John 11:17-37 Look to Jesus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Sickness and death come to us all eventually. That sickness and death came to Lazarus and Mary and Martha is not remarkable it is utterly ordinary. What isn’t ordinary is that they, while facing sickness and death, had an extraordinary hope. Their hope had a name and a face, Jesus Christ.
They had seen and heard his many miracles and they knew him personally. They were sure that their request would be answered no matter the danger. Remember that the Jews in Jerusalem were now determined to kill Jesus and he was risking everything to travel down to Bethany so near Jerusalem. Nonetheless, Mary and Martha were sure that Jesus cared for them and Lazarus.
What must they have felt when Lazarus passed away and Jesus didn’t come? What if the worst happens and the Lord shows no sign of intervening? It is not easy to be like Job who said, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” -Job 13:15. It’s more likely that we blame God or at least doubt. Both Martha and Mary told Jesus, “If you had been here my brother wouldn’t have died.”
Jesus didn’t rebuke either of them but he gave out of his humanity what comfort a human can give. He gave reason for hope to Martha and he gave tears of comfort to Mary. This entire event is to demonstrate Jesus’ Godhood by a display of power but for now he gives of himself completely to the sisters.
Besides Jesus and Mary and Martha the disciples and the mourners were there a significant crowd. They all looked to Jesus to see what he would do. And we are called to do the same. Hebrews 12:1-2, “since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” and Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Why did Jesus tell Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life”? Because she had not connected the doctrine of resurrection to the person of Christ. Jesus is Life. He is Creator God from everlasting to everlasting, having life in and of himself and giving life to us all. Martha had trouble connecting that big idea to the man standing before her. We have the Word and the Holy Spirit but do we remember the humanity of Jesus? The world changing Spirit that has defined history from the day of Pentecost until now is the spirit of a humble carpenter who wept over his friends grave. It comforts me to think that God knows human sorrow.
Death may be the final enemy but Jesus is its master. Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Psalm 90:12-14
So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
brotherpayne 