Do You Truly Belive?

An elderly man ... who lived alone in Idaho ... wanted to till his sizable potato garden, ... but the ground was extremely hard ... and his son, ...who used to help him, ... was recently sent to jail.

The old man mentioned this ... in a letter to his son.

He wrote: ... "I'm not sure exactly what to do...... I'm just getting too old ... to be digging up a garden plot ... It looks like I won't be able to plant that garden this year after all."

A few days later, ... he received a short note from his son:

"Dad, for heaven's sake, ... don't dig up that garden ...that's where We buried the loot ... from the heist!"

Well, all correspondence ... is read by the authorities ... before being released.

So, at 4AM the next morning, ... a crew of police officers, ... arrived to dig up the stolen property.

After digging for hours, ... they gave up ... apologized to the old man ... and left.

A few days later ... the elderly gentleman received another letter from his son... "Dear Dad, ... under these circumstances, ... that's the best I can do,

You should now be able to plant your potatoes." (Pause)

Sometimes we are like the stubborn earth... A stubbornness that stands in the way .... of experiencing a fully transformed life ... in Christ Jesus.

Instead of trusting God ... Instead of taking his commandments and promises to heart ... (Touch Body) we let this flesh ... rule our life.

We allow our flesh ... to take control of our life.

We let the flesh ... harden the soil of ... our hearts.

We do not allow the garden of our soul ...to be tilled.

We remain a potential garden... a potential garden ... in need ... of being softened.

Softened by the one who is... the Way, the Truth, and the Life... To be tilled ... by the hand of Jesus

And Beloved ... a potential un-tilled garden ......will become hardened ...over time.

And today's Gospel text ... speaks to this.

Martha ... apparently bolder than Mary, ...goes out to meet Jesus, ... perhaps to have a private conversation.

Immediately ... Martha affirms her faith by saying ...... Jesus if you had been there, ......my brother would have been saved. (John 11:21)

Jesus said to her, ... Martha your brother will rise again. (John 11:23)

She responded... I know that he will rise again in the resurrection ... on the last day. (John 11:23)

Then Jesus shared these infamous words, BIBLE "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." END (John 11:25-26).

Jesus proclaims I am the Resurrection ... and the life. (John 11:25)

What did Jesus mean when he said these words?

I am the resurrection ... and the Life! (John 11:25)

Are they the same thing ... or are they different?

When Jesus said, .... "I am the resurrection and the life," ... He was clearly proclaiming ... that He is the source ... of both.

He is the Resurrection ... which means that those who believe in him ...will live ...even ... if they ...die.

This is the final resurrection ... the one that Martha spoke of.

Jesus was also making a statement concerning His nature.

His divine nature.

For Jesus, does more than give life; ... Jesus is life, ... and therefore ... death has no ultimate power ... over Him.

And Jesus ... confers this spiritual life ... on those who believe in Him, ...so that they too ...will share in His triumph ......over death (1 John 5:11-12).

Beloved ... Jesus is the Resurrection ... and Jesus is the Life

He offers life ... to everyone who believes in him... And what? ...... they will never die.

For all eternity ... They will Never die.

Beloved ... There is no resurrection ... apart from Christ, ... and there is no eternal life ... apart from Christ.

For He is both ... He alone ... is the Resurrection and He is the Life.

And After Jesus makes this statement ... he asks Martha this simple question, ... (Slow) "Do you believe this?"

And her response ... was that ... of well tilled soul, BIBLE "Lord I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." END (John 11:27)

And within a mere number of verses, ... Jesus commanded those present at the Tomb of Lazarus to: ...... "Take away the stone". (John 11:39)

And with a loud voice he proclaims ... (Loud) "Lazarus come out!" (John 11:43)

Some theologians believe ... that if Jesus did not specifically name Lazarus ... that all the tombs ... in the area ... would have been emptied. (Pause)