(a) John 11:17 — 27; 14:1- 7
(i) Jesus came to Bethany four days after the death of Lazarus.
(ii) Bethany was two miles away from Jerusalem but many of the Jews went there to console Martha and Mary on Lazarus' death.
(iii) Martha heard that Jesus was coming, so, she went and met him while Mary sat in the house.
(iv) Martha said to Jesus "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died;
(v) However, whatever he (Jesus) would ask from God would be granted.
(vi) Jesus assured her that her brother would rise again.
(vii) Martha replied that he would rise again during the resurrection.
(viii) Jesus then declared "I am the resurrection and the life".
(ix) He emphasized that whoever is in him though dead, would live, and whoever is alive and believe in him, would never die.
(x) Martha admitted that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, coming into the world.
(xi) Jesus advised believers not to be worried but believe in both God and him.
(xii) He assured believers of many rooms in God's house to accommodate believers.
(xiii) Jesus promised to prepare a place for his followers and would come again for them.
(xiv) Jesus emphasized that He was the way, the truth and the life.
(xv) And that no one can go to the Father except through Him.
(xvi) He concluded that those who had seen or known him (Jesus) had seen or known God, his Father.

(b) Two assurances Christians should have in Christ:
(i) The Christian is assured that his life does not end in physical death, but that in Christ, he would rise again.
(ii) The resurrection of Lazarus demonstrates the power of God to also raise the true believer in Christ, even as Christ himself was raised.
(iii) The commonwealth of the Christian is not necessarily here — Christ goes to prepare a place for him and will come back to take him.
(iv) It is a privilege to have found Christ who alone is the way, the truth and the life, through whom alone man can come to the Father.
(v) It gives hope to Christians for a new life. Death is not an end but a means to another life.
(vi) It gives Christians confidence to face challenges of life.