Prayer Meeting                                     Notes 2000

3 April 2000

"Many believed in His Name when they saw the signs which He did... But Jesus did not believe them (literal translation)" John 1:23-24

"If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" John 3:12

"Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe..." John 4:48

"But if you do not believe his (Moses) writings, how will you believe My words?" John 5:47

"But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet you do not believe" John 6:36

"For even His brothers did not believe in Him" John 7:5

"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" John 8:24

"And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me?" John 8:45

"I told you, and you do not believe..." John 10:25

The example of the raising of Lazarus well illustrates the way in which the Lord Jesus had always desired to help people, especially His disciples to grow in their faith.

1. The Lord Jesus was not always fully understood John 11:13, 16

a) Sometimes He seems to speak cryptically (He used parables, metaphors, symbols, etc)

b) He would speak of "death" as "mere sleep" John 11:13

2. He would always try and take time to explain things clearly to His disciples John 11:14

3. Martha and Mary well represent many who had faith in the Lord Jesus

a) They had been well taught by Him

b) They had a close relationship with Him John 11:1-5

c) Martha and Mary both expressed that they had not lost their faith in the Lord Jesus (John 11:24, 32); yet the fact was that it appeared as if that their Master had come too late, and thus they had "lost" their brother to death.

4. The Lord Jesus sought to reveal to them Who He really was

a) That He was the Resurrection and the Life John 11:25

b) That He was the Divine Life Giver John 11:25

5. However, He knew that the faith of His disciples was sadly limited

a) They could not believe beyond their intellectual comprehension

b) Thus He "groaned in the spirit and was troubled"    John 11:33, 38

c) He also wept (at their difficulty in believing Him after all this time) John 11:35

1. "Did I not say to you..." John 11:40

a) This is how our faith can grow - when we dwell on what the Lord said

b) His Word must prevail over and against our thoughts

c) The challenge is to know deeply what the Lord Jesus said and to believe what He said

2. "If you would believe..." John 11:40

a) There is a part that we must play

b) We must keep exercising our faith

c) Our faith must go beyond what we can understand

3. "You would see the glory of God..." John 11:40

a) God will respond to our faith in Him

b) He will show us His glory John 2:11,23

4. "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me..." John 11:41

a) Once again we are drawn to think of the place of prayer

b) We are challenged to consider our relationship with God as our Father

c) There was thanksgiving that God had heard His prayer

d) Most likely, the Lord Jesus had breathed a silent prayer to His Father when He groaned in His spirit (John 11:33; Cf. Romans 8:26)

e) Can we approach Him with this kind of confidence and faith?

5. "And I know that You always hear Me..." John 11:42

a) This statement reflects the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ

b) This faith-relationship with God is well exemplified here

c) This statement reflects the kind of confidence that we can have when we have this kind of faith

6. "I said this... that they may believe..." John 11:42

a) Another reminder to us as to how our faith can grow further

b) It is faith in the Lord's Word

c) It is faith in the Lord