This is the true story of how Jesus relates and agrees how we feel about death and the effects of it by mourning with his friends who recently lost their friend from death.
John 11:13-38
13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” 16Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
17So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. 21Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22“Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
28When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him.
30Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. 31Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus wept. 36So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”
38So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
Ultimately as verse 14 states, "so that you may believe" Jesus really want His friends like the disciples to see and believe who He is. Hes not simply a man, but The God-man. Not a peasant, but the King of Kings. Not simply a wise guy, but the Creator of the universe. A lot of His time was spent showing them this through conversation, miracles, and personal acts towards them like washing their feet out of a deep selfless love.
Jesus did have friends like we do. The creator of the universe did and wants human friends. In this story Lazarus, a deep friend of Jesus, falls deeply ill. Jesus who was capable of healing him even in distant location didnt. Allowed him to die. Was this cruel of Jesus? I dont think this is the right question to ask in this situation. Ill explain.
Does Lazarus deserve to live? I think thats the better question. The bible tells we dont deserve life at all, but actually the opposite (Romans 6:23). Death. Because of who we are, what we are about, and what we are asking from God. Were asking for separation from God, because we dont want God. Which has to mean death.
So I dont think it was cruel of Jesus, but actually a means to show love and grace to people who deserve death. I will show you why, hopefully you already read through the story by now to know what I am talking about. Lets zoom into a conversation once Jesus arrives to be with the people who are mourning over Lazarus.
21Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22“Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
Martha was a great friend of Jesus as in this chapter makes clear to us. Pump that into your mind as we step into this. Hes not talking to a stranger or someone He doesnt know. But a close friend. They both knew and loved Lazarus. Through this conversation between Jesus and Martha we see a few issues being addressed.
Martha knew some what Jesus was capable of doing. She knew that If Jesus asked God for healing, God would heal Lazarus. But, Jesus really wants to teach her more about who He is. The fuller extent. He wanted her to have a proper view of eternal things. So He focused on telling her that He is the source of Living after death. Physical Death cannot be avoided, but Spiritual Death can be through the power Jesus gives freely by belief and trust. This reality Jesus feels is far more important to communicate compared to healing Lazarus' sickness.
Jesus ends the conversation by asking Martha if she believes that Jesus is the special Savior from God who was sent by God on a mission to save mankind from Spiritual Death. Martha admits her belief publicly even though Jesus allowed Lazarus to physically die, She knows that Jesus can stop people like herself Spiritual Death.
Afterward Jesus wants to see the tomb with these friends. To experience and remember their friend. To comfort and console one another over this issue. What a crazy picture here. Jesus sees them crying and it moves him as well. The God-man connected and related with their sorrow, for He himself knew, loved, and missed Lazarus as well.
Jesus weeps. With them, to join them, to agree with them, to be in community and connection with them, to connect completely with what just happened to Lazarus, to show his love for Lazarus he weeps. Some may say, Whats the big deal? Hes just crying. Jesus could even look weak maturely. What is so special about it?
I think a lot of things is special about this. One this shows God didnt come to earth to serve himself, but to serve us. He didnt have to cry, he didnt deserve to look weaker with his friends, He didnt deserve to become friends with peasants, He didnt deserve to care so much for a person enough to cry over their death, but He wanted to. He wants to connect and relate with mankind for their sake and benefit.
Although Jesus was completely God, he laid aside the deserving-service position of God on earth, acting like a servant of humans rather than the King of the Universe who should get human-service. Not that He lost the ability of being God, but the external benefits that naturally come from it.
It shows that Jesus isnt fake. Hes a real relational person. Just like God is a real relational person. He has feelings, He can be offended or hurt him just like we can. He can communicate, He can respond, He thinks. I feel like sometimes we believe He is some disconnected and impersonal being when He isnt at all.
It shows that Jesus can relate with the struggles, experiences, and problems of human life. He became a human to experience, connect, and relate with us. So He has friends, experienced friends dying, and had parents. He experienced rejection from people and abuse. He experienced poverty. He experienced an oppressive government and taxes. He experienced our most hated experiences in life. This gives Jesus such a footstool into our lives as we approach him seeking after help in our life experiences because He himself literally experienced them all.
Some commented on his ability to miraculously heal Lazarus, but His focus was on the death of Lazarus and the friends who were mourning. Later we know Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead. One of the most incredible miracles Jesus performs. Showing He was definitely capable of not only reversing sickness, but death.
So when you think about Jesus consider how genuine He is. He experienced what we experience, He relates with it, He cares about people, He emotionally connects to death, He sees the big problem sin creates, and He later did everything out of His power to reverse the problem of sin. On the cross He defeats Spiritual Death for those who believe and trust in Him to be the one who came for them. Will you pursue this great, worthy, and Genuine Jesus who cries with His friends over the effects of sin. Man I want to with everything in me.
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