"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. – John 11:21

Today's Scripture Reading (January 22, 2024): John 11

According to John, Martha was the first one to come out to see Jesus. Mary stays behind, which might make a little sense. If Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene are the same person, as I believe is true, then it is probable that Mary had just been with Jesus and had left when word first came to the Apostles that Lazarus was sick. Martha might not have seen Jesus in a while, and so she is the one who runs out to meet her Messiah. As she sees Jesus, Martha makes a beautiful statement of faith, but there is also a lot of pain hidden within her words. Martha says, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). It is a beautiful faith statement. But am I the only one who also hears a bit of a complaint? Was there a bit of a "If you were here, my brother would not have died? Jesus, where were you? You knew he was sick? Why didn't you come? I mean, thanks for coming now, but you're too late!"

Jesus responds, "Your brother will rise again" (John 11:23). Maybe it is time for a review. Remember what Jesus said before he left to go to Bethany; "This sickness will not end in death" (John 11:4). Martha wasn't there when Jesus said it, but he has already telegraphed where he was going. Lazarus is dead, but this is not the end of the story.

Martha responds, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (John 11:24). It is another statement of faith in a doctrine that we take for granted, but that wasn't all that clear at the time of Jesus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. But again, Martha makes this statement of faith. "I get it, Jesus. On the last day, there will be a resurrection. And that's great. But Lazarus is still gone now."

There might have been an economic concern here, as well as the natural grief over losing someone you love. Mary and Martha, as single women, likely depended on Lazarus for their financial well-being. It was a different world and a world where women often didn't have a legitimate opportunity to try to earn money. Lazarus was likely their financial future. And now it wasn't just Lazarus who was gone; so was Martha and Mary's future.

I know that Lazarus will rise on the last day. But Jesus, that doesn't help my here and now. But in this conversation between Jesus and Martha, we get some key points in what we might call our death theology. I read Jesus's response to Martha in almost every funeral I conduct. "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" (John 11:25-26)? Do you?

And they are nice words as we gather around the grave of someone we love. But, if we are honest, we want that, but we also want our loved ones and friends to be with us now. Every once in a while, I pause as I walk past a memory plaque on the wall outside my office and just read the names of friends that have passed away from the community I lead. And as I do that, a fresh wave of grief washes over me. I miss them. But I believe that their story is not over. We will see them again when they rise on the last day. But somehow, that knowledge doesn't take away all of the pain.

Martha makes one more phenomenal statement of faith, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world" (John 11:27). Yes, Lord, I believe, and then Martha leaves Jesus and runs back to the house to kick Mary into gear. It seems like this was part of the sisters' relationship. We remember another story about the two sisters that Jesus was visiting at the home of Mary and Martha. Martha had been frustrated because Mary wasn't helping her in the kitchen. In that story, she wants Jesus to tell Mary to get her butt into the kitchen to help Martha with the food. And here, once again, Martha goes to the house to ask Mary to go and greet Jesus.

Mary quickly gets up and leaves the house. The Jews who had been with her think that she is going to the tomb of Lazarus, and so they follow her. But it is not the tomb to which she goes. It is to Jesus. She repeats the statement Martha had already made and maybe the accusation as well. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:32). Jesus, where were you? Why weren't you here? I don't understand why you didn't come. You're late!" Mary didn't know it yet, but Jesus wasn't late; not according to his plan. He was right on time, something Mary and Martha would learn in just a few minutes. And that is also true in our lives if we could just see our circumstances from Jesus's point of view and not our own.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Matthew 19