The Dead Man

Study Notes

Signs: The Dead Man

John 11:1-53

As high priest, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one (Jn 11:51-52).

Why Jesus Came and Died – To bring God’s scattered children together and make them one.

     This was a rather shocking prophecy – both what the prophecy said as well as the one through whom the prophecy came.  This prophecy that Caiaphas received in his role as high priest, was really quite remarkable because he and the religious leaders had waited their entire lives for Messiah to come – but they thought Messiah would restore only Israel to prominence – not to bring the “Jewish nation as well as all the scattered children of God together” and make us into one family.  So, even though Caiaphas had been given the prophecy, he nonetheless made a commitment to keep it from actually being fulfilled.

     You see, the leaders in Israel wanted Israel to be as great as they seemed to think it once was – back in the days of Abraham, and then Moses and then David – when, they thought, it’s just us in control of our land.  They didn’t want these “other scattered children of God” to be in their family.  But, when you read what the Bible says about those times they thought were great, they hadn’t been all that great. 

     To go back to those days was not the way to go.  God is at work to give us a different kind of future. God’s eternal plan had always been to bring all people, each of whom is created in God’s image, back to him and to make us one.  The prophecy God gave the high priest is that Jesus would die to bring that about.

     This is Pentecost Sunday.  At the first Pentecost recorded in Acts 2, God’s Holy Spirit came on people from every language group – with the clear implication that God was doing what Caiaphas had prophesied, i.e., to brings all who trust in Jesus to God, to brings us together and to make us one.  And, this prophecy is still in process of being fulfilled all over the world.  Indeed, it’s happening in our own church.  In this service, we have identified that over 70 languages are spoken among those in this one church family here in Pasadena, CA. 

     However, the Bible is very clear that, for this prophecy of God to be completely fulfilled, there will be many battles that will have to be won in this broken and sin-filled world.  The kingdoms of the world will rise up to fight the purposes of God.  With that in mind, throughout this series on Jesus’s miracles, what John called signs, we’ve seen the effects of sin and fallenness in people’s lives:  We saw the shame the two families in the marriage at Cana in Jn 2 would have experienced if Jesus had not stepped in.  We saw the despair of a father with a terminally sick child in Jn 4.  We saw the hopelessness of a lame man in Jn 5 and a blind man in Jn 9.  We saw the hunger of the people out in the wilderness followed by the fear of the disciples in the boat in Jn 6.

     But the greatest enemy of all in this fallen world is death. As I’ve said week after week, all the other signs that Jesus has performed have no lasting quality to them if death still comes to us and takes life away.  With that in mind, the sign of a dead man being raised to life is not only the 7^th and final sign in John’s Gospel, it is also the one to which all the other signs have been pointing.  And, what happened in Jn 11 was the turning point in God’s mission to end all that is wrong and to bring us together in Christ.  So, what was this turning point like?

D-Day, for Example

     This past Thursday, June 6, 2019, we remembered the 75^th anniversary of D-Day. On June 6, 1944 the Allied Forces of Britain, the United States, Canada, and France attacked German forces on the coast of Normandy, France. With a huge force of over 150,000 soldiers, the Allies attacked and gained a victory that became the turning point for World War II.  So, D-Day was not the final victory in the war – but it was the turning point.  D-Day marked the start of a long and costly campaign to liberate north-west Europe from Nazi German occupation. Today, we have with us an active member of our congregation who was there, Bob Phillips.

     Bob was a part of the Army Air Corp flying missions with the 8^th Air Corp unit.  He had flown 29 missions before the big one came, i.e., his involvement in D-Day.  Bob was the gunner and radio operator flying in a B-17, i.e., “The Flying Cross”.   Their assignment was to drop bombs on bridges and railroads behind enemy lines to keep reinforcements from getting to Normandy Beach. The four-engine plane was damaged in the mission with only two engines functioning.  Afterward, Bob was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.

     I’ve often talked with military veterans from WW 2.  They have always made several things clear to me:

1) The enemy was evil and formidable -- it had to be dealt with or evil would have grown;

2) The battle could not be won without a personal invasion -- of forces opposing the evil regime, and

3) The victory at D-Day was the turning point in the war – but a lot of other battles were required before victory would be complete.

