Sunday School Lesson for July 31, 2022 - The Word Gives Peace: Printed Text: John 14:15-29 NLT; Background Scripture: John 14:15-31 NLT; Devotional Reading: John 14:15-29 NLT

 

Unit 2: The Word: The Agent of Creation

Key Verse:

John 14:16 NLT

 

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[a] who will never leave you.

 

Beloved. We are not alone…

 

 

What you need to know

 

 

Isaiah 11:1-6 NLT

1

Out of the stump of David’s family[a] will grow a shoot—

    yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.

2 

And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

3 

He will delight in obeying the Lord.

    He will not judge by appearance

    nor make a decision based on hearsay.

4 

He will give justice to the poor

    and make fair decisions for the exploited.

The earth will shake at the force of his word,

    and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.

5 

He will wear righteousness like a belt

    and truth like an undergarment.

 

John 3:34 NLT

34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.

Beloved, Isaiah foretold of the coming of the Messiah as One who would be imbued with the seven-fold Spirit of God. Chapter Eleven of Isaiah provides an unmistakable glimpse of the God-Man that we know as Jesus, Anointed of God. In Chapter Eleven, Isaiah also provides us with a description of the Holy Spirit, The Ruach Ha’Kodesh, literally, “The Wind (or Breath) of The Holy God”. The Holy Spirit of God worked with, in, and through Christ from the very beginning of creation. Additionally, His power rested on Christ throughout the entirety of His earthly ministry. The Bible says that God gave Jesus the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). And now, here in John 14, Jesus is preparing to give us this self-same, very precious gift; the enduring Presence of the Holy Spirit. I have painstakingly attempted to apply each aspect of the seven aspects of the Holy Spirit, as described in Isaiah 11:2 (above) in the passages below. My reasoning? In the narrative below, Jesus seemingly repeats Himself time and again when speaking of the Holy Spirit. I believe His intent was to expose His disciples and us to each of the various aspects or character traits of the Holy Spirit. It is important to know Him, the Holy Spirit, as Counselor, Teacher, Guide, Champion, Advocate, Comforter, and Helper. He’s everything we need, and so much more. Whe Jesus foretold His imminent departure, He rejoiced in knowing that the Holy Spirit would soon come from Heaven to empower His (Jesus’) fledgling Church. Let’s get started.

 

 

The Lesson

 

John 14:15 NLT

15 “If you love me, obey[d] my commandments. 

I know what you’re thinking. Obey! Obey! … Wait! Obey what? The ten commandments? No, that’s not what Jesus is talking about. Remember who it is with whom Jesus is speaking. His disciples. In essence, Jesus is exhorting the disciples to continue in the way that He has taught them. To continue their love for Him and to love one another as a demonstration of their love for Him. It is by their love for one another that outsiders will be able to identify them as …His followers. Jesus wants them to stick together in the face of great difficulty to await the precious gift that He has prepared for them: The Eternal Presence of God. They must persevere with and for one another.

John 13:34-35 NLT

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

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John 14:16 NLT

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[e] who will never leave you.

Jesus’ first description of what he is promising is ‘another Advocate’. What exactly is He saying? The first thing to consider is that He has broken the news to them that He is leaving. Alone. Without Him. Peter once said, “Lord, you have the Word of God. Where will we go (without you)?” Jesus was itroducig them to the answer: ‘another Advocate’, One who would never leave them. A synonym for advocate is ‘champion’, or ‘supporter’. Jesus tells the disciples that the Father is sending One who will replace Him (Jesus) as their advocate, their champion. In the same way that the Spirit accompanied Jesus, He will now accompany us as our Counselor (The Spirit of Consel). 

John 6:68-69 NLT

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.

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John 14:17 NLT

17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

Jesus promises that one of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Wisdom) will be to lead you to all truth. At a time when so many in the world adhere to their own personal truth, the truth of God is the absolute truth. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will lead us to the absolute truth; Jesus. He presses the point by pointing out that the world is looking in all of the wrong places. 

John 14:18-19 NLT

18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 

Jesus promises not to leave us comfortless. He does not abandon. And then He makes an exceptional proclamation. Though the world will not see Him after His crucifixion, somehow, His disciples will be able to see (discern) Him. Those who belong to Him will revere Him above all else, they will abide by the Spirit of Awe (reverent fear) of the Lord.

