Martha said to Jesus, “Yes, Lord I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son , he who comes into the world.” After saying this she ran to tell her sister Mary about Jesus that “The teacher” has come, when Mary heard about Christ she ran quickly to meet Him. The people who were in the house with her and were consoling her thought that she might have gone to the grave of her brother to weep there followed her. When Jesus saw her and the people who were with her weeping, He groaned in his spirit. Jesus loved these three and this was His love that He wept and asked them “Where have you laid him?”

Martha sister of Lazarus said to Jesus that it’s been four days now and by this time there is stench. Jesus asked her “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe you’ll see the glory of God.”

They took the stone away from the grave as Jesus told them to do. Jesus lifted up His eyes and said “Father I thank you that you listened to me. I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that stands around I said this that they may believe that you sent me.” Then Jesus cried with a loud voice “Lazarus come out” and Lazarus who was dead came out bounded hand and foot with wrappings and his face was also wrapped with cloth. Jesus said to those who were standing there “Free him, and let him go.” This is the believe of Martha “Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you, Lord I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son”. She found her brother who had been dead for four days now alive.

Mary and Martha are the famous sisters known to Christians -- two sisters living in the same house, born to the same parents. But like most sisters, these two women had slightly different personalities, roles attitudes and dispositions. Mary was probably younger sister.

Martha regarded as a "homemaker" type of woman, was overly concerned with household details. Some also view her as hospitable. Martha could also be described as a workaholic, a perfectionist, someone who insisted that she get the job done.

Mary, on the other hand, was more relaxed, less rigid -- someone who took time to smell the roses even though she had a long list of things to do. Mary seems to be the scholarly or spiritual woman, with a feminine personality.

Both Luke and John describe them as friends of Jesus. Luke's story, though only four verses long, has been a complex source of inspiration. According to Luke, Martha was head of the household; she welcomed Jesus into her home. Concerned with household she tried to welcome Jesus with hospitality, preparing food and serving Jesus with things that are related to the household.

I was also thinking of “Abraham and Sarah.” Being hospitable, Abraham took three men home, served them, and told Sarah to make something for the three men to eat and Sarah did made food with out any hesitation as it was very hot (Genesis 18:1-11) Abraham and Sarah received the blessings in the form of a son “Isaac” as they both were old. (later he came to know that they were angels)

Jesus gently rebuked Martha for being “troubled about many things.” Jesus told her that she had lost her focus; she needed only one thing. And what was that one thing? The answer is in the story of the Good Samaritan, which precedes this one. Martha needs to focus on loving God and her neighbor as herself; to do this one thing is to choose the better part, to be with Jesus.

Mary and Martha were both courageous women who loved Jesus dearly. They living in Judea so close to Jerusalem where it was risky to be followers of Jesus Christ. ( The Jews wanted to kill Jesus “ stone Him”). Although these two sisters were vastly different, they were bold followers of Jesus and have inspired others to

• Offer Hospitality
• Study the Scriptures
• Love God and Neighbor-- even in the face of danger.

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