LEARNING FROM YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
John 11:17-32
Experience is a good teacher. Throughout my lifetime, I have learned
how to do things right by doing them wrong first. For example putting
Up a baby bed. There is a picture on the box, hard could it be?
The picture is the way; wrong. Reading the directions and follow
the instructions saves time.
Throughout the Bible, God uses the problems of men and women to
show His power and authority. The Bible is our instruction book for
life. How often do run our lives without following God’s commands?
In this text, Jesus used the death of Lazarus to teach the true meaning
of the resurrection. Mary and Martha had to learn to trust Jesus’s
design for their situation.
TRUST JESUS TO ANSWER YOUR PRAYER
V:17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
A. The process of faith building begins with a problem that we
can’t handle and therefore call on Jesus.
1. Prior to Jesus arriving at Bethany, the following happen:
PRAYER REQUEST
Mary and Martha called on Jesus for help.
JOYFUL EXPECTATION
We should joyfully expect Jesus to answer our prayers.
LAPSE OF FAITH
1. Mary and Martha were grieving because Jesus did
Not come before Lazarus died.
2. We must learn to not doubt God’s love for us and
learn to accept His way of caring for us.
3. We must find joy in waiting on Jesus.
B. OUR IMPERFECT KNOWLEDGE IS THE REASON
FOR GRIEF
“If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
1. They had faith that Jesus could heal their brother’s sickness.
2. What they didn’t consider was Jesus could heal from a
distance.
3. They did not consider why Jesus allowed their brother to die.
a. God has a reason for your circumstance.
b. God uses your circumstances to give Him glory and to bless others.
4 Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus sickness was not unto death
5. Because we only see what we want, we miss the glory of God.
CORRECTING IMPERPECT KNOWLEDGE
V:23. Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha answered, "I know 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 will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
A. Mary and Martha studied the Word at the feet of the Word.
1. They took Jesus at His Word.
2. They believed they understood what He had said.
B. There is more meaning in the Word of God than you and
I can understand at one time.
1. God blesses us with the understanding we need at the time of our
crisis and sometimes in our crisis.
2. Some Jews believed in the resurrection after death.
3. Martha didn’t want a resurrection in the future, she wanted relief
now.
4. The reason we study the Word is to learn to accept God’s way.
5. Life’s circumstances are good teachers.
C. John 3:16 makes it clear that eternal life belongs to those who believe
In Jesus.
1. It is the trials and tribulation we face that cause us to search for a
deeper understanding of God’s Word.
2. Martha truly believed that Jesus would come in time to save her
brother.
3. She did not understand that Jesus would use Lazarus death to show
His authority over death.
4. Jesus claim that “I Am the Resurrection and the life “ may have
been a statement to hard for Martha to understand in her grief.
5. When going through trials and tribulation, our faith is tried and tested.
6. We have to accept the outcome as God’s will for our lives.
7. Jesus affirmed Martha’s faith without explaining the deeper meaning.
COMFORMATION OF FAITH
V:27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
28 And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you."
A. Martha had a good understanding of the divine Sonship of Jesus, but
not His total power and authority.
1. According to the text, Martha did not discuss with Mary the new
revelation Jesus had given her about Himself.
2. Martha knew Jesus came into the World but could not understand
that He was the creator of the World.
3. Martha knew that Jesus was the Son of God but could not understand
that He was God.
B. The proof of Martha’s imcomplete knowledge was her reference to Jesus
Teacher (master).
1. Why didn’t Martha say the Christ or the Son of God is asking for you.
2. Sometimes we use words or phrases to describe Jesus that we do not
have a clear understanding of.
3. Martha couldn’t comfort her sister Mary because she had no new
understanding.
4. Martha was given a new revelation by Jesus, but didn’t question
Him to get a deeper understanding.
5. We can’t teach what we don’t know.
6. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
7. We have to lay aside our circumstances to hear God during
our circumstances.
8. We waste the growth in our circumstances worrying about what
we are not designed to control.
9. The bottom line is Martha didn’t take to time understand the Word
given to her by Jesus, so she could not console her sister.
YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AFFECTS OTHERS
V:29. When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
A. When you are hurting, get to Jesus first.
1. There were mourners with Mary who could not comfort her.
2. Quickly make your request known to Jesus.
3. Mary placed her grief at the feet of Jesus.
4. If you trust Jesus, He will carry you through your grief.
B. Either Martha didn’t take time to comfort Mary with the new
Revelation from Jesus, or Mary didn’t listen.
1. Mary’s regret to Jesus was the same as Martha’s.
2. They both blamed Jesus for Lazarus death.
3. Neither asked Jesus why He didn’t come sooner.
4. Perhaps Jesus would have given Mary and Martha the same
answer He gave His disciples; Lazarus sickness is not unto death.
5. Jesus works in each of our trials to give us the understanding we need.
6. When you study the Bible and come to something you don’t understand,
stop until you get an understanding.
7. When we meditate on the Word, the Holy Spirit will give us an
understanding. That is His job.
John 14:26-27
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I
have said to you.
8. It is up to you to question God anytime you cannot understand the
Word.
9. Communication with God is a two way street.
a. It is up to you to wait on God to give you an understanding.
b. Don’t think you know what the Holy Spirit has not confirmed
to you.
THANK GOD FOR OUR TRIBULATIONS
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
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