Mary and Martha cared for their brother Lazarus greatly, and when he became ill they sent for the One they knew could help him, Jesus. Their message was simple: "Lord, behold, he who You love is sick" They didn't beg and plead, they didn't go into detail about symptoms, they simply stated the one fact, they simply stated a need...and believed God to meet that need His way. They didn't tell Jesus how much Lazarus had loved Him or done for Him, they knew Jesus loved Lazarus, unconditionally.
Two days after hearing the news, Jesus tells the disciples they will make their way to Lazarus, passing through places that desired to stone Jesus. What did Jesus know about the two days He waited? Did He wait so that He could perform a greater miracle than the healing everyone had already seen? Do we base God's love on the time it takes for Him to "pull through for us" ....
Martha, runs to meet Jesus as soon as she hears He is coming. Lazarus had died 4 days ago. Martha says to Jesus " Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus responds to Martha by telling her that her brother will rise again. Martha knows understands the last day prophecies, she knows Lazarus will rise again in the resurrection of the last day. Martha seems conflicted with doubt and belief. She believes Jesus has the ear of God, but doesn't believe that her brother can be alive again until the last day.
Jesus responds with His famous words " I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die..." Time is not an issue for Jesus. He was life, standing there in front of Martha. Even as this life on earth may pass, Christ offers eternal life.
Martha secretly tells her sister, Mary, that Jesus has arrived. Jews had come to mourn the death of Lazarus, the same Jews that wished to stone Jesus. When Mary finds Jesus, she too makes the same claim as Mary, and falls to His feet. Those that followed Mary were weeping too. Jesus was troubled. Jesus wept. Jesus felt what we feel...he cared and He mourned as we do. He knows the sorrow we feel....if He had not experienced this as a man, He could not by our sympathetic Saviour.
Jesus moves toward the tomb that held Lazarus, and Martha, still struggling with her doubt informs Him that surely the body stinks now after 4 days. Jesus reminds her that she needs to only believe to see the Glory of God. Jesus moves forward with his intentions. He lifts up a prayer of thanksgiving that the Father has heard Him, a prayer said out loud, so that those around heard His communication with God. Then Jesus calls Lazarus forth.
We know the rest of the story. Lazarus is resurrected. Death is turned to life.
Thank you Jesus for calling forth life, for breathing life into us. Thank you for offering us a new life after death, eternally. Thank you for not blessing me based on my love for You but because you love me. You know my needs today Lord, I trust you to meet them, Your way, in Your timing. I will wait.
AMEN
This story leads us to Palm Sunday. Instead of typing out another story for you to read, I thought I'd let you hear the story through these videos. Enjoy!
Need a laugh? Learn the Palm Sunday story through the skit guys. Great one for youth!
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