How BIG Is My Faith?

How Big Is My Faith?

Written by Kevin A. Hall (03.15.17)

Lazarus is dead!

With that Jesus heads out to Bethany, hometown to His friends. Word got out to Martha that Jesus was approaching. She goes out to meet Him. When they meet up Martha says “ Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask”. Then Jesus said to her “Your brother will rise again”. She responds “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” (Jn. 11:20-23).

This scene begs me to consider my faith. Big faith or little faith? Kind of what happens when we face a situation and go to God in prayer. Yes we know He is all powerful and well able. Yes we know He can, but does our language really line up with the reality of God (God, You are all powerful, You are omniscient, You are good, Nothing is impossible for You). It seems to me that Martha believed it, hence the reason she said “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask”. But does she fall back into doubt with her next statement “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day”? Is that what we do when we pray? Do we go to God believing, but then resign to “It’s what it is…Whatever your will is Lord…We know you can”. It looks like Martha believed God can but ….

LITTLE FAITH

The New Living translation gives us a better view of the conversation. Let’s go back for a bit – John 11:

23Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24“Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

25Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

27“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.

In God’s economy there is power NOW! When the kingdom is present (wherever Jesus is) there is power NOW!  This was yet another time that Jesus revealed who He was. To Martha He said “I AM”!  I AM resurrection. I AM life Martha. Look at her response. Is it that she believed but… Could she have gone a little further… “Lord, You resurrection. Lord, You life. My brother and your friend…Bring him back to us now…I don’t want to wait till the last day”. Is it asking too much of God? Then again, no one had ever, ever raised a man from the dead in her time. So maybe her faith couldn’t raise that high. How big is my faith in prayer?

                            **************************

The scene changes. Martha said her piece. I am bothered a bit about this scene though. Did Martha miss out on an opportunity. Do I miss out on opportunities after opportunities when I have conversations with God?

 28Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29So Mary immediately went to him.

                                                

BIG FAITH

Here comes Mary! The one we always see at Jesus’ feet. The one who later wiped Jesus feet with her hair and anoint Him with oil. The same Mary who Martha complained to Jesus “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”.  Jesus asked for Mary. She drops whatever she was doing, rushes out to meet Jesus. Isin't this how we should respond all the time when Jesus calls? Mary said the same words Martha said earlier - “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Jesus’ Response: “Where have you put him?”

I am ahead of myself here. The Bible said earlier that Jesus told His disciples about this situation/event/opportunity “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

So we know this was going to happen. But I’d like to think that as the events of our lives play out, He is moved by our faith – in action. Look at what Mary did when she got to him - 32When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet. I don’t see Martha doing this when she met Jesus earlier. There’s just something about the way Mary related to Jesus versus the way Martha’s . Mary was a worshipper. We find her constantly in His presence and at His feet (Luke 10:39). Is this how I should be? Is this the faith that moves God?

33When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34“Where have you put him?” he asked them.

Mark Moore said it best “It is interesting that with the same words, Martha sparks Jesus into a theological discussion, but Mary moves His heart!” (446). How big is my faith?

With that we see God’s kingdom in action. We see how Jesus feels about the situation – “a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled” (33). Imagine how he felt when He died and went down to Hades? Next, Jesus wept – Don’t tell me Jesus does not care about me and my situation. Finally, God in action, Jesus said “Roll the stone aside”

BIG FAITH or LITTLE FAITH?

Reference:

Moore, M. The Chronological Life of Christ. The United States of America: Zondervan (2011)

Image from Google – git.door43.org