The Mark of an Encounter

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.” (John 12:1-2)

My son asked me a question recently that stopped me in my tracks. “Dad,” he said, “how can you tell if someone has been to church and someone has been with Jesus?” It’s one of those questions that seems simple until you really think about it. Of course, church can be a powerful place of encountering Christ – after all, it’s His body gathering together. But the heart of his question goes deeper than just attendance or Bible knowledge. He was asking about that unmistakable mark that a genuine encounter with Jesus leaves on a life.

Have you ever witnessed someone’s life completely transform after meeting Jesus? Not just a surface makeover, but a deep, soul-shifting change that leaves them unrecognizable from who they used to be? In a small town called Bethany, at one dinner table, we witness not just one, but three lives forever altered by their encounters with Jesus.

Let’s begin with Martha. The text simply says, “Martha served.” At first glance, it might seem unremarkable – after all, isn’t this the same Martha who always served? But look closer. This is the same Martha who once stood in grief saying “If you had been here…” This is the same woman Jesus once lovingly corrected for her anxious, worried spirit. Yet now, after witnessing her brother walk out of the tomb, her serving flows from a different place. She’s moved from questioning His timing to trusting His purpose, from doubting His care to demonstrating her devotion, from grieving His absence to celebrating His presence. Same action, different heart. After witnessing Jesus raise her brother, after declaring Him “the Christ, the Son of God,” her service flows not from anxiety but from adoration. It’s not frantic anymore – it’s worship.

Then there’s Lazarus, whose very presence at this table is a miracle. Just days before this dinner, he had been dead and in the tomb for four days before Jesus called him back to life (John 11). Now he’s “reclining at table” with Jesus – a position of intimate fellowship that would have shocked their culture. His story reminds us that even our darkest moments can become platforms for God’s greatest miracles. Without saying a word, his very presence preaches a sermon: death doesn’t have the final say when Jesus is in the room.

And Mary? Her journey with Jesus unfolds with growing devotion. Three times in Scripture, we find her at Jesus’ feet. First as a student, devoted to His teaching, choosing the “better part.” Then as a griever, falling at His feet in raw pain after her brother’s death. And now, now we find her in an act of worship so extravagant, it would be remembered for two thousand years. Each time at His feet, but each time diving deeper into who He really is. This isn’t just about physical positioning – it’s about a heart being drawn ever deeper into intimate relationship with its Savior.

Looking at these three lives around the table in Bethany, we see beautiful evidence of what encountering Jesus looks like. Their stories remind us that authentic transformation isn’t about achieving perfection – it’s about allowing Jesus to reshape our hearts. Martha’s service became worship. Lazarus’s life became testimony. Mary’s devotion became a lasting testimony. Though still works in progress, their lives radiated the unmistakable fragrance of being with Jesus – changed priorities, renewed perspectives, transformed purposes.

The mark of being with Jesus isn’t flawless performance – it’s the ongoing journey of transformation. It’s the willingness to keep coming back to His feet, to let Him keep changing us, to remain in process. After all, transformation is about the journey toward Christ-likeness. It’s about who we’re becoming as we follow Him, not just who we’ve been.

Today’s Heart Check: As you sit with Jesus today, consider your own transformation story. Are you still serving like you always have, or has your encounter with Jesus changed not just what you do, but why you do it? What would people witness if they sat at your table today – routine religion, or the fragrance of a life being transformed by love? May your life, like these three in Bethany, become a testimony that draws others into His presence.