Tag: John 11:1-44

John 11:1-44 // Journey to Easter

Good Friday Services
March 25th at 12p, 3p, 4:30p, 6p, & 7:30p
Before there is the resurrection and new life, there is darkness and death.  We want to encourage you and your life group to attend a Good Friday service to feel the heaviness and weight of the cross so that you can also experience the joy, celebration, and new life of Easter in a deeper and more profound way!

Lean In // 5 minutes

What are things that seem to always remain the same in life?

Sample answers:

  • Sunrise and sunsets
  • Waves at the ocean and the tides
  • Monday mornings
  • The smell of homemade cookies
  • Communication problems
  • Getting old
  • Anticipation of change of seasons
  • World systems (government, economic, etc.)
  • Teaching old dogs new tricks
  • UCLA fans and USC fans not getting along

Leader Note: Transition your group into the Look Down by highlighting how this week’s passage challenges the idea that things don’t change in life.

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read John 11:1-44

Leader Note: Before reading the passage, ask the question and encourage group members to take notes and write down observations. This week’s passage is written in story form and is longer than usual. As you read, it may be helpful to break it up into sections (IE- 11:1-16; 17-37; 38-44).

What do the disciples, Mary and Martha learn about preparing for Easter from this passage?

Sample answers:

  • Jesus promises that death is not the end (v. 4)
  • God uses even death for His glory (v. 4)
  • Jesus holds the power over death (v. 11)
  • Jesus speaks of death in ways we don’t understand (v. 12)
  • Death causes confusion and questions about God (vv. 20, 32, 37)
  • Jesus is the resurrection and the life (v. 25)
  • Where there is death, there is opportunity for resurrection and new life
  • Jesus promises life to those who believe in Him (vv. 25-26)
  • God turned a sad and hopeless event into a time of belief and celebration
  • Jesus’ words have the power of life (vv. 43-44)
  • Jesus allows us to participate in bringing life to others (vv. 39, 44)
  • New life points to God’s glory (v. 40)

Look Out // 10 minutes

What does Jesus ask people to do with things that are dead and buried?

Leader Note: This question is designed to get your group thinking about where they have seen the principles of this passage in the world today. Where have they ever seen God show and bring dead things to life in relationships or in areas of people’s lives that have seemed hopeless? What changed and what was the response of those who encountered the change?

Look In // 20 minutes

Where have you given up hope in your life and no longer believe God can show up and bring resurrection power?

Sample answers:

  • I’ll never get out of debt
  • I’ll never hear God’s voice
  • I’ll never get out of this place
  • My family will never come to know the Lord
  • My relationship will never be reconciled
  • I’ll always have this stronghold
  • I’ll always have this addiction

What would it look like to “roll away the stone” and trust Jesus?

Leader note: In the passage, Jesus’ desire was to bring Lazarus from death to life but he asked others to trust him and roll away the stone. In a similar way, Jesus’ desire is to bring life to our places of death. But, there is a part we play in trusting Jesus and His power and opening up those places that are dead and decaying.

Live It Out // 5 minutes

How do these truths prepare us for Easter?

What if we were ready for Easter, how would we be different and what conversations might we be having with others around us?

Easter Services: March 26th – 3:30p & 5:30p // March27th – 8:15a, 9:45a, & 11:30a Easter Egg Scramble – March 26th 2p

 

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.

 

 

John 11:1-44 // The Last Week

Good Friday Services – April 3, at 12n, 3, 4:30, 6, & 7:30 – Before there is the resurrection and new life, there is darkness and death.  We want to encourage you and your life group to attend a Good Friday service to feel the heaviness and weight of the cross so that you can also experience the joy, celebration, and new life of Easter in a deeper and more profound way!

Lean In // 5 minutes

What are things that don’t change in life?

Sample answers may include:
• Death
• Taxes
• Getting old
• World systems (government, economic, etc.)
• Teaching old dogs new tricks
• UCLA fans and USC fans not getting along

Leader Note: Transition your group into the Look Down by highlighting how this week’s passage challenges the idea that things don’t change in life.

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read John 11:1-44

Leader Note: Before reading the passage, ask the question and encourage group members to take notes and write down observations. This week’s passage is written in story form and is longer than usual. As you read, it may be helpful to break it up into sections (IE- 11:1-16; 17-37; 38-44).

What do learn about death and life from the passage?

