Introduction
• Martha sent word to Jesus that her brother, Lazarus, was dying. She hoped that Jesus would come quickly and heal her brother. Her hopes were dashed when Lazarus died of his illness. Even after the funeral, Jesus was nowhere to be found. Her grief compounded into disappointment and frustration.
• If you’ve ever prayed and hoped for a miracle that didn’t come when you want it to, Martha’s story is a lesson in hope, faith, and trust.
• I’m Brent, and this is episode 46 of The Bible Unplugged. We continue a series on people in the Bible who experienced grief with a look at Martha, the sister of Lazarus. If you know someone who needs this message, please feel free to share these episodes with them.
• Please take a minute to look at the show notes for this episode at PowerLoveandMiracles.com under the Podcast tab.
The Background
• Some of Jesus’s actions in the gospels can be confusing at first glance, but when we watch a story unfold, we can see the depth and dimensions of Jesus’s actions. Such is the case with the death of his friend Lazarus found in the Gospel of John chapter 11. This is the second longest continuous narrative in the gospels after the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
• Lazarus lived in Bethany with his sisters Mary and Martha. Bethany was a small town on the Southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives less than 2 miles from Jerusalem
• According to the Gospel of John 10:40, Jesus was “beyond the Jordan” in the area where John the Baptist ministered. This was about a day’s journey from Bethany.
Jesus’s Actions
• Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. Verse 4 of this chapter starts with an interesting phrase, “But when Jesus heard it…” This already implies that Jesus is not going to respond the way Mary and Martha hoped. Jesus went on to tell the disciples, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified in it.” Jesus stayed where he was 2 more days. In that time, Lazarus died and was buried.
• Jesus then said to his disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.” This sounds like a casual, almost leisurely suggestion. The disciples warned Jesus that the Jewish leadership wanted to stone him if he went back there.
• Jesus continues to understate the importance of the trip when he says in verse 11, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.” The disciples obviously did not understand the metaphor. They thought Lazarus was resting and would get better. Jesus broke through the misunderstanding, telling the disciples directly that Lazarus was dead.
• By the time Jesus and the disciples arrive in Bethany, at least four days had passed since Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus: one day for the message to be sent, 2 days that Jesus stayed where he was, and one day’s journey to Bethany.
• The timing is significant because the Jewish people held to a myth that a person’s spirit lingered for 3 days after death and could possibly re-enter their body and return to life. After 3 days, all hope was lost.
Martha’s Grief
• When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him. We see in Martha’s greeting to Jesus an uncomfortable mix of emotions. She said, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
• Her feelings were a culmination of all she had been through. She and Mary simply told Jesus in their message that Lazarus was ill. They didn’t beg for him to come immediately. They just informed Him. I’m sure they secretly hoped Jesus would show up, but they likely didn’t feel they were in a position to demand he do so.
• Her response to Jesus carries not only grief, but frustration, maybe even anger that Jesus did not show up on time. She didn’t directly accuse Jesus; she was just pouring out her heart to the one she trusted most in this world.
• Jesus didn’t directly confront her feelings. What he gives is one of the most profound theological statements in Scripture: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
• Martha’s response is equally profound, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.” Martha acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God even in her mixed feelings of grief and frustration.
• Jesus went with Martha and Mary to the tomb. The shortest verse in the Bible comes next: Jesus wept. Why would Jesus, who knew he was there to raise Lazarus from the dead, cry? It shows his human side, he grieved what Lazarus, and his sisters went through to this point. He may also have grieved the lack of understanding and faith everyone else expressed.
• Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus emerged, alive. It’s difficult to imagine the storm of feelings that blasted through the crowd, and especially Mary and Martha. The pain and grief they had been through suddenly transformed into joy and excitement. The doubts and fears of the sisters and those around them evaporated in the light of Jesus’s grace and power.
What Do We Learn from This?
• Martha’s experience teaches us that it’s possible to express faith and frustration in the same breath. When we grieve a loss, there is rarely one contributing factor. Usually, there are circumstances and events that make the loss more painful to bear. Martha was so comfortable with her relationship with Jesus that she was completely open and honest with all her feelings. We should be so in tune with God that we feel free to be open and honest with our feelings as well.
• Jesus met Martha with calm and assuring presence, with truth and ultimately with the desires of her heart: Lazarus coming back from the grave. When we grieve, we will likely not get the outcome we want, but we will receive the love and grace to overcome the difficulty.
• Martha’s theology wasn’t wrong. It was just incomplete. She knew that Lazarus would live in God’s Kingdom. She had no idea that the power of the Son of God would make that a present reality. When we go to God with needs and concerns, don’t limit God to what you want and how you want it. Be open to the amazing movement of God to go beyond your imagination and see what happens next.
What Do We Do with This?
• When you experience pain or loss it’s easy to believe that God isn’t responding. A delay in God’s actions isn’t a denial. Waiting to see how God will take care of you may be part of the healing process. Wait patiently and expectantly knowing that God is already at work even when that work isn’t evident.
• Painful situations carry with them a mix of feelings and emotions. It’s possible to experience grief and have faith at the same time. Don’t hold your feelings back from the God who already knows you better than you know yourself. Expressing to God how you feel is the starting point to your growth.
• It’s natural to have regrets and “what ifs” when we experience grief. We may even feel guilty for not having done more in the past. Whenever you feel trapped by what may have gone wrong in the past, ask God to give you a vision for what can happen in the future. Painful experiences may be a starting point to a deeper faith and trust in the God who is in the resurrection business.
The conclusion
• Yes, the music means this is the end of this episode. But I’ll be back with more soon.
• I hope this has been helpful. If so, take a minute to give this podcast a high rating and share it with someone who feels the pain and regret that grief can bring.
• In the next episode, we conclude our series on grief with a look at a widow who was burying her son and with him, all hope for a secure future. We don’t know her name, but Jesus knew her heart and her need.
• My prayer for you is that you will learn to trust God’s timing and know that the One who created you also created a future of joy and trust even when the path is unclear.
• Have a blessed week.
The disclaimers
• Just to let you know
• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening, I might surprise you with something you didn’t know.
• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work.
• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license.
• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2025 by J. Brent Eaton
• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production.
Share this post