Can you remember a time in your life when people that you loved, treated you in a way that didn’t “feel” loving?

o How did you respond?

The story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus is one of the most powerful in the Bible!

o But there’s more to the story and first meets the eye. This passage deals with two things that people experience everyday:

§ The fact that Jesus loves us.

§ And the fact that we often don’t understand that love, in the moment!

John 11:5-8

o Now Jesus LOVED Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard Lazarus was ill, He STAYED two days long in the place that He was. Then after this, He said to His disciples; Let us go to Judea again. And the disciples said; “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you and you want to go back there again?”

§ On the surface, Jesus’ behavior did NOT seem loving, but to the disciples, it at least seemed logical. Going to Lazarus would have been dangerous!

· Neither of those things was true, however! He WAS being loving and there was nothing to FEAR!

o They just didn’t understand.

Are you willing to trust Jesus, believing that He loves you? And are you willing to follow Him, wherever He may lead?!

o That’s exactly what He’s asking of each of us every day!

Message: “Understanding Love”

Scripture: John 11:1-16\

Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

Prairiebible.org