INDUCTIVE LESSON NINETEEN Resurrection of Lazarus Our family has two large Golden Retrievers that love to go running with family members in the National Forest. The dogs are naturally friendly and inquisitive and the likelihood of them encountering a rattlesnake has been a cause of concern. At the suggestion of a park ranger, we enrolled the dogs in a snake avoidance course to minimize their danger. The dogs were both outfitted with industrial-size shock collars, which the course brochure said was for the application of a mild electrical stimulus, yet in reality was 100,000 volts. When the dogs approached the snake to investigate they received a shock. Each dog would have been bitten twice if the snakes had not been muzzled. After about 30 minutes each dog thoroughly avoided the sight, sound, and smell of a rattlesnake. I asked the handler if I could video the training and he replied, No, I m sorry. You can t, because if viewed in isolation it looks like we are just shocking the dogs but there is a purpose to the pain. The pain they felt today has snake-proofed your dogs and could save their life someday. The phrase, there is a purpose to the pain seems to ring especially true in this week s verses. There is no disputing the extent and reality of the pain suffered in the death of Lazarus. Jesus allows us to see the purpose behind the pain when He reveals, this is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. (John 11:4) The sisters and the other Jews, unaware of God s greater plan, were distraught and even blamed Jesus for Lazarus death. The grief and pathos of the situation led to the shortest and perhaps most poignant verse in the Bible, Jesus wept (John 11:35). By itself, this is an incredible miracle, demonstrating God s sovereignty over death. However, in the context of the story, the resurrection of Lazarus is truly the proof of Jesus promise to every believer that, He who believes in Me, though he die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. (John 11:25). In addition, the resurrection of Lazarus set into motion the chain of events that led to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Many of us have found that like the snake-proofing of our dogs, God has needed to use a mild stimulus to get our attention and sin-proof us. Although we are rarely allowed to see His sovereignty behind our suffering or the purpose behind our pain, this passage assures us that Jesus knows our sorrows, feels our grief, and works in all situations for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory. Prayer Start by praying over the passage and asking the Holy Spirit to give you fresh insights and wisdom in understanding it. Then read through the entire passage two or three times. 1
Memory Verse Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? John 11:25 26 Study Text / Worksheet Write down your observations, comments, or questions directly on the text as you go over it. Parallel Passages This week most of our scripture is taken from the Gospel of John. From the chart included in previous studies you may remember some of the unique features of this gospel. Ninety-two percent verses in this gospel are found only in the Book of John. This gospel has no true parables and only contains seven signs or miracles, each of which is tied to a teaching or discourse. For example, after Jesus turned water into wine He told the woman at the well that He was the source of living water. Of the seven miracles found in John s Gospel only the feeding of 5,000 and Jesus walking on water are recorded in other texts. Another characteristic of John s Gospel are the seven great I AM statements of Jesus. The following chart was compiled from the works of Leon Morris, J. Vernon McGee, and John MacArthur and will help you locate these unique features Sign or Miracle 1 Water turned into wine (John 2:1-12) Healing official s son (John 4:46-54) Healing the invalid by the Bethesda Pool (Jn. 5:1-17) Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-14) Walking on water & calming the storm (Jn. 6:15-21) Healing man blind from birth (John 9:1-41) Raising of Lazarus back to life (John 11:17-45) Miracle s Significance 2 Related Discourse 1 I AM Statement 3 Jesus is the source of The new birth (John I am the vine, you are life 3:1-21) the branches (John Jesus is master over distance Jesus is master over time Jesus is the bread of life Jesus is master over nature Jesus is the light of the world Jesus has power over death 2 The water of life (John 4:1-42) The divine Son (John 5:19-47) The bread of life (John 6:22-65) The life giving Spirit (John 7:1-52) The light of the world (John 8:12-59) The good shepherd (John 10:1-42) 15:5) I am the good shepherd (John 10:11) I am the door (John 10:9) I am the bread of life (John 6:35) I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) I am the light of the world (John 8:12) I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) 1 Leon Morris Jesus is the Christ William Eerdman s Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1989 Page 23 2 John MacArthur Study Bible Word Bibles, Nashville, Tenn. 1997 Page 1579 3 J. Vernon McGee Thru The Bible Commentary Series John Chapters 1 10 Thomas Nelson Publishing Nashville, Tenn 1991 Page 134
Death of Lazarus - John 11:1 16 1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again. 8 The disciples said to Him, Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up. 12 Then His disciples said, Lord, if he sleeps he will get well. 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him. 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him. Dialogue with Martha and Mary - John 11:17 37 17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You. 23 Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 24 Martha said to Him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. 28 And when she had said these things, 3
she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, The Teacher has come and is calling for you. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She is going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, See how He loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying? Lazarus Raised from the Dead - John 11:38 44 38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. 40 Jesus said to her, Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me. 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth! 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Loose him, and let him go. The Plot to Kill Jesus - John 11:45 57 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you 4
consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish. 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. 55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, What do you think that He will not come to the feast? 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him. (NKJV) Observation My Observations: In the left column write down observations you make directly from the text. Inductive tips (things to look for): a) What are the promises? b) What are the commands? c) What are the sources of conflict? d) What are the cause/effect relationships? e) What are the repeated words and ideas? f) What do we know about who is speaking and who is receiving the message? g) What comparisons and contrasts can you identify and what do they illustrate? h) What details are unique to the different gospel accounts (what did Luke include or emphasize that Matthew may have omitted) i) We are very familiar with many of the accounts we will be studying in the life of Jesus. What new insights or observations did you discover when you took a closer look? j) Do you have unanswered questions on part of the passage? (Share them with your group.) Digging Deeper: In the right column write down any additional observations you can add from other sources such as: a) other scriptures that apply (cross references) b) dictionaries for specific words (English or Greek dictionary) c) Bible dictionaries for historical information d) commentaries. See the Tool Box at the end of the study for suggested sources. e) Study parallel passages in other gospels. Each of the gospel writers, while inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote with a definite audience in mind. Accounts found in parallel passages, while very similar, often reveal small but critical details omitted by another author. Interpretation Webster tells us that interpret means to explain the meaning or make understandable. What is the spiritual truth or lesson that God is trying to teach in this passage? Don t isolate the passage but read into it and read out of it. Look for commands, imperatives, promises, or warnings. What is God saying to those people at that time? You will share what God is saying to you in the next section. State the spiritual truth or lesson in a single sentence. 5
Application This is where you purpose to do what God has taught you in your time with Him. It is through applying the Word that God changes lives. Application does not happen by osmosis but by intent. God enlightens us with His Word, we apply what we ve learned with our wills, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to carry out these choices. The goal of all application is to glorify God by becoming more like Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for... Teaching: What did I learn? Reproof: Where do I fall short? Why do I fall short? Correction: What will I do about it? Training in righteousness: How can I make this principle a consistent part of my life? Death of Lazarus - John 11:1 16 My Observations Digging Deeper Interpretation: Application: Dialogue with Martha and Mary - John 11:17 37 My Observations Digging Deeper Interpretation: 6
Application: Lazarus Raised from the Dead - John 11:38 44 My Observations Digging Deeper Interpretation: Application: The Plot to Kill Jesus - John 11:45 57 My Observations Digging Deeper Interpretation: Application: 7
Parable of the Week: The Faithful Servant Luke 12:35 40 (See also Matthew 24:42 51 and Mark 13:34 37.) Our passage this week is one of seven parables found in all three of the synoptic gospels. In the gospels of Matthew and Mark this parable is found within a discussion of end times and the need for watchfulness. Have you ever noticed how the sense of urgency on the playing field changes when there is only two minutes left in a football game? How differently would we conduct ourselves if we knew the Lord was returning in two minutes, two days, or two years? Yet in conjunction with this parable Jesus explains that only the Father knows the hour of His return so His admonition is to be ready. Many of us who live in Southern California believe the warnings of geologists that we should prepare for the big one (a major earthquake). However, a 2008 Time magazine study showed that only 16% were prepared for such an event even though the overwhelming majority knew what they needed to do to be ready. In a similar fashion the vast majority of Christians believe that Jesus will be coming again but few are prepared to meet Him. Parable of the Week: The Watchful Servant Luke 12:35 40 35 Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Spiritual Insight: Application: 8
Take Away / Summary If one of your friends at work or a neighbor were to ask you what you did last night, you would tell them you went to a Bible Study. The next question would likely be, What did you learn? We often summarize an entire athletic contest or a movie in a few brief sentences and easily convey the essence of the event. Now apply these same skills to give a summary of the passage in a sentence or two. Then, in an additional sentence or two describe what impact this passage will have on how you live. Memory Verse Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? John 11:25 26 Key Words / Phrases Write out the definition of these key words. You can use a regular dictionary or go to one of the Greek sources listed in the Tool Box at the end of the study. You may also use a concordance to see where else and how the word is used in the Bible. Glorified (John 11:4): Expedient (John 11:50): 2013 Mark Newton. All rights reserved. Express permission granted for use and reproduction by Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, CA. www.harvest.org 9
Tool Box Step 1: The Bible. Read the passage in a couple of different versions. If you are having trouble understanding a passage, chose a more dynamic version such as New Living Translation or The Message). To focus in on the exact meaning of a verse chose a more literal translation such as New American Standard Bible or New King James Version. Step 2: Study Tools. Use these to help you dig deeper. Background Information: 1) Unger s Bible Dictionary 2) Bible Dictionaries online at biblestudytools.com and blueletterbible.com Word Studies: 1) Zodhiate s The Complete Word Study New Testament 2) Vine s Complete Expository Dictionary 3) Strong s Dictionary of Bible Words 4) The two websites listed above Step 3: Commentaries. Do not use in place of studying God s Word directly, but they can give you additional insights. Listed by author/title: John MacArthur, J. Vernon McGee, The Expositors Commentary, NIV Application Commentary, William Barclay (great for background and culture but be careful of his spiritual applications). Step 4: Where Does This Week s Study Fit into the Life of Jesus? 10
Message Notes 11
Message Notes 12