The Pastor's Place

Read the story of Lazarus' death and resurrection again this morning (John 11). Jesus' response to the weeping of Mary and the mourners gathered there is curious. The Bible records that "...a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled" (v. 33), "Then Jesus wept" (v. 35), and then in verse 38 - "Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb" (New Living Translation).

Perhaps this was not just in response to their histrionics. (By comparison, we are MUCH more reserved in our modern American grief than in the Middle East.) I believe that Jesus is grieved, and angered, by the their unbelief. He already knows the outcome of this event. He wants them to BELIEVE.

Jesus reveals Himself, "I am the resurrection and the life" (v. 25) and then asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" (v. 25). Martha affirmed - "I have always believed you are the Messiah" (v. 27), but her belief appears to be mere mental assent, not true faith in who Christ is AND in what He can do. It then appears that Mary's grief has undermined her faith as well (v. 32).

Jesus responded to Martha's sound reasoning for not opening the tomb, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe? ...Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me” (vv. 40-42).

How often have the emotions of my circumstances prevented me from believing God's promises? I know that God does not want us to be emotionless faith automatons. After all, He created our emotional capabilities and Jesus shows emotion in this passage! I do believe that God wants me to move past my fear, grief, doubts, anger, anxiety and worry, and to trust in Him.

What I believe can supersede what I feel to activate my faith in God! This is not an easy activation, but like the father whose desperately wanted his son healed, we can pray, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).

Labels: Believe

Reading John 5 in my God Sightings One Year Bible today. As I read the passage, Jesus' words struck me again. His claims are not veiled or hidden.

A decision must be made about WHO Jesus is. C.S. Lewis called this the trilemma; and in his book, Mere Christianity, he makes this assertion: "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.You can shut Him up for a fool or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us."

Thus, the trilemma - the decision that everyone must make about who Jesus is. He was either liar, lunatic, or He is truly Lord. What we conclude can change everything about our lives.

Labels: The Trilemma