John 11 reminds me of dramatic weight loss. When someone loses a lot of weight we want to know what motivated them to change. Sometimes it is due to a scare, and other times lifestyle change is driven by a new understanding. Today’s chapter looks at changing for the right reasons. We read, “A man named Lazarus was sick”. He is identified as the brother of Mary and Martha; specifically the Mary that “poured perfume on the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair”. These were dear friends. The sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick”. Notice they did not ask Him to come quickly, but clearly “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus”. God’s timing is not our timing. “He stayed where He was two more days”. Only then did He tell His disciples, “Let us go back to Judea”. They reminded Him that it was not safe for Him there, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone You”. Jesus told them, “Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble… they stumble, for they have no light”. Presumably Jesus was planning to bring light into the world of those that desired to kill Him. He added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up”. They assumed Lazarus was resting but Jesus clarified, “Lazarus is dead”. This must have been shocking news to the disciples, but in the same sentence, He added, “for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him”. It is clear that Jesus had a different view of death. He does not view death as the permanent end, so He comforts those that mourn.
Mary and Martha were very different, but at the loss of their brother, both at least partially blamed Jesus. As Jesus approached the city, the family was surrounded by mourners. “Martha… went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home”. Martha greeted Him by saying, “if You had been here, my brother would not have died”. Jesus announced the hope that all believers now have, “Your brother will rise again”. Martha understood in her head that there will be a great reunion one day. Jesus continued, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die”. Friend, if you are grieving, please reread these words. He asked Martha, and perhaps all of us in our own sorrow, “Do you believe this?” He did not ask the crowd, He asked the individual. Martha said, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Messiah”. That is the only question He asked.
Notice that Mary did not come until she was called by Jesus. She too spoke first, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died”. Jesus did not lecture, “He was deeply moved”. In fact, “Jesus wept”. He is not a cold, distant stained-glass god. Though the crowd saw this as His moment of failure, Mary only saw His compassion. They took Jesus to the tomb and He was “once more deeply moved”. He asked to have the stone moved from the tomb entrance. It had been sealed for 4 days, so no one anticipated what would follow. Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me… for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent Me”. Jesus then called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Jesus spoke, and Lazarus responded. He told the people to “Take off the grave clothes and let him go”. Without a word, Lazarus became a symbol of new life, “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him”. This is event caused the religious leaders to call for Jesus’ execution. They now viewed Him as a threat. As Passover approached, many in Jerusalem were anxiously waiting for Jesus to arrive. Some watched in fear, while other searched with hope. They looked dramatically different. My friend, is it time for a change?