Losing a loved one comes with grief, questions, longing… it can be overwhelming. But Jesus is with us through it all. Pastor Greg Laurie shares the powerful story of Jesus bringing comfort to Mary and Martha after the loss of Lazarus.
Notes:
Focus verse: John 11
Death interrupts our plans, our dreams, and our everyday lives.
Death is harsh and final and real.
“And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
1Corinthians 15:26 (NLT)
Mary and Martha were devastated by the unexpected death of their brother, Lazarus.
Read John 11:1–3
#1 Life is filled with pain, sorrow, and the death of loved ones.
The unexpected death of a friend or co-worker often reminds us of our own mortality.
#2 God loves us even when we suffer.
Mary and Martha provide us with an excellent example of what to do in a crisis.
We should always bring our troubles to Jesus.
#1 When the Israelites turned against Moses,
“…he cried out to the Lord,…”
Exodus 15:25
#2 When Hezekiah received a threatening letter,
“…[he] went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.”
Isaiah 37:14
#3 When John the Baptist was beheaded, his disciples,
“…went and told Jesus.”
Matthew 14:12
“God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
Read John 11:4–7
When hardship, tragedy, and even death hit in our lives, we might ask the same thing,
“If Jesus really loved me, why did He let this happen?”
Jesus was looking at the big picture.
Jesus waited.
Read John 11:20–26
Death is not the end. It is a transition from this life to the afterlife.
Death does not have the final word, Christ does.
“Where were you, Lord?”
Mary and Martha brought their doubts to Jesus.
There is nothing wrong with asking God, “Why?”
We live on promises not explanations.
"And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:26
Read John 11:32–36
#3 Jesus weeps with us in our times of pain.
Jesus was God and man. As a man He felt our pain and sorrows.
Isaiah 53:3–4
Hebrews 2:17–18
Read John 11:33, 38
Jesus was angry with death itself.
Jesus thanked his Father for hearing His prayer and then raised Lazarus from the dead.
John 11:43–44
#4 God can be glorified through human suffering and bring good out of bad.
Sometimes God will be glorified through the removal of the affliction.
Other times He will be glorified through the enduring of the affliction.
We develop hope through hardship.
Romans 5:3–4
Our faith is real, and it will sustain us in our hour of need.
The tomb is not the entrance to death, but to life.
Jesus defeated death at the cross of Calvary.
Death died when Christ rose.
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Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org.
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Greg Laurie Podcast