The Resurrection and the Life

I just really like Jesus. I do love Him, but I really am starting to like Him too. Taking a look at His personality and presence while He was physically present on earth.

So much mystery and so much simple transparency all wrapped up together. He speaks like a poet one minute and like a teacher of children the next, putting everything plain and simple.

In the end of John 10 (Jn 10:22-24) Jesus plainly claims diety. But in many other passages, Jesus is more subtle and used the name God used for Himself “I AM” (Exodus 3:14) Whenever Jesus used ‘I Am’ He was not only saying what He was saying (I am the Vine; I am the Door, etc), but He was also saying, “I am God.”

Our text today is John 11. Please read it now and I’ll wait.

See what I mean about how Jesus talks? I noticed it again in verses 11-14. Praise Him for not criticizing our feeble understanding, Amen?

Our key verses are 25-26

John 11:25-26 “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

(Why don’t you fill in your name in place of Martha’s?)

There’s that ‘I Am’ statement again. Don’t you love it? I don’t know about you but I’m glad Jesus is God. Otherwise I think there’d be a lingering doubt that the Sacrifice really wasn’t good enough.

Let’s back up a bit and look at the passage from the beginning. Lazarus was sick and they sent to Jesus for help. His plan was not their plan.

See verse 33. I don’t like the NLT for this one, where it says “a deep anger welled up within him”. Let’s look at either the AMP version, or the NASB

John 11:33b “…He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. [He chafed in spirit and sighed and was disturbed.]” AMP John 11:33b “…He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled.” NASB

I don’t believe Jesus was angry as much as vexed or grief stricken. It grieved Him to see them hurting. I can’t believe Christ was really grieved about the loss of Lazarus, because He knew they’d be together again. Maybe Christ was grieved because just because of death itself – because sin had entered the perfect, God-filled creation. That was never how God had intended for it to be. What a scorching reminder. (I encourage you to share your thoughts on this in the comments. This is just my opinion. What do you think?)

What a man of emotion.

John 11:35 “Then Jesus wept.” NLT

And in His weeping, they recognized His love for Lazarus. That love He holds for each of us.

Death hurts.

Separation hurts.

And it was never part of God’s ideal world.

But we messed it up and as a fallen world, death comes with it.

Praise Jesus that He is Life, and that with Him there is no real death. Just transfer from one life (temporal, earthly) to the next – our eternal, painless one in Heaven.

If God doesn’t like death either, then why did He allow it? The answer is all over our passage – note these verses:

John 11:4b “…it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” NLT

(Note: He is claiming deity again, and claiming glory.  He, Christ, must be recognized as God.)

And verses 40-42; before Lazarus was even raised. Jesus prays His thanks, praising God out loud for testimony, and again to claim sonship. Notice His prayer before Lazarus walks out.

John 11:40-42 “Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” NLT

It worked. People believed, and God got the glory.

John 11:45 “Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.” NLT

 Now can you see God’s plan in this death? Lazarus’s sisters Mary and Martha, and likely many others there, did not understand why Jesus didn’t come sooner. (See verse 32) But those who believed because of this occurrence wouldn’t have believed otherwise. He does always know best, praise Him.

Let’s take a real quick look before we close at verses 46-57. Because of this act, Jesus became a wanted man. Not for lawlessness, but really for God-ness. The Pharisees did not want to believe His deity, and so sought to kill Him.

Christ, being God, saw everything – so He knew this was to come, did He not?

But did that stop Him? No way.

He trusted in the Father’s plan; He knew this was best. God’s work is always worth the risk.

Always.

In summary I’d like to add one thought.

“I am the resurrection and the life” – Lazarus wasn’t the only life restored that day. Because really, in our sin, we are already dead, so salvation is a form of resurrection, yes?

I love that He doesn’t say, “I give resurrection and life,” or even that “I will resurrect from the dead.” Rather, it is so much a part of His nature that He says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”

He is.

Praise Him.

In your prayer time, spend some time thanking Him for what may seem like an unanswered prayer. He may just have a better answer waiting. And thank Him that He is Resurrection, and that He is Life.

Death is not forever. God has a purpose in allowing His children hurt, suffering, loss, and yes even death.

Trust Him, dear ones.

This post is in memory of my friend, a dear sister in Christ who God brought home 6 months ago today, seemingly before her time. God does have a purpose, and may we recognize and bless Him for that.

We will see you again soon.

The Painful Lesson 4 – Are You Weary?

All week we’ve been talking about the ins, outs, and whys of the unfaithful Bride’s punishment. Today we will gain some understanding about the why- the heart behind God’s decision.

Our text today is Jeremiah 12 and 13.

We will start at Jeremiah 12:7

“I will forsake my house,    abandon my inheritance;I will give the one I love    into the hands of her enemies.” NIV

We’ve all heard (or said) ‘this hurts me more than it hurts you’. A parent disciplines their child out of love. Here we see God lay out the details of Israel’s temporary demise. He wants for her to be dependent on Him, so He must strip her of all else. Anything she could turn to in His place. 

(Again, remember this is prophecy already fulfilled. He was speaking to Israel before their exile into Babylon. Please apply principles in your own life, putting yourself in the place of the Unfaithful Bride Israel.)

The land will be barren, parched, their livelihood is taken away and they will sow wheat, and reap thorns. They will wear themselves out and gain nothing. They will bear the shame of the harvest.

Finally right? But if that was us, would we be so eager for them to “get what was coming to them?” No way.

