SCRIPTURE: John 11:25-26 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. Do you believe this?"
OBSERVATION: Jesus had heard a few days ago that His friend Lazarus was ill. Instead of running over to the village of Bethany, he stayed (probably near the Jordan where John the baptist had baptized Him) right where he was. When He left to go see Lazarus, he had already been dead and buried in a tomb for 4 days. Martha had faith to believe that he would one day rise again on the resurrection of the last day, but Jesus made known to her that He Himself is the resurrection and the life.
APPLICATION: Earlier in John Chapter 5 Jesus makes a bold statement that even the dead not in Christ will be resurrected..however unto judgement. All will stand before God and give an account of their lives. But ultimately one thing and one thing only will really matter. Was I found in Him? For me, I know that I will be resurrected unto "life" if I pass before He comes back. But for those around me that do not confess Jesus as their LORD and salvation, they will experience eternal judgement and death. They will bear the judgement of their own sin instead of having accepted Christ's atonement and redemption as their offering for their sin. This needs to break my heart. This needs to motivate me to love bigger, reach out more, take more risks, listen more carefully to the Spirit. If I knew their was a flood coming to wipe out many of my close friends and family but it was possibly really inconvenient to say something or even really embarrassing..would it be ok for me to just let the flood wash them away? And how much more so their souls! This life is but a vapor, but eternity is forever. For the believer, eternal life is now. For those lost in darkness here on earth, it is an uncertain, unknowable ticking time bomb of when their last breath will be breathed out and find themselves resurrected unto judgement. Or looking up into the sky and seeing Jesus coming back as Judge and King and they will be weeping
PRAYER: Lord, help this to affect me. My mind understands this truth, but my heart has yet to weep over those that have already condemned themselves to hell. I can't fake compassion, it has to come from You...and I have to want it, contend for it, press into it. Oh LORD, forgive me for my apathy, for I am lulled to sleep by the comforts of this world, even the comforts of ministry. Open the eyes of my heart, and help me to know the way to other's hearts to set them free in You. Amen.
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