John 11:1-36  

Focuses with Grief

• Perspective of
  • Proper and Improper Perspectives of mission can be source of Pain or Peace
• Perspective of
  • Working in the finite makes us miss the infinite
• Flow of
  • Emotion is never wrong in itself, but what it flows to or from can be
  • Grief extends beyond “missing someone,” but includes regrets and guilt
• Understanding
  • We need to understand our relationship to each, to God, and God’s relationship to others

Vs. 1-3: Grief derives from your , and God them more than you!

• Lord, the one YOU love is sick…. (Relationship)
  • Often, we pray from a heart like: Lord, the one I love is sick
  • Remember the relation between God and the one you pray for…
  • Don’t ever forget that God loves them, and you, more than anyone

Vs. 4-7: Gods glory is the of all things

• It is for Gods glory so that Gods son may be glorified through it (Mission)
  • Approach every situation from the perspective of what is best FOR GOD, not for yourself
• He waited two more days… (Time)
  • Notice Gods timing on things…
    • We think things are unanswered because they are not answered on our timing
    • Gods timing maximizes Gods glory

Vs. 8-10: In scary times, we are with Jesus

• Are there not 12 hours of daylight? (Time)
  • Again, Jesus shows us that if we are on Gods purpose then we are safe in Gods timing
    • We learn time cannot be taken away until we accomplish what God wanted
    • Time should not be wasted
    • We have enough time to do what God wants
• Similarly, Mary and Martha are entering into 12 hour of night (Time)
  • Jesus recognizes they need the light or they will stumble
  • Jesus is the light, thus, they need Jesus
  • Remember, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus…so how Jesus acts here is what WE receive in the Spirit

Vs. 11-16: Find the in Death

• For your sake, I’m glad I was not there (Mission and Emotion)
  • Isnt it interesting Jesus finds joy in the tragedy because of WHAT they will learn and WHAT it will lead to

*Emotion derives from passion and passion derives from calling/mission/heart = Jesus is glad because of His passion for Gods glory…which this will lead to

• Death and pain expose an immense amount of grace

Vs. 17-19: God acts on His

• In the tomb for four days (Time)
  • The third day was the worst day for grief as they believed the Spirit remained over the body for that time, but once the body begins to decay it leaves
• 2 miles from Jerusalem (Relationship)
  • This shows the family popularity and sets the stage, there were many there!

*This event paired with His teaching at the temple is what created the context for His ultimate death

Vs. 20: Martha to Jesus in Grief/Mary did not

• Where do we run when things are hard? Do we run to Jesus, or knowing He is coming to meet us do we stay home? (Relationship)

Vs. 21-28: Martha’s Need: Ministry of

*The text makes a distinction that Jesus loved each one individually…so here we have Jesus acting in compassion and love for those He loves in the context of Gods glory

• If you would have been here…but I know God will give you whatever you ask (Time – Relationship- Mission)
  • Martha makes an error in mission, she thinks because Jesus is more holy than her God will act different, but ALL things act on God’s time in accordance with His mission
  • Sometimes, our hurt, grief, confusion, and emotions derive from the fact that we KNOW God could fix it…but doesn’t
  • She shows a desperation…its like she says, Its not too late to do what needs to be done
• I know he will rise on the day of resurrection (Relationship)
  • Similar phrase today:
    • I know we will see them again in heaven
  • Marthas hope was anchored in the future resurrection, but Jesus shows her something else: He is the Resurrection.
• The sense here is like an argument

*Here, resurrection = Hope….Jesus IS the resurrection, thus, He is the hope we need and we have Him NOW!

When someones grieving heart is leading them into despair, they need a ministry of truth

(Example: Friend in Ministry)

Vs. 28-36: Mary’s Need: Ministry of

• Still at the place where Martha had met him
  • Jesus wanted Mary to meet him where Martha did. Not put together or ready, but honestly
• Martha told Jesus the same thing, but operated from a false understanding. Mary fell in grief in honest grief

*The Flow of Martha’s heart was towards despair and desperation: Jesus response is a Ministry of Truth pushing against that flow. Here, He doesn’t push against the flow rather enters it!

• When He saw her weeping, and those with her…He was troubled in the spirit
  • On His way to Bethany, He told His disciples He was glad…now He is troubled?
    • Why was Jesus so upset now? Answer: He grieves the reality of death and WHY it is there and ultimately, what sin causes
• Jesus Wept
  • Two notes:
    • Jesus embodies the full humanity as much as divinity…here, he experienced a very human emotion

*I think we think that if we only knew the whole picture, we wouldn’t be sad. Here, Jesus shows us that knowing the full picture gives warrant to be sad

• • • Jesus didn’t weep because He was sad Lazarus was dead, He was sad over the state of the world.
      • We experience life with few certainties. Death is the only certainty of life we grieve? Why? We are grieving over a certain and natural reality of death. Jesus weeps at the reality that pain causes.
      • Collective grief creates individual grief. Imagine a loved one passing every day. How would you or your family handle being around that constant grief? And yet, that is the reality for Jesus “For those he loves.” (Time – Relationship)

*Often, we feel closest to God in grief because we become aligned to the same emotion of God in that time

*This is a ministry of tears. Martha needed truth, Mary needed tears

• See how He loved Him!
  • Grief is joys evil sibling. Both long for someone or something that can never be satisfied but temporarily. In death, the longing remains, but there is no temporary satisfaction
• Could He not have?
  • Again, people are perplexed by Jesus seemingly inaction on the matter…especially after they saw how much He loved him.
  • In their minds, they believed even Jesus couldn’t conquer death…

*Ultimately, Jesus shows He breaks any and every barrier people place on Him…but He always does it on His time, His way, and for the maximizing of His glory

Questions for Guided Discussion

1. How does remembering God’s more supreme love for people we love help focus our perspectives, prayers, and hearts in grief?
2. If God’s glory is the center of all things, then how can His glory be the center of our grief?
3. Remembering that our time, and the time of those we love in life is purposely given and numbered, how can our use of time console us in grief? Strengthen and embolden us in grief? Or…create guilt and regret in grief?
4. How can we find the grace in grief and pain? How can that grace translate into stronger faith and witness?
5. In grief, we run to our “god.” Where, or who do you run to in grief? Alcohol? Drugs? Porn? Jesus?
6. Martha focused her hope on a future event and reality, but Jesus informs her He is that event and reality; so her hope should be in Him NOW. How do we maintain hope in Jesus in the presence of grief and not simply “look forward” to a time outside of the grief?
7. What happens if you give someone in need of a “ministry of truth” a “ministry of tears?” What happens when you give someone in need of a “ministry of tears” a “ministry of truth?” How can we know the difference?
8. Grief exposes love. Grief generates from the same longing that produces joy. If we long for Jesus, we will never grieve in that relationship. Jesus creates a new constant, a new reality, and a new certainty. How can this fact anchor our faith, hope, and love in the middle of grief?