11 Now a man named Lazarus was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of MARY AND HER SISTER MARTHA. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay ill, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘LORD, THE ONE YOU LOVE IS ILL.’ John 11 (Account of Lazarus only in John’s Gospel)
Jesus fourth encounter with ladies in John’s Gospel is with two sisters , Mary and Martha. They might be thought of as representing two different people Types and Jesus loved this family.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was two more days, (Heaven’s Timing isn’t always as we’d wish) 7 and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’
In the meantime Lazarus died. Humanly speaking all Hope was gone and sometimes God waits for that to happen. We can then be in no doubt that we need a miracle.
Martha and Mary do represent two different Types, but they both had strong Faith in the Lord.
21 ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’
Both sisters said the the same thing, ‘Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died’. They’d both had faith for healing, but God was taking them beyond that level to resurrection faith! DOES GOD WANT TO TAKE SOME OF US TO A NEW LEVEL OF FAITH TODAY – Stretching us?
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said.
‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’
Martha was EVER THE PRACTICAL ONE, once the stone is removed there’ll be a bad odour. Which again was normally true, but not this time! Lazarus came out, very much alive.
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha SERVED, (her gifting to honour the Lord) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. (Mary’s act of worship for Jesus) AND THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH THE FRAGRANCE OF THE PERFUME. John 12
Martha and Mary, two sisters, but two different people, honouring and blessing the Lord in their individual ways and we were told the Lord loved them both. Yet Mary’s extravagant gesture was the one that was attacked! Those who give much to the Lord, especially in public, will often be attacked by others who think it’s too much!
God bless and keep you today.