Sample answers on death:

  • Jesus promises that death is not the end (v. 4)
  • God uses even death for His glory (v. 4)
  • Jesus holds the power over death (v. 11)
  • Jesus speaks of death in ways we don’t understand (v. 12)
  • Death causes confusion and questions about God (vv. 20, 32, 37)
  • Jesus grieves the death in our life (v. 33)
  • We doubt that God can bring dead things to life (v. 38)

Sample answers on life:

  • Jesus is the resurrection and the life (v. 25)
  • Where there is death, there is opportunity for resurrection and new life
  • Jesus promises life to those who believe in Him (vv. 25-26)
  • God turned a sad and hopeless event into a time of belief and celebration
  • Jesus’ words have the power of life (vv. 43-44)
  • Jesus allows us to participate in bringing life to others (vv. 39, 44)
  • New life points to God’s glory (v. 40)

Look Out // 10 minutes

What causes people to lose hope?  Where have you seen it?

What causes people to regain hope?  What does it look like?

Leader Note: This question is designed to get your group thinking about where they have seen the principles of this passage in the world today. Have they ever seen someone lose and regain hope? What did it look like and what were those defining characteristics?

Look In // 20 minutes

What are things in your life that you think will never change?

Sample answers:

  • I’ll never get out of debt
  • I’ll never hear God’s Voice
  • I’ll never get out of this place
  • My family will never come to know the Lord
  • My relationship will never be reconciled
  • I’ll always have this stronghold
  • I’ll always have this addiction

What would it look like to “roll away the stone” and trust Jesus?

Leader note: In the passage, Jesus’ desire was to bring Lazarus from death to life but he asked others to trust him and roll away the stone. In a similar way, Jesus’ desire is to bring life to our places of death. But, there is a part we play in trusting Jesus and His power and opening up those places that are dead and decaying.

Live It Out // 5 minutes

How would experiencing Jesus’ new life in those areas impact you and others?

Easter 2015…is the celebration of new life!  Like a spark exploding out of the darkness of death – it’s the event all of eternity hinges upon. Jesus overcame the power of death to bring us abundant life, hope and new beginnings.  We want everyone in our community to experience the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of a life lived out in full color offered to you this Easter!  We have a part to play in this celebration. From inviting our neighbors and friends to serving on the weekend we encourage you and your Life Group to jump all in!  Sign up to serve here.

Easter Services: April 4- 4pm & 6pm // April 5- 8:30a, 10a, & 11:30a

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.

John 11:1-44 // Have I Got A Surprise For You

Lean In // 5 minutes

What’s something you remember wanting so badly as a kid?

Leader Note: As a follow up you may want to ask whether the person received what they hoped for, what did it feel like to get that thing, what did it feel like not to receive it?

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Luke 11:1-44

Leader Note: This week’s passage is a very long one. You may want to break it up in the following sections (11:1-16, 11:17-37, 11:38-44), asking the same question below after each section.

What do learn about Jesus from his response to Lazarus’ sickness and death?

Sample answers may include

  • He was full of faith that Lazarus’s sickness wouldn’t end in death (v.4)
  • Jesus believed that God would be glorified in this trial (v.4)
  • Jesus doesn’t rush, he is patient, works on his timetable not ours (v.6-7)
  • Jesus isn’t afraid to enter into dangerous places (v.8)
  • Jesus looked forward to healing him so that others would really believe in him (v.14)
  • Jesus has the power over physical death as well as spiritual/eternal death and life (v.23-26)
  • Jesus experiences emotion, the death of his friend caused anger and sadness (v.33,35)
  • Jesus does the impossible even when others doubt (v.39-40)
  • The words of Jesus give life (v.43)
  • Jesus invites us to participate in his healing work (v.39,44)

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

Where have you seen people remain hopeful in a desperate situation?

Where have you seen people lose hope in a desperate situation?

Commentary: Be it sickness, financial hardship, relational stress or praying for a loved one to come to Christ, most of us face situations where our hope and belief for change is challenged. Where have you seen that? What has that looked like in the world around us and in those close to you?

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where have you endured in a desperate situation?

Where have you or where are you currently struggling to remain hopeful?

Leader Note: Help guide the individual and the group to identify what things enable them to remain hopeful (i.e. community, God’s word, remembering God’s faithfulness). What could it look like to allow those things to help guide you in present trouble?

 

Live It Out // 5 minutes

Where might Jesus be calling you to live out hope for others?

Commentary: Jesus involves those around him in this passage to have a hand in the miracle of raising Lazarus to life. He tells them “roll back the stone” and to “unwarp him and let him go.” Where is Jesus inviting you to roll back the stone and unwarp the stench and bondage of death? Jesus does the heavy lifting for us by his work on the cross.  Death is already defeated! He calls us to join in with what he has already done.

Pray: Pray for the reality of the Holy Spirit, the comforter, to be near to those who are in the middle of situations that seem hopeless and desperate. Pray for God to be near and for your group to step in with love and courage to hold each person up. Pray for the eyes of your group to be opened to the places where Jesus is inviting them to join in his work or removing the stench of death that still remains in our world.