Today we will be looking at the 7th and final sign from the Gospel of John in this series Signs-That You May Believe. The sign we find in John 11 has a question at its core, “Do you believe?” You may find that question a bit puzzling, however, let’s dive deeper. CS Lewis wrote, after his wife’s death, “You never know how much you believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life or death. It’s easy to say you believe a rope is strong as long as you are merely using it to tie a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice-wouldn’t you then discover how much you really trusted it?” Are you facing something in your own life and you are clinging to a rope and wondering if it will really hold you?
Let’s go back to the very reason John wrote the book of John; 30 “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31 NIV)
One consistent theme we have seen in all these signs is that God shows up, just not in our way or our time. We will take this week to walk through the Scripture in John 11 and see what we can learn.
MONDAY:
Read John 11:1-44. Focusing on verses 1-6, we read that Lazarus got sick and Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus. Jesus loved Lazarus (and Mary and Martha) very much, but he stayed where he was for two more days. Pastor Adam used the example of calling 911 and being put on hold…for two days. The disciples were confused by his plan, which we see in verse 7 “and then He said to His disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” They responded in verse 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Not only that, but attempts to seize and kill Jesus in Jerusalem were also recorded in chapters 5,7,8,10 of John. They just do not understand His thinking at all. Jesus responds with this metaphor in verses 9 & 10 “Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
What situation in your life are you facing that feels a little like this? Maybe you are facing the actual death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a wayward child, the loss of a dream. You feel like you’ve cried out to God and you’ve been put on hold? Sit with the question “Do I believe?”
TUESDAY:
Lazarus was sick, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, He decided to stay put where He was for two more days and then Jesus says this in verse 11b, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples respond in verse 12 that if he’s only asleep he’ll be fine. Let’s read Jesus response, 13“Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” John 11:13-15. I wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus said that. The disciples had left everything to follow Him and had seen so many miracles. Yet, did they really believe He could raise someone from the dead?
What is it in your own life that God is calling you to believe about Him? As we follow Jesus, hopefully our faith, belief and trust in Him are growing along the way.
WEDNESDAY:
Would it be safe to say that one of our biggest challenges in believing, is God’s timing? I mean, if God would just show up when we need Him to, everything would be fine! Let’s look at Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” He is God and not inhibited by our view of time and purpose. Remember the rope referred to earlier? The one you may be hanging onto? Is the rope seeming insufficient to you? John 11:17-20, Jesus found out that Lazarus had been dead for 4 days and Martha went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home. Let’s read what Martha had to say to Jesus, “ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21) And we see the same response from Mary once He arrives at the house, John 11:32b “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Let’s not overlook Martha’s next comment after she expresses her frustration at Jesus, vs 22; “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Don’t we all walk that line between belief and unbelief at times. We raise one fist at God and yell, “Where were You?” and then we lift the other in belief and trust, “But You are God.” Belief/faith/trust aren’t just a one time event, rather each time we face something is an opportunity for those things to grow in our life. Over the next three days we will see three things we can count on when we struggle with God’s timing.
THURSDAY:
The first thing we can count on when we struggle with God’s timing is this, “We can trust Him personally”. God’s timing may seem to be a mystery, but Who He is, is not! Let’s read John 11:23-26 Jesus said to her, 23 “Your brother will rise again.”24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus had asked Martha a question and she gave the nice churchy answer. However, Jesus challenged her a bit. He wanted to know if Martha really believed. Did she believe He could meet her personally? She answered Him in John 11:27, “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Jesus asks us the same question, “Do you believe that Jesus can meet you personally?” We may not understand His timing, but we understand He is God.
FRIDAY:
The second thing we can count on is, “We can trust His heart.” Martha had gone out to meet Jesus and Mary had stayed home. Martha rushed to go tell Mary and then Mary came out of the house to where Jesus was. She fell at His feet and cried. This is when she had said if he had been there her brother wouldn't have died (John 11:32). We read Jesus response in 11:33-36 “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” He sees you. He knows your pain. He knows your struggle to believe. He cares so deeply. You can trust His heart for you.
SATURDAY:
The third thing we can take away is “We can trust His power!” Jesus finally had made His way to the tomb and we read, 41-44 41“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Jesus overcame the power of death and the grave by calling Lazarus forth. Jesus Himself then overcame the power of death when He rose and that changes everything for us. As you pondered the question this week, “Do I believe?” Not just the eternal hope we have, but in this life we are living right here, right now? That thing you are facing, a broken marriage, an addiction, a child who has turned away… Can you trust His power? May this be our prayer, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b) Be sure of this, when you pray, He hears. Spend some time considering where you are struggling to trust God and give that to Him. Be sure of this, His timing is perfect, His heart is for you and His power is real and He is faithful.