Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from John 11:38-46.

“So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb.  Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.  Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”  Jesus *said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”  So they removed the stone.  Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  I knew that You always hear Me;  but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”  When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”  The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.  Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.  But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.”  John 11:38-46.

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Everyone saw what Jesus had done.  But, only some believed in Jesus.  See the last two verses of today’s Scripture (verses 45-46).

“Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.”  Verse 45.

“But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.”  Verse 46.

Those who went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done were not credited with belief, because they did not believe that God had sent Jesus.  We notice the words of Jesus:  “I knew that You always hear Me;  but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”  Verse 42.

Just merely observing what Jesus had done is not belief.  “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;  for who hopes for what he already sees?”  Romans 8:24.  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1.

Many believe that Jesus is a good teacher, even a prophet.

Many believe that Jesus did some miracles.  Those who went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done did not deny that Jesus performed a miracle.

But, those who truly believed in Jesus had to believe more about Jesus.  In today’s Scripture, we learned that they had to believe that God sent Him.  In other words, they had to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God as Martha had confessed earlier in the chapter.  “She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord;  I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”  John 11:27.

Consider what the Belgic Confession states about what we confess about Jesus Christ.

Article 10:  That Jesus Christ is true and eternal God.

We believe that Jesus Christ, according to his divine nature, is the only begotten Son of God, begotten from eternity, not made nor created (for then he should be a creature), but co-essential and co-eternal with the Father, the express image of his person, and the brightness of his glory, equal unto him in all things.  He is the Son of God, not only from the time that he assumed our nature, but from all eternity, as these testimonies, when compared together, teach us.  Moses saith, that God created the world;  and John saith, that all things were made by that Word, which he calleth God.  And the apostle saith, that God make the worlds by his Son;  likewise, that God created all things by Jesus Christ.  Therefore it must needs follow, that he, who is called God, the Word, the Son, and Jesus Christ, did exist at that time, when all things were created by him.  Therefore the prophet Micah saith, His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.  And the apostle:  He hath neither beginning of days, nor end of life.  He therefore is that true, eternal, and almighty God, whom we invoke, worship and serve.

“And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.  He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.”  John 12:44-45.