Knowledge is the awareness of a particular fact or situation; a state of having been informed or made aware of something
Knowledge is the intellectual understanding; the state of appreciating truth or information
Knowledge is the familiarity or
understanding of a particular skill, branch of learning
Knowledge is the total of what is known; a branch of learning; a piece of information; a science
To begin with, let us identify the various things in this scripture John 11: 19-28, that Martha had a good enough knowledge about;
She knew about Jesus ability to be able to heal her brother Lazarus sickness
Besides the fact that Christ was familiar to her family, she must have heard and perhaps seen the wonderful works done by the hands of JESUS, healing being a main part of His ministry so she was sure that if Jesus had come when they sent to Him about His friends sickness, then death would not have been something they would have to be discussing. She knew that whatsoever Christ asked of GOD, He would receive.
If she knew this fact as much as she said it out loud, why then didnt she say "Oya JESUS, ask the Father to restore life into my brother so he could come back to life" or did she just say that statement still believing in her heart that once death has come, then there is really nothing more left to do. Did she see death as the final bus stop even though Christ was involved in the matter?
She knew that Yes, even though her brother were dead now, that he would still rise again at the last day.
Wow, what revelations Martha had, really one would have not expected her to be the doubting/ unconvinced type with all this knowledge. She knew of a day when all men would rise again and she equally anticipated its expression, knowing that all who are dead now would still rise once again, some back to life and others to eternal damnation.
Wonderful extent of knowledge she had on what Christ was capable of if you ask me, she seemed so grounded in the information in an intellectual understanding of Christ that one could begin to wonder that why then did she not just run out to Jesus as she heard Him coming and rush Him to the tomb where Lazarus laid and even by herself ask that they removed the stone ASAP because she knew that Jesus would raise Lazarus, but she rather stood there quoting knowledge of the things Christ could do and not implementing this knowledge to ensure her situation got better.
One could assume that maybe perhaps due to the familiarity Jesus had with her family, she would understand better the sovereign authority of Christ over death and all but she didnt.
Thanks be to GOD though for verse 27 where she quoted and believed that Christ was the son of GOD which should come into the world after He reiterated to her as He being the resurrection and the life and went ahead to call forth her sister to see JESUS.
Here in Luke 10: 38-42, Martha continued her expression of knowledge of the right things to do but appropriately misplacing it.
She knew that if you had a visitor most especially in the person of JESUS CHRIST, it was just normal for you to run around and get the finest food made ASAP to ensure your guest is adequately entertained and she been engrossed with this assignment got stretched out that she had to look around for assistance in her sister Mary only to find Mary at the feet of Jesus learning from Him.
Obviously flared up, she asked, "Master, see this lady here sitting down listening to you speak while me I'm running up and down to prepare something as if I'm the slave here, please ask her to come and join me so this work could go faster."
But you just have to love Jesus reply to her comment, He said why are you really troubled about these so many things, the most important thing is what your sister has sat down to, this one that no one could take away from her.
Note the words "THE MOST IMPORTANT THING", or in Jesus words "ONE THING IS NEEDFUL".
At this point many would want to ask, shouldn't she have prepared some entertainment for her guest, or would He just go back hungry or rather famished. The answer I believe is she should have made preparations for Him to be entertained but not at the expense of the word of life which was been served. This really is the one thing that is needful.
Many at times when I attend conferences, I notice that the sisters and some brothers in some cases at that event spend most of the times cooking and performing what is fondly called "Martha-ministry", all in a bid to ensure that once the others who have sat at the WORD for a very long time, would immediately be refreshed physically.
I'm not going to say food should not be involved in these conferences but make privileges available for such workers to also listen to the WORD as it comes forth by connecting a loud speaker to their workplace and equally ensuring their minds are adequately conditioned before the program raising their spiritual alertness and making them understand fully that the benefit of the conference is not the physical food.
In conclusion, friends what have we come to know about the Lord JESUS, what information do we have/ possess about His ability both to save and to deliver? How well are we making use of this information to be set free from the grip of sin and death? Or are we like Martha saying if the Lord has answered my prayers earlier enough, I wouldn't be in this mess that I'm in, why not rather call upon the Lord right now and receive your deliverance because one thing is sure, that God is never late. His plans by far supersede ours and we can be rest assured that His plans for us are good and not evil to take us to an expected end (Jer. 29:11). . . HALLELUYAH
GOD BLESS YOU
MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS
Blessed, Hallelujah
ReplyDeleteTouching...am really blessed
ReplyDelete