There have been some holy people that I have read about and admired from afar, but I wouldn’t want to be around them all the time – just too holy!
“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” John 11:5.
“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” John 11:5.
It amazes me that Jesus lived a sinless life and yet somehow he was attractive to sinners around him. People of all stripes wanted to be close to him and have him over for the evening. There have been some holy people that I have read about and admired from afar. People like A.W. Tozer, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther, and John Wesley. Admire, yes, but I wouldn’t want to be around them all the time – just too holy! Whatever would you talk about besides spirituality?? Wouldn’t you have to be on your toes all the time? And yet the holy Son of God was called ‘friend of sinners!’
We are looking at the encounter between Jesus and sisters Mary and Martha this month from Luke 10, where Martha complained about her workload. There are two other main passages about these two and their brother Lazarus – John 11 where Lazarus was raised from the dead, and John 12 where Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume. As I read these three passages, some things stick out to me about their friendship with the Lord. You may come up with more:
-Martha opened her home to the Lord and the disciples – she was willing to cook for him. I’m sure she didn’t make some palatial meal and with all the work required, I’m sure the place wasn’t spic and span either!
-Martha felt overworked as Mary just sat at Jesus’ feet. It was just too much – and she felt permission to complain to the Lord about it. No ‘stiff upper lip’ – she voiced her frustration to him. By the way, I also notice that Lazarus was doing neither…
-The two sisters were very different in personality, yet Jesus loved them both. They could both be themselves with him.
-Friends don’t just talk theology all the time. I’m sure they sat around the dinner table or fire in the evening to laugh, talk and love being in each other’s company.
-In John 11 at the time of Lazarus’ death, they didn’t have to try and be strong in front of Jesus – they poured out their tears and grief.
One aspect to their friendship that I really appreciate is found in the John 11 and 12 passages. As Jesus arrived at the mourning Bethany home, Martha declared him as ‘the Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world.’ She knew who her friend was. Then at the dinner in chapter 12 Jesus ate with them and the resurrected Lazarus reclined at the table with them. Somehow it was remarkable yet normal to live in the miraculous with their friend! At that time, Mary poured perfume on her friend’s feet. A beautiful combination of Friend and Lord.
As we seek fresh encounters in our walk with the Saviour, these friendships tell me some things. I can be myself with Jesus – I just need to come to him with everything that is on my mind and heart – I don’t need some pretense to enter his presence. I need to remember that Jesus is personal with me – he is my friend – he paid the ultimate price for relationship with me! I also remember that Jesus is my friend even though he knows all about me – there is nothing that will surprise him or turn him away from me! And in my walk with him, I need always to balance friend and Lord – personal, real, yet reverent.
What a Friend we have! What a Lord we serve!
“Jesus, what a friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul.
Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He, my Saviour, makes me whole. Hallelujah! What a Saviour! Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end.”
Pastor Leon Throness
