"I Am the Resurrection"

Read John 11:17-34 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." 23 Jesus said to her, "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. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." 28 And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When 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. 32 When 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." 33 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.
 
John 11:20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house.
 
WE might have been as Mary and stayed in the house. Mary may have been thinking something like this: “After all, Jesus claimed to love Martha, Lazarus and me. But he did not hurry here to help Lazarus! Where was he? We called, but he did not come. What was he doing? He has healed so many people, and many he did not personally know. Why didn’t he come to make Lazarus well? Where was Jesus when we needed him?”
    Yes, Mary. Where is Jesus when we need him? We’ve all experienced the unexpected loss of loved ones. We have watched faithful people suffer illness, accident or unbelief. What happened? Where was Jesus when he could have given physical and spiritual protection to his brothers and sisters he had called to faith?
    Is it ever appropriate to ask Jesus, “Are you really the resurrection and the life? Where were you?”  
    To answer that question, let’s consider what “resurrection and the life” means. Jesus is so much more than redeeming your life for the here and now. “What have you done for me lately, Jesus?” is the humanistic way to think of God’s relationship to us. We want what we want, and God should deliver!
    But let’s remember Jesus’ purpose is eternal life. Eternal life is the gift!! We must dwell on the eternal because everything else is temporary. Yes, Jesus did eventually answer Martha’s and Mary’s desires. He raised Lazarus into life. But Lazarus’ physical life did not last. Amid the pain of loss, we have the hope to look to see Jesus is eternal life, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
    Keep foremost in your mind that Jesus came from his throne in Heaven to offer you a home in Heaven. He came in the Father’s time in a very different way than anyone in the world anticipated. Celebrate Jesus’ remarkable gospel of salvation that goes eternally beyond our daily needs:
 
Colossians 1:4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints, 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.  
   
Resurrection Truth: life is forever in Jesus.