The Resurrection
“…I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (John 11:25 NASB)
This particular verse finds Jesus in Bethany talking to Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary. Jesus has just arrived on the scene. Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. Martha hears that Jesus is there and goes to meet him. She cries out “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21 NASB) Mary says the same thing to Jesus when she sees him. Both Martha and Mary believe they have lost their brother.
It’s interesting how Jesus sees things differently than we do. I guess you could say there are facts and then there is truth. Facts can and often do change…Lazarus was dead. Truth doesn’t…Lazarus was not going to stay dead. Jesus saw things from the point of truth. Yes, he knew the fact was that Lazarus was dead. He even goes on to plainly tell the disciples that fact. But Jesus operated based on the truth, not on what he saw in the natural. Jesus knew he was the resurrection and the life. He knew he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead for the glory of God so that Jesus would be glorified. That’s why he waited two more days after being told Lazarus was sick before heading to Bethany. And he did raise Lazarus from the dead. He has the stone rolled away and called out “Lazarus, come forth”. And out came Lazarus.
And so did Jesus! He came out from the grave on the third day after removing ALL of our sins from us. He put them away (as far as the east is from the west) and came forth shining and radiant as the sun. How wonderful it is to know that Jesus chose to do this because of how much he and the Father love us!
As Easter approaches, may we together with all the saints grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God for us as we reflect on the cross and Jesus’ resurrection! (See Ephesians 3:18)