The Turning Point in John 11: Jesus Overturns Death

     I’m sure you can see how D-Day in WW 2 serves as an illustration of what we’ve read in Jn 11:

• The enemy of death that has come into the world because of sin is evil and formidable. Sin is deeply entrenched in our personal lives and in the systems of this world.
• The battle against sin and death could not be won without a personal invasion. Jesus came into this world – experienced the trials and temptations of this world, even death itself – in order to defeat them.
• The victory of Jesus raising Lazarus in Jn 11 was the turning point in God’s war against sin and death – but there are still a lot of battles to be won before victory is complete.

     John’s Gospel is clear about the resurrection of Lazarus being the turning point in the battle.  When the leaders of Israel realized that Jesus intended not to restore only Israel to prominence but to bring together all people, they became sure that Roman government would not accept the kind of uprising this would lead to. The leaders said, “The Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation (11:48).  High Priest Caiaphas said, “It is better that one man die than that the whole nation perish (11:50).” So, the dye is cast:  In Jn 11:53, we read, “From that day on they plotted to take his life.”

     So, Jesus came to fulfill God’s mission to bring people from every people group to himself and make us one.

How Jesus Deals with People

     In this long chapter, Jesus deals with a lot of different people.  As he does, he seems to know each person’s needs and issues.  He does not have one formula that he uses each time he ministers to a person.  We’ve seen that in each of the signs we’ve looked at over these past 7 weeks.  I want you to see it in this episode too.

1. The Disciples -- Jesus told the disciples, “Lazarus is dead,and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe (11:14).”

     Jesus and the disciples received a message that Lazarus, a man Jesus loved, was terminally ill.  But John makes it clear that Jesus chose not to go directly to intervene but dawdled for a couple of days before going. 

     What is it all about?  Did Jesus want to make sure Lazarus was good and dead so there would be no confusing this resurrection with resuscitation?  Or, was Jesus making the point that he is not like the ancient stories of genies in bottles that people can summon up any time we want to fix our problems?  Or is he wanting to set a dramatic stage that will force the temple leaders to put him to death?

     I think there is some truth to each of those possibilities.  This is part of the amazing mystery of how God works.  What Jesus does has many purposes and applications.  But, with regard to his own disciples,  Jesus knew that waiting would serve to help them believe in him.

     You see, these disciples had seen so many things that Jesus had done.  But, in spite of that, their faith was still weak.  And, when in a few days, Jesus would be laid in a tomb, they may not yet believe that Jesus has power over the enemy of death.  In this we see the patience of Jesus.  He understands how weak our faith often is when uncertainties or trials come and, just as he did not give up on his disciples, he will not give up on us.  It would have been wonderful for the disciples to have believed fully without seeing Lazarus raised.  But, Jesus knew their weakness – and loved them in spite of it.  So he said to them, “For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe (11:14).”

2. Martha -- Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life (11:23f-25a).”

     When Jesus gets to Bethany, he first meets Martha and later her sister Mary.  They both independently said the same thing to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died (11:21, 32).” Of the many things I might say in a sermon about what Jesus said and did, today I simply want you to see how differently Jesus responded to this same comment from the women.  It teaches us a lot of about how Jesus acts towards us.

      In Martha’s case, Jesus responded with a clear theological explanation.  Martha already believed that God the Father would give Jesus whatever he asked (11:22).  Martha already believed that God’s people would be resurrected on the last day (11:24).  So, Jesus put those two truths together and applied them to her situation.  He told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? (11:25-26)?”

     And, that was enough for her.  Notice Martha’s immediate response: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world (11:27).”

3. Mary -- Jesus wept (11:35).

     As is true in all our families, Mary and Martha, though sisters, were very different people and had very different needs.  So, when Jesus entered into Mary’s time of need, he did not begin with a theological explanation.  No, he began with empathy.  He felt the pain Mary was experiencing when her brother had died.  He felt the agonizing sorrow of her loss.  When Jesus saw Mary weeping, he wept too.

