April 3 Faith to Action

John 11:38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone.
 
MARY and her sister Martha had both confessed their faith in Jesus’ life-giving power, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21 & 32) They believed in Jesus as he declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” Martha told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” (John 11:25-27) Now it’s time to demonstrate to Jesus and their friends, “We believe Jesus.”
    The two women who have learned from Jesus’ words, must now act into his words. The stone of doubt is there, isn’t it? Jesus commands, “Take away the stone.” Then Martha responded, “But, Lord, he has been there four days.”
    “I believe, but...” How often do you look past God’s promises to focus on the obstacles? “I believe in you as my Lord and Savior, Jesus, but…I’m not ready to believe your promise of peace…I’m not able forgive…I’m not good enough to receive your mercy… I don’t know enough of the Bible to tell others about you…that would make me uncomfortable. (These are mine, you can add your own.)
    Martha speaks our dilemma, isn’t she? Martha would need an extraordinary faith to believe and act into Jesus’ outrageous command. This is not about a future resurrection of the dead. Here are real people who are challenged to display a real faith in a real God.
    How did Martha and Mary get past the “but” stone? The Spirit rolled the stone away from their hearts/ They heard Jesus affirm, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” In a moment, the Spirit revealed to them all they knew and confessed of Jesus. They acted in faith because they believed Jesus.
    When we read in James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. We are inclined to think of big, even life-changing tasks God might call us to do. But here with a quiet assent, Mary and Martha put their faith into action. And the glory of God would break over Bethany on that day and testify, even to this day, of Jesus, the Christ.
    Faith to action will always glorify God. Believe in God and believe God. Live out your faith. Affect your family, friends, church and the world with God’s gospel. This is the glory of God.
 
Prayer: Lord God, I pray that “whatever (I) do, whether in word or deed, (I) do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) Amen.