Questions – John 11:17-44

How can I become a Christian?

What a crucial question! The classic evangelical answer, in my lifetime, has been, “You must ask Jesus into your heart”. Even though the phrase “ask Jesus into your heart” is not even in the Bible, many have come into the kingdom by way of this contemporary phrase because it can embody the biblical injunction to believe and to submit. Recall; Jesus is a savior and a king. However, If someone were to ask me today, “How can I become a Christian?” I will likely refer them to John 11:25-26 and let Jesus personally convey to them …

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.

I might invite them out for coffee in a week or so and follow up with the same question Jesus asked …

                                                                  Do you believe this?

If we could poll the hearts of all those who have been authentically born again, I believe we would find that all live rebirths share a miraculous common denominator – they believed in him.

Pretty simple isn’t it? Yet, having a savior in heaven is one thing, having a Lord living in our hearts at breakfast is another. Where the Eternal Seed takes root, we begin discovering his life within a very personal tension. We discover that we have our ways and he has his, which are somewhat higher than ours. We also learn he has this notion it is to everyone’s benefit that we lose every argument. Welcome to the kingdom.

In three different places in this passage we see the inevitable tension. ( John 11:21, 32 and 37.) In our passage, we see an If only – attitude being exposed in Martha and Mary, who believed Jesus was the Messiah. This sentence may sound foreign, but the sisters (as believers) had inherited eternal life, and within the tension (as heirs) they were inheriting eternal life.

“If only” – a seemingly innocuous phrase is a thin disguise for our anything-but-innocent attitudes. At its core, “If only”, betrays dissatisfaction and disaproval. The holy spirit will eventually expose us. We will hear our heart’s protest  – “Oh man!” or “That’s not fair!” or “What’s the deal!” Sarcasm also betrays this attitude – “Oh, that’s just perfect!” Decoded, these phrases are all asking the wrong question …

Couldn’t you have done this as I had thought best?

Disciples eventually learn that Jesus is invested in every aspect of their lives and he knows, in each of these areas, how we are to think and what we are to do. Discovering that the Spirit indwells us and has actually become our life is foundational to knowing Jesus as Lord. Walking in the Spirit, living out of his life, involves the ongoing experience of repentance – the laying down of our opinions for his truth, and our preferences for his ways. This is also called discipleship.

Tragically, in our have-It-your-way / seeker-friendly culture, discipleship has become an optional track within Christendom, an experience reserved for those called into ministry. Discipleship has been cast as a works-oriented, excessive burden to be carried by those “in ministry”. Discipleship is nothing more than learning to daily live out of God’s life within us. Being a disciple is neither exclusive nor heavy. Jesus said …

                                                     My burden is easy and my yoke is light.

Only a few special saints are called into ministry and discipleship is reserved for them – what a lie! No doubt a demon achieved great notoriety in Hell for the crafting of these whoppers. Will there be notoriety in heaven for saints who overcame these demonic strongholds? Probably not. That awards banquet is going to be all about Jesus – the Truth, who ultimately expressed his life through his younger brothers and sisters. These children of the kingdom ultimately arose and overturned the lies which separated discipleship from Christianity and relationship from religion.

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.

If we do stand before God and give an account of our lives, (which I anticipate) I can imagine him handing out those white stones to the overcomers referred to in Revelation 2:17. I have allowed my imagination to run a while on this track; I dearly want to hear him say, “Well done good and faithful servant. You have crossed the finish line in full stride. I shall call you ‘Hoss’.” If that name is already taken and I looked down and my stone reads, “Real Deal”, I would be equally stoked.

In summary, salvation was never meant to be a stand-alone event – something that happened way back when. It is true, there was a “when” that we received grace to believe. In that moment, Jesus – the Life of God, invaded our still-born spirits. This was the beginning of our salvation – a life–process of working out his life with awe and wonder. Discipleship is not a program or a course. It is a lifestyle. No matter what you haven’t been told or how alien this post may sound, discipleship is integral to normal christianity and it is for all who believe.

Father, thank you that you persevere with us even as we insist on doing life on our own terms. Let our folly run its course. As light, let us overcome darkness. May our lives serve as living proof you have sent Jesus – who saved us and is saving us. Amen.