By Sheila Barnett
It was a week ago when my world exploded, but it feels like yesterday. I constantly re-play the events in my mind, so I thought sharing my story might help. My name is Martha, and I live in a town called Bethany with my sister, Mary, and my brother, Lazarus. Until last week, I would have described us as an ordinary Jewish family – that is, until something extraordinary happened to us.
Lazarus had been feeling sick for a few weeks. Mary and I tried everything we could think of to help him, but nothing seemed to work. His condition gradually worsened, until he couldn’t even get out of bed. That’s when I sent word to our friend, Jesus.
In case you don’t know who He is, Jesus is a Teacher. He is a Healer. Some say He is a prophet. Others say He is the Messiah. At that time, all I knew was that Jesus was our only hope to save Lazarus.
The next two days were spent at Lazarus’ bedside. It became increasingly difficult to wake him. I was on edge, constantly hoping, expecting, praying to see Jesus walk through our door. Mary and I took turns trying to sleep, but neither one of us could doze off for more than a few minutes. Finally, we couldn’t wake Lazarus at all, and I could feel my hope slipping away. Where was Jesus? Why isn’t He here? Lazarus could die at any minute. And then the unthinkable happened; Lazarus did die. With Mary and I at his bedside, our brother quietly slipped away from us. I was numb with grief.
The next few days were a blur. My heart was shattered. Poor Mary was inconsolable. While we went through the motions of preparing the body for burial, I could not stop thinking, “Why hadn’t Jesus come? I thought He was our friend!” Mary and I didn’t discuss it, but I could see in her eyes that she felt the same way.
Lazarus had been in his tomb four days when Jesus unexpectedly arrived. I hurried to meet Him outside of our village, to speak with Him without Mary present. I told Jesus that if He had arrived sooner, our brother would still be alive. And then I hinted that His heavenly Father would still give Him anything He asked for. Jesus replied, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
Jesus naturally wanted to see Mary, so I went back to our house to get her. Several of our friends and neighbors were paying their respects at our home, and as Mary and I left, they followed us. When Mary saw Jesus, she began to cry. She also told Him that He could have saved Lazarus. I saw a mixture of pain and compassion on Jesus’ face as tears began to roll down His cheeks. He asked to be taken to Lazarus’ tomb, so we all walked to a cave with a stone blocking the entrance. This was my brother’s final resting place.
Jesus spoke first. He asked that the stone be removed. I was horrified at the thought. The smell would be unbearable, and I couldn’t help but blurt that out. However, Jesus insisted, saying that if I believed in Him, I would see a miracle. The stone was moved aside. Jesus spoke again, but this time His voice was loud and commanding. He simply said, “Lazarus, come out!” And what happened next was truly a miracle.
My brother Lazarus—my dead-for-4-days-brother, Lazarus—came walking out of the tomb and into the sunlight! He was alive! It was unbelievable, but there he stood – alive and well! At first, none of us could move; then suddenly both Mary and I bolted towards him. Soon we were laughing and crying and hugging and talking all at the same time! It felt like this much happiness was almost too wonderful to bear.
I will never, ever doubt Jesus again. I know He truly is who He claims to be – the Son of God. I now know that no matter how extreme the situation, with Jesus there is always hope! And best of all, with Jesus, we have the assurance of eternal life!
(Reference: John 11:1-40)
Just as Martha and Mary celebrated the resurrection of Lazarus, Easter is a time to celebrate the most important resurrection; the resurrection of Jesus after He was crucified and died for the sin of all people. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins; and because he was raised from the dead, He will never die again (Romans 6:9). This means that those who have accepted God’s free gift of forgiveness will also live eternally with Jesus. In John 5:24, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” That is certainly something to celebrate at Easter and every day!
If you have never accepted God’s gift of forgiveness from sin, simply say this prayer: “Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I ask for your forgiveness. I know that You died on the cross to forgive my sins. I know that You rose from the dead to conquer death for me so I can live with you forever. I receive You into my heart and life.” If you have received Jesus as your Savior, please contact Pastor Dan at dan@cascadiachurch.org for free information to help guide you in your new life with Jesus.