The Rooted Podcast

Speaker 1 (00:00.15)
Resurrection isn't just something for the future, it's something that's now. It's not a future hope or an event. He's showing us that resurrection is a person and that resurrection is Jesus.

right in the middle of a story about life and death. Jesus is clearly saying which one he is.

We don't have to wait for that future hope, here. The Kingdom of God is here. The power of God is here and now.

You could make a connection between this resurrection of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus, that for me, is one of the most comforting scriptures. We see the demonstration of his grief and it's the evidence of his love. He doesn't limit his love to the expectations of the society.

Speaker 2 (00:45.334)
look like for me to actually believe he's the resurrection in the life. When we believe something that is deep and it's rooted within us and it changes the way that we live.

think that we have a problem believing. The question is what do we believe in?

You're listening to The Rooted Podcast from Bible Society. In each series, we take a closer look at a theme or book of the Bible and explore its relevance in our lives today. This is our series on Jesus' I Am statements. Hey everyone, welcome back to The Rooted Podcast. Today, we're going to be looking a bit deeper into chapter 11 of John, where we have Jesus' third I Am statement, I am the resurrection and the life. So we're really looking forward to this.

episode which is coming out on Good Friday. So if you're listening, I hope you've had a really good Holy Week and yeah, that you have an excellent Easter. So I'm Noelle and I'm also here today with Amanda. And Amanda is brilliant. She has done other work with Bible Society in the past. She's helped us to create some really cool resources. But she also wrote for the John edition of Rooted. So we asked her if she would please come on the podcast and speak with us about John and we're so happy that she said yes.

So Amanda, would you just tell us a bit about yourself, what you do, just for our listeners who may not have heard of you.

Speaker 1 (02:04.526)
Hi everyone, my name is Amanda and it is an awesome privilege to be here to come and talk about the Bible, my favorite thing to do. I am an author, I spend a lot of time writing fiction, nonfiction. I also run a nonprofit organization for women called Empire Woman. I host the Empire Woman show on Revelation TV and on YouTube. If you haven't checked that out, check that out, please.

And a mother of three amazing children and a wife of one, that's enough. That's been a nutshell. But God has been so gracious, so I have the privilege of doing a few different things that I really enjoy, but nothing as much as digging deep into the Word of God. And so, I'm excited to be here today.

thanks, Amanda. Thanks so much for being here. I was looking forward to that because Amanda has one of these awesome bios that are like two paragraphs long because she's just done so many great things. So, you summed that up very nicely. Great. So, yeah, as I said, we're going to look at Jesus' I Am statement, I Am the resurrection and the life today. This is all set within the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Very well known story in John, and that's in chapter 11. So, we're going to take a look at this.

Look at some of the differences between Jesus and Lazarus' resurrection. Look how Lazarus' resurrection points forward to Jesus' resurrection. And just sort of think about how this impacts our lives today and our relationships with God and how we live as Christians. Yeah, really excited about this. Let's get into it. I'm just going to give a brief summary of the story of Lazarus. So this is in John 11. Basically, a close sort of family friend of Jesus' is sick.

And Jesus hears about this, but instead of doing what we think He would do and going immediately to heal Lazarus, He waits. He waits two more days after He hears that Lazarus is sick and Lazarus dies. He then goes to where Lazarus is, in Judea, and He, as many of you know, He raises him from the dead, which is brilliant. This amazing story, Lazarus has already been dead for four days and He comes walking out of the tomb.

Speaker 2 (04:15.69)
And sort of right in the middle of this story is the I AM statement in verse 25 where Jesus says to Martha, am the resurrection and the life. And after that, there's a lot of fallout, a lot of people are quite upset. There's a plot to kill Jesus that sort of begins on from here. And right after this story in John's gospel, we sort of head into the passion narrative. So, really, really good story. There's so much in it chapter 11. Maybe we could just start by

looking at this story, specifically thinking about why do we think that John has put this I am statement right in the middle of this story? So maybe what is John trying to tell us?

think one of the key things is, John is trying to show us that resurrection isn't just something that is for the future, it's something that's now. It's not a future hope or an event. He's showing us that resurrection is a person and that resurrection is Jesus. So, one of the things I really enjoy when I read this story is how Jesus is so strategic in some of the statements that He makes.

