T H E O P H I L U S

“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

John 11:39-40

Today’s Scripture Reading: John 11:1-44

In today’s scripture reading, it is remarkable to note how Martha professes her faith in Jesus as the Messiah says with so much confidence of who he is, but is strangely hopeless as to what that implicates for her life in the present day. She says to Jesus “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” But yet there is so much hesitation as to whether Jesus is able to do anything about her dead brother Lazarus. In fact, she has accepted it completely that he is dead, and it would take for her to wait until the end times to see her brother rise from the death. It is all the way up until she gets to the front of the tomb that she still has no idea what Jesus is about to do.

In some ways, we have been like Martha. We’ve kept the stone that seals the tomb of our inmost pain and insecurities. We’ve given up and just accepted the fact that my life today is just the way it will be. But our life in the resurrection Jesus goes way beyond two thousand years ago. In fact, we don’t even wait for the day of judgement to see resurrection. The true indication of Jesus’ resurrection begins with our very own hearts. It is our faith in the resurrection which livens us with both optimism and confidence in him. Not only in the future, but also from the past and the present.

If we believe Jesus truly resurrected from the dead, then you and I would not live hopeless to sin, pain and suffering, but instead hopeful and joyful in His spirit that salvation has already come to you and I. It is not “I will be joyful when this is over”, but that “I am filled with joy today because Jesus already conquered the grave today and I have eternal life!” We are ecstatic for life because even if I should die a physical death that my soul lives on with the Lord for eternity. Thus I will worship the Lord always with gladness! This is true resurrection life!

¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:11-12