Does Jesus Care?

We have heard the adage: There are two things in life that are certain—death and taxes. Because of Adam's sin, death is an inevitable part of life. It is sad to see so many people spend so much energy, emotionally and physically, in trying to accumulate all kinds of possessions, property, and prestige. The reality is that none of this matters for eternity. Death will overtake everyone, until the Lord calls his church home. Unless a person is ready to die, they are not ready to truly live.

However, for the Christian, death is not something which needs to be feared. I love the quote attributed to DL Moody: when you read in the newspapers of my death, do not believe it. For I shall be more alive than ever. You see, physical death for the Christian is merely a transition or a graduation to experiencing life in the very presence of Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches that God created all that there is. All that is life comes from God.

There are those who suggest that a loving God would not allow humanity to suffer or to die. Others assume that physical death is the end of everything. However, we remember that God's love for us caused him to send his son to this planet in order to take upon himself all the sins of all mankind, so that those who would believe in him would experience eternal life.

My wife and I have sung at various funerals and gravesite services. One of the songs which we often sang is “Does Jesus Care?" Today, as we look at this next scene in John 11, we are going to see how much Jesus cared.

His care is for our eternal souls.

Jesus Cared As the Kinsman-Redeemer - 11.17-19

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

Here, in the beginning of this section, the writer tells us that [Lazarus] had already been in the tomb four days. I believe the Holy Spirit was very intentional in giving the number of days. In some of the early Jewish writings, there was a teaching from the rabbis that sounded almost mystical, as it certainly was not taught in the Scriptures. The teaching stated that when a person dies, the soul hung around for three days to make sure that the body was finished. After three days, if there was no sign of life in the body, the soul would leave. At this point, the body would begin decomposing. The belief was that the soul would recognize that death was irreversible.

To most of us, this is strange thinking. However, we must remember that the religious leaders had added a lot of extra-biblical teaching. And when the people are led to believe that they cannot know God’s Word for themselves, they are liable to accept anything as true. Now, John is about to show that the word himself, who is truth, who is life, is going to reveal incredible love and compassion and care.

Again, John informs his readers of the incredible danger that awaited Jesus and His disciples by pointing out the proximity of Bethany to Jerusalem. The religious leaders were in Jerusalem who had wanted to kill Jesus. We also see that many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. These individuals, more than likely, came from Jerusalem as well. Most scholars suggest that this family was probably very well known and quite wealthy. So we can understand that for the disciples, the danger was real.

Though John writes that these Jews were there to console the sisters, it is obvious that God was about to show them the real reason for their presence. They were about to become witnesses of a miracle that could only take place through God. Often, we find ourselves at different places for our own reasons, so we think. However, we are there by God's divine appointment.

To our western way of thinking, the visitors being present might seem as if it was a very large come-and-go event. However, the Jewish custom was that there would often be a month long mourning period, with the first week being an intensive time of mourning. Understanding this, these individuals would have known that Lazarus was indeed dead. This could be no hoax. Even those who were enemies of Jesus observed that Lazarus was dead. Supporters and opponents of Jesus would not be able to argue with what they were going to see.

My friends, remember this truth which seems to parallel this Scripture: Even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, Jesus cared enough to come to this planet to raise us from our spiritual death.

Jesus Cared as the Resurrection - 11.20-27

Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

A cross reference to this is found in Luke chapter 10. John's account matches quite nicely in how he presents the sisters. Martha seems to be the busy organizer who goes about getting things done. Wherever Martha is, a flurry of activity surrounds her. Mary seems to be willing to be content right where she is. I say this, not to put one above the other. It is simply a difference in personality.

Martha had heard that Jesus was coming, So she went out to meet him. Interestingly, Jewish tradition was that when a family member died, the other family members who were in mourning would stay seated where they were. Obviously, Martha would not be bothered by tradition. She was going to do whatever she wanted to do.

As we read her comments, we sense, on the surface, a bit of contradiction and turmoil within her. The pain and frustration seems to come out in her first sentence. She was not expressing anger at Jesus. She appears to know about the power Jesus has when she states an expression of a lost hope of her brother still being alive. But, that hope still seemed to flicker. She stated that even though her brother has been dead these four days, God will give Jesus the power to do whatever he wants. Implied in that comment, is that eventually Lazarus can live again. Here, in this short greeting, we see faith, alongside an incredible anguish of spirit, expressed at the same time.

Jesus understands what she is saying as he responds to her by telling Martha that her brother will rise again. It was common understanding from the Old Testament that there would be a resurrection from the dead. The Pharisees believed this, but not the Sadducees. But even for dear Martha, she understood the theology of the Resurrection on the last day, yet she did not understand the resurrection power for today.

Jesus then continues by explaining to her that, I am the resurrection and the life. Not only does he claim to be equal with God by stating "I am," he elaborates even further. Because he is the resurrection and the life, he is able to provide eternal life for all who will believe in him. This is even for the individual who physically dies, which Martha already understood. But what Jesus added is something that Martha had not yet understood. Jesus continued by stating that everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. My friends, even though we may physically die one day, for all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we will never experience the ultimate death of eternal separation from God.

