Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25,26 ESV)
Death and Hope
Jesus and Martha are talking about death. Jesus had shown up too late to save the life of Lazarus, from Martha’s perspective. If Jesus could not (or would not) save the one human that Scripture particularly points out that Jesus particularly loved… why believe in Him?
Jesus, as usual, cuts straight to the point. He claims that not only CAN He save people from the dead, He IS the resurrection Himself. Jesus is not merely AN answer to life’s greatest foe, death, He IS the answer. He claims that role to Martha. And I expect that she still was not fully convinced.
Sure, He is Jesus, and had done some amazing things. But there was Lazarus, dead. Right over there.
But she chooses to believe. She chooses faith, and is also given hope.
Because Jesus does two things. First, Lazarus is resurrected! Jesus undoes the terrible, dark, empty action of death… Jesus fixes what Adam broke so long ago. Jesus gives strength to Martha’s faith. And He gives Martha a bushel basket full of hope.
And even more… in the near future… Jesus undoes death for the rest of us.
Imagine Martha’s hope in later years! Yes, she saw Lazarus die. But she knew JESUS had arisen!
If you have ever lost a loved one to the last gasping power of defeated death, you can relate to Martha. And if you have ever looked, in the midst of your sorrow and frustration, into the empty tomb, you can relate to Martha’s hope.
Believe in Jesus, and what seems like death is not really death. Believe in Jesus and even if your body falls apart, YOU will never actually die.
Do you believe this?
Take the Hope God grants us.