So for example, verse four, he says to them, this sickness is not unto death, but then Lazarus dies. So then you start to ask yourself, you know, is he lying? It's not unto death, but then Lazarus dies. And then he goes on to say, he's asleep, you know? And then he finally says to them, okay, fine, he's dead. So it makes me to start asking myself, how do we actually define death? Where Jesus is looking at it from a, he's asleep.

Yeah

Speaker 1 (05:55.97)
perspective and it kind of makes me feel like there is spiritual sleep and physical sleep and we understand physical sleep, we understand the concept of death, but the disciples didn't really know what Jesus was talking about. But he's already said, you know, this is not unto death. He knew that he was going to raise him. John puts it to me, John putting that statement right in the middle. It's kind of like a nice progression of

a lesson that Jesus is trying to teach us, where He's starting by saying, this person is not going to die. Then He goes and He says, well, this person's asleep. Then the next thing we see, this resurrection statement. And it comforts me in a way that reminds me, for me, I've lost loved ones, and I'm sure that there quite a few people that will be listening that would have lost loved ones. There's something quite comforting about knowing that they are asleep.

it's not permanent that there's going to be a time where they would wake up. That's what we see as an example in this scripture.

Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:01.9)
Yeah, that's such a good point. Jesus is like reframing how we think about death. Because to us, death is sort of the ultimate blow to life. Like, it completely ruptures everything that we know that is good and right in the world when we lose someone. It's sort of like the ultimate downfall. But Jesus is saying, actually, you don't have to be afraid of this because I am the resurrection and the life. That's such a good point. It's like a reframing of the way that we think.

I also feel like maybe John is getting at something a bit symbolic as well, the fact that right in the middle of a story about life and death, Jesus is clearly saying which one He is. Like I've said, feared. Jesus actually is the thing that overcomes death because He's the resurrection and then He's the life, the thing that of sustains us.

There's also a shift of focus, isn't there, because we have Jesus there saying, I am the resurrection. Like, it's who He is. It's a … Resurrection is a person, it's not an event. And He's saying that to Martha when her brother's dead. So there's, you know, like He said, there's that contrast between life and death, and He's standing there saying, I'm the resurrection, I'm alive, this is who I am. But then we have Lazarus who is dead, and it feels like

There's a temporary resurrection that's going to happen, but there's that eternal power that Jesus is demonstrating in His being there and He's trying to communicate that to Martha, but then ultimately to us to say, there's something that's temporary about somebody that's going to die, I'm going to bring them back to life because then they're going to die again until they fall asleep. There's something about me that, you know, I'm just going to be eternal. You know, this is who I am. This is something that I, it's more than what I can do. It is who I am.

Yeah, it's such a good point that he's having this conversation with Martha, and that would be quite an offensive thing to say. You would think to someone who's just lost their brother, don't worry, I'm the resurrection and the life when she doesn't know what's going to happen. So I love the fact that he's not afraid to still say who he is. And you're right, it's different for him just to say, well, I'm going to raise Lazarus from the dead, so it's okay. He's going beyond that in saying, this is who I am. So yeah, I think that's pretty good.

Speaker 2 (09:23.672)
There's also some things in the story where we see that you could make a connection between this resurrection of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus, which I think is really interesting. The story of the raising of Lazarus is also one of John 7's This is sign 6, if you say that sign 7 is the resurrection, which is the interpretation we've sort of gone with in the journal. And so, I think it's really interesting because

one of his signs points forward to the ultimate sign that Jesus is the Messiah, and I think that's brilliant. But there are also some differences between this resurrection and Jesus' resurrection. What sort of things do you see there that excite you as you read the story?

Well, there's the obvious one knowing that Lazarus died again. Whereas when Jesus resurrected, He's eternal, He's conquered death forever. There's the other thing about Jesus had to resurrect Lazarus, but Jesus resurrected Himself. So there's that difference. The other difference that I see is

Yeah.

Speaker 2 (10:27.288)
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (10:32.832)
Even after Jesus resurrected Lazarus, there was some kind of participation that was needed where he says, take off the grave clothes, untie him, unbind him. But when Jesus was resurrected, everything was folded nice and neatly. He took it off himself, you know? So that's just awesome to see. Yeah, those are some of the differences that I see.

