Even Now, John 11:1-27

Oh, finally, you’re back. Did you see Him? Where is He? What’d He say?

I returned as quickly as I could. I saw Him. He didn’t come with me. He said, “The sickness won’t end in death, but in the glory of God, so the Son of God is glorified.” (John 11:4).

“Won’t end in death? That means he won’t die, right?”

“I think so. But, then again, sometimes I have no idea what He means. It’s all Greek.”

“Are you sure that’s what He said? Because Laz don’t look so good—he’s much worse.”

“That’s what He said. And since He didn’t come back with me, that must mean everything’s gonna be alright, right?”

“Yes. I think. I hope. I pray. We have to trust Him. What exactly did He say again?”

“This sickness won’t end in death, but in the—”

“Okay, we’ll hold onto that. This sickness won’t end in death. This sickness won’t end in death. This sickness won’t…”

“But in the glory of God, so the Son of God is glorified.”

“Right. “This sickness won’t end in death. This sickness won’t…”

 

“Hi Laz, how you feeling? Good news. The Doc says you’re going to get better. This sickness won’t end in… Laz?”

“NO! He said, he’d get better.”

“He said, ‘This sickness won’t end in—'”

“YOU LIED TO ME! YOU LIAR!”

“I’m not lying. He said that. But, like I said, sometimes I don’t understand what He says.”

“If He’d have been here, Laz wouldn’t have died. Why didn’t He come back with you? He loves Laz. He loves us…or, I thought He did. I thought we were friends. Maybe, I was wrong.”

 “What do we do now?”

“Prepare a funeral.”

 

“Day after day I pray to wake from this nightmare. It’s been four days. Laz is still dead. He’s not here. It’s got to be a nightmare. It can’t be real.”

“Well, actually, He is here. I just heard, He’s on the outskirts of town.”

She ran. Her thoughts pound with each step. You said, this sickness won’t end in death. You could’ve been here. Why didn’t You come? You should’ve been here. If only You’d have been here—”   

He stood with His disciples, waiting.  His eyes swam with understanding and love. His smile filled with compassion and concern.

“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21.

If You had been here, this nightmare wouldn’t be real. My heart wouldn’t be broken, nor my world turned inside out.

You could’ve prevented this. I called to You. Sent for You. Why didn’t You show?

Now, it’s too late. I can’t see any way back from here.

I don’t know what to do, how to feel, what to think.

How could You let this happen?

Did I do something wrong? Don’t You love us? Do You even care?

Everything I see, and feel, all my mind, tells me we’re through.

But then…

There’s something. I can’t describe it, but from somewhere deep inside, there’s something that won’t let me, let go. I don’t understand, it doesn’t make sense…but, in spite of the circumstance, I still believe in You. I choose to trust You.

“But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” John 11:22. 

Even now,  I will praise You in this storm.

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. 

Then, He asked her, and now He asks you...

Do you believe this?”

I pray we all respond as she did:

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:25-27.

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Watch Sermon: Even Now, John 11:1-27

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