Jesus has compassion on people. Some families He had a special affection for. The family of Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany was one of those families. Jesus returns to Judah at the risk of His own life to restore Lazarus to life.
John 10: I Am the Good Shepherd
1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.
20 Many of them said, "He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?"
21 Others said, "These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
I and the Father Are One
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
30 I and the Father are one."
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"
33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."
34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?
35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came---and Scripture cannot be broken---
36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;
38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.
41 And many came to him. And they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."
42 And many believed in him there.
John 11: The Death of Lazarus
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.
3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."
4 But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so 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 Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer 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, the Jews were just now seeking 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 anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
11 After saying these things, he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him."
12 The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died,
15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
21 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 from 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 on the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
26 and everyone who 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 coming into the world."
Jesus Weeps
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."
29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?"
Jesus Raises Lazarus
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, 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 the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days."
40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me."
43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out."
44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,
46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all.
50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish."
51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.
56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?"
57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
Things to think about…
1. Jesus says that those who know Him hear His voice, Jn 10:1-21. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus leads His sheep. But He also says He lays down His life for His sheep. Many have heard the words of Jesus, but unfortunately very few take them to heart. Some take offense that He has to lay down His life for anyone. Regardless of the wisdom of man, the wisdom of God is required. Let’s continue to speak on behalf of the Good Shepherd.
2. Some Jews who wanted an earthly deliverer and a Messiah of their own making ask Jesus whether He is the Christ, Jn 10:22-28. Jesus says He did tell them, but they refused to accept it. Why? For the simple reason that Jesus didn’t match up to their expectations of what they believed the Messiah would look like. Jesus said that for this first part of His ministry as the Christ He had to call His sheep and that they will have eternal life. This is still the commission Jesus has given His people. Jesus will return in judgement only when the Great Commission is completed. May we continue to pray that the Lord would continue to call out His people.
3. After Jesus says ‘I am the Father are one’. The Jews pick up stones to stone Him, Jn 10:31. Why? Because He made Himself equal with God. Jesus said if this is not true then they should judge His words by His works to understand that what He said was true, Jn 10:34-38. To be the Christ He had to be God. They were happy to ask if He was the Christ. But when He made Himself equal with God they got angry. If anyone is going to accept that Jesus is God they need something supernatural to happen in their hearts. Who are you praying for to accept Jesus for who He said He was – the Christ?
4. Jesus then escapes and turns away from the crowds by going to where John was baptising at first. Even today it is a place that is out in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes we need time to be alone with the Lord where we can recover and be restored by His Spirit. How are your quiet times with the Lord going at the moment? Sometimes a change in scenery can refresh the outlook and the spirit.
5. Jesus wanted to go back to Bethany – near Jerusalem to heal Lazarus, Jn 11:1-6. Bethany today has a traditional site for the tomb of Lazarus and is one of the sites that helps bring tourists into this West Bank town. The Jews today are actively renaming it back to its biblical names of Judea and Samaria. As a small village in Jesus’ day everyone would have known Lazarus and mourned his death. Jesus puts Himself in danger by going back to Judea to heal His friend. What would you do for your closest friends? Surely the greatest thing is their salvation. Jesus goes to give a remarkable lesson on the power of Him being “the resurrection and the life”.
6. We often hear that Mary is the one who sat at Jesus feet and Martha was the worker. But look here in Jn 11:17-27, Martha is the one who goes out to greet Jesus and confesses that Jesus could have healed her brother and that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. Look at her theology and confession in Jn 11:27 “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." Martha’s eyes had been open to the truth even though she struggled at times. I get great encouragement when I see these insights in scripture. There’s hope for me!
7. “Jesus wept”, Jn 11:35. Is the shortest verse in the bible and yet it displays the compassion and humanity of our Lord and His identity with a lost, broken and dying world. What makes you weep? When was the last time you wept over someone who was outside a saving knowledge of Christ? They are dead even while they live. Jesus has come to give them life.
8. Imagine the effect of seeing your brother who had been dead for four days get up and walk out of the tomb, Jn 11:44. Yet those who have accepted Christ as Saviour have a greater resurrection. They have been raised spiritually – a truly impossible task for the flesh. May you be part of this ‘first’ resurrection.
9. This miracle was always going to cause a problem for Jesus. The Pharisees were already angry at Him before He left the area and wanted to stone Him. Now with this latest miracle which displayed the undeniable power of Jesus, they plotted to kill Him from that point on, Jn 11:53. John 12 makes the point that they wanted Lazarus dead for the same reason. What do you think of Caiaphas’s comment, Jn 11:49-52? He was speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God used their plotting towards Christ’s murder for the purpose of saving the Lord’s people. Peter confirms this in his sermon in Acts 2:36.
Vision Point
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Questions for Cell groups
Sunday’s sermon, “For God so loved the world” came from John 3:1-21 by Ps Jay.
1. We find it hard to imagine how Nicodemus would have heard the words “You must be born again”. Explain what Jesus meant when He said you must be born of the water and the Spirit? This involves 2 births. Explain each according to how you understand it.
2. The wind, the “Spirit” blows where it wishes. Describe your understanding of what Jesus meant. Do we have any role to play in our conversion if the wind blows where it wishes? Surely when we ask Jesus into our lives it involves us. What do you think?
3. Nicodemus clearly got the message. He is seen wrapping the body of Jesus after His crucifixion along with Joseph of Arimathea. Both became unclean touching a dead criminal’s body. Describe your understanding of who Nicodemus was and why this was a courageous act. What has your own conversion cost you?
4. Pray that many might be “born again” in our city. Pray for your cell group and the church building and outreach that we achieve our Vision/Mission as a church.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for those who have suffered deep loss with parents and friends who have lost the battle with Corona virus. Pray for peace, comfort and strength.
2. Pray for Queensland that we do not see any more Corona virus cases as restrictions are lifted. Pray for Victoria and NSW as borders are closed, but virus cases continue.
3. Pray for our church services now meeting together and our streaming that both can continue to be done well every Sunday.
4. Continue to pray for our government for wisdom and economic management.
5. Sunday’s fb live messages and for Kids church. The message this week – “I am the resurrection” John 11 – Pr Jay.
6. Our online Chuwar Kids at church program – that our kids still feel connected to church and love worshipping Him.
7. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
8. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times. Pray especially for people to be stable with respect to mental health.
Praise Points.
1. The joy in returning to church last Sunday. Pray for more to join us.
2. Church picnic/bbq - Wonderful time together. Thank you one and all.
3. Last of our money blessed from Mallacoota fire donations. Will show it this Sunday.
4. Finances being maintained and donation to Café roof. Thankyou!
1. One service at 9:30am Every Sunday morning. This service will also be live streamed. No hand shakes or hugs are allowed. Hand sanitizer is to be used, tables will be wiped and chairs arranged for appropriate distancing. Families can of course sit together.
2. Cell groups – Ask for details as to how and what is required.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church now streamed live at 9:00am every Sunday morning via CBC’s fb page. Will be run in the house for the 10am service starting on the 12th July.
