Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. “Remove the stone,” Jesus said.
Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days.”
John 11:24-27, 38-39
In the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus is far away and hears his good friend has died. He travels to visit the family. He talks with Martha and tells her, “I’m the resurrection and the life.” And then, “the dead will walk again,” and Martha says she gets it. He then tells her to “take me to the tomb.” Martha at this point seems to think Jesus just needs some closure, because even when Jesus then says, “Open the tomb”, Martha, who should be connecting the dots right now, instead opens her mouth and says “But he’s going to smell bad.”
Shut up, Martha! Don’t you get it? He’s about to raise the dead.
And isn’t this the church? Jesus standing with his pierced hands held out and calling to the hurting and broken world that he is going to make new, and there’s lus, elbowing him in the ribs and knowingly whispering “You should know, That one’s going to smell bad.”
Shut up, Church! He’s about to raise the dead.
And that’s the good news, the only thing you, or anyone else brings to their resurrection is their death.
Are you able to die?
Yes?
Come on in.
The Resurrection and the Life will take it from here.
Go in Peace.