I AM THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE

June 21 | Discipleship Guide

Be Real Together:

Take a few minutes to catch up, tell stories, and laugh together.
If you’re launching a new Group, trust and friendship take time to build. Take turns each week having someone share a bit of their story.

Read Together: John 11:17–27 CSB

In this passage, Martha finds herself caught in the tension between what she knows about Jesus and the painful reality in front of her. Her brother Lazarus has died, and Jesus arrived later than she hoped. Yet in the middle of grief, disappointment, and unanswered questions, Martha brings her honest emotions to Jesus and chooses to trust Him anyway. Jesus responds with one of His most powerful declarations: "I am the resurrection and the life." He doesn't simply offer resurrection as a future event or a gift He can give—He is resurrection and life. Because Jesus is Lord over life and death, we can trust Him even in life's most difficult tensions.

The One Question:
If you only have time for one question, ask this one.

Is there a tension you're facing right now, and what would it look like to trust Jesus in the middle of it?

Grow Together:
Use these questions to go deeper with your Group or for personal reflection.

What stands out to you most in this passage?
Martha honestly tells Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died." What do you learn from the way Martha brings her disappointment and grief directly to Jesus?
Pastor Sean said that intimacy with Jesus often begins when we acknowledge the tension we feel instead of hiding it. Do you find it difficult to be fully honest with God about your struggles and, if so, why do you think that is?
Martha doesn't avoid reality, but she also doesn't give in to despair. She says, "Yet even now..." What do those three words reveal about her faith?
Martha believed in a future resurrection, but struggled to believe Jesus could do something in her present situation. Why is it sometimes easier to trust God for eternity than for today?
Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." How is that different from saying, "I can perform resurrections" or "I can give life"?
Pastor Sean said, "We can trust Jesus in the tension because He is Lord over it." How does believing Jesus is Lord over your circumstances change the way you face them?
Jesus asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" If Jesus asked you that question regarding your current circumstances, how would you respond?

Pray Together:

Thank Jesus that He is the resurrection and the life.
Bring your disappointments, griefs, fears, and unanswered questions honestly before God.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you trust Jesus in the middle of tension rather than waiting until the tension is gone.
Pray for faith to believe that Jesus is present, powerful, and at work even when circumstances don't make sense.
Ask God to help you become someone who speaks faith into difficult situations without denying reality.
Pray for anyone in your Group who is currently walking through a season of grief, uncertainty, or loss.

Next Steps:

Name the tension: Write down one area where you're caught between your current reality and what you wish were true.
Pray an "Even Now" prayer: Like Martha, bring your honest struggle to Jesus and then add, "Even now, I trust You."
Get real with God: Spend time this week talking to God honestly rather than only telling Him what you think you're supposed to say.
Speak faith into the tension: Find one promise from Scripture that speaks directly to your current situation and pray it daily.
Remember who Jesus is: When anxiety or discouragement rises, remind yourself: Jesus doesn't just have resurrection and life—He is resurrection and life.
Encourage someone else: Reach out to someone walking through a difficult season and remind them that Jesus is present in their pain.
Reflect on eternity and today: Thank God not only for future resurrection but also for the life, hope, and presence He offers right now.