Because 50 Day 21
Scripture Reading: John 11:17-27
“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.””
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, I pray for those in my life that need your sure and certain hope in their life.
Going Deeper:
Mary, Martha and Lazarus were close friends of Jesus. When Jesus received the word that Lazarus had passed away, he made the trip to Bethany to comfort them. What did Martha say to Jesus when he arrived? How does Jesus respond to Martha? How does she interpret that response?
Jesus gave Martha a reason for hope (remember how Mark defined that word in the video above: the joyous expectation of good to come from God) yet she misunderstood him. He was trying to give her hope in her moment; she was talking theology theory. To get her out of the rut of theology, Jesus makes a profound statement that would revolutionize her world. Who did Jesus claim to be? As a good Jewish girl, Jesus statement that he was “I am” would not be lost on her. And by saying “I am…”, Jesus is building upon the way that God had revealed himself to the people of Israel through Moses.
In the midst of our struggles whether it is the loss of loved ones just the daily challenges of life, we need to remember where our hope is found. Jesus Christ is our source of hope. He is the resurrection, restoring life to people and situations that had previously been declared dead. In today’s prayer, you are praying for those who need this hope. Who are you praying for? How could you play a role in helping them experience Jesus?