John 11:28-37
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And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”
Martha leaves Jesus and goes to her sister. Pulling her aside indicates that she does so secretively, perhaps to give her the opportunity to slip out/away from those that are there to comfort her.
Martha calls Jesus TEACHER. This was the role that Jesus was recognized for the most by His followers.
We see here that Martha says Jesus is asking for Mary. Martha seems to receive comfort from Jesus and longs for her sister to also be comforted.
Martha points Mary to Jesus. In our times of grief, we can point others to Jesus as He is our source of comfort.
When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.
How do you respond when Jesus calls for you?
Mary’s response was immediate, instantaneous.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
Jesus was in no hurry was He?
When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
Sometimes when we try to help with others during their grief, we don’t allow them to do what they need. We have good intention, but there are times when the grieving one needs to do something of normalcy.
Mary went to meet Jesus with her entourage in tow - unashamed to see her Master.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Mary fell at the feet of Jesus. What does this indicate?
Mary in her despair chose to worship. It shows me that faith in Jesus and my despair can co-exist.
In we see that Mary was at the feet of Jesus receiving His instruction.
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
“Those that in a day of peace place themselves at Christ’s feet, to receive instructions from Him, may with comfort and confidence in a day of trouble cast themselves at His feet with hope to find favor with Him.” - Matthew Henry
Mary with her mouth, confesses her belief in the Lord.
Romans 14:11
It is written:
“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.’ ”
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
She did so in the presence of those that would not approve. When we serve our Master, we don’t need to be ashamed. His acceptance of our service will far outweigh the ridicule of man.
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
We begin to see the humanity of Jesus. We can be reminded of
Colossians
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
We see the same reaction of Jesus in
Matthew 26:38-39
Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Jesus can identify with Mary’s and the others’ despair and pain. If He can identify with their’s, He can identify with MINE.
Isaiah
In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.
That last phrase in , “Deeply moved in spirit and troubled...” shows that Jesus had all the passions and affections of the human nature. He can SO identify with us!
For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
“Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Why did Jesus ask this question?
Jesus is God, He knew where the tomb was! Here we have a couple of thoughts:
He asked a man even though He was going to reveal the Power of God.
Had He gone straight to the tomb, the Jews would have immediately thought there was a conspiracy.
He is paving the way for something great.
If Jesus takes notice of the grave, it is important we take care of those who are deceased with care and respect.
Jesus wept.
Reveals the Humanity of Christ in that Jesus was not only of flesh and blood, but as a man could weep. As a merciful man, He would weep.
The prophet called Him a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering:
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
When we shed tears for others, we are showing the compassion of Christ. What a friend it is to show our tears in love. I am reminded of that that great hymn, “What a Friend We have in Jesus.”
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Our tears of grief do not do anything for the one that is dead, but they do embalm his or her memory.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
The tears of Jesus revealed to complete strangers the love Jesus has for His friend Lazarus.
We are reminded of Jesus’ words coming in the later on in this book of John:
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus knew the suffering love brings.
John
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
The Jews wondered at the apparent helplessness of Jesus. Was this the limit of His great power? They were truly puzzled and confused. Do we wonder if Jesus is capable of meeting the need we have? This faith is based on what Jesus can do instead of knowing who Jesus is. If we base on what He does, then we are constantly looking for new miracles and signs. If we base on who Jesus is, we know He is God Incarnate and absolutely nothing is impossible with Him. And always, His way is always best.