In a world filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and quiet struggles, many people find themselves asking an honest question: Am I truly thriving, or just surviving? This question formed the heart of Pr Vincent’s recent message at tNCC as he brought the congregation through John 11 – the powerful and renowned account of Jesus’s raising of Lazarus from the dead.
At the centre of this familiar story lies something deeper than a miracle. It reveals the tension between pain, promise, and price and what it truly means to live the abundant life that Jesus offers.
The Reality of Pain
Pr Vincent began by grounding the message in something deeply human: pain. The story of Lazarus is not just about resurrection, but about grief, delay, and confusion.
Mary and Martha, who deeply loved their brother, sent word to Jesus in desperation: “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.” Yet what followed was unexpected. Instead of rushing to help, Jesus delayed.
“It was totally opposite what Mary and Martha were expecting. The scripture revealed to us He stayed two more days in the place where He was,” Pr Vincent pointed out.
This delay is often where faith is tested. Like Martha, many of us have asked, “Lord, if you had been here…”, wondering why God did not intervene sooner.
Pr Vincent reflected on how this mirrors our own lives: “Sometimes there are moments in our life we ask this question, how come Jesus allowed things to happen in our life so much so that it looks like it is totally hopeless… and then a miracle happens.”
Pain, as we discover in this story, is not denied or minimized. Even Jesus Himself wept. However, the delay was not without purpose. What seemed like absence was actually preparation.
God’s Perfect Timing and Purpose
When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. By all human understanding, hope was gone. Yet this was precisely where God’s purpose would be revealed.
“His ways are not our ways,” Pr Vincent reflected. “His thoughts are not our thoughts… at the end, we will realize that His timing, His plan, His purpose… is perfect.”
Jesus declared something that would shift the entire perspective of the situation: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.” What appeared to be the end was, in fact, a stage for the revelation of God’s glory.
Pr Vincent emphasized that God’s delays are not denials. They are often invitations to trust beyond what we can see.
The Promise: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
At the heart of the passage is one of Jesus’ most profound declarations: “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Martha initially understood resurrection as a future event. But Jesus redirected her to something greater which was His present reality.
“He didn’t say I will be… He said I am the resurrection and the life,” Pr Vincent expressed.
This statement reveals that resurrection is not just an event. It is found in the person of Christ. The hope offered is not merely about what Jesus can do, but who He is.
Pr Vincent highlighted this shift clearly: “Most of the time we want Jesus to do this, do that for us. But Jesus tells us – know Me, who I am. I am the resurrection and the life.”
This changes everything. Because if resurrection is found in Christ Himself, and not in circumstances, then hope is never truly lost, even in situations that seem final.
The Call to Believe
Despite hearing Jesus’ promise, Martha responded with logic rather than faith. When Jesus asked for the stone to be removed, she pointed out the reality of decay: “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
It was a reasonable response but not a believing one.
Jesus replied with a gentle but firm reminder: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?”
Pr Vincent drew this into our daily lives: “We say yes Lord I believe, but when we are in the situation, then we give the Lord another answer.”
Faith is not merely agreeing in theory. It is trusting in practice, especially when circumstances contradict what we hope for.
The Voice That Calls Us Out
Then came the moment of miracle. Jesus stood before the tomb and called out: “Lazarus, come out.”
And the impossible happened.
Pr Vincent brought the focus beyond Lazarus and directly to us: “Today the same voice comes to us. Come out of that tomb.”
This is not just a historical event. It is a present invitation. Many people, though alive physically, remain trapped in “tombs” of fear, guilt, disappointment, or past identity.
“There are stones in front of us… It could be fear, unbelief, past failures or disappointment. Remove those stones by faith.”
The call of Jesus is deeply personal. Just as He called Lazarus by name, He calls each of us to step out of what binds us and into new life.
The Role of Community
Interestingly, Lazarus did not fully walk free on his own. Though he came out of the tomb, he was still bound in grave clothes.
Jesus then instructed the others around Lazarus: “Loose him, and let him go.” Pr Vincent highlighted a crucial truth here: “God uses people, church community to help remove the grave clothes of the past.”
Thriving is not meant to be a solitary journey. Growth, healing, and freedom often happen within a community.
“You cannot live the thrive life staying at home… We need to be planted in the house of the Lord.”
This reflects the truth of Psalm 92; that those who are planted in God’s house shall thrive.
The Price of Resurrection
The raising of Lazarus was not just a miracle. It was also a turning point. It set in motion the events that would lead to Jesus’ crucifixion. “When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the religious leaders wanted Him dead.” The miracle came at a cost.
“The promise was made not just with words but with action and with a price that He has paid,” Pr Vincent reflected. “He gave His life so that we can have life in abundance.”
This is the heart of the gospel – the divine exchange. Our life is made possible because of His sacrifice.
Not Survive But To Thrive
As he brought his message to a close, Pr Vincent returned to the central question: What is God’s plan for our lives?
“It’s not merely to survive… not to strive… but to thrive.”
So many people live in constant striving – pushing, worrying, and carrying burdens they were never meant to hold.
But Jesus offers something different: a life rooted in His finished work.
“Only the righteous can thrive… and we are the righteousness of God in Christ.”
This identity changes how we live. No longer bound by fear or past failures, we are invited to walk in the “newness of life.”
A Personal Response
Ultimately, the message is not just a theological one. It is deeply personal. “Jesus is calling your name… Come out.”
The question is simple, yet profound: Will we remain in the tomb, or will we step into the life He offers?
In Christ, there is no situation too far gone, no ending too final, and no life beyond restoration. The promise has been given. The price has been paid.
Now, the invitation remains – to move from merely surviving… to truly thriving.
The writer and Christianity Malaysia would like to thank Pr Peter Sze, Pr Vincent Yap and the church of tNCC for their hospitality and kind help with the production of this article. Photo of Pr Vincent from tNCC. All other images used solely for illustrative purposes.
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