June 23, 2023

Today's Reading: John 11:17-37

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 1:8-33, John 11:17-37

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.”(John 11:25-26a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Jesus is in the resurrection business. Let that sink in for a minute. Martha had stomped out to meet Jesus before He even made it to the house. “If you had been here,” she sobbed, “my brother wouldn’t have died!” You get the idea that she and her sister had rehearsed these words as Lazarus’ health had gone from bad to the very worst…Martha knew that her brother would rise again on the last day…but that didn’t speak to her grief right then and right there. But at that moment, when Martha correctly confesses the resurrection, Jesus has a “mic drop” moment that brings peace and comfort to her, to Mary, and to all of us as well. “I AM the Resurrection and the Life,” He said. To know Jesus is to know life and resurrection. 

As we heard yesterday, Jesus brings the light of life where there would otherwise simply be death and hopelessness. Mary was told that Jesus was headed to the tomb, and she tried to share the same, rehearsed line: “Jesus, if You had been here—” but Jesus continued His march to the tomb…The compassion that brought Jesus to tears and had opened the eyes of the blind carried Him to place where His friend had been laid. You see, He needed to have a word with the dead man. More specifically, He needed to have three words with him: Lazarus, come out. And the dead man rose. These words are comforting for you, dear Christian reader. These words were spoken to Lazarus (who surely tasted death again…) for YOUR good, so that you might believe that Jesus is YOUR resurrection…so that believing, you may have life and never fear the grave. Death is undone and Christ’s resurrection pledges a resurrection for YOU as well! In the Name + of  Jesus. Amen.

O Christ, Who shared our mortal life and ended death’s long reign, Who healed the sick and raised the dead and bore our grief and pain: We know our years on earth are few, That death is always near, Come now to us, O Lord of Life; bring hope that conquers fear! “I am the Lord of life and death!” You answered Martha’s cry, “And all who hear and trust My Word shall live, although they die!” You walked the path to Laz’rus’ tomb, You called him forth by name, and living, loving once again, From death to life he came! Amen. (LSB 552:1,10)

-Pastor Dustin Beck is Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Warda Texas.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Jonathan Lackey is an LCMS seminarian.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.