Yeah, that's so good. Jesus said to them, take off the grave clothes and let him go. So it does seem to be this specific thing he's trying to get at. Yeah, and we can think about that metaphorically, can't we? Of like, Jesus, when we're set free from something, a lot of the time we tend to carry the things that we have been set free from. I was also thinking about like, how many times

See you next

Speaker 2 (11:23.734)
and like specifically in marriage, like I think about how many times your spouse does something that bothers you again and again. And when they actually grow and they stop doing it, sometimes you still treat them as if they still do the thing that they don't do anymore. Does that make sense? And when actually they've stopped doing it and you sort of hold them in the same place.

You know, I like that you said that because you've given me a really good example that I'm going to go back and say to my husband because there are some things that he wants me to do and hand on heart, I've stopped doing them, but he going, and you remember, so I'm going to say to him, take off the grave clothes. I've been set free. It's analogy, but you are so right. God will, when we think about spiritual resurrection,

That's it.

Speaker 1 (12:17.954)
Jesus can spiritually resurrect something in our lives, but we look at the story of Lazarus and he teaches us that there is some participation that's required on our part, that it might not always be something that we can do for ourselves. We will sometimes need others because Lazarus could not unbind himself. He needed the help of others. And so the question is, are we surrounded with people that can help us when we find ourselves in that situation where we're going to God for prayer?

but we might need physical counselling. We're going to go for prayer, but we might need somebody to speak life into us, to sit with us, to pray with us. There is something about the community that helps in being set free, not just physically, but also spiritually as well.

Yeah, that's so good. I didn't even think of that, he actually asks, he tells the people off the grave clothes. It's not, he doesn't even say it to Lazarus to do it himself. That's so good. Yeah.

The people,

Speaker 1 (13:14.382)
And it's also him saying to them, you know, recognize this person is alive. You know, don't hold this person captive. Like what, you know, the example that you gave, don't hold this person captive to their sin. It reminds me of how he calls the woman with the issue of blood. I don't know why we call her the woman with the issue of blood. When he had healed her, he said, daughter. You know, it was like,

Yeah.

Speaker 1 (13:43.226)
I recognize that you've been healed. I recognize that you're somebody that I can have, I can use a word of endearment to. So, Hine saying to them, take off this grave clothes is this person's alive. This person is free. This person has been resurrected. Know that as well for yourself. But also there's something about the community effort that helps in terms of resurrection.

Yeah, it's so good. I feel like it also has so much to do with forgiveness. We're like, if you've actually forgiven someone, you're no longer holding the things that they've done in the past because you've actually let them go. you've taken off the grave clothes and you've forgotten about them and they've forgotten about them and you're moving forward. But I just realized for the first time as I was reading this, a comparison between Lazarus' resurrection and Jesus'

As I noticed for the first time, there's this whole conversation in John 11 between Jesus and His disciples where they basically say, you can't go to Lazarus because he's in Judea and they're going to kill you if you go there. And Jesus says, well, I have to go to bring life to my friend, basically. And this creates this kind of drama in the story because the thing is, if he goes to give life to his friend, it's going to be at the cost of his own life. So he has to give up.

his life to save his friend. And it's the same thing when you look at Jesus' crucifixion. Like, he's going to give up his life to save his friends' us. And he's doing a similar thing with Lazarus. And that's actually a major theme throughout John's story. Like, if you think, I don't know exactly where it is, but there's the verse, no greater love has someone than this to lay down his life for his friend. So we see him do this for Lazarus, and then we see him do it later in the story for us.

I just think that's brilliant.

Speaker 1 (15:34.782)
Yeah, you're right. It really is. It was a real threat. I think it was Thomas that said, well, let's just go and let's go and die with him.

Yeah, such a dramatic dream! Yeah, so was a big deal for him to do this, and he goes against what all his disciples says and he does it anyway, which is beautiful. And then the last one I saw as I was reading was in verse 43. When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. And it made me think that phrase, Jesus called in a loud voice. We also hear that

of danger.

Speaker 2 (16:11.34)
at His crucifixion, don't we, when He says, God, My God, why have you forsaken me? It's that same phrase, Jesus called in a loud voice. There's parts of me that I see these connections and I go, I wonder if I'm just making these up. But I do think that the gospel writers are making these connections specifically, especially in these stories. I mean, there's so many similarities you can find.

mean, the stories are there to teach us and it creates a beautiful picture, doesn't it? Because now we read the story and we see how it's played out in the life of Lazarus and in the death of Lazarus and in the resurrection of Lazarus. And then we come and we see that later on with Jesus and it just feels like there's a natural progression. Like it's one big story. So you get to that point and you're not surprised. You're not like, well, what's happened here?

there's already the evidence of who he says that he is and in the things that he says he can do leading to the ultimate fulfillment of his self resurrection.

