Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus lived in Bethany, and Jesus loved them. When Lazarus became very sick, the sisters sent word to Jesus. Surely He would come quickly. Instead, He waited two more days. By the time He arrived, Lazarus had been buried for four days. Grief filled the house. In this chapter we see Jesus delay, weep and then call a dead man out of the tomb. It is the greatest sign in John’s Gospel before the cross, and it speaks to everyone who has faced loss.
When Jesus Waits
The sisters’ message was simple: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. Jesus said this sickness was for the glory of God. John then tells us that Jesus loved Martha, her sister and Lazarus, and so He stayed where He was two more days (John 11:3-6). That sounds strange. How can love wait? Jesus later told His disciples plainly that Lazarus was dead, and He was glad for their sakes, so that they might believe (John 11:14-15). His delay was not neglect. It was part of a greater plan. God says His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). When heaven seems silent, it does not mean God has stopped loving you. He may be preparing something you cannot yet see. Delay is not denial when Jesus is involved.
What prayer seems delayed in your life right now, and how will you keep trusting God’s love about it this week?
Jesus Wept
Martha met Jesus on the road and said, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Jesus told her, I am the resurrection, and the life. Whoever believes in Him will live, even if he dies. Then He asked, Believest thou this? Martha confessed Him as the Christ, the Son of God (John 11:21-27). When Mary came, she said the same words through tears. Jesus groaned in His spirit and was troubled. Then come the shortest words in the Bible: Jesus wept (John 11:32-35). He knew He would raise Lazarus in minutes, yet He still cried with His friends. Our Savior is not cold or distant. Hebrews says we have a high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus meets us with truth and with tears.
Who around you is grieving, and how will you sit with them, pray with them or meet a practical need this week?
Roll Away the Stone
At the tomb, Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha objected that the body would smell after four days. Jesus reminded her that if she believed, she would see the glory of God. They moved the stone. Jesus thanked the Father aloud, then cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. The dead man walked out, still wrapped in grave clothes, and Jesus said, Loose him, and let him go (John 11:38-44). This is a preview of Easter and of the final resurrection. Paul asks, O death, where is thy sting? and thanks God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). It is also a picture of salvation. We were dead in sins, but God, rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). Jesus still calls the dead to life.
What grave clothes, such as an old habit or fear, does Jesus want to loose from you, and who can help you take them off this week?
Conclusion
In Bethany, Jesus showed that His delays come from love, that He weeps with those who weep, and that He has authority over death itself. He did not just perform a miracle. He revealed who He is: the resurrection and the life. Soon after this, He would go to His own tomb and rise again, breaking death’s hold for all who believe. For the Christian, the grave is not the end. One day the same voice that called Lazarus will call us. Do you believe this?
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