From Knowing to Believing

Summary:Jesus arrives in Bethany, where Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha goes to meet Him, saying that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died, but she still trusts God will grant His requests. Jesus tells her that Lazarus will rise again, and she assumes He means in the future resurrection. Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life,” calling for present faith. Martha affirms her belief that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. She then tells Mary, who quickly goes to meet Jesus, who has not yet entered the village.  Teaching:Martha said she knows that whatever Jesus asks of God, God will give Him.  Martha also said that she knows that his brother will rise in resurrection on the last day. However, Jesus asks, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” And finally, Martha says she believes; from knowing to believing. Today, many people, like Martha, claim to believe in Jesus but only possess knowledge about Him. They know much, yet they do not truly believe. True faith does not stop at knowing; it must go beyond knowledge and become genuine belief.  Having faith is not about hoping for something in the future but believing that the work begins now, in the present. Jesus speaks in the present because He is about to raise Lazarus now. Martha initially thought of resurrection as something that would happen in the distant future, but she came to believe that Jesus would raise Lazarus today, in this very moment.  If we believe in Jesus, we must also believe that nothing is impossible for Him and that He will accomplish His work in our lives right now, today. Excerpt from the sermon by Deacon 이경록, Apr 1, 2025.John 10:17-30(D-148)