Jesus Revealed Pt. 11 - I AM The Resurrection And The LifeSample

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life  

Thoughts on the Passage

Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead for four days. There is no question in anyone’s mind that Lazarus was dead. It is too late for anyone to hope for healing, for faith that Jesus might raise him from death, and too late for anything but comforting those who mourn. We see the response of Mary and Martha to this tragedy.

Two examples of how people respond to Jesus in difficult circumstances. 

Martha comes out and talks to Jesus. She knows that if Jesus had been there, her brother would have been healed – and she tells Jesus that. It is what really hurts. We see that she also has a head knowledge of what Jesus CAN do, but it really does not connect with where she is at right now. She sees only hope for eternity now – someday Lazarus will receive a heavenly body. 

Mary chooses not to go see Jesus. She just does not want to talk to Jesus. The grief is such that she just cannot even talk to Him. 

Jesus responds to Martha here in this passage. Jesus gives us the next I AM statement in the book of John – “I AM the resurrection and the Life”. Not I will be, or I can be, or if you believe I can be… but I AM. In other words, regardless of how we struggle to understand it, Jesus is the one who brings life to that which dies. In all the miracles of Jesus, we see that Jesus does not expect people to fully understand the faith needed, He just requires seeing a measure of faith. Here, we see Martha’s faith. It is there, but not really. She knows there is a resurrection – but it is way in the future. Jesus is the Resurrection and Life of today. She knows Jesus in the Messiah, but she does not see this life touching her world today.

 

Today, we would probably say that her faith was inadequate for the problems that she faces. If Jesus needed to see faith in order to raise Lazarus, we would probably say Martha did not have enough faith. 

That does not stop Jesus.

Application

God is not afraid of our hurts. God is willing to hear and speak into situations that fill us with sorrow, anger and frustration. Do not be afraid to speak to God about what hurts.

God understands the limits of our faith. There are times that He calls us to understand things – and they are too far beyond us. God strengthens us, but sometimes we really do not know how to ask for help. This is why God calls us to have the faith of a child. Do not be afraid to trust like a child.

Time to Pray

Father, I see myself in both Martha and Mary. I see myself struggling and upset about how You choose to do things just like Martha was upset at Jesus. I also see Jesus willing to walk with struggling people both to bring life to brokenness and also carry us when we struggle in faith. So today as I look at big problems I face, I ask in Jesus’ name that you open the door for me to walk with the faith of a child when I just do not know what to do. I ask for You to speak into my struggles with words of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.