Life Spark: Believe to live. (John 11:17-27)
A friend of a friend was hunting birds on the rugged rim-rocks of eastern Oregon when he came up over a rise and saw his hunting dog hanging limp from the mouth of a cougar. He raised his gun, but it was too late. His prized dog was dead. The cat dropped its prey and ran off. Carrying his dog back to his truck was a tearful trek.
Like that mountain lion, death goes for life’s jugular. When death clamped its jaws on Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus, Jesus was not there to fight back. He did finally arrive, but he was four days late.
Jesus reminded Martha that her brother’s death wasn’t the end of his existence. “Your brother will be raised up.” Martha answered, “I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time.” (John 11:23-24, MSG) In response, Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life.” (John 11:25a, MSG)
We tend to think of life as a biological or spiritual condition, but Jesus boldly claimed that life is a person. He is life. The Bible says that all things were created through Him. In other words, He is the source of all life, now and forever.
“I am, right now, Resurrection and Life.” The ‘I ams’ of Christ are woven through the gospel of John. This might be Jesus’ most mind-bending, death-defying ‘I Am.’ Talk about going for the kill! Here in Bethany, He grabbed death by the neck and bit down. “God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son.” (Romans 8:3a, MSG)
”The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all.” (John 11:25b-26a, MSG)
Note the next four words of Jesus, so crucial. ”Do you believe this?” (John 11:26b, MSG) Your eternal address will be determined by your answer.
Life-question: Everyone wants more and better life. Have you ever thought of better life as being a person and not just a condition or a possession?