Then Jesus asks a probing question: do you believe this? This was not a question about whether or not she believed that Jesus can raise Lazarus. I believe that since He just stated that He is the resurrection and the life, He wanted her to understand that He is the only One who can raise someone from the dead and provide eternal life.

Martha's response is quite revealing. Not only does she believe what Jesus has described, but reading this literally in the Greek, we see that she has in the past and will continue to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world. This fits into the whole purpose of the Holy Spirit causing John to write this Gospel. It is so that people may believe, as we’ll see in chapter 20.

Martha shared three things about her belief in Jesus with her statement.

1 - She believes that He is the Christ or the Messiah; the Savior of those who believe.

2 - She believes that He is the Son of God as He Himself stated many times.

3 - She also believes that He is the One sent from heaven to come into this world.

Jesus Cared as the Righteous One - 11.28-36

When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. Then 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. Therefore, 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.” When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”

John now points out that Martha went back to where Mary was being comforted by mourners in the house. She probably took her sister aside and told her secretly that Jesus was there and that He wanted to visit with her. What a gracious thing for Jesus to do; to allow private time with him before everyone was able to distract. In addition, we see that Jesus was still outside the village. He had not yet gone down to where there were many more people. So Mary quickly left. However, she was not left alone. According to John, the Jews mourning and comforting her followed her, assuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

We still see the heart of Mary as it was when she anointed his feet with oil and wiped them with her hair. When she arrived at where Jesus was, she once again worshiped Him, falling at His feet.

Interestingly, she gives the same comment that Martha had given earlier; a belief and acknowledgement of Who Jesus was. Again, we don’t sense any accusation, but rather a statement of fact and grief. We also find that Mary was weeping while worshiping. My friends, sometimes the two go together. In fact, the word for weeping here is the picture of someone wailing or sobbing uncontrollably. My friends, we can be in great anguish of spirit, completely brokenhearted, and still worship our caring and loving Savior, Jesus Christ.

When Jesus saw her anguish of soul and the weeping of those who had come along with Mary, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled. Because they were probably a wealthy family, there was probably a large crowd of mourners present, making this quite a noisy situation. Yet we need to grasp that this description of Jesus’ emotions is far deeper than most people understand.

I want to take a bit of time to discuss what is meant when John states that Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled. We often have the idea that this is extreme sorrow and anguish of soul due to Lazarus being dead. However, when we think of the fact that Jesus already knew of his death and that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, this idea doesn’t make too much sense.

In addition, the meaning of the words don’t add up to that sort of reaction. The word for deeply moved is a word that literally means to snort like a horse. It is used in three other places in the New Testament and refers to disgust, scolding, or outrage. Why would this word be used? Why would Jesus be outraged and upset? Many commentators believe that it is in reference to the fact that death is a consequence for all because of sin in the world. But also, there was a hopelessness being expressed by all the mourners who were there. If only they would recognize who was there; Jesus is the Great I Am.

The word for troubled is also an intense reaction to the situation. Where it is used elsewhere in the New Testament with Jesus, we see it at the scene where Judas betrays Him and when Jesus is in the Garden facing His upcoming death.

He then asks for information as to where they had laid Lazarus; then they invite Jesus to come and see. Then we have the shortest verse in the Bible which carries one of the most powerful comments: Jesus wept. However, the word for wept here is a completely different verb. He is not wailing as one without hope. This word is an expression of silently crying, a subdued bursting into tears. Oh, the agony of our Lord, as He knew this would not have had to be if it were not for sin. In addition, this was indeed Jesus’ friend.

The Jews commented about this by recognizing the love Jesus had for Lazarus. Interestingly, they are not being hostile to Him at this point. Amidst all this hopelessness by the majority of those mourning, Jesus is about to provide a demonstration of how He is the hope of the world.

Reflections

One of the things which stands out to me is that Martha, in particular, had a lot of good theology going for her. Yet, like many people today, it hadn’t totally become a part of her.

Another thing that stands out to me is Jesus’ response to all that is happening around Him. Here He was, the One Who gives life; the One who gives eternal life; the One Who can raise the dead to life; yet nobody is recognizing what is available right then before their very eyes. How much like us today. We are so quick to limit our God; or simply overlook His desire to work in our lives right now today. We would rather complain and use our earthly wisdom, rather than trust the Lord of the universe and the Savior of our souls to do what honors and glorifies Him.

Does Jesus care? Yes, he does! He cared enough to come to this planet to live among sinful mankind and to take upon himself the sins of humanity. He came as our kinsman-redeemer.

Does Jesus care? He cared enough to be willing to raise us from the dead with his resurrection power. Not just for the future when we're no longer on this earth, but for today. He wants to make us into a brand-new creation.

Does Jesus care? He cared enough that he came as the righteous one and gives to us his robes of righteousness, for all who would believe in him.

His care is for our eternal souls.