He Shall Live

"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he may die, yet he shall live; and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26)

Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, had died. His two sisters were upset about it, not only because they loved their brother, but they believed in Jesus, and knew if He had been there, Lazarus would have lived (see John 11:44). Jesus, knowing that all this would happen, delayed His arrival at their home in Bethany. We see in verse 5 of John 11, that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." But in verse 6, we find that "when He (Jesus) heard that he (Lazarus) was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was." How is it that He "loved" them and yet did not immediately respond to their need?

Martha said to Jesus when He arrived, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Which expressed her concern, but she also continued (and you can hear the breathless hope in her statement, "but even now, I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you" (verse 22). She had a lot more faith than most of us, but she was reaching the edge of her ability to believe.

Her sister Mary was similarly troubled, and said "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (verse 32) but she had already "crossed the line" of her ability to have faith and had decided that all was lost for her brother. It's interesting that "when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled" (verse 33). God sometimes does not seem to respond as you want Him to, but He always hears, and He is deeply moved by your need.

Preacher Henry Ward Beecher (born 1813), said this: "Ice breaks many a branch, and so I see a great many persons bowed down and crushed by their afflictions. But now and then I meet one that sings in affliction, and then I thank God for my own sake as well as his. There is no such sweet singing as a song in the night. You recollect the story of the woman who, when her only child died, in rapture looking, as with the face of an angel, and said, 'I give you joy, my darling.' That single sentence has gone with me years and years down through my life, quickening and comforting me."

The faith that we have can reach out to and comfort others. Here was a young mother of 200 years ago, who lost her only child, and yet in her love and sorrow, she also had unusual faith, for she understood that her child was now in the hands of the Lord. Our "lost" children are not lost, for they have entered into His joy. But it's difficult to impossible to see what she saw, because she looked with eyes of faith; and we often filter everything through unbelief.

I remember, years ago, as I read the long version of "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," being horrified by the testimonies of parents who were forced to watch their children be killed, because the parents would not turn from Jesus. It's unthinkable to lose a child, but it would be worse to recognize you could save the child if you just turned your back on the Lord. Our faith will be tested, but we can trust that we, like our little ones, are safe with Him.

Faith is so interesting, and we often don't really understand what it is. I heard a Pastor in Tucson, many years ago, say something like this: "Faith is believing in something even when you think it can't possibly be true." That's not faith. Faith is something planted deep within us by a loving God, which grows as He enables us, and much like eyes can see, faith can KNOW. God will give you spiritual "eyes" that "see", even when others are "blind" to the reality of our Lord. True faith will reveal the truth.

Preacher George Mueller (born 1805), said, "For sixty-two years and five months I had a beloved wife, and now, in my ninety-second year I am left alone. But I turn to the ever present Jesus, as I walk up and down in my room, and say 'Lord Jesus, I am alone, and yet not alone - Thou art with me, Thou art my Friend. Now Lord, comfort me, strengthen me, give to Thy poor servant everything Thou seest he needs.' And we should not be satisfied till we are brought to this, that we know the Lord Jesus Christ experimentally, habitually to be our Friend: at all times, and under all circumstances, ready to prove Himself to be our Friend."

George Mueller, much like the young mother of 200-years ago, KNEW God in a very special way. He knew that God is good and that God loved him. He knew the Lord had a special plan for His life, just as He does for yours and mine. He recognized, as the young mother did, that the innocent (we are made innocent in Christ through His cross) are with Him - forever. The child who "dies" will be with Him in His glory, as will those of faith, no matter what age we may be.

We see an example of faith (Jesus had all faith), when He approached the tomb of Lazarus. The man was four days in the tomb, and any human hope was gone when Jesus cried out his name: "Lazarus, come forth" (John 11:43), and he did come forth. The heavy stone was rolled away, and Lazarus, wrapped in grave clothes, managed to hobble out of the tomb. He was alive! It was "impossible" but he lived again!

Many came to believe (verse 45) because of what had happened. But Lazarus faded out of history soon after, as did his sisters, though you can be sure that all three of them continued to age from that point. Sometime, not that many years later, Lazarus died again, and this time there was no "Lazarus, come forth" for him. This illustrates our need for historical perspective, for the phrase "Come forth" will be shouted again, not that far in our future. Death comes to all and to Lazarus it came twice, but for him and for those believe in Jesus Christ, death is never the end of life.

ALL who are in the grave will come forth, and those who trust in Jesus will never die. It's like this: At the end of the day, clothing is removed and we go to bed. In the morning, we awaken and put on clothing again. It's just that simple for God. Our bodies, the "clothing" of our morning in Christ will be made new and beautiful. When death rears its ugly head in our lives, we don't need to be afraid - we simply can trust in Him.

Lazarus died again but he’s ALIVE in Christ. Is there a sort of "death" in your life right now that robs you of joy? Jesus died that you might LIVE – forever! And you can know the joy of the Lord.

Dear God, we come to you now. We’re tired, Lord, and in desperate need of Your love. Come into our lives and hearts, Lord Jesus, and turn our sorrow into joy. Fill us with Your Spirit and let us "live" in You – forever. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org