Text: Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).
When that verse is isolated one gets the feeling that Martha is casting blame on Jesus because His absence brought about the death of her brother Lazarus. You can almost feel the emotion of sadness or sorrow in Martha’s words.
This type of thinking takes place when Scripture is taken out of context; that is, not reading and taking into consideration what comes before the verse and what follows the verse.
If we go back and start reading the eleventh chapter of John from the beginning, we find that Lazarus was sick. We do not know the exact kind or type of sickness, but nevertheless he was sick. Lazarus had two sisters; namely, Mary and Martha. The three of them were a very close knit family that lived in Bethany.
Bethany is located approximately 2 miles from Jerusalem and Jerusalem is where Jesus usually stayed when He was in the area. Lazarus, Mary, Martha and Jesus were very good friends and they spend a great deal of time together,
As we know, a close family spends quality time with each other because they care and they are special to one another. There are families we know that do things together; enjoy one another, share views, help each other and are very concerned about the welfare of each other. The bond that holds these families together is the bond of love.
If something happens to one of the family members or one of them becomes sick, the entire family hurts. The other people in the family want to do everything they possible can to help the one who is hurting.
Friendships work the same way. When friends are afflicted with illness or sickness, our sympathy goes out to them because we can feel the pain and agony they are experiencing.
Mary and Martha knew that Jesus was not far away. He was no farther away from them than He is from us today. They loved their brother Lazarus and they also loved Jesus. They wanted Jesus to know that Lazarus was sick just as when we are sick or one of our loved ones is sick, we want our close friends to know. Today, we notify our friends via email or we telephone them asking them to lift up our loved one in prayer.
Martha and Mary knew Jesus could help their brother. If we stop and think for a moment, we will realize that things haven’t changed. When we are hurting, in need, or are facing a mountain that seems impossible for us to go over, go around, or tunnel through, to whom to we turn. Jesus! Right! We seek Jesus through our prayers because we know He is always near and ready and willing to listen and come to our aid.
What we sometimes forget is that Jesus’ timing is not the same as ours. We must exhibit patience and be willing to accept His answer to our prayer. His answer or His response is always better than what we expect or what we deserve. Jesus did not rush right over to help Lazarus when He received these words from Mary and Martha: “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” (John 11:3).
There is no question concerning the love Jesus had for Lazarus, Mary and Martha (v. 5), but His timing was different. Scripture says, “He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (v. 6). Jesus was being obedient to His Father. His actions were being directed by God the Father. The lesson for us here is that we can never go wrong when we are obedient to the Word of God.
Did the sisters understand why Jesus did not respond immediately? I don’t think so. Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus was asleep, but they thought He was talking of normal sleep. He had to come right out and say to them “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14).
The sisters as well as their friends were emotionally upset as Lazarus suffered through his sickness, but when he died, they joined together in mourning and tried to comfort one another. (v. 19)
This is exactly what we do when a loved one or a friend departs this world. Our emotions change from happiness to sadness because we no longer enjoy the presence of the loved one. We cry with each other and remember the good times we had together with our loved one. We try to smile and be happy, but we feel the loss.
When Martha received the news that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him. She was still sad and distraught or distressed. Martha thought nothing could be done because of the time lapse, but Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23).
Those were beautiful, wonderful, and reassuring words that flowed from Jesus’ lips, but they did not exactly bring instant joy to Martha. She knew in her heart that Lazarus’ earthly life was over, but she also knew about the resurrection that would take place at the last day.
Both of the sisters had a degree of faith and some belief that Jesus had power because they sent for Him to come, but when He did not come immediately their faith appears to have slipped a little and a bit of unbelief entered the picture.
Jesus knew how they felt because He could also feel the pain and the grief. He tried to assure Martha that Lazarus would rise again by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).
These words put life back into Martha. Hope sprang forth! I can picture the smile on her face and excitement in her words as she says, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (v. 27).
Although you and I and every other Christian has faced or will face difficult and trying times in life, we must always remember that “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. (Hebrews 13:8). He is still on the throne and He is still in control.
Martha received exciting news from the Master. Her heart was filled with joy and she wanted to share the news and the joy with her sister Mary. Martha did just what you and I do when we receive good news. We can’t keep it to ourselves, but instead, we want others to know what we know and be as happy as we are.
Martha went to Mary and said, “The teacher has come and is calling for you” (John 11:28). Martha is so excited that she is drawing Mary forth in Jesus’ name. In this time of distress, the death of Lazarus, Martha invites her sister to come and meet the Master.
