Who is Jesus? I AM…
the Resurrection
I love how Jesus illuminates His name by performing a miracle to give the name such meaning and understanding to us. To show the miraculous abundance of His life giving nourishment, He fed more than 5,000 people from only 5 loaves and 2 fishes, calling Himself the Bread of Life. If Jesus can feed all those with so little, won’t He be able to “feed” me? Won’t His nourishment be enough for all of my needs?
He calls Himself another name then performs such an incredible miracle that brings such clarity to it- the Resurrection. Jesus says, “I AM the Resurrection.” Then, to make sure we absolutely “get it”, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead!
Sometimes we think there are things in our lives that are so dead, nothing, no one, not even God can bring them back to life. We forget and lose faith that “with God all things are possible.” I love that Jesus shows us that this thinking is NOT true!
Lazarus was a close friend and disciple of Jesus. Jesus loved him very much. When Jesus is with Martha and Mary after Lazarus’ death, Jesus wept and the people said, “See how He loved him!” Jesus had compassion and love for all around Him, but He had a special relationship with this family. He was sad for the sisters, grieving with them. The Bible says, “He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” He cared what happened to these people- they were very dear to Him.
So…..why wouldn’t Jesus have come and healed Lazarus? In fact, some of the people around that day asked the very same thing. They said, “Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Why didn’t Jesus heal Lazarus?
The Bible tells us that when Lazarus was sick, the sisters sent word to Jesus to come. I am sure they expected Jesus to come right away. There are many accounts of Jesus going to those who needed healing. In fact, Jesus took a boat and crossed the lake to go to Gerasenes to heal a man who was demon possessed (Mark 5). And, Jesus healed people without even GOING to them- He just spoke the Word and they were healed. Jesus healed a centurion’s servant without going to him, but simply spoke it. (Matthew 8). Couldn’t he have just spoken where He was and Lazarus would have been healed at that moment?
What He did tell His disciples was, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Then, the Bible tells us, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.” This tells me that because He loved them, He stayed two more days. It was on purpose! Jesus’ timing is perfect. Many times I get impatient, wanting God to do things in my TIME, but I find that God’s timing is always perfect. I am sure that Mary and Martha did not think Jesus’ timing was perfect! I am sure they were waiting for Him expectantly, wondering what was taking Him so long. I can imagine them going to the window often checking for His familiar figure walking in the distance.
Jesus must have confused the disciples, also. First Jesus said that the sickness would not end in death. Then, Jesus said that Lazarus was asleep and that He must go wake him. When the disciples heard that Lazarus was “asleep,” they were hopeful and glad that he “would get better.” Finally, Jesus tells them that Lazarus IS DEAD and “that for their sake, He is glad that He wasn’t there, so that they may believe.” They must have wondered what Jesus meant! If Jesus loved Lazarus, why was it best that He hadn’t been there? Couldn’t He have saved Lazarus? Couldn’t Jesus have healed him?
I believe that Jesus loved Lazarus so and that He chose Lazarus to reveal Himself to many as the Christ. After Jesus raised Lazarus, the Bible says, “…many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary put their faith in Jesus.” In fact, the Pharisees made plans to kill Lazarus because so many were putting their faith in Jesus on account of Lazarus! Jesus chose His dear friend to reveal His glory.
So, by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. When Martha sees Jesus, she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (Can you hear the pain in her voice? She was a follower, a disciple. She had probably seen many healings. I think she wondered why Jesus hadn’t come to heal the ones He loved.) Then she says, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Could that be hope? Is there a glimmer of faith, even though things look so bleak, so desperate? Lazarus is DEAD, but……..
Martha’s reaction reminds me of Jesus’ first miracle, when He changed the water to wine. Even though it was a much smaller scale, things looked impossible at the wedding at Cana. For the bridegroom and his family, this would be no small affair. To run out of wine on such an important day, his wedding day, would be unthinkable! So, Mary, the mother of Jesus, simply comes to Jesus and tells Him they have run out of wine. Jesus says, “How does this involve me? My time has not yet come.” The situation looks bleak, dead. But, Mary doesn’t argue or plead with Jesus. She simply tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” It reminds me of Martha’s statement.
“But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Hope.
Trust.
Faith.
So, Jesus tells Martha that Lazarus will rise from the dead. Martha answers, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”No, Martha. Not on the last day. Today. Expect the miracle Today.
Jesus says the most amazing words, “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?”
He calls Himself another name then performs such an incredible miracle that brings such clarity to it- the Resurrection. Jesus says, “I AM the Resurrection.” Then, to make sure we absolutely “get it”, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead!
Sometimes we think there are things in our lives that are so dead, nothing, no one, not even God can bring them back to life. We forget and lose faith that “with God all things are possible.” I love that Jesus shows us that this thinking is NOT true!