     Here was Jesus weeping over the pain of one he loves.  He loved the disciples, Martha and Mary too much to step in too soon – but he still wept because he knew his waiting would cause them pain. The most loving thing for Jesus to do was to allow their shorter-term suffering so that eternal suffering could be destroyed.  But knowing that, Jesus nonetheless wept when he saw those he loved suffering.  And, he still does.

     So, we have many different persons and personalities represented in this one chapter.  But, Jesus found a way to enter into each one and to address what they needed most at the time.  I pray that you will experience that from him.  There are times when, like Martha, you will have very serious intellectual questions – even profound doubts -- about what God is doing in the world or about what is revealed in the Bible.  I want you to learn to bring them to Jesus. Know that he won’t discard you because you have questions and doubts.

     And, sometimes we just need someone to weep with us – not to instruct us or preach to us.  In our pain, we often need to know someone cares enough to come be with us.  Jesus does.  No other religion speaks of a God who suffers with his people.  But, Jesus weeps when you weep.

     Of course, this says a lot about the kind of people we should be and the kind of church we should become – when we say Jesus is our Lord.  I want us to be a church that is not put off by the hard questions that people often have as they seek to follow Jesus in the work place, or university, or unbelieving family.   And, I also want us to be a church that learns to weep with those we love – even if their own foolishness and sin has caused the pain.  If we have experienced Jesus weeping with us, we will weep when people we love suffer. 

     So, I long for us to be a church  in which doubting people can bring their questions without fear – and  suffering people can show their scars and wounds and know they will be met with gentleness – never passing over sin but never, never, never treating people rudely or coldly.  And, of course, always offering the forgiveness and mercy and hope of this suffering Jesus who keeps offering us forgiveness, mercy and hope.

    

What Jesus Calls Us All to Do – Jesus told his disciples, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe (11:14).  Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live (11:25).

     You heard the story:  Jesus moved from explaining to Martha and weeping with Mary.  He went into action against the enemy.  He did it in keeping with his timetable – as he always does. After four days in a tomb, he told Lazarus to come out of the grave -- and Lazarus came out!  This is basis for our hope.  We now know that Jesus did not simply have the power to come out of the grave himself – as he would soon demonstrate.  Here we see he has the power to take people like Lazarus from death to life!  That means he can do it for you too.

     Our calling is to believe – to trust him even when we do not see what he’s doing.  Over and over again in this chapter, we read about dealing with each person personally – in keeping with their personalities and needs.  But, one thing is always the same, i.e., each one is called to believe in him.  Today, you too are called to believe in him, i.e., to trust him and follow him until you see the glory of God.  Do you believe in Jesus in that way?

     Let’s not pass over this too quickly.  Lazarus had been dead four days!  Even Martha, after her strong confession of faith in v. 27, went to the tomb and said, “But Jesus, he’s been in there four days!  He’ll stink!”  Lazarus wasn’t just mostly dead (as Miracle Max said in Princess Bride) but really dead!  So, once again, at the grave, Jesus declared, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God (11:40)?”

     Would you have believed?  This matter of belief challenges us is so many ways, doesn’t it?  Sometimes, we struggle with believing when, like the disciples, Jesus does not do the things that we think he should be doing. The disciples wondered, “Why is Jesus intentionally delaying when his friend is terminally sick?”  They needed to learn to believe in Jesus and wait in faith when he didn’t do what they thought he should do!  Do you need to learn to believe like that about anything happening in your life today?

     And, then they needed to learn to trust Jesus when he did things that they simply thought were impossible – like raising a man from the dead who  had been in the grave four days.  Would you have tried to explain Lazarus’s resurrection away as a trick, maybe as the man having been in a coma instead of being really dead? 

     Let me tell you what happened to me a few years ago when I went to China.  I was meeting with a group of pastors who were telling me of amazing ways that, using their words, “a man in white” had broken into their lives in a way that led them to believe in Jesus.  One told me that this had happened while he was in prison for being a teacher.  He said he had died in that prison and was pronounced dead.  His memory was that, during the time he was deemed dead, a man in white met him, told him he would live and that he needed to find a Bible so that he could believe in Jesus.  That man was sitting across from me.  He seemed like a credible witness. 

