When Jesus came to Bethany to heal Lazarus in John chapter 11, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Martha heard that Jesus had arrived, went out, and met him. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." She replied, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."
Then Jesus said to her and asked, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26) She replied, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world." Then, Jesus wept for Lazarus and raised him to life.
On Easter Sunday, we shared that the resurrection of Jesus is not some kind of a fairy tale but the very reality of our everyday life. In this conversation, we can see that Martha had already believed in the resurrection even before she witnessed Jesus's resurrection later. However, for her, the resurrection of the dead was something far from her reality. Although she agreed that her brother would rise again, she added that her brother would resurrect on the last day, the day when God finally comes to the world.
However, the resurrection became her reality when she finally believed that Jesus was the Savior, God's incarnation that had already come into the world. Her belief in Jesus is not some kind of agreement or knowledge. Instead, it is her proclamation and trust that God is already here in her reality.
For the mystery of the resurrection of Jesus Christ not to become a mere fairy tale, to experience it in our lives, we also need faith like her.
Today, at this time, let us also proclaim in faith: "Jesus Christ is with us in our lives. The wonderful love of God has come among us through Jesus Christ."
May the love of everlasting God be with us all the time.
Pastor Woo.
