CCVB Community Groups

Sermon Based Discussion

Week of 9/20/2026

Pastor Jim Gallagher

John 11:17-44 – Snapshots in the book of John

Pastor Jim started his sermon by stating that this passage is one that most of us are well acquainted with. In this passage, we see familiar characters and friends of Jesus in Mary, Martha and Lazarus. To set the stage, Pastor Jim walked us through the prior 16 verses of chapter 11 where we see Jesus was ministering in a neighboring area some 20 miles away while Lazarus was dealing with some sort of infirmity. When Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick, He did not immediately head to Bethany but rather He waited. We see in verse 4 that Jesus stated, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Q: God often has us in a pattern of waiting. Why is that?

Q: Can you think of a time where you had to wait on God for something very important to you, and what did you learn in the waiting?

In verses 21 & 32, we see that Martha and Mary state that if Jesus was there earlier, Lazarus would not have died. Essentially, they were saying that Jesus could have done something to stop this. The lack of haste in Jesus getting there was not due to a lack of love. We see in verses 3, 5, 11, 35 and 36 that Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters and He calls Lazarus a friend. The foundation on which we stand is that Christ loves us (John 3:16, Romans 5:8).

Q: Do you ever question God’s love for you? If so, in what ways?

Q: How do you overcome this feeling? Share some related scriptures or some encouragement regarding this.

Jesus asks Martha in verse 26 if she believes and she states that yes, she believes and that there is life after death in the resurrection. Jesus later calls for the stone to be removed and for Lazarus to come forth. Lazarus comes forth, and becomes for us a symbol of our salvation from spiritual death into the resurrection life (newness of life). As Christians, we believe and  accept Christ, yet like Lazarus, we need to be loosed of our grave clothes (the old way of life) and walk in newness of life (Romans 13:12-14).

Q: As a believer, have you found yourself struggling to rid yourself of your grave clothes (old habits, ways of thinking, carnality)?

Q: Do you have someone that can help support you and keep you accountable in your walk?

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2