John 14:20-21 NLT

20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Jesus won’t stay in the grave. He will be restored to life by the very Spirit of Might (the Holy Spirit) that set creation in motion. His Presence, the very Presence of God will abide with them and in them, all of those who believe in His name; Jesus. Those who have believed will abide in His matchless love. 

John 14:22 NLT

22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

A salient question. How is it that Jesus will not reveal Himself to the entire world? Beloved, the natural mind of man cannot understand spiritual things. They can only be discerned by the Holy Spirit of God. Even in the disciple’s asking this question, the truth is revealed. Though Thaddeus (Judas) has been an active participant with Jesus, in ministry for three years, there is still so much that he does not yet comprehend. Nor do the other disciples. The things of God can only be discerned by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul confirmed this thought by writing:

1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT

14 But people who aren’t spiritual[g] can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

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John 14:23 NLT

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.

Jesus’ words are meant to comfort us. Remain in His love, continuing to walk in love and we experience His love for us, in us and with us by the the unction of the Holy Spirit. He loves you and promises to make His home in you. Literally, the Kingdom of God is within you.

Luke 17:20-21 NLT

20 One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”

Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs.[d] 21 You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”

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John 14:24-26 NLT

24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Those who are not His cannot obey Him because they cannot discern Him. That has been established. But when the Advocate, your Champion has come, the very Spirit of Christ, The Spirit of the Lord will abide with us and teach us the things of God, the very secret things of God and of His Kingdom. 

John 14:27 NLT

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Beloved, the greatest gift accompanying our salvation is the eternal peace that comes, peace that surpasses all human understanding. This peace, imparted to us by the Spirit of Understanding will deepen our faith and strengthen our love for one another. We walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.

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John 14:28-29 NLT

28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

Jesus closes by encouraging His disciples that everything He has told them is ‘Good News’. They should rejoice in the news. What He has promised, He is able to perform. And really, they cannot yet imagine what the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Knowledge has in store for them because of the love that the Father has shone upon them. The same is true for us, Beloved. We struggle to imagine all of the goodness that God has reserved for those of us who love Him, who are the called according to His will. He will teach us, in the same way that the heir is taught before they come into their inheritance. Love will show us the way. Rejoice in the gift of the Holy Spirit that has remained with us and in us to…show us the way home.

Selah,

wb

Ephesians 3:20 NLT

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

Sunday School Lesson for July 24, 2022 - The Word Resurrects: Printed Text: John 11:17-27,38-44 NLT; Background Scripture: John 11:17-44 NLT; Devotional Reading: John John 11:20-27,38-44 NLT

 

Unit 2: The Word: The Agent of Creation

Key Verse:

John 11:25-26 NLT

 

25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[b] Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

 

Everything we need to know about Jesus can be summed up in this brief statement.

 

 

What you need to know

 

 

John 11:39-40 NLT

39 Once again, they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile.

Prior to this week’s lesson, Jesus was chased away from the area of Judea by the religious leaders. The contention between He and them and grown to the point of danger. They had repeatedly threatened to stone Him and had ordered the Temple guards to arrest Him on sight. After their most recent confrontation, Jesus and His disciples crossed over to the east side of Jordan, near the place where His Judean ministry began in the wilderness of Perea.

 

 

John 11:3-7 NLT

3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”

4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

It was while they were in the wilderness that Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was gravely ill. Jesus' response seems awkward or aimless. He makes no immediate move toward Bethany, as though He has misread the gravity of the situation. Be reminded, that at all times, Jesus knows just what He is doing. Also, remember, that He works in concert with His Father’s will and does not act unless directed by His Father.

 

John 11:14-16 NLT

14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now, you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin,[c] said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

So it is with this backdrop that the narrative is set. Jesus and His disciples return to Judea to see to the affairs of Lazarus. They may have literally traveled in or near the Kidron Valley as they ventured toward Bethany. The Kidron Valley was the literal “Valley of the shadow of death” that David wrote of in Psalm 23. Thus, the pall of death and dread hung over their return to Judea.

 

Psalm 23:4 NLT

4 

Even when I walk

    through the darkest valley,[a]

I will not be afraid,

    for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

    protect and comfort me.

 

 

 

 

The Lesson

John 11:17 NLT

17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days.

