Battle Story and people that lead to resurrection at both 9:30 and 11:00 9:30 slot the focus will be on the people whose stories challenge us or encourage us. Dusty will fill you in more about 11:00 later this am. Objective: That none of us will be satisfied with the spiritual status quo in our lives, but rather seek to be excellent, holy, and mature.

Trust & Faith Martha and Mary

John 11:1-3 NIV 1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

John 11:1-3 NIV Do you believe that Jesus cares about you? Can you have faith or trust in Jesus if you do not believe that He cares for you? Are you living like Jesus can do something about the circumstances that you face? How do you do this with confidence? How do we know what we should do? Why do we not act on what we know we should do? How do you bridge the gap between people with needs and Jesus? Mary and Martha knew that Jesus would care about Lazarus. They knew that He could do something about it. They did what they knew to do – they sent word to Jesus.

John 11:17-27 NIV 17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now 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.”

John 11:17-27 NIV 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. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

John 11:17-27 NIV How does Jesus accepting our wiring engender our faith and trust in Him? How is trust demonstrated when we don’t know why God chooses not to do it the way that we would? Do we have faith that Romans 8:28 is true? How do we get there? What makes us forget or forget to live out our theology? Why? How does the fact of the coming resurrection of the dead influence your daily living? Who or What do we place out faith and trust in on a daily practical level? Martha went to meet Jesus. Mary stayed at home. Jesus condemned neither. Martha had her practical theology correct. Jesus could have saved him, but did not for a reason. Jesus could receive anything He asked for within God’s will. Martha understood what Jesus had been preaching about the Kingdom of God – and the resurrection of the dead. Martha understood that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

John 11:28-32 NIV 28 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.” 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.

John 11:28-32 NIV 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.”

John 11:28-32 NIV Why does our enemy seek to overwhelm us physically, emotionally, and spiritually? What keeps us running to Jesus? Mary was overwhelmed and probably exhausted, but even in her exhaustion, she too had faith in Jesus.

John 11:39-40 NIV 39“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

John 11:39-40 NIV What are the things that help us to see the facts but have faith and trust in Jesus? How has God given you further reason to trust Him? Martha is a realist. She does not deny the facts. Faith does not deny reality. Faith sees past circumstances and trusts God. Jesus is acknowledging Martha’s belief. He is prepared to give her further reason to trust Him.

John 11:41-44 NIV 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

John 11:41-44 NIV How has Jesus fulfilled promises to you? Jesus fulfills His promises. He demonstrates that faith and trust are correctly placed in Him.

John 11:45 NIV 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

John 11:45 NIV How has the belief and trust of others in Jesus influenced you? How has God multiplied your faith and trust in the lives of other people? Belief and trust in Jesus multiply into the belief and trust of others in Jesus.