John 11:17-27
There is a dead man in the house. There is also a friend coming to pay respects and possibly do much more. This man is more than a friend, this man is a mirror of God.
To a distraught, grieving sister of the deceased He says:
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
“Those who believe in Me will live, though they die.”
“Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”
“Do you believe this?” Jesus said.
“Yes, LORD I believe.” said Martha.
Do we believe? It matters.
To be healed, restored, saved or anything one MUST believe it can be done. To cross the water you have to believe it is doable, even with no boat or bridge in sight.
What is ‘BELIEVE’? To accept (something) as true. ‘BELIEVE’ is a verb – an action. To believe is an action of accepting, in the case of what Jesus spoke to Martha; that what He said is truth.
Martha could not see it. Martha could not grasp the full depth of what was said, BUT she took it and believed it as truth. It is worth noting that Jesus’s words got heavier the closer to His missions end, and more exacting too. Yet always and in most every interaction He asked questions of those He encountered. Such as; What do you think? What do you want? What did you expect?
And now He asks “Do you believe?”
Nothing was for show, everything was personal. Here at the home of a dead man Jesus is consoling Martha and asking one question, do you believe? With her statement and heartfelt acceptance Jesus could now proceed to do something impossible…
Make the dead man un-dead.
