I am back in the pulpit at St. George’s tomorrow. To be honest, I can’t remember a time when I was more humbled and eager to open God’s Word in the assembly of His people. God’s Word, both written (the Bible) and incarnate (Jesus Himself), have been precious and sustaining for me over the past two weeks. It is indeed a privilege to open the Bible and show you how it shows us Jesus and how He is supremely relevant in our lives today.
The text for tomorrow was decided months ago when we prayerfully charted out the sermon series, The 7 outrageous Claims of Jesus. 7 weeks of examining the 7 ‘I am’ statements in John’s gospel.
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 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.” Jesus, John 11.
In the face of stale death Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life … do you believe this?”
Yes, Lord.
I prayerfully long to see you all tomorrow.
