Seeing Isn't Believing

John 11:28-57

"Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done." John 11:45-46

We would have the right to question The Bible’s legitimacy were we to make different observations about life and faith in the lives we live, than what we see as we read the account of Jesus as written by the people who lived in His day. We do not find such a discrepancy between the writing of John and the human response to the works of Christ in 2017. Seeing is NOT necessarily believing.

I've heard people say that they could believe in Jesus if only they saw some kind of miracle or something. If you've ever said or though something similar, know that faith does not automatically follow having observed His work. We see this principle clearly at work through the raising of Lazarus.

Many did in fact believe. Many others did not. There is nearly always a way to find an explanation that reinforces what you already believe. I suppose the easiest way around this account in its day would have been to write it off as a hoax. These Jesus followers must have contrived an elaborate scheme. The Christians have tried to sell the world a tall tale.

This is bigger than an issue of worldview. It would seem that these people who went to tell the Pharisees actually thought the event to be legitimate; their opposition to Christ being completely independent of whether or not Jesus really raised the man. He had been dead four days, the matter being a very public affair. Their resistance reveals something significantly greater than worldview, or personal observation. It isn't about those things. It is about allegiance. They just don't want Jesus to be who His works testify Him to be.

For all of the discussions we have today surrounding God - whether He's real, whether or not something is a miracle - I am convinced that this is truly what lies at the heart of the debate. Our resistance has less to do with reason, research, philosophy or observation, but infinitely more about if we really want Jesus to be the One sent by God to make humanity right with Himself.

The temptation is there for me to spend some time telling you about the people I know who have been healed from cancer, or the crippled man who was healed while on a trip to Israel. I know both by experience and the reality of Lazarus's story that going there wouldn't be what it takes for you to cross the line. Whether you trust John's story or even me has everything to do with what is going on in your own heart.

If you're fighting this I ask you to consider what motive a guy like me or a fellow like John would have in contriving such a great conspiracy. I have no money to gain if you sign on. I am not a politician soliciting your vote or a celebrity trying to gain a following. John's faith cost his own freedom, ending up in exile for his beliefs.

You may not have seen or recognized Christ's work in the world today. I assume you have the humility to recognize that just because you haven't observed something does not mean it didn't happen. I simply ask that you wouldn't be naive enough to think that seeing His work is necessarily what it would take to believe. If you're looking for a story and you trust me, leave a comment. I'll try to find the time to give you a story or two. (or maybe I’ll try to sell you a book)