I believe, therefore I speak..."Do you believe this?"

"Jesus said unto 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 will never die.

Do you believe this?" - John 11:25-26

Painting by Brian Keith Daniels at FBCW Men's Conference to song "I Will Rise"

Good question!

This passage of scripture is one of my favorites. Martha’s brother, Lazarus, had been dead for four days. Immediately when Jesus arrives on the scene, the conversation turns from death to life. It turns from being dead for four days to living again!

Whenever we read a passage from God’s word, we should take time to reflect and meditate on what the Lord wants us to receive from His word. We are to look for the application, to answer the question, “What does this passage require of me?”.  

I believe that the application for this passage is obvious. Everyone is required to answer Jesus’ question…

 “Do you believe this?”

Do you believe in Jesus?

In answering "YES", you proclaim...

He is the resurrection – the “coming back to life” of those who are dead. (John 11:25)

He is the life – the eternal living one for those who are alive. (John 11:25)

He is the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. (John 1:29)

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one comes to the Father but through him. (John 14:6)

That there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

He died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day. (1 Cor 15:3-4)

Many will attend church this Easter weekend where services will have an emphasis on the message of the Resurrection. We will all sing (some well, some not so well), hear the truth of scripture, and fellowship as though we are all going to Heaven. When in reality, this is not the case.

Many will ignore Jesus’ question as though it was only for Martha to answer. Many will leave church continuing to believe that they do not need a Savior and that they are good enough on their own to get to Heaven. Many will continue searching and pursuing other ways to God. And many, if they continue this thought pattern, will die in their sins. This is a hard saying! However, in John 8:24, Jesus makes this very clear when he says, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Do I believe in Jesus?

Absolutely I do and I will tell you why. It is actually rather simple. I believe in Jesus….

BECAUSE HE LIVES!

And that is the truth that we celebrate this weekend. As believers we have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Because I believe in Jesus, the grave has lost its victory over my life and I am no longer afraid of death.  I trust in Jesus and I will not perish because he has given me eternal life. “What Joy, what joy for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord. What Peace, what peace for those whose confidence is in Him alone.”

I am so excited about this Easter weekend. I can hardly wait for it to get here. The message of the Resurrection has the power to change lives and promises eternal life in Heaven if we will believe. 1 John 5:13 says, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."

The spirit of my heart this Easter is 2 Corinthians 13-15, “It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”

My prayer for this Easter is that more and more people will finally answer “YES” to the question asked by Jesus. For the first time in their life they will truly give thanks to the glory of God because He lives!

"You ask me how I know He lives? He Lives within my heart"

“Do you believe this?”