“Do you believe this?”

“Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"(John 11:25-26)

Happy Easter!   I want to ask you a question today: “Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?  Do you believe that Jesus arose from the dead?  When Pastor Chang Kim was here, he used to preach on Romans 8 during every Wednesday night prayer meeting.  And he challenged us to memorize Romans 8.  As I was doing it, verse 11 came to my attention.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.  As I was meditating on this verse, it encouraged me and gave me stronger hope that since the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is dwelling in me, the Spirit will also raise me from the dead.

When we look at today’s passage John 11:26, we see that Jesus asking Martha “Do you believe this?”  What did Jesus ask her?  What did Jesus want her to believe?  I believe that Jesus is asking the same question to us today.  What do you believe?  Today’s story is about a man named Lazarus and his two sisters Martha and Mary who were from Bethany.  Mary was the one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair and Jesus loved all three of them (vv.2, 3, 5).  At that time brother Lazarus was sick and his two sisters sent word to Jesus “Lord, the one you love is sick”(vv.2-3).  When Jesus heard this, he said “This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (v.4).  Then, Jesus didn’t go to Bethany right away but he stayed there 2 more days.  And then he told his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea” (vv.6-7).  It was very dangerous for Jesus and his disciples to go back to Judea because the Jews were trying to stone them (v8).  That’s why one of Jesus’ disciples Thomas said to the fellow disciples “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (v.16).  Why do you think Jesus stayed where he was 2 more days instead of going to Bethany quickly when he heard that Lazarus was sick?  Was it because he was scare for the Jews who were trying to stone him?  I am sure that wasn’t why he didn’t go to Bethany right away.  If he was, then I am sure Jesus wouldn’t say to his disciples “Let us go back to Judea” (v.7).  Jesus already knew that Lazarus die when he was staying where he was 2 more days (vv.11-14).  Then this is what Jesus said to his disciples: “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.  But let us go to him” (vv.14-15).  This is hard to understand.  We don’t know why Jesus didn’t go to Bethany right away when he heard that he was sick.  We are not sure why he stayed where he was 2 more days.  And he said he was glad that he wasn’t at Bethany.  The reason why Jesus was glad was because Jesus wanted his disciples to believe him by witnessing God’s glory (vv.4, 15).  When Jesus and his disciples came to Bethany, Lazarus was already died and he was in the tomb for 4 days.  And many Jews were there to comfort Martha and Mary (vv.17, 19).  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him but Mary stayed at home (v.20).  And this is what Martha said to Jesus: “Lord  … if you "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (vv.21-22).  To her Jesus said “Your brother will rise again” (v.23).  This is how Martha replied, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (v.24).  Then this is what Jesus said in today’s passage verses 25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  Then this was Martha’s confession: “Yes, Lord  …  I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world”(v.27).

Do you believe in Jesus?  Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life?  Do you believe that he who believes in Jesus will live (forever) even though he dies?   God promised to us “eternal life”(1Jn.2:25).  The Bible clearly says this: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn.3:16).  If we believe in Jesus, we already have eternal life (1Jn.5:13).  That’s why even in front of death, we can praise and worship God without being afraid to die.  It is because after we pass the gate of death in this world, we will enter into the eternal Sabbath rest in heaven and live with the Lord forever.

When Jesus went to the Lazarus’ tomb, he said to take away the stone that was laid across the entrance (Jn.11:38-39).  And this is what Martha said to Jesus, “But, Lord … by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days” (v.39).  Jesus then said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”  So after the people took away the stone, then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."  When Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face (vv.43-44).  When the Jews who came to comfort Martha and Mary saw what Jesus did, they put their faith in him (v.45).

The Lord wants you to believe in Jesus.  He wants you to believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  It’s because the Lord wants you to be with him in heaven and enjoy life forever.  I hope and pray that all of us believe in Jesus who is the resurrection and the life so that we may enjoy life forever.  Until that time on, let us live by faith and for Him alone!    

With hope of resurrection,

James Kim