Joyful in Hope 4

John 11:25-26

The television show “The Soup” once featured a clip from a children’s program. In the program they were talking about eating dried apple chips as a healthy snack. Then one of the children said, “Dried apples? What are they?”

How do you answer a question with such an obvious answer?

I feel the same way about people who aren’t sure who Jesus is. “Jesus? Who is he?”

This passage is part of the story of Jesus and Lazarus. Lazarus has died and his sisters are grieving their loss. Who is Jesus? What promise is offered to those who believe in Jesus? What is the question Jesus asks?

The story of Lazarus is important. It is important because in it Jesus clearly demonstrates his power to raise the dead into an everlasting life. But it is also significant because the story shows that not every challenge or hurtful thing can be avoided. Lazarus died. There was no stopping it. The family had to go through the pain and sorrow of a loss.

But Jesus was there in the end to raise him back up. Jesus was also there to grieve with the sisters, to share in their sadness and sorrows.

There are so many who do not know who Jesus Christ is and was. There are even those who are familiar with Jesus, those who are part of the church, who do not realize precisely who Jesus is. And yet, Jesus himself is very clear on who he is.

Jesus is the one who can give us eternal life, life that goes on forever, even after our mortal bodies have ceased. If we truly believe in Christ as the Son of God then it doesn’t matter what happens to us. We will receive eternal life through the Savior.

This fact is what we must hold to. This belief is what we must stand firm in. And this belief can give us the joy of hope even in difficult times. We have the hope of Christ’s promise of eternity, but we also have the hope of Christ’s presence with us as we go through the challenges of life.

And it is this hope that will give us joy. The question Jesus asked Martha is asked of us. “Do you believe this?”

DAILY CHALLENGE: How would you describe who Jesus is?