The Evidence Of Life

Read: John 11:1-44

Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?

John 11:40

THERE WERE SIGNS of the revelation of glory before Jesus came out of the tomb. Not long before his crucifixion, Jesus received word that his friend Lazarus was sick. Rather than rushing off, he remained on the other side of the Jordan for two more days—a wise move in the eyes of his disciples who, as much as they loved Lazarus, recalled the danger Jesus had faced back in Judea, where Lazarus lived. So when Jesus said he wanted to go wake Lazarus up (verse 11), the disciples were alarmed. He informed them that Lazarus had died, and it was time to prove a point. “For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe” (verse 15). Jesus was pretty blunt about their misperceptions.

Lazarus became an early symbol of Easter, and in keeping with the symbolism, Jesus was intentionally “late.” He let despair enter into the hearts and minds of his friends and followers before he relieved them of it. In the face of death, he declared himself to be “the resurrection and the life” (verse 25)—not that he gives resurrection and life but that he is resurrection and life. Everyone who lives in him and believes in him (verse 26) participates in his life, which is full of joy and never ends.

We might assume such good news would be universally welcomed, but the resurrection of Lazarus resulted in a death plot against Jesus (John 11:53) and eventually a death plot against Lazarus, too (12:10), as he was living, breathing evidence of the new creation. That’s because the guardians of the world system will try to kill any evidence that threatens its power structure, even when the power structure oversees nothing but futility and decay. In the mind of a world ruler, the glory of God takes a back seat to his or her own. It’s a ridiculously worthless trade made repeatedly on our planet every day. And it keeps people from awakening to the glory God willingly shares.

Whatever it costs to your own dreams or expectations, embrace the glory of God fully and walk in it daily. No matter how dark things look, believe. Always see the hope behind the clouds. The taste of God’s promise may not have remained for long—eventually Lazarus died again—but the promise itself certainly remains. The glory is both a present reality and a forever hope. The Kingdom has come, is coming, and will fully come when Jesus returns. And we are invited to experience it fearlessly, by faith, every day.

PRAYER

Lord, how can I experience your Kingdom more fully? Show me the ways. Give me eyes of faith to see what you are doing behind the scenes and to participate in it. Make me unexplainable to the world. Amen.

REFLECTION

The night before his crucifixion, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31, NIV). How is God glorified in such a dark and tragic event? How does this challenge our concept of glory?

From the book