Yeah, so good. The other thing that we see in this passage that is sad, but there's so much, I feel like, discourse around it is the fact that Jesus cries in this passage, which we hate. We hate to read it, but he does. Jesus wept. And what do you think about that, Amanda? Why is he crying? What is John telling us?

Jesus wept for me is one of the most comforting scriptures that I've ever read. Like it's, if I could hold onto a scripture, it will be that one. Reminds me that, you know, when the Bible says that we have a savior that comforts the brokenhearted, it's not just words. see it. We see the demonstration of, of, of, of his grief.

Speaker 2 (17:46.061)
Because it's

Speaker 1 (18:00.546)
And it's the evidence of his love because the people around him start saying, look how much he loved him. And they were saying that because they could see him grieving. And I don't think it was a quiet kind of cry, like he's hiding his face behind a tissue. He probably was expressing deep grief, know, tears running down his face and all of that in a way that it will cause people to say, see how he loved him.

And so it's that lesson that grief is an expression of love. You grieve for the people that you love. And even though he knew that he was going to raise him, it didn't stop him from, it didn't stop him from

expressing his grief in a way that made the people that he loved feel like he's there with them. Yeah. You know, he didn't come like some kind of superhero that says, everybody stand back now, Jesus is here, I'm going to resurrect him. He was able to identify with their emotions, to say, I see your pain, I'm here with you, it breaks my heart too, I'm sad that this has happened, but then I'm not going to stop there.

I'm still going to do something about it. And I love this scripture because it reminds me that the presence of pain or the presence of grief is not the absence of faith. That it doesn't mean that because you are grieving or because you are sad, you don't believe in God or there's not going to be a miracle, but that it's such a human emotion and there is the need to express it and not bottle it up. I don't think that we give ourselves enough permission to grieve.

Hmm. Such a good point. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (19:49.678)
In the Christian church, know, there's something when they see when they see Christians grieve, it's almost like, well, why are you crying about it? You know, don't you believe in God? Don't you don't you have faith? You know, you should be stronger than this. You know, God is going to heal you. I'm like, no, I know He would heal me. I have faith that He would heal me, but I'm Allow me to be sad about this, you know? And so, yes, I think that that was

Yeah.

Speaker 1 (20:16.85)
I think that that verse is there to remind us that it's okay to be sad. But also, men cry. You know, that's an important part. Let's not get away from that one.

Yes. that's so good. Yeah. Yeah, it's so human of a moment, isn't it, that we see in Jesus. And I love that. He's not coming in as just the hero or as God even, but as someone who's realized that death was the reality for his friend, and that's sad. And it must have been so hard for Lazarus to go through that. And for Lazarus to think that was the end. I've wondered, too, as I've read this,

with part of the reason Jesus cried. And I've heard this in some sermons and things. I think it's a bit debated. But whether when Jesus saw the unbelief around him, it caused him pain. And we hear him comment on different times when his disciples, says, you of little faith. And he definitely has feelings around that. So I've always wondered, is part of him sad that, sort of the idea that

He's there as God, the one who is the resurrection and life of people to start getting it.

It's not a far-fetched theology that you've presented because there are two times Jesus cries in the Bible. And the second time that Jesus cried was over the unbelief that he saw in Jerusalem.

Speaker 2 (21:45.742)
Ah yes, yeah yeah yeah.

He looked at what was going on as he approached the city, he wept over what he was seeing. think that's Luke 19, 41. And so that idea that you've just, you know, you've just presented that he's weeping over their unbelief. Yeah. It's not too far fetched.

So, thinking about this story and this I Am statement, I think we've touched on this a bit, but resurrection isn't just what Jesus does, but it's who He is. But there are different ways that He brings things to life. So what does this mean? Like, how does Jesus bring things that are dead to life spiritually, physically? How does He do this? And what does it mean for us as people that follow Him and believe in Him and love Him?