     I confess to you that I found it hard to believe. I found myself explaining it rationally.  And, there may have been a rational explanation.  I know that. But, since that time, I have asked myself whether I truly believe that the Jesus who in in my life can do miracles.  I’ve chosen to believe that the Jesus who raised the dead is present with me – that he never leaves or forsakes me.  And, that, although I cannot often see what he is doing, that he is worthy of my trust.  So, I also believe – that he is doing more than I see.  I believe – that he can do more than I can ask or even imagine possible

     So Jesus asked Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe this?” 

     As I said before, the way the Gospel of John is told is that all other signs lead up to this one.  This was the big sign, the sign that has to be true of we will have hope in this dying world.  Listen carefully here.  There are countless  times in our lives when the things we experience feel like a death – lost relationships, lost income, lost health, etc.!   When we lose any important thing or person, it feels like a death.

     This sign points to the fact that Jesus is greater than even the greatest enemy in this world, i.e., physical death itself.  It’s often called the sign of Lazarus.  But, I sometimes think that, of all the people in Jn 11, Lazarus may have been the one who had the most challenging calling.  When Lazarus came out to the tomb in v. 44, he had to put his grave clothes back on.  Lazarus had been raised but only to die again one day. I wonder if he ever wondered, “Did that really happen?  Was I just dreaming that I died?” After this resurrection, Lazarus would have to live again by faith in this dying world knowing he would face physical death again.   

     So to him and his sisters – and to all of us who come after him, Jesus declares: I do what I do so that “whoever lives and believes in me will never die!”  So, again, I must ask you the same question Jesus asked of Martha:  Do you believe this?

To him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.                                                                                                   Ephesians 3:20-21

Chinese Study Notes

預表系列: 死了的人

約翰福音 11:1-53

 

他說這話不是出於自己，只因他是當年的大祭司，就預言了耶穌要替全民族而死；52而且不僅是替猶太民族死，也是要把神的那些四散的兒女都召集合一(約 11:51-52).

耶穌的到來和死 –是要把神的那些四散的兒女都召集合一     

      這是一個令人震驚的預言，不僅是內容，還有發預言的人。該亞法是在他大祭司的位份上領受的這個不同尋常的預言，因為他和宗教領袖都用一生的時間在等彌賽亞的到來—只不過他們認為彌賽亞只是復興以色列民族，並非“要把神的那些四散的兒女都召集合一”，成為一家。所以，儘管他發出了這個預言，卻要竭力攔阻這預言真正實現。     

     以色列的領袖盼望以色列能再現輝煌—像亞伯拉罕、摩西、大衛的日子，他們要在自己的地上作主，不會想到讓其他的“神四散的兒女”成為一家。但他們所羡慕的日子，並非聖經上最可羡慕的。

     僅僅回到過去不是神的計畫，神要帶給我們一個不同尋常的未來。神的永恆計畫是要讓所有人，每一個照神的形象被造的人，都歸向他，成為一家。神給大祭司的預言就是耶穌要藉著死帶來這一切。

      今天是五旬節主日，在使徒行傳2章記載的第一次五旬節事件中，聖靈臨到每一個語言團體，就是該亞法這預言清楚的體現；為要把所有信耶穌的帶到上帝面前，把我們召集合一。事實上，這預言還在應驗中，也真實發生在我們教會。這堂敬拜中，在我們帕薩迪納教會大家庭的弟兄姊妹至少講70種語言。

      不過，聖經清楚說明，這個預言的完全實現要經歷許多爭戰，才能在這個充滿罪的破碎世界得勝，因為世界的國度要起來對抗神的旨意。縱觀耶穌的神跡--約翰稱為預表，我們看見罪和墮落在人生命中的後果：我們看見若不是耶穌介入，迦拿婚慶的兩家必蒙羞恥；我們看見第4章那個重病兒的父親是何等絕望；我們看見第5章的癱子和第9章瞎子的無望；又在第6章看見曠野中饑餓的民眾和船上門徒的恐懼……

