www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Friday, April 3rd
John 11: 1-27
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus,* 'Lord, he whom you love is ill.' But when Jesus heard it, he said, 'This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus* was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, 'Let us go to Judea again.' The disciples said to him, 'Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.' After saying this, he told them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.' The disciples said to him, 'Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.' Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.' Thomas, who was called the Twin,* said to his fellow-disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him.'Jesus the Resurrection and the Life
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus* had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles* away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.* Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah,* the Son of God, the one coming into the world.'
This passage reminds me of a similar incident when we see Jairus, who is one of the leaders of the synagogue come, fall at Jesus' feet and begging and saying repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death, come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live". So Jesus left immediately to follow Jairus so he could answer this request. So many people followed and pressed in on him that he stops because he felt power leave his body. The woman with the issue of blood had touched his garment; he stopped to get her testimony and says to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your disease". While all of this was going on, some people from Jairus' house come and say not to bother Jesus, because his daughter is already dead. Talk about drama! Where is the compassion? Jesus is so calm, cool and collected. He over hears the conversation and just says, do not fear, only believe! He allows only Peter, James and John to continue with him. When they arrive, there are people weeping and wailing, carrying on and making a commotion. Jesus says, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child's not dead but asleep". Then they laugh at him; he puts them out and he raises the girl up.
Don't you think the same kind of scene is happening at Mary and Martha's house? Do you think they are wondering why Jesus did not immediately come to their rescue to heal Lazarus before he died? If only he had come sooner! If we were in their shoes most of us would be thinking exactly that. Four days later Jesus shows up at Bethany and Martha rushes out to meet Jesus, but Mary stays at home. Do you think Mary might have been a little upset? Martha verbalizes what everyone was thinking, but adds a surprising twist with the second part of her statement, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. But...I know even now God will give you anything you ask for". Jesus says your brother will rise again! There are more words exchanged, but ultimately Jesus makes the point, 'I am the resurrection and the life.* Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah,* the Son of God, the one coming into the world'.
What great faith Martha had and proclaimed! May we, like Martha, remember in whom we believe and exhibit that same kind of faith when we face life's challenges each day. gmc
No comments:
Post a Comment