Everyday Jesus | Week 6
Big Idea: Are you living to die or dying to live?
Important for Leaders:
This discussion guide is a help for you to engage and steer the conversation within your group. You do not have to read every question; this is just a resource for you to move the big idea forward.
Do your best to make the story come to life by asking questions that will spur your group conversations that make this story come alive and become applicable to their lives.
Get Started:
· How did you Easter look different this year than normal?
· Were there any new traditions that this allowed you to make?
Dig In:
· What comes to mind when you think about Death? Does it scare you or do you feel prepared?
John 11:21-22 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
One of Jesus’ best friends has just died and it’s been about 4 days. When Jesus arrives Martha, Lazarus’ sister, blames Jesus immediately for not being there in time.
· What is the most difficult part of the death of someone close to you?
· How do you handle death? Do you blame, isolate, reach out?
· Is Martha’s response to Jesus right? Explain.
John 11:25-26 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?”
· Jesus did not say he brings resurrection and life, but that he is resurrection and life. How is this a significant difference?
o Because life is found in Him. He is the answer to it, not a supplement of it.
At the end of this Jesus asks, “Do you believe this?” because it’s a choice. Why do you believe people hear this message and choose not to believe?
John 11:33-36 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”
10 verses ago Jesus was talking about how he IS life and how he has resurrection power, and then we see him weeping over his friends body. In the same instance that Jesus shows his power, he shows his human nature.
· What does it show us that Jesus wept for his friend?
· What is different about the way Jesus mourned and the way we mourn?
Later in this story, Jesus asks the sisters to open the tomb. It’s nasty and stinky but Jesus says that this is for the Glory of God. The stone is rolled away and Jesus leans into this tomb and yells loudly for Lazarus to come out.
You’d think he’d whisper or go in and resurrect him privately, you know in case it didn’t work, but he yelled for everyone to see what was happening.
Next Step
In the current state of life, what could we do to live more boldly for Christ?
Does your faith reflect the boldness of Jesus?