     但是，這個墮落世界中，我們最大的敵人是死亡。我幾乎每週都講，若是死亡依然臨到我們奪取我們的生命，耶穌所行的一切神跡都沒有長久的意義。因此，死人復活的預表不僅是第7個，是最後一個神跡，也是所有其它神跡所指向的，就是說，11章是神使命的轉捩點，要結束一切的錯誤，把我們一起帶到基督裡。那麼，這個轉捩點像什麼呢？

D-Day, 諾曼地登陸

       上週四, June 6, 2019年6月6號, 我們紀念諾曼地登陸75周年。1944年的這天，英國、美國、加拿大和法國聯軍在法國諾曼第海灘向德軍發動攻勢，  盟軍投入15萬兵力，贏得了戰役，成為二戰的轉捩點。不過，D-Day 還不是最後勝利，而是一個轉捩點，標誌著漫長且代價巨大的解放納粹佔領的西北歐的開始。今天，我們中間就有一位當年的英雄鮑勃飛利浦。

      鮑勃是空軍第8支隊的一員，在諾曼地登陸前執行了29次任務。他是B17轟炸機上的槍手和報話員，獲得了飛行十字勳章：他們當時的任務是向敵後的橋樑、鐵道投彈，阻擋敵軍增援諾曼第。四引擎的飛機在任務中被擊毀了二個，但這場戰役為鮑勃贏得戰功。

      我常常和二戰老兵聊天，他們對我說了三件非常清楚的事：

1）敵人是邪惡強大的—所以是你死我活的爭戰；

2）沒有個人進攻就不會勝利—要對邪惡勢力發動攻擊；

3）諾曼地登陸是二戰的轉捩點—但還要經過許多戰鬥才能最後勝利。

約翰福音11章的轉捩點：耶穌勝過死亡

     我相信你能看到了我用諾曼地登陸比喻約翰福音11章的轉捩點：

• 死亡這個仇敵是藉著邪惡而強大的罪進入世界的。罪已經深深植入我們的個人生命和世界系統。
• 如果沒有個人進攻，是無法贏得對罪和死亡的爭戰。耶穌降世，經歷這世界的試探和試煉，就是要勝過仇敵。
• 耶穌在11章讓拉撒路復活的勝利是神對罪與死亡開戰的轉捩點—但贏得最後勝利之前還有許多仗要打。

      約翰福音清楚表明，讓拉撒路死裡復活是戰役的轉捩點。當以色列的首領意識到耶穌不只是要復興以色列，還要把萬民帶到一起，他們知道羅馬政權是不會接受的，他們說：“羅馬人就會來，奪取我們的聖地和國家（11：48）”。大祭司該亞法說：“一個人替民眾死，免得全民族滅亡，這對你們是有益處的（11：50）”;於是我們看到53節說：“從那天起，他們就商議要把耶穌殺掉”。

      耶穌來，是要成就神的使命，把萬族萬民帶到神那裡，合二為一。

耶穌是如何對待人的

      在這一章，耶穌面對了許多不同的人。他好像知道每個人的需要和問題，所以並不是公式化地對每一個人。在過去的7周，我們已經在每個預表中看見耶穌所做的，我們也要在這裡看到。

1. 門徒 -- 耶穌明確地告訴他們：“拉撒路死了！我為你們歡喜，因為我不在那裡，好使你們可以相信 (11:14)。”

      耶穌和門徒都得知耶穌所愛的拉撒路病得很重，但約翰清楚地記著，耶穌並沒有馬上去干預，而是等了幾天才動身。

      這是什麼意思？難道他要讓拉撒路真死了，確保是實實在在的復活？還是他不想讓人把他當作神話中瓶子裡的妖怪隨叫隨到去解決各樣問題？或者，他要讓事件戲劇化促使宗教領袖下決心處死他？

