John - Week 34

Mary and Martha 

READ 

John 11:27-29 

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him. 

Jesus asked Martha if she believed what He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die” (see John 11:25-26). Her answer was “Yes, Lord.” Her faith was strong in Him as the Son of God who had come from God. Then she went to call Mary as Jesus had asked her to do. Mary lost no time in going to meet Him. 

REFLECT 

Would your answer have been the same as Martha’s and what she said about Jesus? And how quickly would you leave to meet the Savior if you heard He wanted you to come? 

RESPOND 

Read John 17 and notice the references where Jesus indicates He is in believers. Unlike Mary and Martha, we don’t have to go meet Him because He lives inside of every follower in Christ. 

Mary's Grief 

READ 

John 11:30-32 

30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 

Notice that Mary made the same comment that Martha did when each of them met Jesus. Both of them had confidence that Lazarus would not have died in the presence of the Lord Jesus. The family was personal friends of Jesus and knew of His supernatural abilities. The two sisters are now heartbroken because Jesus was not there at the time and they have lost their dear brother. 

REFLECT 

Do you have the kind of confidence in the Lord Jesus that Mary and Martha did? Not for bringing someone back to life but trusting His sovereign control over any difficulty you have. “Worship” is thinking about the “worth” of the Lord. As you praise Him for who He is you are worshipping Him.  

RESPOND 

Regarding the loved ones you have had who are now gone from this earth, thank the Lord that none of them died apart from the love of Jesus and His control. But think also of how you can remind others that no one is guaranteed tomorrow. Who knows when someone will be snapped into eternity? 

A Deep Anger 

READ 

John 11:33-34 

33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 

People generally understand that the Lord is compassionate. This passage shows the affect that Mary’s weeping had on Jesus. Not only did it stir His compassion, it stirred something that many people don’t think He has—anger. Jesus came to give life and now here is this dear friend who is dead. No wonder He was angry. He was not angry with God, His father, He was angry at death. This caused Him to take action and ask, “Where have you put him?” 

REFLECT 

If Jesus could be angry, is it acceptable for His followers to get angry also? Does it matter what you are angry about? Think about the last time you were angry, what was the reason? 

RESPOND 

Read Ephesians 4:25-27 that tells believers about anger. “Don’t sin by letting anger control you,” says verse 26. Certainly you should be angry when some innocent person is denied justice. You should also be angry about so many children being killed in the womb. Do what you can to persuade others against such acts, but don’t let the anger control you.  

Jesus Wept 

READ 

John 11:35-37 

35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” 

Verse 35 is loaded in a short statement expressing the compassion of Jesus. It is the shortest verse in the English Bible. In spite of the expression of the sympathy of Jesus, some wished to debate the event. If He could give sight to the blind man, why couldn’t He have kept Lazarus alive? They seemed still to be confused who this Son of God really was.  

REFLECT 

It is always a losing cause to try to figure out the mind of God. Jesus had permitted something to happen that the people could not understand nor explain in the light of His previous acts. Do you also get confused when you try to understand why God works in some cases and seemingly does not in others? 

RESPOND 

The apostles also had the gift to heal, but they did not always do so. Read Philippians 2:25-30 where Paul tells about Epaphroditus being so sick he was near death. Also read 2 Timothy 4:19-20 that gives Paul’s final greetings in the last book recorded from him in the Scriptures. He left Trophimus in a sick condition. Why didn’t he heal these two? The Bible does not tell us. 

Roll the Stone Aside 

READ 

John 11:38-39 

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 

One wonders what the people following thought as they saw Jesus was angry. They likely wondered why. When Jesus wanted the stone rolled away that was barring the entry to the cave  where Lazarus was, Martha was concerned about what they would find. Her comments further confirmed that Lazarus was dead and not just in a coma. People are anxious to explain away the miracles of Jesus, but no such explanation could be made here.  

REFLECT 

Have you heard others trying to rationalize away the miracles of Jesus? Why do you think they are anxious to do that? 

RESPOND 

You are learning about the Bible and what it teaches. Are you sharing your learning with others? Likely you can’t do much to change the world or even the larger region where you live. You can have influence, however, on those with whom you come in contact. Have you found a younger believer in the faith who needs to hear what you are learning? Be sure to pass on to others what you are learning.