Note: The first half of this post draws directly from John 11:17-27,38-45, at times quoting it word for word.
By all outward appearances, Jesus arrived too late.
Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus, had succumbed to the debilitating sickness, the one that caused his sisters to send an urgent message to Jesus: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” Help him. We know you can save him if you are here. Please.
But Jesus stayed where he was for another two days. When he finally made his way to the village of Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead and buried for four days. And Martha—the woman who once was anxious about supper preparations, troubled and concerned about many things—met him on the road.
Martha’s tears hadn’t dried; her pain and anguish at her brother’s passing were still raw and aching. She didn’t ask Jesus, “Why didn’t you come immediately when we sent word to you that our brother was sick? Didn’t you care about him? Don’t you care about us?”
Instead, she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
“Your brother will rise again.”
“I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Later, Jesus asked Martha and her sister, Mary, to show him where Lazarus’ body was laid. They took him to their brother’s tomb, a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
“Take away the stone.”
“But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me. Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
“Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Let’s take a step back from the narrative for a moment.
In the stress and chaos of the moment . . . I have to imagine that Jesus’ actions—and inaction—leading up to raising Lazarus from the dead made little sense.
Don’t you think those four days of waiting were pure agony for Mary, Martha, and all who mourned Lazarus’ death? Don’t you think they wrestled with why Jesus hadn’t come in time to save Lazarus? I certainly do. They were devastated by what sin and death had done. Their loved one had been ripped away from them. Even though they knew God would raise Lazarus to life in the resurrection at the Last Day, they still grieved his passing. He was gone.
Jesus hadn’t arrived too late. He arrived precisely when he needed to, for God’s glory, so that God’s Son would be glorified. The Word of Life commanded the grave to release a dead man, and at his powerful word, it did.
As great and wonderful as that miracle was, it paled in comparison to what Jesus would later do for Lazarus . . . and for you and me.
Lazarus had been raised to life, but he was still sinful. He would eventually die again. The same is true for all who live in this sin-darkened world, this valley of the shadow of death.
By Jesus’ perfect life in our place, his innocent suffering and death on the cross for us and for our sins, and by his triumphant resurrection from the grave, we have life. Eternal life, in his name.
Dear Christian, our God did not—does not—allow sin and death to have the final word. Our Savior has the final word. And he is the one who promised:
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
Yes, Lord. Help us believe this and hold on to you through life.
Help us look to you in moments of doubt and weakness and know that your perfect trust and faith in God was for us. Help us look to the cross where you paid for all our sins. Help us look to the grave that is empty because you live. Help us look home to heaven, where you promise we will live with you forever.
Looking for more devotions on John’s gospel? Dive into Jesus’ comforting words and promises with These Words Are Written. These brief devotions cover the entire book of John and point you to the eternal life that is yours in your Savior Jesus.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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