Do you really believe it?

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?” – John 11:25-26

Jesus has said some pretty crazy things in his ministry.  He’s done some things that shook people up.  But this one just might take the cake.  He stalls on his way to heal Lazarus by doing other things.  And then when he actually gets there Lazarus is dead – and I mean good and dead!  He’d been dead for days.  He was dead enough to make a stench.  

Now he looks at Lazarus’ grieving family and tells them that it will be alright.  Then he says, I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoa!  Wait a minute!  You mean that you stalled and were a few days late and now you tell me that real life is found in you!  This is absurd. 

But that’s not the biggest thing Jesus says!  He then asks a very pointed question – Do you believe this?  He says the same thing to you and me today.  He knows that we go through some pretty crazy things in life, but the question he asks never changes.  Do you believe this? 

Jesus would eventually show how he was the epitome of life and resurrection when on Easter he broke out of the tomb and freed not only himself but all who would follow him in faith.  Now the same promise is for you and me.  Believe.  Believe not in a book, not in a sermon, not in a death, not in a good guy.  Believe in an event – the resurrection.  That’s what set Jesus apart from every other world religious guru that would ever walk this earth.  He’s the only one that rose! 

And it’s that very resurrection that guarantees our resurrection as well.  Do you believe it?  Do you believe that Jesus died AND rose?  Do you believe that Jesus’ resurrection is the thing that not only allowed Lazarus to raise but also secured our resurrection?  Do you believe?  Do you really believe? 

Lord, today we want to believe. We want to cling to the promise of your resurrection.  We want nothing more than to live in the certainty of our resurrection right here and now.  Lord help us.  AMEN