Trial Tested Faith Leads Others to Christ

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go. Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him” (John 11: 38-45).

Jesus led the crowd of followers to the tomb of His dear friend Lazarus. He could have approached the tomb with lots of attention getting noise, pomp and circumstance. In light of what was about to happen, He could have approached the tomb with loud, prideful promises of the miracle that was soon to come. Instead He came humbly, “deeply moved” by the hurt of loved ones, the injured faith of disciples, and the opportunity to help a large number of followers become disciples through faith in Him. We all know Jesus was about to call His dear friend Lazarus back to the land of the living from the depths of the land of the dead. He knew it too. He told Martha she was about to see the “glory of God”. He knew His prayer was already heard in heaven. His ultimate concern was for “the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me”. In His very intentional, purposeful approach to the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus revealed just how disciples are to approach the deepest, darkest challenges of life. He showed us how we are different from the world and more like Him when we encounter the trials of this temporal world. In today’s scripture, the Holy Spirit reveals the truth and teaches disciples that as we become more like Christ, our trial tested faith leads others to Christ.

The Teacher invites us to do a little personal reflection today. How do we respond to life-interrupting and faith challenging trials? Can you recall the last time a serious illness, job loss, or the death of a loved one disrupted your life and challenged your faith? Maybe it was the death of a relationship, the closing of your business, or the moral failure of a church leader that shook your world and broke your heart? We know that nothing that happens to us is outside of the knowledge of our Savior… “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15). We also know that nothing that happens to us is outside of the power of our Lord… “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). Knowing and living in these two precious Biblical truths will transform the mind and shape the heart of true disciples. Embracing these truths will help disciples to approach and overcome life’s trials as Jesus would and empower us to reveal God’s glory to others who need to meet and believe in Christ… “I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me”.

Just as Jesus’ humble, confident attitude impacted the crowd, the attitude of truth-embracing disciples toward trials will have a great impact on the faith of others. Just as Jesus invited followers to participate in the miracle by taking away the stone, our faith through trials invites others to participate when they see us trust God for a miracle… “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him”. Just as Jesus prayed with confidence and thanks, we can point others toward heaven if our trial-prompted prayers are filled with faith and thanksgiving… “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Just as Jesus commanded the crowd to “unbind him, and let him go”, our faith through trials can introduce others to the deliverance and abundant life found only in Christ… “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

As we grow up into Christ our approach to trust-threatening adversity is transformed and our…

Trial Tested Faith Leads Others to Christ.