ON THE SPOT: JESUS

2014 Archives

24Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

28After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33When 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.

35Jesus wept.

36Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39“Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I 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.”

43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The 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.” (John 11:17-44)

Impossible. And yet, He made possible what should not be.

He was so much loved, Lazarus was. The Bible records one of the most poignant scenes in the shortest number of words possible. Jesus wept. (John 11:35)

It had been four days. How awful the stink must’ve been! How much decayed the flesh must’ve been! 

And then He stood before the tomb and called out the impossible: Lazarus, come out! (John 11:43) In an instant, the stink of death dissolved. In that instant, muscle tissues reformed and blood began to flow again. In that flash of an instant, a dead heart revived and beat once again. And then… The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. (John 11:44)

Like that beloved who was dead, we too, can find ourselves alive again. Haven’t our lives been empty so far? Even in the pinnacle of success. Even at the heights of indebtedness for all the “good deeds” we have dedicated our lives to. Even as we commit our every waking moment for the most worthy of causes. Even then, we are not really alive. Something is missing.

That something is, in actuality, Someone. He is Jesus.

Let Him come and touch your life. And in an instant, you whom He loves so much that He gave His life as a ransom, will rise from the deadness of existence. In that instant, you will find yourself reformed, born into this world again. In that flash of an instant, your heart will begin to truly beat again. And then… He will make possible what everybody has said cannot be.

One instant is all it takes.

His love is life. Be that miracle. Kneel and pray.

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