When Jesus says “Come” to a Dead Man
I. Jesus COMES to BETHANY. (v.1-16)
A. The UNUSUAL love of JESUS. (v.1-6)
B. The disciples are INVITED to TRUST. ((v.7-16)
C. John ANCHORS the story in RELATIONSHIPS. (v.1-16)
In this well known story of Jesus, we see him hear of the sickness of Lazarus, wait two days, and then decide to head to Bethany to see what has happened. The disciples aren’t sure about returning to a place so close to Jerusalem. It hasn’t been a welcoming place in the past for Jesus.
1. Kid’s Question: Do you think God loves you? How do you know?
2. Of all the people in this story, who do you identify with the most and why?
II. Mary and Martha COME to JESUS. (v.17-32)
A. Same WORDS, but different INTERACTIONS. (v.21-32; Mk. 8:29,33)
B. Notice what MOVES Jesus to ACTION. (v.27-33)
The interactions between Jesus and Martha and Mary fascinate me because while the words they initially say are the same, the profound differences in the personalities of these two sisters and their relationship with Jesus are revealed in profound ways.
3. What do you notice about the differences in Mary and Martha? In what ways do you see aspects of them in your own life?
4. When have you felt deep and/or painful emotion about something in your own life? How comfortable where you expressing that to God and to others?
III. Jesus COMES to the TOMB. (v.33-44)
A. Martha is INVITED to TRUST. (v.38-40)
B. All are invited to HEAR and BELIEVE. (v.41-42)
C. Lazarus is INVITED to LIVE. (v.43-44)
Jesus comes to the tomb of Lazarus. It’s a place of death and impossibility. A place of rotting and decaying flesh. A place where hope for the future is non-existent. But here’s the part that is amazing. For Jesus a tomb is not an end of the road, it’s just a stopping place on the way to life.5. Martha is concerned by the command of Jesus in v.39. When has Jesus concerned you with something that he was doing or allowing in your own life? How did you respond?
6. Why do you think Jesus says what He says in v.41-42?
IV. The INVITATIONS of JESUS. (v.7,39,43; Jn 21:22)
A. To SEE the HEART of Jesus. (v.3,5,35-36; Rom 5:8)
B. To “BELIEVE” deeper than STATEMENTS. (v.22-27,39,40; Jn. 7:17)
C. To have LIFE come to DEAD places. (v.25,26; Ez. 37:1-14)
D. To a TABLE where all these truths CONVERGE. (1 Cor. 12:26)
Jesus is inviting Mary, Martha, and everyone watching to believe. He is inviting us to believe as well. This belief has many different implications and levels. But the text today is calling to us…asking us to respond to the invitations of Jesus to us right here and right now.
7. How does understanding the depth of the love of God help you to “believe” at an ever deepening level? (See Eph. 3:16-19) Have you experienced this personally?
8. Where are some dead areas around you (or in you) where you are longing for life to come? Why not share those with the group and pray together about them?