But we get that way. Are you worn out? Do you feel like you are spinning your wheels? Are you weary of trying? Maybe it’s time to get help.

Recently, my sisters and I were participating in an event that took place in a large field. It had rained a lot in the days leading up to the event, and the ground was soggy. We got our vehicle stuck in the mud. Very stuck. My sister was driving, and because she was new to driving she didn’t know how to get us out. We switched drivers, and got unstuck. (Yes, after quite a bit of effort!) A few minutes later, we got stuck again. This time we had some people push us as I rocked the car backwards and forwards.

I do have a point. How deep is your mud? Are you spinning your tires? Is it maybe time for a push? Or better yet, is it time to switch drivers in your life? Sisters, God wants to take the driver’s seat, and get us un-stuck, but not until we surrender the wheel. If we refuse to ask Him for help, all we’re going to get is deeper in the muck, dirty, tired, and worn out, and making no progress.

He’s waiting for your surrender.

In this scenario, (as well as ours?) God willfully let go. (Jeremiah 12:7-14) But look – He still kept an ear open for their cry. He lets the Bride move out, for instance, but He says “Here’s my number for when you’re sorry. When you have had enough.” More than that, He promised to come rescue them once they’d learned their lesson. (15-16) How kind, patient and understanding!

If you return to Me, I will restore you.       

Jeremiah 15:19 “This is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you…” NIV

Look again! He wants to restore us! When He restores, He fully restores. To the finest quality, to the most glorious state we would have. (13:18) He wants us to come down off our own thrones – he wants the impurities to be purged out. He wants us Holy. The only way for that to happen is by complete surrender.

Sometimes that purging is painful. Sometimes to create something good, a very painful process is involved. You moms out there – I know you can relate to the last part of 13:21 and to 22.

Jeremiah 13:21b “…Pangs of anguish will grip you,    like those of a woman in labor!” NLT

Birth pains. So worth it, but yes, very very painful.

This painful lesson. How long must we go through the painful lesson? (13:27)

How long is up to you.

How long will it take for you to surrender every last piece to Him? He’s waiting for His Bride to return. To be sorry for the adultery.

To love Him again.

How long?

Bride of Christ

You are bursting with the news.

You are going to be a bride! And your groom is simply wonderful! You were made for each other!

But. Why does there always have to be a but?

You have no idea when the wedding will be. And it’s out of your hands.

Rather discouraging, don’t you think? And it makes it that much harder to prepare yourself for the big day, when you have no idea when it is going to happen.

If it’s going to happen.

You feel forgotten.

This is the emotion we find in Isaiah 49.

Read Isaiah 49:1-14

I find such sweetness every time I read a verse like verse 7, especially the last phrase.

⁷ The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,  to the one who is the servant of rulers:“Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.    Princes will also bow low because of the Lord, the faithful one,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” NLT

Ladies, He has chosen you. This verse was spoken to His people Israel, but is applicable because God has chosen us as His bride, too.

Continue reading, and you will see the promise of love, honor and protection. Even provision of a Beautiful Land. What more could a girl ask for? (Or, nation, rather.)

But then after all these sweet vows, what does the bride do? She sticks out her lips in a pout, and says,

¹⁴ Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us;    the Lord has forgotten us.” NLT

Really?

But then, haven’t we all done that? How many times (per day?) do we see some hardship, or something that doesn’t go our way, and we automatically jump to the conclusion that God must not care about us, or He wouldn’t have let that happen.
Perhaps He’s trying to mold His bride into who she needs to be.

Look at verse 8 before we move on.

⁸ “At just the right time, I will respond to you.” NLT

Other versions say ‘I will hear and answer you.’ God knows what just the right time is; to answer our prayers and to act on our behalf. Trust Him, sweet thing. He will not leave you hanging.

Read verses 15-21, looking especially at 15-16 for now.

¹⁵ “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?    Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?But even if that were possible,    I would not forget you!¹⁶ See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.    Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.” NLT

I love these. I will not forget you! See I have written your name on the palms of My hands. One version compares this to a tattoo. I also really like verse 16 in the King James Version,

¹⁶ "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands" KJV emphasis mine.

This isn't even just your name, but a whole picture of you! I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling pretty foolish at this point for ever even thinking that God may have forgotten me. Because isn't this what His love looks like when we are graven on His hands?

For the last part of verse 16, read this from a commentary by David Guzik source

Your walls are continually before Me: The walls refer to the walls of the city of Jerusalem, which figuratively speak of the health, the strength, the prosperity, and the security of God’s people. God is always mindful of the condition of His people, despite the objections of a doubting Zion.

God is always always mindful of your condition. He knows that your heart is breaking. He knows what you’re going through. He even knows that you might still be miffed about spilling your coffee. He cares about you so much, dear one.

See verses 17-21 God is telling His people of how extensively He vows to fulfill His promise. He is promising to bring His people back from exile, and says, in effect, ‘There will be so many of you you’re not going to have room for everyone!’

It reminds me of Malachi 3:10

“…I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in…” NLT

In verse 21 it tells us Israel will say to herself, ‘but God had abandoned me… so where did all these people come from?’

Sister, we know the answer. God did not abandon Israel like they thought. God has not abandoned you. He was there all along.

Verses 23 and 26 tell us why.

^23b “…Then you will know that I am the Lord.    Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”^26b “…All the world will know that I, the Lord,    am your Savior and your Redeemer,    the Mighty One of Israel.”

That all the world may know that He is LORD.

Amen!