By We had both sides of our family over today for Easter. This is the devotion I prepared:
John 11:25-27 Jesus said to 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 shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
The question I pose to you this Easter is; is Jesus trustworthy? Yours and my eternal life (where we will spend eternity) is wrapped up in this one question.
Jesus often does and says things in the Scriptures which are intended to assist us in believing that he is indeed the Son of God; that he was sent from heaven to earth on a rescue mission to save sinners. He says in Mark 2:17:
“Those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
If you find yourself this Easter as an individual who is righteous, Jesus did not come to call you. You don’t have to worry about his invitation. The question as to whether he is trustworthy or not won’t even be relevant this Easter. But instead, if you have fallen short time and time again of God’s righteous standard; if you are indeed a sinner, then Jesus Christ came on his rescue mission to call you, and to save you.
Mary and Martha loved their brother Lazarus. They believed that if Jesus had been there while their brother was sick, he would have prevented Lazarus’s death. But Jesus had a very different plan. In chapter 11 verse 6 it says:
“So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”
He did not run back to where his friend was and heal him. Rather he let his friend die for a purpose greater than physical healing. Jesus wanted all those around him to know that he alone has power over the grave. Just as Jesus stood before the tomb of Lazarus and brought his beloved friend back to life; so God the Father stood before his crucified, innocent beloved Son, and raised him from the dead. Jesus resuscitated his friend Lazarus with a command. God resurrected his beloved Son because the victory over death was now won. The mission to condemn the devil, reverse the curse, forgive sin, and pronounce victory over death was paid for in full by the innocent blood of Jesus Christ! Jesus said:
“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 shall never die. Do you believe this?” She (Martha) said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.
Is Jesus trustworthy? Maybe a better way to ask the question is; is Jesus worthy of your trust? Do you, like Martha, believe him to be Lord; Christ, the Son of God, who came into this world to save and rescue sinners? This is our Easter hope! He rose from the grave for the justification of all those you place their trust in Him! Are you trusting in Him today?
(Pray)
Leading Family Devotions 