Journey Through Johnናሙና

Scripture:

John 11:40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 

Observation:

Mary and Martha were in deep pain, and pain makes faith very difficult. They wanted to believe in Jesus’ ability to raise their brother Lazarus from the dead, but it seemed impossible, since he had already been dead for four days, and his corpse was even beginning to smell as it decomposed. Jesus asked them to believe in His ability to do the impossible and bring good into even the most painful life situations. He promised that if they would believe this, they would see God’s glory – they would see evidence of Jesus’ divinity that would build both their faith and the faith of others. 

Application: 

Could this still be true for me today? If I really believe God’s words, will God be free to show me and others more evidence of His existence, power, goodness and love? I want my faith to grow, so that I can be a conduit for God’s glory. I want to be so committed to Him that He can do His works through me, and even use me to help others see Him for who He is. 

Prayer: 

Jesus, I do believe in You. Help me to believe more consistently and to translate that more and more into my daily living. Glorify Yourself through me. I love You. Amen.

Truths to notice:

11:5-6 Though Jesus loves us, He sometimes allows us to experience illness and sadness.

11:25-26 Belief in Jesus is the only way to life after death. 

11:33-35 Jesus is moved by the sorrows of those He loves. He cries with us when we cry.

11:48 Even in the face of a miracle like raising a man who had been dead three days, the chief priests and the Pharisees rejected Jesus, because they wanted to keep the positions of power they had. It wasn’t an issue of needing more evidence. They just didn’t want to believe.

11:51-52 Jesus died for all the nations of the world, in addition to dying for the Jewish nation.