Mary’s Story

Enter singing… “Blessed Assurance”

Oh, please excuse me. I cannot help but sing all the time these days. However, that has not always been the case. There was a day when my days were just filled with routine. You know, all the normal routines of life. I live with my brother Lazarus and my sister Martha. Martha and I used to do the normal household things while Lazarus did all those things most men do.

Then one day something happened that changed all our lives. The one they called “Rabboni, the Teacher, came to our village. He and His friends needed a place to stay and Martha quickly invited them to stay with us. What an exciting day! Martha quickly began to get things ready. Bedding needed set out upstairs and a meal needed prepared. I had every intention of helping, but as I was working in the room where the Rabboni was teaching, I got caught up in what He was saying. He was talking about God and explaining the law in a way I had never heard before. Without even realizing it, I had sat right down at his feet listening intently to all that He said.

Well it wasn’t long before Martha came looking to see where I had disappeared off to. She was not at all happy to find me sitting listening with the others. She said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

It was on one of these occasions that my life changed.

I felt terrible, but then I heard what the Master said. “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I was shocked by this! Yet at the same time pleased as I really wanted to hear what He had to say.

Well time passed and Jesus and his friends stayed with us whenever they were in Bethany. We all became great friends! But then the unthinkable happened. My dear brother Lazarus became sick. Martha and I were desperate! We had never seen Lazarus so sick. We quickly sent a message to Jesus as we knew He would want to come and heal Lazarus before it was too late because He had great love for our brother. We waited and waited, but Jesus did not come. And then it was too late. Our brother Lazarus died. Oh I felt my heart would break in two. Why had the Master not come and now my brother was dead. Well Martha and I and our friends prepared Lazarus body in the usual way. We laid him out in a tomb and sealed it with a stone. For four days, Martha and I sat weeping. Many friends from Jerusalem and other nearby places came to mourn with us over the loss of our brother.

At one point, I saw Martha get up and leave. I assumed she was going to the tomb, but I just could not face that old tomb one more time. So I remained with my friends. I was too overcome with grief to even move.

After awhile, Martha returned. She called for me to come to her. Then she told me that the Master was here and wanted to see me. He was waiting on the road on the outskirts of the village. I could not believe it. He was finally here! But why had He waited so long? I ran as fast as I could to Him and fell weeping at His feet declaring, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” I had ran out in such a haste, I was not even aware of my friends who had ran after me and were not crying behind me.

The I heard the Master’s voice soft and trembling as He said, “Where have you laid him?” In that moment, I realized He really did love Lazarus also. My friends quickly led the way to the tomb. I followed numbly at Jesus side. I could see the tears in His eyes as we headed to the tomb. I felt bad for what I had said, yet again I could not understand why He had not come sooner.

When we arrived at the tomb, Jesus with tears in His eyes said, “Take away the stone.” I was shocked! I instantly stopped crying. Was He crazy? Martha was beside herself as she informed Him that surely there would be a terrible stench by this time. After all, he had been in there for four days now! Then He said the most amazing thing. “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

Some men standing nearby looked at Martha and me and then walked up and rolled the stone out of the way. Then Jesus prayed the most beautiful prayer. “Father, I thank you that you heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

And then He cried out, “Lazarus, come out!”

I thought my heart would jump right out of my chest! I do not think I breathed for the next few seconds. And then there, standing in the door of the tomb was Lazarus in all his wrappings. Jesus said for someone to take the graves clothes off and let him go. You can imagine the celebration that night! Prophets had raised people from the dead before, but never someone so many days in the grave. It was believed among my people that only God could raise someone who had been dead long enough for their body to begin to decay.

Well many of our friends could not get back to Jerusalem fast enough to share what they had seen. Many who had scoffed at our belief that He was the Messiah now believed also!

Well life went on. There were rumored threats against Jesus so He set out for Ephraim. He wanted to have some time alone with His disciples. However, He would be back for Passover. It was arranged that He would come back and stay with us on His return for Passover.

That day could not come fast enough for me, but it did finally arrive. Simon the Leper, upon hearing that Jesus was back asked all to a banquet at his house. He had no wife and asked Martha if she would host. Martha was glad to do so. The men were all reclined around the table. It was suppose to be a joyous occasion, but the things Jesus said were not joyous. He was sharing of what was coming. I do not think the men around the table understood. They still seemed to be in a good mood, but I heard. He said He was going to die. It was something that had to happen for all things to be fulfilled.

I had to do something! I had to show Him I understood and that I loved Him. I was so grateful for all He had done for my family, for giving us back Lazarus. Not to mention all the things I had learned from Him. No other man would allow a woman to sit and learn at His feet. It just was not heard of and yet, Jesus always allowed women to listen. So what could I do? Then I remembered it! The bottle of nard. It had cost me a lot. I am not sure why I bought it. It was an impulse. But now I knew what I needed to do. I got up and went to my room to get it. I knelt back at Jesus feet and I broke the seal. It was strong and the room filled with the scent as I poured it over His feet. Once again, I felt my heart would break. Then I realized I had no towel. But without another thought I pulled my hair around and began to wipe His feet dry.

Then I heard Judas. He was angry that I was wasting this expensive oil. He complained I should have sold it and given it to the poor. But once again, Jesus came to my rescue. “Leave her alone” he said. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

In that moment, I knew that I had understood correctly.

The next day, Jesus and his disciples went down into Jerusalem. It was an incredible day and we received word that the people had honored Jesus all along the path and into Jerusalem. He returned to us that night and it was to be the last time we would see Him before that terrible day.

This is where my story is the hardest. You see, they arrested Jesus. They put Him on trial and they told horrible lies about Him. IF that were not enough, they demanded His crucifixion. The cruelest of all deaths. I was not there to see it. Word was sent to our family that there were threats against Lazarus and that we should go into hiding for a time. So we did.

If my story ended there, this would be a tragic story. I would have no reason to sing. However, my story is not over. You see, three days later Jesus rose from the dead. Death could not hold Him. He is the Messiah! He conquered death and we need never fear death again!

We did see Jesus again. He spent 40 more days with us. When He left us, He told us to go into Jerusalem, into an upper room to wait and pray. We did that, and the most amazing things happened. As we were praying, tongues of fire came and laid upon each of us. We were overwhelmed with the Holy Spirit and we all poured out of that place telling the good news of Jesus Christ.

I still cannot help but tell the story! Each and everyday, my heart sings with the good news of it all. It is my story and I hope it is your story too!

Well, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to work. Thank you for allowing me the time to tell you the good news! It is my greatest joy when I can share it.

Exit singing…He Lives! He Lives!

That is Mary’s story, but it is also my story. Jesus is not someone you lived in the days of the Bible. He is someone who lives today! He is still doing miracles today! His Spirit is alive within each of us that have asked Him to come and live in our lives. I pray He is alive in each of you, but if He is not alive in you. He can be. It is as simple as A, B, C.

A - Admit that you have sinned and ask Jesus’ forgiveness.

B - Believe Jesus is Lord and that He died for your sins.

C - Call upon Jesus name and seek to live in obedience to Him.

It may sound hard to

Today, as we close this service. If you would like to receive Jesus as your Savior, please find me at the end of the service and allow me to pray with you. If you already know the Savior, then I hope you leave this service singing and telling the good news to all those you meet.

Pray and dismiss!