The Plot

John 11:^25-26 “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

We are more than halfway through our study of the Book of John. God’s Words by itself is life and it is so beautiful to see how Jesus responds to things. God’s Word is so refreshing, and I am confident that even as our minds are being renewed, our lives are being transformed. Amen! We are in an era where people want to have superpowers like the superheroes from the Marvel stories – Spiderman, Superman, Captain America, and recently the Black Panther. If you could have one superpower, what superpower would it be? Our study is on John 11:1-57 [please read] and we are looking at someone that has the ultimate superpower – Jesus. Jesus is not limited by anything. From our previous studies, we saw that at some point they struggled to believe that He could heal. But then they had to accept that He could heal after he performed several healing miracles. Now the question was, can He raise the dead? Jesus showed them and us that not only can He heal, He can also raise the dead. He is the Resurrection and the Life.

John 11:⁵³ “So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.” This miracle is the miracle that triggered the crucifixion of Jesus. All the attacks on His life had been spontaneous; the attempt to push Him over the cliff, picking up stones to stone Him and so on. But after this miracle, they called a meeting decided there was only one thing to be done to Jesus and that was to kill Him. So, they began to plan, and they made it public. Perhaps they even put a price tag on His head because the word they put out was that anyone that sees Him should report it.

John 11:² “This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.” The Bible here tries to distinguish this Mary. The pouring of the expensive perfume described can be found in Mark14:6-9 [please read]. Mary was the one that broke the alabaster box of ointment at the feet of Jesus. Mary did not open it and pour some on Him, even though that would have been sacrificial. Mary smashed it, and after rubbing Jesus’ feet with it, she cleaned it with her hair – unbelievable devotion and worship. The Word of God took the time to say it is that Mary because there are different Marys in the Bible.

John 11:^3,5-6 “So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.” Have you had to deal with a season in your life when you know that God loves you, you have prayed and He has heard your prayer, but He does nothing at that moment? You do not doubt God’s love, you are confident He has heard you. You know He can come to your rescue because of His power and He does not appear to be moving. How did you survive it? Did He eventually come through or are you still waiting in that season? When He came through, how did you feel? This was the Mary who anointed Jesus, that He loved but she had to wait.

Prayer: Father, I am confident in Your love and that You will come for me, in Jesus Name.