16-17)

2. Sometimes we will encounter difficult circumstances in our lives, and we won't always understand God's reason or timing. God, however, is sovereign over everything! He may not be early to answer our prayers, but God is never late. Here, Lazarus' death permitted Jesus to show His power over the grave, which caused the religious leaders to despise Him, which resulted in His crucifixion, which produces life for all who trust in Jesus! Who knew that Lazarus' death would snowball into such a miraculous work?!

3. Sometimes it is easy to believe in God and all He can do, but find our specific situation impossible or unconquerable. Jesus calls on us to profess our faith and then act on it! (James 1:2-6)

4. We were once dead in our sin, doomed to spend eternity in hell, but Jesus declared His power over our grave! We no longer HAVE to be slaves to death. We can be free through Christ. (Romans 5:8-9)

5. Jesus calls us to surround our brothers and sisters and unbind them from the sin that entangles them. We were created to live in community together. So let's be a people who surround others and walk together in life.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you believe that you are a beloved child of God and that He wants to know and love you?

2. Do you struggle to trust in God's timing or purpose during difficult situations?

3. Have you professed your faith and believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life?

4. How are you surrounding yourself with community or other believers right now to help each other walk through life?