5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
John 11:5, 20-23, and 12:2
As both Scripture and our study guide point out, Martha “had a history of being moved to action by her love for Jesus.” We see this truth in action after Lazarus dies, and Martha hears that Jesus is coming – she immediately goes to meet Him. It is unclear if she even told Mary that He was coming or that she was going out to meet Him. The fact that Mary remained sitting in the house leads one to believe that she may not have known.
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John 11:21
While Martha’s statement to Jesus can be seen as an accusation, it is also possible and even probable that it was simply a statement of sorrow, coupled with Martha’s strong faith that, had Jesus been there, the outcome could have been different. One commentary explains it like this: In full context, her meaning is something like, “this is not how I hoped things would be.” Which was followed by her next statement: “But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.“1 Can you imagine her delight when, after seeing/hearing her faith, Jesus responded: “Your brother shall rise again.”
So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Reflection/Application
What example(s) does Martha set for us in today’s passage?
What could you be doing while you wait for His return?
The More We Know
It is worth noting this piece of trivia from the study guide: “The last time Martha is mentioned she served supper.” – “There they made Him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him.” John 12:2
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.
Romans 6:9
Our focus or question of the week is: “What Did Jesus Do?” – So far, we have answered the question with … He never sinned, He was crucified for our sins, and today’s answer/focus is: He was resurrected from the grave … and appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time. He also appeared to James and to all of the apostles, including Paul.
It would be easy to read these truths, celebrate the resurrection, and move on, but God’s call and my hope/goal of journeying through His Word (and taking others along with me on the journey) is more than just reading the words on the pages of Scripture. My hope is to understand the importance and meaning of the words. I believe that we are to learn how they apply to life and godliness and be able to share them correctly with others in everyday life*, both in conversation and in living and loving like Jesus, who is – as we have seen in recent journeys – the very Word of God.
Paul taught Timothy the importance of this in 2 Timothy 2:15, when he told him, and by extension all believers, to *Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
This is why we need to understand the importance of Jesus’ resurrection and His appearing before so many witnesses: let’s break it down …
He was resurrected from the grave: This, like the other truths we have been looking at, is essential to our faith. Why though? Because if Christ is not raised, then our faith is useless, and we are still guilty of our sins.
Friends, Jesus didn’t just walk out of the tomb – He appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time. He also appeared to James and to all of the apostles, including Paul. It may seem of little importance to know how many different people saw Jesus alive after He had been buried – but it is crucial to the testimony of His resurrection, and Paul knew this. – Bibleref.com explains it like this:
“Apparently, the truthfulness of the resurrection, or at least the resurrection of Christians, was being challenged or misunderstood by some in Corinth. Paul wants them to understand not only that the resurrection really took place, but that faith in that truth is essential in order to be saved.”
Bibleref.com/1 Corinthians 15;5
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.1
*2 Timothy 2:15
So, the question begs to be asked: “Why is the resurrection important to our faith?” Again, it is Paul who answers this most clearly – when he addresses the Corinthians about the matter in 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, saying:
But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
1 Corinthians 15:12-23
Prayer of Response to the Journey
Father, We believe in Jesus Christ, that He was given over to death for the sins of many and was raised to life so that those who believe might be born again and made right with You. We believe that on the third day, He rose again, triumphing over sin and death so that we would no longer be slaves to sin but live and walk in freedom with/for You here on this earth and with You forever when You return to take us home. As Paul taught the Corinthians, we believe the truth of His resurrection is of the utmost importance. As Paul shared this message in his travels and writings, may we both celebrate the truth and faithfully pass it on to those in our circles of influence.
The Gospel is the Truth that, according to Scripture we receive and believe; it is the faith on which we stand, the power of God unto salvation, and the message we have been entrusted with and called to share throughout the world. May it be of utmost importance to us, and may we faithfully and boldly pass it on to the world around us. 🦋
In recent days, we’ve walked through Scriptures that have pointed us to the importance of Jesus being sinless and of His death by crucifixion, and have, hopefully, come to understand that we are all sinners in need of a Savior who is blameless of any sin and willing to lay down His life for humanity- so that those who believe might have eternal life.2 If you missed any or all of the journey to this point please visit Firm Foundation
Me From the Inside Out 