      我覺得每點都有對的地方，這就是神工作的奧秘的一部分，耶穌所做的有多重目的。對門徒而言，耶穌知道，等候是為了讓他們相信。

      事實上，這些門徒看過耶穌所做的許多事，但他們的信心還是小；幾天後，當耶穌被放在墳墓中，他們還不相信耶穌有權柄勝過死亡。我們從這裡看見耶穌的耐心，他知道我們的信心常常因著不確定性或試探而起起伏伏，但他不會放棄我們，就像他不放棄門徒一樣。當然，如果門徒在看到拉撒路的復活之前就能信該有多好！耶穌知道他們的軟弱，但耶穌愛他們，對他們說：“我為你們歡喜，因為我不在那裡，好使你們可以相信（11：14）。”

2. 馬大 -- 耶穌對她說：“你弟弟會復活的。” 馬大說：“我知道在末日復活的時候，他會復活。” 耶穌對她說：“我就是復活，我就是生命 (11:23-25a)。”

耶穌到伯大尼後，首先遇到馬大，然後是她妹妹瑪麗亞，二人都分別對耶穌說了同樣的話：“主啊，如果你早在這裡，我弟弟就不會死了（11：21，32）。”在一篇講道裡，很難盡數耶穌的言行，但這裡我要你們看耶穌是如何分別回應姊妹倆同一個問題的，這説明我們認識耶穌是如何待我們的。      對馬大，耶穌給出了清楚的神學性解釋，因為馬大已經相信無論耶穌求什麼，父神都會給耶穌（11：22）；也相信神的子民在末日必復活（11;24）。於是耶穌將這兩個認信揉在一起應用在她身上，說：“我就是復活，我就是生命。信我的人，即使死了，也將要活。26所有活著而信我的人絕不會死，直到永遠。你信這話嗎（11：25-26）？”
      這對馬大就夠了，於是她立即回應：“是的，主啊！我相信你是基督，是神的兒子，就是要到世界上來的那一位（11：27）。”

3. 瑪麗亞 – 耶穌哭了（11：35）

      就像我們家裡的弟兄姊妹一樣，馬大、瑪麗亞儘管是姊妹，但性格不同，有不同的需要，所以當耶穌針對瑪麗亞的需要時，並沒有一開始就給出神學解釋，而是同情她。他因為瑪麗亞經歷弟弟的去世而痛心，為她失去親人深深哀悼，所以他一見瑪麗亞哭，他也哭了。

     耶穌為所愛的人哭泣；他愛門徒、馬大、瑪麗亞，雖然這次他沒有馬上介入，但他哭了，因為他知道他的等待導致了她們的悲痛。其實耶穌愛的表現就是要挪去她們的永遠痛苦，儘管她們需要有短暫的悲傷。耶穌看到他所愛的人受苦，他就哭了—他今天仍然如此。

     在這一章，我們看到許多的人物，有著不同的性格，但耶穌有辦法一一面對，滿足他們的需要，我禱告你們也可以如此經歷耶穌。也許有人像馬大，有許多理性問題，甚至懷疑神在世上的作為和聖經的啟示，我建議你把他們帶到耶穌面前，因為他不會因為我們的問題和懷疑離棄我們。

      有時我們只需要有人陪我們哭，不是聽教導或講道；在痛苦中，我們只需要知道有人足夠關心我們，和我們在一起。耶穌就這樣做，沒有其它宗教說它的神會與子民共患難，但耶穌與你同哭。

     當我們稱耶穌為主的時候，意味著我們要成為怎樣的人，我們的教會要成為怎樣的教會。我盼望我們的教會不要拒絕別人的難題，也許他們正在工作地方、大學、非信主的家庭在尋求主；我盼望我們的教會可以與人同哭，哪怕是因為人的愚昧和罪所導致的痛苦。如果經歷了耶穌與我們同哭，我們也會與患難中的人同哭。

     我盼望教會裡那些心有疑問的人可以勇敢地提出你的問題，那些在艱難中的人可以讓我們瞭解你的痛苦所在；我們教會應該成為善待人的，既不忽視罪，也絕不會冰冷、粗暴對人。正如耶穌常常帶來赦免、憐憫和盼望那樣，我們也要帶給別人。

 

