Text: “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23).
What does it mean to believe? If you believe something you accept it as true or real. Also, you might believe or expect that something is going to happen or something is going to take place. For example, you might say, “I believe it is time to have dinner.” Or you might say, “I believe the festival is going to be a big event.
As Christians, we believe Jesus Christ was God’s Son who came to this earth to pay the penalty for sins; past, present and future. We believe the “words in red” and we believe it was Jesus’ intent that we follow His words which will keep us on the straight and narrow path.
Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). Jesus was not saying that we will receive everything we want if we just think positively. We know, we believe, we trust or we have faith that God can do anything, but not that He will grant us everything we ask for.
Nothing is impossible for God. He has the power to do everything. All the work God gives us to do, we believe without a shadow of doubt that He will give us the power and resources to do that work.
When we witness, the power to witness comes from God. At times we may feel spiritually weak, but we believe God will give us the power to become spiritually strong. He does this because the work we are doing will bring Him glory and honor.
Do you remember the story about the woman who had a bleeding problem for twelve years and truly believed that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ garment or robe she would be healed? She said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well” (Matthew 9:21).
Her belief or faith was so strong that when she touched Jesus’ garment, “The woman was made well from that hour” (Matthew 9:22). This woman took the initiative to believe although she was an unclean woman.
What do I mean by an unclean woman? Leviticus 15:19 says, “If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.”
During Jesus’ time, some of the old Levitical laws alienated or made people feel as though they were distanced or separated from God. Jesus didn’t go along with this particular law. In fact, He drew people near as demonstrated by the story of the woman who had the bleeding issue for twelve years.
In our Scripture reading, Jesus mentions the word “believe” as He talks about a man named Lazarus. Besides Lazarus, two other people are named. One is Mary and the other Martha. These two ladies were sisters to Lazarus.
This happy family of three lived in the town or village of Bethany which was close to Jerusalem. It is interesting to note that when Jesus was in the vicinity of Bethany, He stayed in the house with Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
“This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair” (John 11:2). Mary couldn’t stand to see her brother ill and at the point of death. This bothered her just as it bothers each of us. It is difficult to see a loved one sick and at the point of death. Their sickness causes us affliction, suffering and pain.
This same feeling was affecting Mary and Martha. The sickness of a loved one causes us to feel sorry for ourselves or to desire sympathy from those around us. These two women knew Jesus and they believed Jesus could help alleviate their pain and suffering. They also believed if Jesus were present their brother would not die.
The sisters sent word for Jesus to come and be with them and Lazarus. They said, “Lord, the one you love is sick” (John 11:3). These women desired and wanted Jesus to help their brother. They had been around Jesus to remember some of the miracles He performed.
Each one of us knows that Jesus still performs miracles. The Scripture tells us that He does and many of us have witnessed a miracle first hand. When we are hurting or when we need help, the One we call upon is non-other then Jesus. Mary and Martha called upon Jesus in their time of need. We, too, should call upon Him in our time of need. He is our resource for each of our needs.
There have been numerous times when Carol and I called upon the Lord for help. When our middle son was born, he had one lung that was collapsed and the other lung had a hole in it. As soon as he started to breathe, his lips and his little fingers, around the nails, also turned a pretty blue. He was immediately placed in an oxygen incubator. I happen to work at the hospital during this time and I was on night call, so I had a room there.
When it was his feeding time, I would go to the nursery and the nurse would take him out of the oxygen incubator and hand him to me so that I could give him his bottle. Within just a few minutes, I could see his lips and flesh around his nails begin to turn blue.
We prayed to God that healing would take place in his body. Many people were in prayer for him and after about a week, there did not seem to be any major improvement, so the doctors decided he should be transferred to Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.
Prayers were going up from many locations including our home. As the time for transfer came near, the doctors said they noticed a change. They said that the lung that was deflated was now inflated. His blue color did not reappear. We were allowed to take him home and report to the doctor’s office a few days later.
The days came for his doctor’s appointment and when they checked him out, guess what they found? His lung with the hole had sealed itself and now both lungs were functioning properly. All we could say was, “Thank you Jesus!”
We definitely consider this a miracle. We believed all the time something good was going to happen and Jesus did not let us down. We felt in our heart that the trip into Cleveland would not be necessary. We placed our faith in Jesus and believed he would grant the very best, which He did.
Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha believed in their heart that if Jesus would come, their brother would be made well. So they sent this message to Jesus: “Lord, the one you love is sick” (John 11:4).
Mary and Martha were facing a very difficult time in their life. We have all faced similar times in our life. What Mary and Martha and all of us probably never take into consideration is that the difficult circumstances we face will bring glory to Almighty God. I say this because as a believer, we should already know that God can and will bring good out of the most difficult situation.
Let’s consider the story of Joseph and his brothers. Remember how jealous they were of Joseph and how they wanted to destroy him. They said, “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cistern and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams” (Genesis 37:20).
