Do You Believe This? (John 11:17-27)

Although Jesus had received the news regarding the sickness of Lazarus, he didn’t run immediately. After two days, Jesus took the way to Bethany where Lazarus was living with her two sisters. But Jesus knew that Lazarus has died and HE has also told to disciples about it (vs. 6-15). After reaching in the Bethany, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. It is the last sign of seven signs which John narrated in the Gospel. 

There are two specific objectives which Jesus had told the disciples: “… the Son of God may glorified through it” (vs.11:4) and “… you may believe” (vs. 11:15). In this narration, Jesus put the death in deathbed; and finally on the cross HE compelled death to commit suicide; and in HIS resurrection, HE put the last nail on its coffin. Our Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the death completely and forever. Therefore even today Jesus is asking us the same question, “…do you believe this?” (vs. 26).       

PROBLEM OF DEATH IS DESCRIBED (vs. 17-19)

“Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.” (vs.17). When Jesus arrived in Bethany someone informed that he had been already dead for four days.  A little boy asked his mother, “Mummy, at what age do people die?” She replied, “You go to the cemetery and read each gravestone; and find out yourself the specific age of death.” This little boy went to cemetery along with his friends. He read each gravestone and he concluded saying, “people die at all ages.” There is no specific age or time to die. Anyone may die in any age. Likewise Lazarus might be young, but he died. 

“Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother” (vs. 18-19). It was a sacred duty to visit and express loving sympathy with the sorrowing family who mourns over their dead. Therefore there were many Jews from Jerusalem visiting Martha and Mary, while Jesus came to their village. Lazarus was dead and sorrow had overwhelmed into the household.

In these three verses, the problem of death is described. First, it is an ugly event because it had destroyed the happiness in the family of Lazarus. Second, it is a universal phenomenon. There is no escaped from its grip. Whether you believe or not, whether you like or not, one day we all will die. The Bible speaks of its reality (Heb. 9:27; Gen. 3:19; Rom. 5:12). Thirdly, it is an unexpected event. There is no specific time to die. Perhaps Martha and Mary were expecting of his recovery, but suddenly Lazarus died and their hearts were filled with sorrow.

POWER OF DEATH IS DEFEATED (vs. 20-24)

“So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (vs. 20-21). It seems that Martha was saying in this way: “Why did you not come, when you had got the message? Now it is so late to do something.” Martha believed that if Jesus would be reached while Lazarus was sick, her brother would be alive today. She had complete faith in HIM, but she had limited knowledge about HIS power. Further she adds, “But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (vs.20 -22). Jesus had already raised Jairus's daughter (Mark 5:41-42) and the son of Widow of Nain (Luke 7:11).  Jesus already had proved HIS unlimited power over the death by raising them from the dead.  Therefore somewhere in the corner of her heart Martha was still longing that Jesus should do something for her. 

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” (vs. 23-24). When Jesus told her that Lazarus would be rise again, Martha expressed her belief of life after death. Although she failed to believe that Jesus would raise Lazarus even he had been in the tomb for four days.

Jesus had defeated the power of death even before HE died and resurrected. Apostle Paul cried out in triumph, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:55-57).

PROMISE OF JESUS IS DECLARED (vs. 25-27)

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die …” (vs. 25-26). Jesus did not only defeat the power of death, but HE also declared the promise. He didn’t speak about the immortality of physical body. The scripture describes two types of death and it is defined as separation. First, it is physical death in which the soul and spirit separate from physical body (James 2:16). Second, it is spiritual death, in which human being is separated from God (Eph. 2:1-6). Every human being born on the earth is spiritually dead – separated from God. Therefore Jesus said to Nicodemus, “…unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) and “…whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jesus said in John 5:21 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”  In other words, once we were in the state of death spiritually and under the condemnation forever. But by grace of merciful God, as the Holy Spirit generated faith in us, we put our trust in Jesus Christ and immediately we entered into life in the presence of God forever. It is not my good deeds or theological knowledge, but through Jesus Christ who said – “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”  One day we will die and our body will be rotten, but our spiritual being will live in presence of God forever.  

“… Do you believe this?” (vs. 26). Jesus invited Martha to believe this truth. “She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (vs. 27). She responded with positively and confessed HIM as Christ who is anointed to fulfill the work of Salvation for whole world.

                                                                                                                               

CONCLUSION

While John Paton was serving as pioneer missionary to the New Hebrides islands of south Pacific, his primary work was to learn the language that he could translate the Scripture. Very soon he found that there is no word in their vocabulary for ‘believe’. It didn’t exist in their language. He spent months to find the word for ‘believe’, but he couldn’t. One day while he was in his hut studying, a native came running up the stairs into Paton's study and flopped in a chair, exhausted. He used a native word which means ‘to put my whole weight in this chair.’ Suddenly John Paton got the idea for using the phrase ‘put your whole weight on God’ for the word ‘believe’. Later when New Testament was translated, the phrase ‘put your whole weight on God’ is used for ‘believe’. This real story gives us insight about what does it mean to believe. It means to say that God, whatever you said I accept them and hold on them, no matter what.

Twenty one centuries ago, Jesus asked the question to Martha: do you believe this? Today still Jesus is asking the same to everyone. Dear friends, how you answer this question, would decide you eternity. Trust and obey will lead us into victory and eternal life.

Let’s pray together! 

(This sermon is delivered on 9th July, 2018 at  Dhemaji Field Planning Meeting)