Troublings Within John 11: 21-45

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                        As observed in the lives of Martha and Mary.

                        Focusing on the minor, the insignificant, thus, missing the main point.

                        Sincere in their commitment, but without Godly understanding.

                        Not spiritually resting.

                        Not thinking things through; short sighted.

                        Drawing wrong conclusions.

                        More focused on death, than life.

                        Failing to please the Master.

                       

v.21            1.    Fixing one’s own limit on the power of God and following it,
                          (Then said Martha unto Jesus, If thou hadst been here, my brother had
                          not died.)

v.23,            2.   Hearing Jesus, but not hearing what Jesus is saying.

   24                   (Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.)

                          (Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection
                           at the last day.)

v.25            3.    Failing to live in the present tense with Jesus.

                           (Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:)

v.25            4.    Seeing the cross as terminal, the end.

                           (he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:)

v.25            5.    It is not sin alone that causes the troublings, rather it is not believing in the   

                            power of the cross.

v.26            6.    Failing to see the equality of believing.

                          (And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou
                          this?)

                          It is through believing in Jesus and His teachings that we are reconciled to 
                          truth and locked into position to inherit its message and blessings.

v.27            7.   Contentment with present understanding.

                         (She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou are the Christ, the Son of God,   

                         which  should come into the world.)

v.28            8.    Following/going on one’s own way.

                          (And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister   

                          secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.)

v.32            9.    Upholding the common understanding.

                          (Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at  

                          His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not  

                          died.) same as in v. 21

                          What is commonly agreed upon and consented to: it didn’t come from Jesus.

v.33            10.  Failing to please the teacher.

                          (When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which
                          came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.)

v.38,           11.  Seeing not what frees the believer, but what binds the believer.

    39                  (Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave. It was a 
                          cave, and a stone lay upon it.)  
                         (Jesus said, Take ye away the stone, Martha, the sister

                          of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath  

                          been dead four days.)

v.40            12.  Being an unbelieving believer or an unbelievable believer.

                         (Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou)

v.40            13.  Allowing the light of truth to be blocked out.

                         (if thou wouldest believe,)

v.40            14.  Unprepared for the visitation of God’s glory.

                         (…if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?)

v.41            15.  Unfamiliarity with the power of prayer and its results.

                         (Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And 

                         Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.) 
                         (And I knew that thou hearest me always …)

v.42            16.  Failure to believe Jesus is God’s Son and to appreciate the oneness there 

                         present.
                         (And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people
                         which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.)

v.43            17.  Failure to see God’s commitment to life.

                         (And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come
                         forth.)

v.44            18.  Failure to see God’s power in life.

                         (And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and)

v.44            19.  Failure to comprehend and embrace the liberty of the cross. 

                          (and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him,

                          and let him go.)

                          see v. 25- the liberty of the cross.

v.45            20.  The only real ministry and message to share is the liberty of the cross.

                          (Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which

                          Jesus did, believed on Him.)

                  21.  The child of God’s greatest threat is not death, (for Jesus reigns over death),
                          nor, is it  defeats, nor is it discouragements;  but rather it is life itself and life’s
                          victories, clearly seen, received, participating in, and joyfully
                          commemorating.

                         The threat is not death, but life.