In the midst of the emotional distress of Lazarus' death, Jesus speaks words to Martha that encapsulate the best good news ever spoken - the gospel of Jesus being the promised Messiah!
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she ran out to meet Him outside the village. Lazarus had already been buried for four days, but her faith in Jesus was unflappable. She said to Him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."
Jesus responded, "Your brother will rise again."
Martha said, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."
And Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
Mary responded, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
Wow! These are power-packed verses. Martha was in the throes of deepest grief. She was absolutely confident that if Jesus was there with them Lazarus would not have died. And she believed Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead even now, after Lazarus had been in the tomb for 4 days!
Jesus used this opportunity as a teaching moment, and John recorded it for historical integrity and the benefit of future generations. This "I am" statement leaves no room for any other. Our hope is in Christ alone. He is the One who will raise us up at the resurrection in the last day. He is the One who is life. Even though our physical body will die (unless we are among those who will be gathered together with Him in the clouds in the Second Coming), if we believe in Him our Spirit - the real us - lives on with Him for eternity.
Following Martha's affirmation that Jesus is the Messiah, the promised One whom they'd been waiting for, she went to call Mary. And Mary, who had sat lovingly at His feet time after time, soaking up everything He shared, came to Jesus weeping. Her first words to Him echoed what Martha had said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Jesus wept.
Mary and Martha were right. Jesus could have prevented this tragedy. The Jews who came to console them, who followed along when Mary got up and quickly left the cottage, had varied reactions. Some noted his tears, felt His compassion for the sisters and sensed His own deep love for Lazarus. Some criticized: "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying?"
Their response wasn't so very different from what both Mary and Martha stated, but the sisters' statements came from hearts of love, and this question came from hearts of doubt.
Which people do you suppose had hearts that were open to what was going to happen next? I think their present words reveal the delineation of their coming responses.
Still I know we grapple with the same dilemma. If Jesus were here. If He wanted to. He could heal. Sometimes He does. That day He did!
Jesus went to the tomb, had them roll the stone away, and called Lazarus forth. And why? So people would believe He was sent from God. Some believed, but others who saw the miracle went back to Jerusalem to tell the Pharisees what He had done.
You'd think there'd be dancing in the streets - but, no! You'd think this would have brought the Pharisees to their knees - not so!
But back in Bethany, there was a celebration! We aren't given insight into the jubilant expression of the joy they were experiencing in that moment - but there is no doubt in my mind that Jesus was rightfully honored! Those who believed in Him were thinking, "Soon He will become King." They were overwhelmed by joy! But they hadn't heard what He'd been telling them....they couldn't. Their ears were deaf to hear the future for Himself that He had so clearly expressed. They were looking for earthly solutions to their earthly problems.
To be continued....
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