It’s easy for Christians to fall into a rut: Church is a thing you do, prayer is a box to check, and faith seems far from “the real world.” This fall we let Jesus himself confront our ruts. “Do you believe this?” he asks (Jn. 11:26).
To believe in Jesus is to experience him. It’s more than logic, argument, and doctrine. It is intimate knowledge of God himself. This fall, let Jesus himself speak to you in his seven “I AM” statements in the gospel of John. How is he changing you? What response is he inspiring in you? To believe in him changes everything.
Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ponder:
Today we ponder the I AM statement: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Ponder the ways that Jesus is a shepherd. Look up descriptions of a shepherd on the internet. Search for videos on You Tube that show a shepherd and sheep. Ponder how Jesus is a “good” as a shepherd, as opposed to a hired hand.
Word
John 11:21-24
“‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’’
Meditation: Comfort and Control by Anna Jacob
How often in life do you wish you had control? How about controlling your death? Or the death of a loved one? To me this is a great responsibility. One I am happy to admit I have no control over. If there is one guarantee in this life, it is that it will come to an end. On its own, this is not a comforting thought. It is a difficult one. Death is inevitable. Yet we often try to avoid the topic. We can feel uncomfortable about it.
In our reading this week, Martha approaches Jesus. She does not run from the topic of death, but seeks out answers, knowing that only God has control in this situation. Jesus comforts her, telling Martha that her brother will rise again. Martha may not fully comprehend his meaning. Yet Jesus still tells her what she needs to know. In verse 25 and 26, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
But actions speak louder than words. Our God knows this. He is a relational God. He lived among us, giving his people a chance to experience firsthand what the Messiah would do for them.
Jesus could have told her what to believe and left it at that, but he chose to do more. His words are powerful. His words are important. But his actions change those involved. Those actions make Jesus’ words stronger, building upon the trust his followers have in him.
We may never fully comprehend the meaning of Christ, but we are not called to understand. We are called to believe. This belief requires love and trust in a God that knows. A God that sees us through the hardships knowing that in the end there is a better life. We can enjoy this life and live it in that comfort.
And God did not stop with Lazarus. He was willing to face the cross and defeat death so that we could be free from sin and every evil. We can trust that he is the resurrection and the life. He will save us from death because when God speaks, he follows it up with action. His words are not empty. They are filled with truth, a truth that you may believe in.
Death may be inevitable, but, through Christ, it is not the end.
Dear Lord, thank you for bringing comfort in times of grief and sadness. Help as we learn to put our trust in your words and actions rather than our own understanding. In your name we pray, Amen.
Prayer
Jesus, you said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” There are so many voices that lure me to danger. Tune my ears to hear your voice. Be good to me. Shepherd me away from trouble and toward green pastures. Amen.
Benediction
May the love of Jesus draw us to himself;
May the power of Jesus strengthen us in his service;
May the joy of Jesus fill our souls;
May the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon us always. Amen.