耶穌要我們做什麼 – 耶穌告訴門徒：因為我不在那裡，好使你們可以相信(11:14)。 我就是復活，我就是生命。信我的人，即使死了，也將要活 (11:25)。

      你已經知道了這個故事：耶穌在回答了馬大，並與瑪麗亞同哭後就採取了對仇敵的行動；他像往常一樣照自己的時間表行事，他呼喚在墳墓中四天的拉撒路出來，而那死人就出來了！這就是我們盼望的根基；我們知道耶穌不僅有能力使自己從墳墓中出來—就像他不久後彰顯的，他還有能力使拉撒路這樣的死人從墳墓中出來，就是說，他也可以做在我們身上。

     我們蒙召是要相信--即使在我們看不見他的工作時，依然信靠他。本章，我們一次次讀到他個別性地對待每個人，照著每個人的性格和需要；但有一件事是共同的，就是這些人都蒙召相信他。今天，你們也蒙召要相信他、跟隨他，直到見到上帝的榮耀。你這樣信耶穌麼？

      我們不要一掠而過，注意拉撒路在墳墓中已經4天了！馬大在27節有力的認信後，此時也到墳墓前對主說：“主啊，他已經發臭了，因為是第四天了！”拉撒路不像Miracle Max在《公主新娘》一書中說的是垂死，而是完全死了！於是耶穌在墳墓前又一次宣告：“我不是對你說過，你如果信，就會看見神的榮耀嗎（11：14）？”

      你信麼？這樣的信仰受到的挑戰是多方面的，有時我們會像門徒一樣既相信又懷疑，特別是當耶穌沒有做我們認為他應該做的時候。門徒們問：“為什麼耶穌在朋友病危的時候還要故意耽延？”他們在耶穌沒有照他們期望行事時，需要學會信靠和等待。你是否今天也要學這樣的信靠功課呢？

     他們還要在耶穌行他們認為不可能之事的時候學習信靠，就像讓一個4天在墳墓中的人出來。你有沒有過試著解釋拉撒路的復活是因為他只是昏迷，不是真地死了？

      讓我告訴你幾年前我去中國的經歷。我與一群牧師會面，他們告訴我他們的奇特經驗，用他們的話，就是有一個“穿白衣的人”進入他們的生活，帶他們信耶穌。有一個人說當他在獄中的時候，他其實死過一次，而且被宣告了死亡 。就在他被判定為死的時候，他記得一個穿白衣人來見他，告訴他會活過來，並且要讀聖經信耶穌。講這話的人就坐在我對面，他的見證應該是可信的。

      不過我承認自己很難相信，我在用邏輯解釋，找理性的解釋。但從那以後，我開始問自己是否真地相信耶穌可以在我生命中行神跡？我決定相信耶穌從死裡復活與我同在，而且他不會離開、拋棄我。儘管我常常看不見他在做什麼，但他值得我信靠；我相信他所做的多過我的眼見，他能做的事超過我們的所求所想。

     耶穌問馬大：“我就是復活，我就是生命…你相信麼？”

     就如我剛才說的，約翰福音的其它神跡都指向這一個，這是最大的預表，預表了我們在這個必死的世界上所存的盼望是真的。我們生命中有許多事像死亡的經歷一樣，比如失去親人、沒有收入、沒有健康，等等，當我們失去重要的人或東西時，會感覺像死了一樣。

      這個預表顯示了耶穌大過世上最大的敵人---死亡。這預表也稱為“拉撒路預表”。拉撒路從墳墓中出來後，他還會再次穿上墳墓衣服的，事實上他復活後總有一天還會死。他有沒有懷疑說：“這是真的嗎？還是我只是做夢我死了？”拉撒路復活後，儘管知道自己肉體還要死亡，但他應該會在這必死的世界憑信心生活。

      耶穌對拉撒路，對他的姐姐們，對我們宣告說：我做我當做的，“所有活著而信我的人絕不會死，直到永遠！”現在，我必須問你們同樣的問題，就是耶穌問馬大的：“你信這話嗎？”

神能照著在我們裡面做工的大能，成就那遠超過我們所求所想的一切事——願榮耀在教會裡、在基督耶穌裡歸於神，直到世世代代，永永遠遠！阿門。          弗 3:20-21

榮耀歸給神！

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧師