Through Heavens Eyes - John 11:1-16

John 11:1-16 – Through Heaven’s Eyes

Introduction

 

            The Prince of Egypt – ‘Through Heaven’s Eyes’

 

 

The Circumstance (11:1-3)

 

              Troubled and Disturbed

 

 

The Complexity (11:4-7)

 

              The Tension

 

 

 

 

 

The Confusion (11:8-13)

 

              ‘Why?’ versus ‘What?’

 

                             God-ward

 

                             Self-ward

 

                             Other-ward

 

 

The Clarity (11:9-16)

 

              The glory of God is the end goal of all things

 

 

              The timings of God cannot be tampered with

 

 

              The people of God are being shaped by the hand of God

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

Questions:

1a) Has a time of suffering ever caused you to doubt God’s love? 1b) How do we reconcile the reality of suffering with the belief that God loves us?

2a) Why do we often expect immediate responses from God when we face trials? 2b) How does Jesus’ delayed action in this passage challenge that expectation?

3) What does it mean for us to view suffering through the lens of God’s love rather than view God’s love through the lens of suffering?

4) In what ways can we trust that God’s timing is always perfect, even when we don’t understand why He delays His actions?

5a) How can we shift from asking "Why me?" to asking "What can I learn through this trial?" 5b) How does this change our relationship with God in times of hardship?

6) How might our suffering be used to display God’s glory, bring about personal growth, or comfort others in their own struggles?