A family that served Jesus

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025469190

 

A family serving Jesus is a blessed family. If the whole family believes in Jesus faithfully, the family will be full of love. Today, I'm going to talk about three family members in the New Testament: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

 

These three siblings lived happily together, loving one another. All three loved and respected Jesus. They treated Jesus well when he stopped by their house. When Jesus came to their home, Mary sat down politely in front of Jesus and listened to Jesus' teachings, imprinting them all in her heart. It brings great delight to the teacher when his disciple, looking at him respectfully, receives his teachings. Mary respected Jesus as her good teacher when he came to her home, which is a great hospitality. And it was Mary who later poured on Jesus very expensive fragrant oil which she had kept secretly. This means that she acknowledged him as the most valuable One in the world. Mary has a wonderful faith: she willingly uses her own wealth for the glory of Jesus. Martha was very busy preparing meal lest Jesus be hungry. It is a great service to prepare diligently good meal for the respectable guest. And how did Lazarus serve Jesus? Actually, Lazarus died twice, once when he died of disease and then came to life by Jesus, and once when he died as all men die. He suffered the first death in order to show all the people that Jesus was the One that God had sent. The second death was a natural death, but the first death and the illness thereof were an unprovoked suffering, a suffering only for Jesus' sake. This death is different from the deaths of all other martyrs. His death is greater. Like this, Lazarus was the only person in human history to serve jesus by dying once more for Jesus. Of course, it is a great honor to him to come to life again after death. But we know that there was a pain before the glory to Lazarus. Jesus raised other dead people at that time, but Lazarus was different from them.

 

Jesus showed special interest and love to Lazarus' family who were kind to him. Even today, Jesus is looking for a family like Lazarus'. He wants believers who serve him like Mary. Who are like Mary? Those who value Jesus more than their wealth, who attend all worship services, keeping the message of the preaching in the heart. Who are like Martha? It's very simple. Those who like to support the pastors lest they be hungry. You're an abnormal Christian if you do not feel sorry when you see the pastor or the jundosa suffer from poverty. Who are like Lazarus? Those who would even sacrifice their lives to be Jesus disciples and to work for the kingdom of God.

 

When such families are in trouble, Jesus will take care of those families' problem as his own problem. Sometimes he will pity them and weep for them, and settle their problems. Jesus wept when Lazarus died.