By the time Jesus and His entourage arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. This is significant, in that the Jews believed that the spirit or soul of a person remained near the body of the deceased for three days. By the fourth day, a person was certifiably … dead. Thus, Lazarus was dead. Certifiably so.

John 11:18-19 NLT

18 Bethany was only a few miles[a] down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss.

Jesus and His troupe aren’t the only people traveling to Bethany in this time of mourning. Lazarus, Mary, and Martha are noteworthy within the community. Some theologians believe them to be successful in business and among the well thought of in or near the city of Jerusalem. Add to that the fact that they were friends of Jesus, the young, dynamic Rabbi whose preaching had set all of Israel afire. Many were gathering in Bethany to mourn the passing of Lazarus.

John 11:20 NLT

20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house.

Pay attention. There are two items of note contained in this verse. When Martha receives word that Jesus is near, she goes to Him. She doesn’t wait for Him to come to their house, where He and the disciples have been guests many times. Additionally, she goes to Jesus without any expectation of a miracle, as we will discover. She just comes to receive … her friend. In a time of grief and loss, she seeks the company and comfort of a close friend.

Just as noteworthy is what does not happen. Mary, Martha’s sister does not go out to meet Jesus. In fact, though he will call for her later, she does not have a speaking part in this narrative. I don’t have a finger to point here. I only make note of this unexpected occurrence, based on what we know about Jesus’ previously recorded interaction with them in Luke 10: Losing a loved one is difficult in any circumstance, especially a member of your immediate family. Mary is grieving the loss of her brother. That’s enough for me.

Luke 10:41-42 NLT

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

If anything, let me commend Martha for having taken Jesus’ words to her in their previous meeting to heart. As noted before, when she received word of Jesus’ arrival in Bethany, she stopped everything else she was or was not doing and came to where He was.. Before all else, Martha sought Jesus’ Presence. Beloved, let us take the lesson of Martha to heart. In our greatest trials, let us seek His face. Selah.

John 11:21-22 NLT

21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now, I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”

Martha makes two distinct statements here that I want to keep together. The first statement is one of confidence in Jesus’ ability to heal, “Lord, if only you had been here…” Her second statement reflects the esteem that she holds for Jesus, “God hears you…” Taken together, her statements demonstrate what she believes about who Jesus is, the Messiah. In her time of grief, she seems resigned to the thought of her brother’s demise. Nevertheless, she savors the Master’s presence. She’s just glad he’s there.

John 11:23 NLT

23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”

However, Jesus is on a higher mission. He hadn’t responded to the sister's call when they sent for Jesus. Rather, in God’s time, He was sent to Bethany by His Father. The old folks say, “He may not come when you want Him…” Jesus came with a word. ‘Lazarus will live…again.’ With this statement, Jesus informs Martha that the impossible is possible. That the unthinkable can be contemplated. The Bible records two previous instances where Jesus raised the dead: the widow’s son in Nain (Luke 11), and Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5 & Luke 8). However, in this circumstance, with the pall of death hanging over Bethany, as it were, Lazarus’ resurrection seemed unthinkable. It was the first thing on Jesus’ mind, literally the reason He had come to Bethany. However, it was the last thing on Marth’s mind at this particular moment.

John 11:24 NLT

24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

Good teaching. There were two predominant thoughts concerning among the Jews of Jesus’ day concerning the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, however, the Pharisees, the religious leaders who followed the teachings of the Torah, did believe in the resurrection. Most certainly, Jesus taught the resurrection as well. That would have aligned with His teaching concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. Martha's expectation was in line with what we are taught as Christians. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote that if there is no resurrection, then we are all to be pitied. The resurrection from the dead is part and parcel of the greatest promise offered to us by Christ; the promise of eternal life with God, in Christ.

John 11:25-26 NLT

25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[b] Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven “I AM” statements. The “I AM” identifies Him as God, God personified. Not less than God, Not another God. “I AM” identifies Him as God. Additionally, each of the nominative nouns or noun phrases describes Jesus as the singular source of a necessary ingredient for eternal life itself. He is the Bread of Life and the Light of the world. He is both the Door (the Sheep Gate), and the Good Shephard. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the True Vine. And in the verse above, He identifies Himself as the Resurrection and the Life. In doing so, He proclaims that the very power of life and death resides within Him. This is the .greatest of the “I AM” statements because it attributes to Him all (ALL) of the Majesty, Glory, and Power due to Him. Behold the Logos! All that we can understand or perceive about God is summed up in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord. at the precipice of this great wonder that He is about to perform, He asks Martha if this is the foundation of her belief about Him.