I think that for us, it's something that should fill us with faith and with hope that it's possible. We've seen and I've heard stories about people being physically resurrected. I've heard stories about situations miraculously turning around. I've heard and I've had experiences in my own life where it feels like something's dead.

in

Speaker 1 (23:02.99)
And suddenly, you know, with prayer and fasting and, you know, worship and some of all the wonderful things that we do as children of God, you start to see God breathe life into it. And so, that statement, I have the resurrection and the life, I love that it happens even before Jesus dies, so that we're not starting to think, oh, was the cross

that changed everything. He was, He is, He always will be. So that's something that's really encouraging. But it also means for us today that we don't have to wait for that future hope. here. The Kingdom of God is here. The power of God is here and now. And it's something that we can pray into. It's something that we can hold onto. It's something that we can run with and just be encouraged by.

and not be afraid to pray that into our lives that, you know, don't just take a dead situation and think, okay, fine, this is over. You know, have the courage and the faith to say, you know, you are resurrecting God, you are the resurrection and you are the life. You know, speak into the situation, do something about this, you know, turn this around, bring it back to life. It doesn't matter how long it's been dead. You know, Lazarus was dead for four days. That's four whole days. That's a long time for somebody like that's dead, dead, proper dead.

It's like, pfft.

Jesus is not limited by time, you know, and as I think about this, you know, I'm thinking prophetically that there are some people that are watching and are thinking, my marriage is dead, dead, you know, proper dead. Jesus is not, he's not limited by time. Even if you've been divorced, even if you've been separated for years, there's still the God that reconciles, redeems, restores. He brings dead things back to life. It's that same Jesus of

Speaker 2 (24:42.947)
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (25:00.938)
of the book of Ezekiel that says, bones will rise again. It's still that same Jesus. so, yeah, that really blesses me and it encourages me. And it's just that reminder to say, don't give up. You know, don't look at what the enemy meant for evil and accept that. Pray into it. You know, and that's why Jesus said to, he said to Martha, do you have faith? Do you believe? Martha believed in resurrection, but she thought about it as a future thing. And Jesus is saying, no, no, no, it's right now. And I think that that's still true for us today.

Yeah, yeah, I think it's so striking how he asks her that. He says it, doesn't he? And then he says, do you believe this? And what question for her to respond to in the moment when she hears it. But I think that's so good because like, does it, like, it just makes me ask, like, what, does it look like for me to actually believe he's the resurrection in life? And I think it's what you're saying of like, if I really believe that when I come to an impossible situation that genuinely looks hopeless, I think

God's got solution for that. Like, I can pray for that and something can actually change and happen because Jesus is the resurrection in the life. Yeah, I was thinking about this story. A few years ago, my best friend got married and I was the maid of honor at her wedding. It super fun, but she had this photographer and strangest photographer I've ever worked with.

But he was doing all of the bridesmaids photos and he would tell us about the shot he wanted to get. So we'd be like, you guys will go stand by the tree and you'll stand here and you'll do this. And then he would ask us, he would be like, do you believe in that? Like, do you believe in that shot? And we would be like, yeah, okay, like take us, like you're the photographer and we would go do it. And then like, he did it again. Like he got the next shot ready and he was like, do you guys believe in that? And he would ask us every time before we went to go like take a new photo.

And at first, we were just like, who is this guy? But I thought, and he was a Christian, and I think, I just thought he was so brilliant when he did that, because it's so different than if he were to say, do you think that's a good idea? Or do you want to go do that? But when you say, yeah, I believe in that, it actually shapes everything. It changes the way you think, it changes the way you act. And I think Jesus knows that. Like, when we believe something, that is deep.

Speaker 2 (27:21.708)
and it's rooted within us and it changes the way that we live. So it wasn't, it's not just like I hear that He's the resurrection in the life and I go, yeah, that's good. If I believe it, that's different, right? Like it changes everything, changes how I look at life.

I love that. the one thing that I want to add to that is, I don't think that we have a problem believing. The question is, what do we believe in? Because you haven't noticed that it's the bad things that are easier to believe, isn't it? It's easier to believe that something is dead than it is to believe that Jesus can bring it back to life. It's easier to believe that a situation is hopeless. Like, we can have so much confidence in the hopelessness of something. And the whole point of us getting to

Hmm.

