Lessons from Lazarus Part 2

The Message To Martha- "I am the Resurrection and the Life"

Martha is in mourning. People from the community have gathered around to console her but there is only one person that she has been waiting for. The proof of that is that when she hears that Jesus has come she runs out to meet Him; Martha brings her heart and hurt to Jesus as well. The first thing that she can think to say is "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"

This seems to be a proclamation of love from what I can tell from the context of the passage. Her tone is different than that of Mary's. She comes to Jesus with confidence that if He had been here in time Lazarus would not have died. It doesn't seem like the statement is accusatory because she follows with a statement that "even at this moment God listens to Your requests". She seems to be reassuring Jesus that it isn't His fault that Lazarus died and that if He had been there he could have done something and that He just barely missed the opportunity.

Jesus responds by saying "Your brother will rise again". In other words, "I haven't missed my opportunity Martha. It's not too late. "

This clues us in to the fact that she wasn't saying that Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead because when He tells her plainly that Lazarus will be raised she thinks He is talking about prophecy. She draws a wrong conclusion in thinking that Jesus is using theology to comfort her. But this is not a moment for theological comfort and knowing information that will help console her in her grief. This is the revelation of the power of Christ over death itself.

Jesus cuts off her wrong conclusion and interrupts her thoughts of what He is saying to show her that this is not theoretical, it is reality. "I am the resurrection and the life". Jesus is saying to Martha, "Everything you hope for in the future is found in me. I am the 'raiser upper' and the source of life. I am the only way that the dead live. And I am the the only way that the living never die."

Then He drops this question "Do YOU believe this?"

The same question can be posed to us. You see it is not enough just to know the facts about Christianity. It isn't enough to say "I have asked Jesus into my heart." It isn't enough to read your bible every day. The question that Jesus asks Martha is the same question that is posed to us today. "Will you put your trust and rest your hopes not in a system of thought but a person?" If Jesus could shout it out to us today I believe He would say, "I AM NOT A THEORY!!! I AM THE REALITY!!! What do you trust in? Is it some point of theology? Or do you stake all of your hopes upon HIM? Jesus the person. Jesus the reality.

Martha thinks for a moment and then she confesses what her heart is telling her is the truth. " I believe that You are the Christ (anointed one, messiah), the son of God, who is coming into the world." Or to state it another way. "All of my hopes for what God has promised rest in You."
At that moment, Martha has nothing left to say. There is no argument, nor debate, because she has put her trust, not in a theory that might later be disproved, but a person who never fails. She is at rest and now she runs to get Mary, who needs comfort as well.