Resurrection Hope

Things Don’t Go As Expected

Jesus came four days after Lazarus was buried. He did this because the Jewish belief was that the soul hovered close to the body three days after death. Jesus wanted to remove all doubt that the resurrection he was going to do was legitimate. It would not be a case of the soul decided to reenter the body.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she ran out to him because she knew that He was her only hope to make it through the passing of her brother.

She said two distinct things. First she said that if Jesus had been there her brother would not have died. The second was that the Lord would give him anything he asked for.

You could have healed Lazarus

She presumed it was the Lord’s will to heal her brother. This was not the Lord’s will. As a matter of fact when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed two days longer where he was. It was the Lord’s will that Lazarus would die so that He would be glorified.

I find it interesting that she had the freedom to express her true feelings with Jesus. She was basically saying why didn’t you come and heal Lazarus. Jesus gives us the same freedom. He desires that we share our true emotions with Him. It is in this that He can reveal truth.

He told Martha that Lazarus would rise again. This was hope in the midst of grief. When a person grieves they often lose the ability to recognize the truths that they know about Jesus. Their tears darken their faith. It is our job as friend and brothers and sisters in Christ to help wipe away their tears and encourage their faith.

Our expectation of Jesus is for Him to do what we want. When that does not happen, we have a tendency to get angry and perhaps even blame God for what happened. We must always realize that God is always good in everything He does. He never wastes difficulties in our lives. We must remember Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God causes ALL things to work together for good. We must have faith in this. Even when it doesn’t make sense or you can’t see it.

Help Me Deal With Your decision

The second thing that Martha said was that Whatever you ask God for He will give You. I don’t believe that she was asking for a resurrection because when they went to the tomb she said: John 11:39

John 11:39 NASB95

Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

This indicates that she was not expecting a resurrection, so what was she saying? I believe she was saying to Jesus that she did not understand His decision nor agree with it, but she desired to have Jesus help her accept it.

When a person faces a tragedy, the pain is so significant that nothing can relieve you. It is only the Lord that can bring you any form of comfort in tragedy. Matthew 5:4

Matthew 5:4 NASB95

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

I believe Martha was saying to Jesus, “Please ask the Father to comfort me in this grief and strengthen my faith so I do not fall away.”

I have seen multiple instances where people face tragedy and are so angry that they lose their faith and run away from God. This leads to many more years of mourning and pain.

I have also seen the opposite. Where a person leans into Christ and finds the comfort they need. This often times leads to a deeper love for Jesus and results in a deeper faith. This deeper faith usually ends up being a blessing to others.

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

Jesus told Martha in John 11:25-26

John 11:25–26 NASB95

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Life begins with Jesus

Jesus told Mary that He is the Resurrection and the life.” She presumed that Lazarus would be resurrected at the end of time. Jesus told her that she didn’t have to wait that long. He was the resurrection and the life. John 1:4

John 1:4 NASB95

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

Jesus is the one who initiates life, determines the days of life on earth, and the one who gives everlasting life.

Life is in the hands of Jesus. A person does not truly begin to live until they believe in Him. There are many who exist, but few that truly live.

Live even though you die

Ephesians 2:1–5 NASB95

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Jesus is the one who awakens our dead soul to life. A life apart from Christ has a dead soul. It is Christ who awakens the dead soul to life. This is what it means to born again. How does this happen?

Romans 6:1–11 NASB95

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Christ awakens our soul to live for Him. We put to death the old person and life for Christ

You will Never die

The only answer to death is Jesus. Death will affect every person. How are we to deal with this? It is putting your faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His resurrection power. He is the one that grants life after death.

Jesus is the only one who promises everlasting life in heaven. This is a place where you will live forever without the effects of sin.

Death on earth is but a transition into heaven for the believer. A believer never dies but simply transitions from their temporary home to their eternal home.

Do You Believe This?

Jesus asked Martha if she believed that He was the resurrection and the life. Her answer is perfect! she says John 11:27

John 11:27 NASB95

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

Her answer is not only yes, but you are the Christ, the Son of God, who comes into the world.

Faith begins with Yes Lord I Believe.

Martha answered Jesus yes Lord I believe. This is the foundation for faith. We too have the opportunity for faith. Do we believe the Word of God?

It is believing in His word that we live out our faith. It is manifested in how we live our lives every day. Our faith is on display before a lost and dying world every day.

You Are the Christ

John, Volumes 1 & 2 Martha’s Faith: “Lord, I Believe”

First, Martha believed that Jesus is “the Christ.” The Hebrew word for this is Messiah, from the word that means “to anoint.” Jesus is “the Anointed One.” In its fullest sense, this refers to the three divinely appointed offices of the Old Testament: prophet, priest, and king. These anointed offices served to reveal God’s truth, offer sacrifices for sin, and establish God’s sovereign reign. To believe that Jesus is the Christ is therefore to believe that he is the true and final Prophet, the true and final Priest, and the true and final King over God’s people.

You are the Son of God

Martha acknowledged that Jesus is equal with God. He is full deity and sovereign. Anything less than this belief comes short of Christianity.

Do you Believe?

Do you believe that you are a sinner in need of a Savior?

Do you believe that God desires to save you?

Do you believe that Jesus died on a cross to take the punishment for your sin?

Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day to conquer sin and death?

Repent and believe and you can receive eternal life today!