The Redeeming Faith Of Martha
Or
A Promise Of Eternal Life
Sunday Feb. 20, 2022
Scripture To Consider:
“So when Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she had heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.”
“Now Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘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?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’”
“And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, ‘The Teacher has come and is calling for you.’ As soon as she heard that, she rose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, ‘She has gone to the tomb to weep there.’”
“Then when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’ And some of them said, ‘Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’” John 11.17-37
Something To Consider:
The death of Lazarus brings into focus the redeeming faith of Martha, who in another lesson of a lifetime was worried and troubled about many things according to Jesus. It is now her time to shine as the faithful one. Martha showed great redeeming faith in the resurrection power of Jesus, even though Lazarus had been dead for four days. Her faith is a beautiful thing to behold.
In the Old Testament the word trust was used many times in place of the word faith. The Psalms are abundant with examples such as Psalm 34.8, which states; “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man [woman or young person] who trusts in Him!”
And David, the kingly song writer wrote in Psalm 64.10; “The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him.” And Solomon, David’s son confessed in Proverbs 29.25; “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” Trust and faith cannot be separated!
Something Else To Consider:
Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.” And in turn her faith did not falter or fail. Therefore, Jesus added to her faith more revelation of Himself, by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Martha answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe.” And for just a moment we can sense her sorrow and sadness has melted into sweet surrender to the will of God. How glorious is it when in our own lives true faith in God arises in our heart and we too can honestly say as did Martha, “Yes, Lord, I believe.”
According to Paul writing to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 2.5; “Your faith should not stand [or be rooted] in the wisdom of man but in the power of God.” And how powerful is God? “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” And at the opposite end of the book we read the words of Jesus in Revelation 22.12; “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his [or her] work.”
Jesus did not claim that He hoped to be coming quickly, or that His reward may be with Him. No, if Jesus, who is the Word of God come in the flesh, proclaimed it, we can put our trust and faith in His Word to come to pass! But what about those instances when things do not come to pass as we would have hoped? What about the many times when we are not rescued as we would have hoped?
What if the feared diagnosis is not what we would prefer to hear? What if you have not a clue how you will recover from a devastating financial setback? What if the doctor’s prognosis is terminal? If we are not living as if this earthly life is our reward, then we should allow true faith to arise in our hearts and in our minds and in our spirits. For according to Romans 8.28, “For we know that all things [not some or many] things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
And that is where the dilemma lies! And that is where we tend more so to believe the lie of the father of lies rather than the living, written, and preserved for our benefit Word of God. Have we been called according to God’s purpose and divine plan? Or are we still living a lie while demanding our wretched way in this world? If we truly love God, then we will allow all things to work together for good according to His purposes!
Something More To Consider:
Mary found her place at the feet of Jesus, but she could not find the same depth of redeeming faith as Martha on this occasion. Mary’s faith stopped short of Martha’s faith, therefore, Jesus’ revelation of Himself stopped short of that revealed to Martha on this occasion. What greater joy in this life could we experience then for God, the creator of all things, to reveal divine inspiration to us? Stop and truly think about it!
Just where are we in the life-long process of trusting Jesus? Would our faith in Jesus equal that of Martha or Mary in our Scripture to consider today? Do we hope in the things not yet seen but declared in the Word of God? Could we claim to possess real redeeming faith in Jesus? Or would we be found as were the five foolish virgins who were lacking in the oil of a true faith inspired relationship with Jesus?
A Few Final Words:
If we truly possess true redeeming faith in God, then we will above all things, endure unto the end of these end times that are upon us. Therefore, are we enduring to the end, or are we considering departing from the faith the moment we realize things are not working out according to our purpose and earthly plans and man-made schemes? What of our faith when we realize that there is no pre-tribulation rapture of the church? Will we become as those Jesus, Paul, and others have predicted, who will be greatly offended at the inevitable appearing of the Antichrist?
Or are we among those growing in true redeeming faith while also growing in the grace and in the admonition of the Word of God? Or have we become stagnant in our faith and in our faithfully following Jesus and observing all of His commandments? What then is it that we are communicating to others concerning our faith and trust in God?
Believing in Jesus to the point of expressing redeeming faith creates an open heart that is rewarded by the receiving of spiritual revelation from Jesus, the revealed Word of God! Therefore, Jesus revealed to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He [or she] who believes [truly believes and trusts], though he [or she] may die, he [or she] shall live.”
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, grant unto us resurrection redeeming faith, that we may reap the rewards of all things working together for good and Your being able to reveal to us things concerning that of Jesus, Your Son. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 