Speaker 1 (28:08.646)
The whole point of us renewing our minds as Christians is to come to that place where the things that we believe change. That in the same way we have, you know, absolute confidence in the negative things that happen, we can have absolute confidence in this almighty God that we serve. We've seen him do amazing things so many times, but we are so quick to forget. We're so, so quick to forget that, you know, he's brought us through

such difficulties, you know, I mean, want to talk about the Israelites and be like, after he parted the Red Sea and he did this and he did that, why don't you guys believe him? But we go through it every day. Every day. I mean, I'm in the process of, of, of trying to write something and I'm finding it really, really difficult. And I'm thinking, my God, I'm not good enough. I'm not this, I'm not that. But then I forget how many of those things that he's poured out of me. Like, how do I forget what he's already done?

because of what I'm going through right now. So there's something about how we retrain our minds to believe in the right thing. It's not a lack of, we have faith, we believe, but it's what do we believe in? Who do we believe in? What are we meditating on? And are we able to trust God? Or do we trust in the difficult circumstances and what the enemy is trying to speak to us?

Yeah, so good. Yeah. It's a constant decision, I think, to fix my eyes again on Jesus and to keep them away from looking at other things. Like you said, it's so easy to see a situation, I think, because we can see it and we can see the devastation. We can so easily put our belief in it, but maybe it's more difficult sometimes to see.

Or to remember, like you said, what God has done. So it's like my responsibility, think, to keep what He's done constantly in front of me. Yes. Having testimonies and reading scripture and reminding myself of His goodness. It's what we choose to put our faith in.

Speaker 1 (30:52.334)
You know, I went back and I was looking through the seven I am statements because I wanted to be sure. I went and I was looking through all the seven statements and this statement that he makes to Marta is the only direct revelation. It's the only time he reveals himself directly to a person. All the other six statements, he's talking to a crowd or he's talking to his disciples, but this is the only time.

that he reveals himself to a person and he happens to be a woman. I think it's so significant because in Jesus, including women in the revelation of who he is and who God is, is trying to remind us that we are equal in value and in faith. We share in that testimony. When Paul says there is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither slave nor... We are equal.

And in the eyes of God, He loves us in the same way that He loves a man. We see another self-revelation to the Samaritan woman. So there's three that I can remember with John. There's the conversation that he has with the Samaritan woman, where he reveals himself as the Messiah. There is the revelation in John 11 that we're talking about with Martha. And then we also see his first appearance to Mary Magdalene.

after His resurrection. So we see the first female evangelist. God loves women. He does. And I hope that in us having a conversation and being able to draw out the significance of this point, that there will be women that are listening to this conversation and it's placing worth and value in them. That if we have a savior that is so kind and so

loving and so willing to be able to reveal himself directly to us. It tells us something. And if we go back even into the Old Testament, right from the beginning, God reveals himself to Hagar and she named him as the God who sees me. A name that God accepted. Yeah. From a pagan. wasn't even like it was a Jewish woman that named him. What does that say about women?

Speaker 2 (32:55.726)
Bye.

Speaker 2 (33:05.324)
Yeah, so good. I think, too, for me, it's this understanding that him being the resurrection in the life means that there's nothing that he can't do. Like, as humans, we see death as the thing that is undoable and is sort of the end-all be-all, I think. But Jesus says, it's not, and he's greater. And yeah, like you've said, in spiritual situations, there's nothing he can do, but I think that says so much. There's nothing that he can't do. I think that says there's so much

in the heart of God. I think it just absolutely blows me away.

Speaker 1 (33:24.076)
Yes. And a name that he accepts. You know, so that there's something significant about the way that God is intentional in allowing us as women to see him differently. That he's willing to say to the Samaritan woman, a woman that's despised, a woman that they would not normally, you know, people would not normally want to relate to. He says to her, I'm the Messiah.

to show the world in that, like in people who are hopeless and are living in hopelessness, they have nothing to depend on. They have no hope. And this statement means that they do, like with Jesus, they do. There is someone that can actually change things that they think could never be changed and that could never be brought to life and never be healed. And I think that hope is

God reveals himself to Hagar, she sees God. Something that I don't think that is ever recorded in the Old Testament that another woman experiences. There's no other record of another woman just having that conversation with God in the way that Hagar did. I mean, yes, I remember that Rachel had a conversation with an angel about the babies that were fighting in her womb, but not in the way that Hagar experiences God. And then we see Martha having this direct revelation with Jesus.

absolutely priceless. People need it so much. So I think for me, as I'm living life with Him and I'm facing situations, even as I was preparing for this this week, just facing some family situations that just seem like you just can't see a way out. You're just like, man, how is this going to change? But knowing that Jesus has a solution and knowing that it's not too far gone and being confident in that, even if I can't see it.

