When our lives do not go as we had planned, how can we live a life of joy with Jesus? In fact, when Jesus does not meet our expectations, when He does not answer our prayers as we so strenuously pray, how can we live a life of joy with Him? In short, when Jesus disappoints us, as He might do at some point, how do we respond? We trust Him.
Jesus disappointed Mary and Martha in John 11…
DEATH DISCOMFORTS DIETY – 11:1-10:
Observe how many references there are to the emotions of Jesus: vss 3, 5, 34, 35, 36, 38. One of my favorite images in the Bible for the care and compassion of God is found in Psalm 56:8.
When Jesus disappoints you, trust that Jesus does, in fact, care.
DEATH IS ONLY TEMPORARY – 11:11-16:
Lazarus was only sick when word was sent to Jesus. Jesus made an intentional decision to stay where He was for an additional two days (vs 6). But for what purpose? Why did Jesus allow Lazarus to die? Why did Jesus allow Martha and Mary, whom He clearly loved, to experience the trauma of the death of their loved one?
Life is not all about our happiness. It is not all about peace and calm and everything going right and the world revolving around us. Our lives are about, or should be about, our service to God. Our lives are to be centered in God: in life and at death. The apostle Paul can help us keep a proper perspective on life when he writes: “to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Everything about this world is only temporary – its pain, its frustrations, its death, its temptations, its challenges. We are waiting for a better life, a better world. Do you trust that Jesus will make life better?
THE RESURRECTION GLORIFIES JESUS:
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First, let’s observe what Jesus initially told His disciples about Lazarus’s sickness in verse 4. Jesus wanted to use the death of Lazarus to make a profound, life impacting, future altering statement: He is the Son of God! He has the power of life and death in His hands. Jesus was making a wise statement to Mary and Martha, to the Jews who were mourning with them, to the Pharisees and to His own apostles and disciples. If He can raise dead Lazarus, He can raise all the dead. He is the One who gives Life. In fact, He can do anything He wants and desires to do!
Jesus comes to the tomb and tells the crowd to remove the stone. But He has been dead for four days! cries Martha. If you believe Jesus has the power to raise the dead, does He not also have the power to cleanse the body!? What about cremation? Does He not have the power to take care of that problem? What about my non-Christian family? Does He not have the power to take care of that?
Jesus says to Martha, “if you believe, you will see the riches, the importance, the honor, the glory of God.” The resurrection glorifies Jesus as it gives foundation to His claims to be the Christ and the Son of God, our Savior.
When you feel that Jesus disappointed you, can you trust Him to do the right thing, to walk you through your disappointment and to bring you to a better situation in life than before?
Do you trust Jesus? If you do, obey Him. If you do that, you’ll see His glory.
Paul Holland
