Tag Archives: new life

“Yes, Lord; I believe”

Posted on by
1

From today’s reading of John 11

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 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?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” – John 11:17-27 (ESV)

I once went to an evening session at my church featuring a guest speaker who had fashioned an entire study around the basic idea “Mary good. Martha bad”. His talk included a humorous and surly rendition of Martha’s “rebuke” to Jesus: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died!” Throughout his talk he repeated this refrain, “Jesus doesn’t have favorites, but he does have intimates.”

In other words, be Mary, not Martha. This sentiment is based on Jesus’ gentle rebuke of Martha in Luke 10:41-42; I get it. What I don’t get is how anyone can read John 11 and come away with a negative opinion of Martha.

The beauty of God’s word is that it is written about real people, not paper cut-outs. In this passage, Martha and Mary are both the same. They are both distressed and grieving, and both believe that if Jesus had just come sooner their brother would not have died. When Jesus finally arrives, only Martha goes to him.

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

This is not a statement of rebuke. It is a statement of faith. Yes, Martha’s has a more “get-er-done” personality than Mary. Mary is a more contemplative person, Martha tends to practicalities. In Luke 10 Mary chose the better way, seated at the feet of the Master. But keep reading.

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 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?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

This is what is known as “hitting it out of the park”. It is a statement of faith from someone who knows Jesus, loves him and is loved by him.

I’ll never make fun of or be critical of Martha. Ever. (On a side note, there’s John 11:16 for those of you who think your faith is stronger than Thomas’s).

These people knew and loved Jesus, were known and loved by him, and were changed. The raising of Lazarus from the dead is only the more dramatic and physical sign and wonder demonstrating what Jesus, our compassionate Savior, does for everyone whom he calls.

Talitha cumi

Posted on by
Reply

From today’s reading of Matthew 8:14-34 and Mark 4-5

While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. – Mark 5:35-43 (ESV)

“. . . they laughed at him. But he put them all outside . . .” may be my favorite line from this narrative. It comes shortly on the heels of Jesus’ tender exhortation to a grieving father: “Do not fear, only believe.” Words to live by. To really live by.

Jesus has no time in this narrative for the pragmatists, the cynics, those who laugh (literally) in the Face of faith, hope and love. He puts them all outside.

The miracle of the raising of this little girl is not for show; indeed, Jesus allows only a very small audience for it and strictly charges them to tell no one afterwards. As with all of Jesus’ signs, there is both a near and far impact. The “near” is, of course, the joy-drenched raising of a beloved daughter, not to mention the effect this would have had on Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus gently called her back from death and she immediately responds to him. There is Jesus’ thoughtful request that she be fed. We are witnesses here to a wonderful and wondrous, gracious gift of life from Jesus to this family.

It prefigures the farther, wider impact of Jesus’ gracious gift of life to us. As the pragmatists thought that the little girl was too far gone, so were we. She was dead, after all. So were we.

No. After all the despair and destruction that the curse of death wreaks on us, there is Jesus to call us back. He calls us when we are dead in our trespasses and sins, enemies of God, pragmatically without hope or a future, with no way to rise to him. In a moment, from dead to immediately – I love Mark’s repeated use of that word throughout his gospel – alive, walking, being fed. This is what Jesus has done for those who are in Christ, for those who have heard his call.

Talitha cumi.

Born again

Posted on by
Reply

From today’s reading of John 3:1-8

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:1-8

The first thing that might jar you about this episode is that Jesus ignores Nicodemus’ opening greeting and his, I believe sincere, gracious compliment and cuts directly to the chase. “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Born again!

There is a term some people use when attempting a positive change in their lives: “I’m turning over a new leaf”. But what Jesus is describing doesn’t sound like turning over a new leaf, does it? Leaves are small, and if you are a tree – let’s really immerse ourselves in the metaphor here – you have lots of them. It’s quite easy to turn a leaf over (and over, and over, and over again). I do it all the time.

Jesus isn’t talking about leaves. He’s not suggesting making a Big Change in your life, or having him come be a part of your life, or – as pastors used to say back when they thought reminding people of their day to day corporate jobs was a good idea (it wasn’t, btw) – “letting Jesus be CEO of your life”.

This isn’t like starting a new exercise program, or taking up ballroom dancing, or reading more, or taking a class, or doing any one of the thousand things we do to try and improve our lives.

No, we have to be born again. What on earth could this mean? I’ve personally been blessed to witness four births; They are four of the most important events in my life, right up there in the top seven if you include my wedding, my salvation, and, I suppose, my own physical birth. New birth is amazing. It’s messy; it involves so many firsts: first breaths, first cry, first sight in a bright new world. It’s painful and, for those observing it, it is terrifying and joyful and holy and exhilarating all at the same time.

One thing it’s not is a small, steady improvement in womb-life. No baby thinks “I think today I’ll turn over a new leaf and be born”.

This is new life Jesus is talking about. It’s not turning over a new leaf, it’s becoming a new leaf. I don’t know who first said it, but the following statement revolutionized my thinking: Jesus didn’t come to make bad men good, he came to make dead men alive.

We have to be born of water and the Spirit. What could this mean? There are many interpretations, but I believe Jesus is talking about being both cleansed and indwelt. When we come to Jesus we are washed with the water of forgiveness and with his righteousness that he graciously gives to us, and we are indwelt by his Holy Spirit. This is a new life, and only those living this life are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We were dead in our trespasses and sins and God has raised us to life. Isn’t that amazing?

This is a life controlled no longer by our sinful flesh but by the Spirit of God. This is an abundant life, full of surprises and the mystery of God’s will which is like a wind that may blow us only God knows where. As we wonder at and meditate and awe in this love that we have been given and are compelled to give away to others, this should never cease to blow us away.

This is living! Thanks be to God for his great mercy and grace and to our Lord Jesus Christ, our savior and hero.