Lazarus was a close friend and disciple of Jesus. Jesus loved him very much. When Jesus is with Martha and Mary after Lazarus’ death, Jesus wept and the people said, “See how He loved him!” Jesus had compassion and love for all around Him, but He had a special relationship with this family. He was sad for the sisters, grieving with them. The Bible says, “He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” He cared what happened to these people- they were very dear to Him.
So…..why wouldn’t Jesus have come and healed Lazarus? In fact, some of the people around that day asked the very same thing. They said, “Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Why didn’t Jesus heal Lazarus?
The Bible tells us that when Lazarus was sick, the sisters sent word to Jesus to come. I am sure they expected Jesus to come right away. There are many accounts of Jesus going to those who needed healing. In fact, Jesus took a boat and crossed the lake to go to Gerasenes to heal a man who was demon possessed (Mark 5). And, Jesus healed people without even GOING to them- He just spoke the Word and they were healed. Jesus healed a centurion’s servant without going to him, but simply spoke it. (Matthew 8). Couldn’t he have just spoken where He was and Lazarus would have been healed at that moment?
What He did tell His disciples was, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Then, the Bible tells us, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.” This tells me that because He loved them, He stayed two more days. It was on purpose! Jesus’ timing is perfect. Many times I get impatient, wanting God to do things in my TIME, but I find that God’s timing is always perfect. I am sure that Mary and Martha did not think Jesus’ timing was perfect! I am sure they were waiting for Him expectantly, wondering what was taking Him so long. I can imagine them going to the window often checking for His familiar figure walking in the distance.
Jesus must have confused the disciples, also. First Jesus said that the sickness would not end in death. Then, Jesus said that Lazarus was asleep and that He must go wake him. When the disciples heard that Lazarus was “asleep,” they were hopeful and glad that he “would get better.” Finally, Jesus tells them that Lazarus IS DEAD and “that for their sake, He is glad that He wasn’t there, so that they may believe.” They must have wondered what Jesus meant! If Jesus loved Lazarus, why was it best that He hadn’t been there? Couldn’t He have saved Lazarus? Couldn’t Jesus have healed him?
I believe that Jesus loved Lazarus so and that He chose Lazarus to reveal Himself to many as the Christ. After Jesus raised Lazarus, the Bible says, “…many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary put their faith in Jesus.” In fact, the Pharisees made plans to kill Lazarus because so many were putting their faith in Jesus on account of Lazarus! Jesus chose His dear friend to reveal His glory.
So, by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. When Martha sees Jesus, she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (Can you hear the pain in her voice? She was a follower, a disciple. She had probably seen many healings. I think she wondered why Jesus hadn’t come to heal the ones He loved.) Then she says, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Could that be hope? Is there a glimmer of faith, even though things look so bleak, so desperate? Lazarus is DEAD, but……..
Martha’s reaction reminds me of Jesus’ first miracle, when He changed the water to wine. Even though it was a much smaller scale, things looked impossible at the wedding at Cana. For the bridegroom and his family, this would be no small affair. To run out of wine on such an important day, his wedding day, would be unthinkable! So, Mary, the mother of Jesus, simply comes to Jesus and tells Him they have run out of wine. Jesus says, “How does this involve me? My time has not yet come.” The situation looks bleak, dead. But, Mary doesn’t argue or plead with Jesus. She simply tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” It reminds me of Martha’s statement.
“But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Hope.
Trust.
Faith.
So, Jesus tells Martha that Lazarus will rise from the dead. Martha answers, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”No, Martha. Not on the last day. Today. Expect the miracle Today.
Jesus says the most amazing words, “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?”
Martha does believe and confesses her faith.
Jesus does indeed raise Lazarus from the grave. Jesus calls to him and Lazarus comes out of the grave ALIVE.
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. This is so amazing! We have the promise of eternal life when we believe in Him. We will never die. But, there is so much more to this precious name of Jesus. He can resurrect everything dead in our lives!Is there a relationship that is dead in your life? A hope that has died? A dream? Have you given up for dead the idea of victory? Jesus CAN resurrect it! That is why Jesus didn’t just heal Lazarus. Jesus made sure that Lazarus was DEAD and BURIED! There was no hope, no life left. But, Jesus is hope. Jesus is life. He brings to life what is dead. There is nothing that is so gone, so dead that Jesus can not resurrect it. He IS the resurrection. He IS the life. With God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
Like Jesus asked Martha, I ask you, “Do you believe this?” Jesus said, “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.” We must believe. We must have faith. Jesus will do it, but we must join with Him in faith.
Father God, thank you for your gift of Life! Thank you that through Jesus you bring to life the things we think are dead, hopeless. Give us the faith to believe you can do this, Lord! Jesus asks us if we believe! Lord, help our unbelief! Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit, show us areas of our lives that you want to bring back to life but are waiting for our faith. Thank you for Jesus! Thank you for Jesus! Thank you for your love. I love you! I love you! In Jesus precious Name, the Life, the Resurrection, we pray. Amen.
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