The brothers were jealous of Joseph. Is there anyone in here who has never been jealous of someone? I would venture to say that we have all experienced jealously. The question I have is this, was the jealously great enough to want us to kill or destroy that person or persons?
What was the situation with Joseph’s ten brothers? They were in agreement to kill their brother because of the robe of many colors given to Joseph by his father and several dreams Joseph had. Their jealousy brought all ten of them to the point of murder.
Jealously is a common feeling. It is real. If it is not dealt with at the beginning and is left to fester and grow, the actions that follow will be detrimental. Sin enters the picture when the actions of jealously get out of hand.
Joseph’s brother Reuben was the only person who did not want to harm Joseph. In fact Reuben said, “Let’s not take his life. Let’s not shed any blood. Let’s throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don’t lay a hand on him” (Genesis 37:21, 22). Joseph was thrown into the cistern or well, but was pulled out and sold to a caravan of Ishmaelites who came by. “So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28).
Joseph was a young man of seventeen whose talents and knowledge were given to him by God. He had a personal relationship with God and believed in what God told him and revealed to him. The problem Joseph had was that of bragging about his knowledge. He would have been better off to thank God for what God had given him instead of bragging to his father and his brothers.
Later in his life, Joseph spoke openly about his ability to interpret dreams giving God the credit. When Pharaoh had a dream and sent for Joseph to interpret the dream, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires” (Genesis 41:16).
Joseph believed God would give him the answer to Pharaoh’s dream. He knew he could not do anything under his own power. Joseph gave all the credit, the honor and the glory to Almighty God.
You and I need to remember that all we have and all we can do are possible because God has given us the knowledge, talent or ability to do these things. When we pride ourselves for doing something, we are stealing honor from God.
Joseph had such a personal relationship with God that God took care of him when he was betrayed and deserted by his entire family. God showed him the way and remained with him when he was exposed to sexual temptation. When Joseph was placed in prison, God stayed with him giving him a positive attitude.
Joseph did not hold a grudge against his brothers. The brothers said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” (Genesis 50:15) Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children” (Genesis 50:19-21).
Mary and Martha were facing a crisis because their brother was dying, but they believed Jesus could help if He was present. We have all faced various crises in our life and we have prayed for God’s assistance. At times, we didn’t know if we could get through these trying times, but we did. We got through because “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8”28).
God works in “all” situations and in “all” kinds and types of trials and tribulations we encounter. He doesn’t pick certain ones. We are going to face evil circumstances because we live in an evil world and a fallen world, but God can see the big picture because He is still on the throne and He is still in control.
God works wonders for those who love Him. He works to bring to fruition the purpose He has instilled in them. When the Scripture refers to those “who have been called,” it refers to those who have come to Jesus and have asked Him to come into their heart.
These are the people who believe God and place their trust in Him. These are the people who can go through the various trials and tribulations of life because they know in their heart that God is with them all the time.
When Jesus received the news that Lazarus was sick, “He stayed where He was for two more days” (John 11:6). In fact, Jesus’ disciples did not want Him to go back to Judea. They said, “But Rabbi, a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?” (John 11:8).
Jesus intentionally stayed two extra days where He was. Mary and Martha did not understand why Jesus did not come immediately.
That is the same thing that happens to us when we are in need and we pray for God to come to our need. The issue is that God’s timing is not like our timing. He will meet our needs according to Scripture. He meets all of our needs “…according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
God will meet all of our earthly needs and He will meet all of our heavenly needs. He will do this when we believe Him and trust Him. When we trust God, our attitudes begin to accept what He provides for us. In addition to this, He gives us the power we need to live for Him.
Jesus went on and said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up” (John 11:11). Jesus’ disciples took His words to mean that Lazarus actually had fallen into the natural type sleep we fall into each night.
Jesus decided to get right to the point and set the disciples straight in their thinking. He said, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.
The disciples agreed to go to Jerusalem with Jesus. Thomas said to the other disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). Jesus’ plan was to show that He had power over death. He knew this was not His time to die.
When Jesus and the disciples arrived, Martha said to Him, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:21). When Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23), Martha was thinking of the resurrection that would come sometime in the future.
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25, 26). Martha said, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:27).
Martha’s response demonstrated her belief and her faith. When we respond to Jesus in the same manner, we are demonstrating our belief and our faith. When we believe we will see the glory of God.
Before Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the tomb, he said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hears me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me” (John 11:41, 42).
Conclusion:
“Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). God hears our every prayer and knows our every need. He has given each of us a purpose in life and He acts to fulfill that purpose. His timing is not the same as our timing.
His response is far better than we could ever imagine. He is the resurrection and the life and He said, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25).
When we believe in Jesus, our spiritual life will never be conquered by death. When we are committed to Jesus, we can be assured without a doubt that “Because He lives, we will also live” (John 14:19).
Amen.
