The Kind of Faith That Pleases You

Today’s passage is John 11:17-31.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

John 11:17-22 (NIV)
¹⁷  On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
¹⁸  Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,
¹⁹  and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
²⁰  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
²¹  “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
²²  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

On verses 17-22:  Martha was probably disappointed that Jesus did not arrive before her brother Lazarus passed away.  But when Jesus arrived on the scene, even then she still had hope in Jesus: “I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (v22).  What can we learn from this?  When you have Jesus in your life, you have hope that is even greater than death and disappointment.

John 11:23-27 (NIV)
²³  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
²⁴  Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
²⁵  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
²⁶  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
²⁷  “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

On verses 23-27:  The Pharisees and other Jews believed that at the end of the world (“the last day” – v24) all of God’s people who had died would together rise from their graves.  So when Jesus promises Martha that her brother will rise again (v23), Martha thinks Jesus is referring to this popular belief in an end times resurrection of all of God’s people (v24).  Yet Jesus clarifies that he is not talking about what would happen to Lazarus in the end times. Rather, Jesus was talking about what was possible right now because Jesus was there and because Jesus is the resurrection and the life (v25-26). Jesus was not content for Martha to have a general belief about theology.  Even more, Jesus wanted Martha to have a personal faith in him.  Put another way, Jesus didn’t just want Martha to have a general belief in resurrection and the afterlife, but a personal belief in Jesus, that “I am the resurrection and the life”.  In verse 27, Martha expresses her personal faith in Jesus specifically.

What can we learn from this?

John 11:28-31 (NIV)
²⁸  And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”
²⁹  When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.
³⁰  Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
³¹  When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

On verses 28-31:   Notice how quickly Mary responded upon hearing that Jesus had arrived – “she got up quickly and went to him” (v29).  Likewise, be quick to respond and go to Jesus when he calls you.

Also, verse 31 tells us that the people mourning with Mary thought Mary was going to the tomb of her dead brother to mourn.  These people may have been relatives or friends of Mary, or they may have been professional mourners, as was common in Mary’s time.  Whatever the case, when Mary runs out of the house, those other mourners follow him.  Little did they know that Mary was not running to the tomb of her dead brother, but to the feet of Jesus, who is life personified (v25).

What can we learn from this?  In your most heartbreaking and difficult moments, go to Jesus, knowing that he is the one we need more than anyone else.  Others around us will take notice when we go to Jesus.

Lord Jesus, You are the resurrection and the life.  Thank You that You don’t want me to stay simply on the level of intellectually assenting to certain theological beliefs, or having a general belief in God or the afterlife.  Rather, like Martha, You made me to believe in You personally, for You are the resurrection and life.  Like Mary, may I run to You when I’m in my most difficult moments, knowing that I need You more than I need anyone else or anything else.  May others follow me to Your feet when I do.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!