“But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask”(John 11:1-44 NIV)
“Your brother will rise again”, were the words which invaded Mary and Martha’s world. As soon as their brother Lazarus became sick, they sent for Jesus. It seemed He was no different from other preachers – too busy to come. Lazarus had been dead four days; grief stricken friends and relatives had gathered to mourn his death. When Martha heard Jesus had come, she ran to meet Him. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Martha exclaimed, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” With tender compassion Jesus answered, “Martha, your brother will rise again.” Martha, still caught up in the events of the last few days responded, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” The Jewish world knew about the resurrection of the dead and for four long days probably everyone there had attempted to console her by telling her she would see him again in the resurrection. That was “pie-in-the-sky.” She wanted her brother now.
In reality, Martha was saying she knew it would happen in the future. Isn’t that just like most of us, continually putting something off into the future! Jesus says, “I Am – I am the author of eternal life, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” He continues to say, “I Am – I am the beginning of your life in the Kingdom; I am all you need and all you will ever need.”
Jesus’ response to Martha was positive: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Martha was looking at the Resurrection and didn’t know it. She believed He was the Christ, the Son of God. She believed whatever He asked God to do, God would do for Him. She believed her brother would rise someday, but she was looking Resurrection in the face and talking to the Eternal - I Am, and she could not relate it to her present need.
Lazarus, I’m sure, was a very important part of Martha’s life. Their relationship seemed to be one she cherished dearly. Like Martha, there have been occasions in my life when a relationship or something the Lord had given me to do had died. I seemed helpless. When I turned to Jesus I didn’t hear Him say, “I Am.” It seemed all I could see was death and all I could hear was the mourners’ wail. I would say, “I believe He is the Son of God, the eternal resurrection, the beginning and the end”; yet, I could not perceive Jesus as the answer to my immediate dilemma. Faithfully, however, the same Jesus, tender and compassionate, came on the scene saying, “It will live again, Danny, for I am the resurrection.” Can you hear Him say to your dilemma, “I am the resurrection; I raise dead things and give them life”. Regardless of how long they have been buried. He declares, “I am the resurrection.” When Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection, I am the Bread of Life, I am the Truth, I am the Light of the World,” I believe He was endeavoring to get a point across to us – whatever we need and all we need. He is!
When Mary confronted Jesus – the great I Am – her response was not much different, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” I can almost feel the groan in Jesus’ spirit and the tug on His heart as He said, “Where have you laid him?” Is Jesus asking a similar question today? Is Jesus asking, “Where have you laid that relationship, that talent, the gift of God?” What is your “Lazarus?” Mary and Martha’s Lazarus had been tightly wrapped in grave-cloth and placed in a cave which was securely sealed with a stone. “Take away the
Stone” was Jesus’ command, “and uncover the Lazarus that you have buried; take away the seal from the grave.” His injunction continues to echo through time to those who have sealed things up and at times, forgotten them – abilities, talents, relationships, even the call to ministry. We have anointed them with our tears, wrapped them in cloths of hopelessness, despair and discouragement; then buried them down on the inside so far back in darkness that only the Holy Spirit can find them. When Jesus arrives at your grave site, He says, “Take away the stone, for it is important to uncover what you want to live again.” Then He cried out, “Lazarus, come forth” – three words which shook Heaven to its core and set the dynamic flow of the power of God into motion. Three words which caused a dead body to be penetrated with the Life of God. Let Jesus “rattle your cave” with those same three words. Respond in faith today, as Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, says to your Lazarus, “come forth.”
Lastly, until unwrapped, Lazarus could do nothing. “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” was Jesus’ final directive. It is a directive that constrains us today to be free and strip away the cloths of hopelessness, despair and discouragement. For these would keep us from the free flow of the life of Christ and in doing so, hope rises anew and that which has been dead for so long begins to live in all of its intended beauty. And God’s power and glory will be poured forth in you and the power of death will no longer hold you in its sway, be free my friend!
Pastor Danny
This article was written for the Advance Magazine by
Pastor Danny Borrell which is a publication of the
International Church of the FourSquare Gospel and
edited for www.faithcenterchurch.org