Do you believe this, Martha?
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
“Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” So Mary immediately went to him.
Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:17-32 (NLT)
John wrote down the signs of Jesus so that we might believe (John 20:30-31) and that by believing, we might have life in his name. In each sign there are demonstrations, claims, qualifications displayed, that Jesus is the one who was promised to crush the serpent’s head, and deliver those who believe from death.
In John 3 we read of another serpent, a bronze representation ‘lifted up’ by Moses in the wilderness (John 3:14-15) such that whosoever looks at it will be saved. On this occasion ‘fiery serpents’ were biting the heels (or anywhere for that matter) of the Israelite travellers escaping Egypt—and killing them. What salvation did God send? He commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent, and raise it up on a pole, such that whoever looks up to it will be saved (Numbers 21:6-9)
Here in this passage we see the original serpent biting the heels of Mary, Martha, and other members of the community as Lazarus was taken away from them through death. Maybe he had been bitten by a snake! We do not know. Perhaps he was just ill. Either way, the effects of sin were making themselves known. And here was Jesus to bring salvation.
Would they look to Jesus? It is clear they were. They sent for him! They welcomed him. Martha went out to meet him before he arrived. Mary eventually went out to him as well. Yet both seemed to have a limit on their faith. Both claimed that Jesus could heal sickness…but NOT death. This is why Jesus stayed those extra two days. Not out of spite but out of care. Not from laziness, but from love.
And as Jesus approached he told Martha she would see the glory of God (cf. v40)—he told her ‘“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” Wow. What. A. Claim. He asked ‘“Do you believe this, Martha?”’
Do YOU believe this? Do you believe that Jesus is life. Do you believe that in relationship with him, you will have life. Eternal, fulfilling, powerful life, which starts right now?
Jesus was lifted up. He was lifted up on the cross. That upside down sword he used to slay the serpent. Will you look to him and believe that he can rescue you from the bites of the original serpent? Look and live today.