When you and I are in a time of distress, when things are not going our way, when we are hurting, when our vision is clouded by the situation we face, we seek help and that help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Martha knew that Jesus could give them peace and comfort. She believed the words He had spoken to her.
Jesus will do the same for us because we know Him and believe His words. Because of His love and His grace, He will lift the burden from us and place that burden upon His shoulders. Jesus says to us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
It doesn’t make any difference to Jesus what burden we are carrying, He is willing to lift that burden. It may be sickness, death, sin, stress, difficulties caused by friends or employer, oppression, depression, persecution, or worry.
Jesus is ready to help us if we will only come to Him and believe His words. Martha had already met Jesus and received comfort, but she wanted her sister Mary to come and meet Jesus so that she too could be relieved of the burden of distress.
Scripture tells us that Mary did not wait around or wait for a second invitation to meet Jesus, but instead, “….she arose quickly and came to Him” (v. 29). This is exactly what each of us needs to do when the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Listen to that wee small voice in your heart and then come to the Master in prayer.
Mary did not hesitate or wait to consult anyone about the invitation from Martha, she came quickly. Our friends and family can give us comfort, but Jesus is the One who gives us lasting peace and comfort.
The people with Mary thought she was going to the tomb of her brother to mourn, but in reality, Mary was filled with joy and happiness because the Master had called. Her emotions were not of sadness, but of delight and heavenly bliss.
Sometimes people will feel sorry for themselves and bring about conditions that will aggravate their grief. They dwell more on their afflictions or their issues at hand rather than cast their burdens upon Jesus. They refuse to believe that although bad things happen to good people, Jesus has a way to turn those bad things into something beneficial, if given the chance.
Jesus did not hurry to Lazarus when he was sick and Lazarus died. Things looked bad at the time, but Jesus had a plan. The only thing Martha and Mary knew was Jesus did not come when called and their brother died.
When Mary reached Jesus, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 32). This is the same thing Martha said when she met Jesus. Mary was happy to be in the presence of the Master, but she was weeping. I believe her weeping was both sad and happy weeping. She was sad for her brother, but her tears were those of enjoyment because she was in the presence of Jesus.
No matter what our circumstances are, no matter what we are facing, no matter what has happened to us, no matter our status in life, there is joy in knowing that we are in the presence of Jesus. He is within our heart in the Person of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus saw Mary weeping He was deeply concerned. He knew that death troubled them and that He soon would conquer death. As Jesus was on His way to the tomb we are told, “Jesus wept” (v. 35). Jesus wept because He was truly man. He knew the emotions of joy and grief as anyone does.
Isaiah 53:3 says, “He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” I have not found a Scripture that says Jesus laughed, but there are other Scriptures that talk about Him in tears. There is nothing wrong with shedding tears either of sadness or of joy.
There is nothing wrong with shedding tears of love for our family and friends who are living or who have died. Tears for those who are now in the presence of the Lord are tears of remembrance. When Jesus wept over the loss of Lazarus, the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” (v. 36) Jesus showed the human side of His emotions. Soon He would show His divine side.
As Jesus approached the tomb of Lazarus, He knew that many standing around watching Him did not believe in His power. There were some who blamed Him for the death of Lazarus. Soon their eyes would be opened, but before, they had to see the tomb opened and the body lying in state.
To the surprise of all present, when the stone was rolled away, there was no stench or smell as some of the people thought. Yes, Lazarus had been dead for four days, but Jesus works in mysterious ways.
Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (v. 40) Notice what Jesus did after the stone was rolled away. He lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” (vv. 41, 42)
Jesus looked upward to heaven and He spoke to the Father. Is that not what prayer really is? He looked beyond the tomb. When we pray to the Father, we are to look beyond what is humanly possible.
We are to overlook our difficulties and our circumstances. We are to thank Him for what He has done for us and for what He is about to do for us. We are not to ride the middle of the road or straddle the fence, but we are to positively believe that what we ask for will be granted according to His will. Then we are to praise Him and thank Him for hearing us and taking care of our request.
Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
(v. 43). The prayer was heard, the Father responded, the miracle occurred and Lazarus came forth. What a beautiful picture of what God can do.
Conclusion:
Lazarus was alive in body and in spirit. He was called forth and he responded. There are those who are alive today in body, but dead in spirit. There is something missing in their life and they know it because of the empty space in their heart. The worldly possessions and the worldly life are not satisfying the desires of their heart.
If they will only raise their eyes heavenward, speak to the Father, repent of their sins, and invite His Son into their heart, there will be tears of joy and happiness and the guarantee of spending eternity with Him in His kingdom. Their life will never be the same because, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Amen.
