By Him, We Shall Live Forever!

The home of Paul Laurence Dunbar, noted American poet, is open to the public in Dayton, Ohio. When Dunbar died, his mother left his room exactly as it was on the day of his death. At the desk of this brilliant man was his final poem, handwritten on a pad.

After his mother died, her friends discovered that Paul Laurence Dunbar's last poem had been lost forever. Because his mother had made his room into a shrine and not moved anything, the sun had bleached the ink in which the poem was written until it was invisible. The poem was gone.

Thus, if we stay in mourning, we lose so much of life.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Lazarus. He was a friend of Jesus who lived in Bethany with his sisters Mary and Martha (John 11; 12:1-17). When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When Jesus heard the news, he waited two more days before going to Lazarus' hometown of Bethany. Jesus knew that he would do a great miracle for God's glory and, therefore, he was not in a hurry.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. When Martha discovered that Jesus was on his way, she went out to meet him. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Jesus told Martha, "Your brother will rise again." But Martha thought he was talking about the final resurrection of the dead. Then Jesus said these important words: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

Martha then went and told Mary that Jesus wanted to see her. Jesus had not yet entered the village, most likely to avoid stirring up the crowd and calling attention to himself. The town of Bethany was not far from Jerusalem where the Jewish leaders were plotting against Jesus.

When Mary met Jesus she was grieving with strong emotion over her brother's death. The Jews with her were also weeping and mourning. Deeply moved by their grief, Jesus wept with them (John 11:35). Jesus then went to the tomb of Lazarus with Mary, Martha and the rest of the mourners (John 11:25-26). There he asked them to remove the stone that covered the hillside burial place. Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed to his Father, closing with these words: "Lazarus, come out!" When Lazarus came out of the tomb, Jesus told the people to remove his grave clothes. As a result of this incredible miracle, many people put their faith in Jesus

Now for a moment, or two, let's focus on the message in the statement statement Jesus made before he ever arrived at Bethany. Upon hearing Lazarus was sick, Jesus said "This sickness is not unto death…” Yet Lazarus did die! Was Jesus a liar?

What kind of things can we learn from Jesus statement? We can learn that: He acknowledges that sickness is real; He acknowledges that death is real. Additionally, I personally learn the following:

1. I wish it wasn’t real, but it is
2. I wish it wasn’t real because
a. it’s a scary thing sometimes
b. it’s a mysterious thing sometimes – leaves lots of questions
c. it’s a thing that sometimes hurts – those who are left behind

What about the statement, “This sickness is not unto death?” This basically means, “This sickness will not end in death”; “this sickness includes death…”; and “but this sickness will not end in death.” Life includes death, but does not end in death. Jesus would come with the proclamation, “I am the resurrection and the life… he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." He proved it by coming to Lazarus’ tomb and declaring: “Lazarus, come forth.” We learn there is life after death for that one who’s trusted in Christ.

This is all quite evident when Jesus said in (John 14:1-4)"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

In closing, we are left with another message in the statement, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” Today, may you also feel Jesus’ love. As Jesus wept then, he weeps with you now. Even though you know a loved one is now in a better place, it's okay to weep. Psalm 23 tells us, “Ye thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” Think of it this way, His rod is one arm and His staff his other arm. Together, it is God’s spirit hugging you.

Are you in a difficult trial? Do you feel like God is delaying much too long to answer your need? Do you trust God even in the delay? Remember the story of Lazarus. Your situation could not be any worse than his! Trust that God must have a purpose for your trial, and that he will bring glory to himself through it.

Scripture: Matt 16:21; Mark 9:9-10; John 2:18-22; Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:25-31; 13:33-37; John 20:3-9.

Let us pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Have a blessed day,

Tory