The One You Love is Sick – John 11

As Jesus’ three year ministry was drawing near its end and the cross approaching, He received word that the brother of two of His closest friends was seriously ill.

¹ Now a man was sick, Lazarus, from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. ³ So the sisters sent a message to Him: “Lord, the one You love is sick.” John 11:1-3 (HCSB)

Mary and Martha are well known in scripture for being close to Jesus and for entertaining Him in their home. They are perhaps best known for the time when Mary sat at Jesus’ feet as He taught, while Martha was busy about the house, attending to the guests and quite disturbed that Mary was not up assisting her. Jesus gently let Martha know that Mary had chosen the better thing at that moment, as the Creator of the universe would not always be there, teaching among them.

The news about Lazarus’ sickness did not come as a surprise to Jesus. He knew that the Father had reason to permit it to happen, and a plan to use it for Jesus’ and the Father’s glory.

⁴ When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. ⁶ So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁷ Then after that, He said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.” ¹¹ He said this, and then He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on My way to wake him up.” John 11:4-7, 11 (HCSB)

The disciples were quite confused by Jesus’ expression of Lazarus being asleep. He had said it this way to indicate that it was not a hopeless situation, but in the end, Jesus told them plainly that Lazarus was, indeed, dead.

¹⁷ When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.  ²¹ Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. ²² Yet even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.”

²³ “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.

²⁴ Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. ²⁶ Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.” John 11:17, 21-27 (HCSB)

In this grief-filled and painful situation, Jesus presented the joyous truth about His victory over death. We all, like Lazarus, will one day die, unless Christ returns first, and His believers shall rise from the dead to live with Him. He is the source of our resurrection and eternal life in God’s kingdom. Through the tragedy of Lazarus’ death, Jesus would clearly demonstrate the power and truth behind His words and promises.

³⁴ “Where have you put him?” He asked.

“Lord,” they told Him, “come and see.”

³⁵ Jesus wept. John 11:34-35 (HCSB)

We are made in God’s image, and, like Him, have tender and breakable hearts, filled with compassion and sorrow in such situations. Jesus, both God and human, has a heart filled with love like no other, and the overwhelming grief and pain experienced by His loved ones brought Him to tears. He began weeping, despite knowing full well what He was about to do for Lazarus. Jesus also expressed anger at the whole idea of death, which came about in the first place because of sin on the earth. Removing sin and the sting of death was the primary objective of His earthly ministry, and experiencing the grief around Lazarus and his loved ones likely gave Jesus further strength and conviction as He resolved to face His imminent, brutal suffering and death on a cross for our eternal salvation.

³⁸ Then Jesus, angry in Himself again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹ “Remove the stone,” Jesus said.

Martha, the dead man’s sister, told Him, “Lord, he’s already decaying. It’s been four days.”

⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

 ⁴³ After He said this, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him and let him go.” John 11:38-40, 43-44 (HCSB)

It has been said that if Jesus had not specifically mentioned Lazarus by name, every dead person buried in that community tomb would have come out. But Lazarus was the one called, and it was Lazarus who came out. Jesus’ instructed the people to remove his grave wrappings to set him free, and returned him to his loved ones.

Painful as this whole experience was, Jesus used it to confirm His power to do everything that He has promised, even to raise His believers from the dead. It also reminds us to keep the faith and never lose hope, no matter how dark our situation may be. The divine Power that raised Lazarus from death is still there for us, and will work to help free us from any of the painful entanglements or trials that we might otherwise be overwhelmed by. In Jesus, all things are possible. He deeply loves us, along with the ones we deeply love.

Reflection

Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus despite their imperfections. He feels the same way about you and me.

He is the resurrection and the life. All who earnestly turn to Christ today will receive His eternal salvation. Are you among them?

Father God, Your resurrection power gives testimony to Your great glory, love, and generosity towards us. We receive Your gift of eternal life, offered through the death and resurrection of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. We ask Jesus to come into our life to save and regenerate us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Help us to live a holy life reflecting Your love to all. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

May you have a blessed and joyful day in the glorious presence of the Lord today.