| Do You Believe? |
Do You Believe?
Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you
would see the glory of God?"
— John 11:40
You know what I like about Martha? People always knew where they
stood with her. She was someone who would speak her mind. After
Lazarus died, she said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died." That was classic Martha, calling it as she
saw it. She was disappointed, but she was honest.
So what did Jesus say? "I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and
believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25–26).
After He had also spoken to Mary, Jesus commanded Lazarus to come
out of the tomb. The same voice that spoke creation into existence
spoke beyond the veil that separated eternity from life on Earth. Only
Jesus could call to the other side of eternity and be heard.
You would think this would be the miracle that would convert everyone.
John tells us, "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had
seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went
away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did" (verses 45–
46).
Ultimately they decided to put Jesus to death. It just goes to show that
miracles will not necessarily convert a person. What will bring people to
faith in Christ is the message of the gospel, the recognition that we are
all sinners and have sinned against a holy God. But God loves us so
much He sent His own Son to die on the cross in our place and take all
the sin of the world upon himself. Do you believe this?
Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you
would see the glory of God?"
— John 11:40
You know what I like about Martha? People always knew where they
stood with her. She was someone who would speak her mind. After
Lazarus died, she said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died." That was classic Martha, calling it as she
saw it. She was disappointed, but she was honest.
So what did Jesus say? "I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and
believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25–26).
After He had also spoken to Mary, Jesus commanded Lazarus to come
out of the tomb. The same voice that spoke creation into existence
spoke beyond the veil that separated eternity from life on Earth. Only
Jesus could call to the other side of eternity and be heard.
You would think this would be the miracle that would convert everyone.
John tells us, "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had
seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went
away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did" (verses 45–
46).
Ultimately they decided to put Jesus to death. It just goes to show that
miracles will not necessarily convert a person. What will bring people to
faith in Christ is the message of the gospel, the recognition that we are
all sinners and have sinned against a holy God. But God loves us so
much He sent His own Son to die on the cross in our place and take all
the sin of the world upon himself. Do you believe this?
| C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside , CA 92514 |