And then we see Mary Magdalene as well. And if you think about these women, Mary Magdalene is that one that, she had how many demons cast out of her. We have the Samaritan woman as another woman that's an outcast. We have Martha that, you know, yes, she's Lazarus' sister, but she's the busy Martha, isn't it? It's like all these women that have something that can be questionable about them. But Jesus looks beyond all of that and he's like, I'm going to reveal myself to you.

Speaker 2 (34:33.75)
It just makes me think I can't imagine life without that, without that hope and that reassurance and that knowledge. Man, I would just give up all the time, I think. But instead, if I don't give up and I keep seeking Him, I know He has goodness for me and for those situations that He can heal them. So think for me, it's that reassurance and that knowing.

Yeah, really good. Amanda, thank you so much. This has been so fun.

Speaker 2 (35:11.16)
Yeah, thank you so much. We're going to go ahead and wrap up there. Amanda, is there somewhere, do you have a website or anywhere that people can go to find out more about sort of your books or what you do or any way you want to sort of help people who want to find out more about you?

Speaker 2 (35:41.934)
Okay, we'll put those in the show notes as well, just in case people want to find you, which I'm sure they will. Absolutely. Just brilliant, Amanda. Thank you. And we'll be back next week for another episode, another IM statement. Until then, if you love the podcast, we'd love to hear from you, so if you want to leave us a rating or a review, we would love that. And if you have any questions about anything Amanda or I said today, please send them in to biblesociety.org.uk forward slash rooted questions.

and we'd love to hear those. So thank you so much for listening and we'll you time.

Yeah, he's willing to break cultural norms for our sake. And that should be something that's so encouraging that we have a savior that he doesn't limit his love to the expectations of the society. He will break down barriers for our sake. And I really hope that this is something that really brings deep comfort to a woman who's listening today.

Because it feels like this is thousands of years ago, but even now there are women that are still being marginalized, they're still being mistreated, that needs to know that they have a savior that sees them and really loves them and is willing to interact with them and is willing to speak to them, is willing to reveal himself to them in the way that he's done to Martha and some of the other women we've talked about.

Speaker 1 (37:46.99)
I think for me, the most significant thing is knowing that even as I journey through life, there is the hope of spiritual resurrection. There is the hope that even though the Bible says that we were spiritually dead in sin, Jesus came and He gave new life and He made salvation a present reality. And I'm grateful for that. But it's also that reminder that, you know,

can have hope in difficult situations that there's nothing that truly dies when you have Jesus. And I can have the faith that says, even if something is dead, even if something is lost, even if something is broken, I serve a God who is the resurrection and who is life. There is nothing that is beyond Him. There is nothing that is too hard for Him. You know, I think back to this

to this particular story we're talking about. And he said to his disciples, Lazarus is dead, but it's for your benefit because it was an opportunity for him to demonstrate the power of God and to bring glory to God. And it's a reminder to me that there are certain things that happen that on the face of it, it might look like, why did this happen? This is so difficult, but it's an opportunity to demonstrate the power and the faithfulness of God.

And so when I have the opportunity to pray with people or to counsel people, especially people that are going through difficult things, I can bring this story. can remind them that Jesus is the resurrection and life and that even though death happened, it doesn't stop what God is going to do. And I think that that's really, really encouraging. It's something that makes life even more exciting, that you can live life fearlessly with boldness and with courage.

knowing that God works all things out for our good, and if we call on Him, He will answer and He'll be able to change things. taking it one step further, the comfort in knowing that even if I died today physically, it's still not the end. You know, I have a hope in Jesus. I know that I'm spiritually asleep and He's going to wake me up to eternal life. And so that comforts me. That reassures me.

Speaker 1 (40:12.428)
And that's what it really means to me that there is a hope in my physical body. And so I'm not afraid to die. I don't want to die, but I'm not afraid to die. And there is a hope even in the spiritual things that are happening around me because God is the resurrection and the life.

Speaker 1 (42:35.808)
Thank so much for having me. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (42:56.47)
Yes. So I've got my personal website, which is amandabedra.com and I've got my charity website, is empowerawoman.org.

Speaker 1 (43:17.836)
Thank

Speaker 1 (43:43.79)
See you next week.