HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD WEEK 4 PART 2

WEEK 4 PART 2

LESSONS FROM LAZARUS

READ JOHN 11:1-44

Here we read the story of Lazarus. We all are familiar with it. Can you imagine how Mary and Martha must have felt when their brother got so seriously ill and then died? Even after they requested their friend, Jesus’ help?

We don’t know the details of his illness, but it was obvious it was serious. And it’s obvious that Lazarus was dear to Jesus. See verse 3. They had a close relationship. This relationship was probably not just with Lazarus but with Mary and Martha as well.

Whey they sent for Jesus, they knew he would come. They knew who He was and the power that he had..

So when Jesus got the news, what did He say? (Verse 4). Notice he didn’t stop at this sickness will not END in death. “It is for the Glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Lazarus would live.

Yes Lazarus would live, in the END. This process could have been very simple like just speaking the words. But no,, God had other plans for Lazarus and his sisters.

Somewhere between Lazarus’ illness and his resurrection are lessons for us to learn.

Lesson 1: God’s Will does not always proceed in a straight line.

What this means is that we will not always see a clear connection between “point A and point B”. Read Romans 8:28

It’s God’s purpose, not ours, that must prevail. He is concerned not only with each one of our needs but with the need of “The Church” as well. God will weave our lives together to form His master plan. NOTHING is wasted and NOTHING is left out.

Our story matters to Jesus, just as Mary, Martha and Lazarus mattered. But He sees the big picture. God always had a plan. It may not follow human logic. In fact often it seems to go in the opposite direction what we believe about God.

When bad things happen , we may find it hard to handle because we don’t know what to do when God doesn’t do what we’ve been taught to expect him to do, or when he doesn’t act the way we think he should..

So why would Jesus allow sorrow to come to this family he loved so much?

Just as why does God heal some people and not others? There are no easy answers and we may never know the purpose behind our pain until we see Jesus face to face, if then. He does promise “ He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old older of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

And I personally think that since there will be no pain in heaven, neither will there be any recollection of the pain we have her on earth.

Trials are real and bad things happen to good people and bad people. Just because were a Christians doesn’t mean we escape “life”.

Back to Lazarus, You would think that Jesus would stop everything he was going to go to his sick friend, but he delayed for another 2 days.

Since we know the story, we know WHY he delayed. But what do you think Mary and Martha thought during that time? And what about his disciples? In fact, by the time he left, Lazarus would have already been dead.

What about us, in our life? What do we do when God “tarries” or doesn’t move the way we want? This leads to lesson 2.

LESSON 2: God’s love sometimes tarries for our good and His Glory.

We may never fully understand why God’s love sometimes tarries, we can rest assured that God’s love is always at work. He may not (more than likely not) move according to our schedule, but he is right on time for what is best. This reminds me of one of my favorite songs I sing at church. So I am inserting it here for your listening pleasure. And not it’s not me singing. J

LESSON 3: God’s ways are not our ways, but his character is still dependable.

In other words, we don’t need to worry, even when it looks like our hope is gone. We might not be able to see the end of the story but we can trust the writer.

When going hard times and you are struggling, remind yourself that God IS your STRENGHT.  He is our source of comfort. He will not us fall. He loves us and wants the best for us.

Martha Tennison said “We only trust people we know. If you are struggling to trust God, it may be because you don’t really know God.”

Do you wonder what Mary and Martha felt when they got the word from Jesus by the messenger and there was no Jesus? They should have trusted Jesus when he said “This sickness will not end in death”. But again maybe Lazarus may have already died they got the message.

Remember God’s ways are not our ways.

The story of Lazarus tells us that a delay in an answer is not a sign of God’s indifference or his failure to hear. It is a sign of His love. The delay will help up. It will make us stronger. I don’t know about any of ya”ll but I think God is planning for me to compete in weight lifting or something.

Read the following scriptures and see other alternatives Jesus had taken to heal. MATTHEW 8:5-13, MARK 7:24-30.

Four days late may have made Jesus late for a healing, but it made him right on time for a resurrection.

There are times in our life when God write an end to a chapter of our life. We say goodbye to something or someone that has been important to us. Endings are inevitable. However sometimes we fight against the ending like Peter did. READ MATTHEW 16:21-23. Peter didn’t want to hear it. When we try to “breathe” life into something God has an end for. We become a stumbling block for God.

Do you ever find yourself becoming a stumbling block for God when he is writing an end and we don’t want to hear it?

It is hard to relinquish control of those situations. God is infinitely kind and patient with us and He will should us how to relinquish our rights for His best.

1)    Ask God to may you willing. Willing to surrender control to Him. Sometimes we have to pray for a changed attitude first.

2)   Recognize you have an adversary. Yep that’s Satan. The last thing Satan wants is for you to totally surrender your life to God. Pray for wisdom & strength not to listen to Satan’s lies.

3)   Let go one piece at a time. Sometime we cling on to control because we fear we will be asked to make a change that we are not ready for. But God will take us at a pace we can handle.

READ PHILIPPIANS 3:8-9

Back to Lazarus again. After Lazarus died, people probably came my Mary and Martha’s home with their condolences. Just like they do now. This would mean that Martha once again had a houseful of company. When she heard that Jesus was coming, she didn’t wait for Him to get to the house. She met him on the road. She left all her guest, Nothing mattered now except seeing Jesus. She has changed..

When she got to Jesus she said something remarkable. See verse 22. “But I KNOW that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” She was saying “Thy will be done”

Jesus response. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Verses 25-26

DO YOU BELIEVE? I BELIEVE!

LESSON 4 : God’s plan is released when we believe and obey.

We are important parts of God’s story. Our choices play a part in the unfolding of the plot. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. It takes faith to choose obedience. It takes obedience to choose faith when you’re shaking in fear. But when God speaks a promise to our hearts we can take him at his word.

Martha had faith for what could have been. Read verse 21

Martha had faith for what would be. Read verse 24

What Martha needed was faith for what was going to happened. Read verse 40.

Jesus still ask us this same question. “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?

LESSON 5: The “end” is never the end; it is only the beginning.

When Jesus came late to Bethany, his lateness was an act of love. A gift of perspective. A foreshadowing meant as a mercy, not only for Mary, Martha and Lazarus, but for his disciples and for you and me.

Today we will endure suffering. We don’t understand many things that happen. But someday, SOMEDAY, our Lord and Savior will wipe every tear from our eyes. He’ll unbind our grave clothes of this earthy flesh and we will be set free. All those broken pieces will fall into place and we will understand that the hand of God has been upon us all the time. That is the love from our Heavenly Father.

MEMORY VERSE JOHN 8:31-32

"If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

SITTING AT JESUS’ FEET

1)    The Bible is filled with if-then propositions. If we will…then God will… What do the following verse promise us if we obey? Joshua 1:8, John 8:32-32, James 1:25

2)  Which of the lessons from Lazarus have you found most true in your life? Journal the reason.

3)  Because time and space confines us, we can’t always see what is really happening. What do the following verses say about this in-between time in which we find ourselves? John 16:33, Hebrews 11:13-16, James 1: 2-4

4)  A message from God. “My child, I have a message for you today; let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild with glory any storm clouds which may arise, and smooth the rough places upon which you may have to tread. It is short, only five words, but let them sink into your inmost soul; use them as a pillow upon which to rest your weary head…..this thing is from ME.”

 How would your life be different if you could receive these words as truth and no only truth but as evidence of God’s love in your life?