John 11:27 NLT

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”

Let me back up a bit. Be reminded that Martha and her sister, Mary, are mourning the loss of their brother, Lazarus. And yet, Jesus has chosen this course or direction of ministry in His discourse with Martha. Why? Beloved, our hope is in Christ. No matter our predicament, our hope is in Christ. The reason we assemble ourselves together for the sake of worship is that we serve Almighty God, personified in Jesus, who loves us more than we can express in words or thought. We are greatly loved. No matter what we are going through, in any given moment, the good news is still the good news. Jesus saves. He saves to the uttermost. Nothing is impossible with Him. That is our hope. In her response, Martha hangs her hat on the greatest, most encouraging news in all of creation. Jesus is Lord! He is enough.

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John 11:32-33 NLT (Not included in the printed text)

32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,[f] and he was deeply troubled.

______________________________

John 11:38 NLT

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.

So, as soon as Mary laid eyes on Jesus, her reaction was similar to Martha’s However, her tone was less hopeful and more accusatory (that’s why I combined the first two verses, to show Martha’s hopeful turn in the face of dire circumstances). Her words and the presence of the mourners with her, wailing in hopelessness, angered Jesus. He is nearing the close of His earthly ministry and still, He encounters this level of hopelessness and unbelief. Especially, from Mary, one of His closest friends. And so He arrives at the tomb of Lazarus.

John 11:39a NLT

39a “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.

But rather than lashing out in anger, Jesus turned His attention to the task at hand; the resurrection of Lazarus. There is still ministry to be done between here and the cross.

John 11:39b NLT

39b But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

However, Martha protests Jesus’ actions. She cannot imagine that after four days in the grave, the exhuming of Lazarus’ body from the tomb will be, in any way, a civil, decent affair. In fact, even though it is Jesus who made the request, in Martha’s mind, the request must seem sacrilegious at some level. 

John 11:40 NLT

40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”

Interestingly, Jesus does not respond to Martha with a sharp rebuke. Rather, He continues to lead her to a path of greater enlightenment and belief through His question. It’s as though He is asking her a partner in what is about to transpire. In fact, this very passage implores all of us to “wait and see.” Hush child, and behold the glory of the Lord. 

John 11:41a NLT

41a So they rolled the stone aside.

And so, all who are present become participants, rather than opponents. In this brief moment, Jesus has caused all to come into agreement with Him. If not in full agreement, they have at least come into a place of obeisance; deferential respect to the young Rabbi that many deemed to be the Messiah sent from God. They rolled away the stone.

John 11:41b-42 NLT

41b-42 Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here so that they will believe you sent me.”

Now, in the hearing of all of the people present, Jesus prays. Very publicly, In so doing so, He draws them (and us) into an awareness of the Presence of God. Is He yelling? Certainly not. He need not yell, for surely the Father hears Him, no matter the situation. In fact, His prayer confirms to us that He is in constant fellowship with His Father. His brief prayer instructs us that, through Christ, we too have access to the Throne of Grace…without yelling.

John 11:43 NLT

43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”

After His brief prayer, Jesus shouts for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. He could have whispered and achieved the same result. After all, He is the living Word. No, Jesus shouted for our benefit, so that we might clearly witness the Glory of God and believe on Him who God has sent; Jesus. Everything He did was for our benefit.

John 11:44 NLT

44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

And the Bible says that, “the dead man came out…” Lazarus vacated the grave at Jesus' command. Beloved, that same hope stands before us. With a shout! With the voice of the archangel, the Lord Himself will shout from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise from the dead. The grave will not be able to hold us. Martha and Mary received their brother alive. So too, will we who die in Christ be received into the Presence of God, there to abide eternally in His splendor forevermore. Amen!

Epilogue

John 20:30-31 NLT

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe[d] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

John’s narrative concerning the resurrection of Lazarus has but one purpose, to bolster the faith of those who have believed. I pray that this humble offering of a well-worn, often-preached chronicling of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave from John’s Gospel would serve that purpose before God. Selah.

Your humble servant,

wb

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NLT

15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.