John 11:1-54

A few years ago, you could hardly turn on a Southern Gospel radio station without hearing a song about Lazarus. It seemed like every songwriter was finding a new way to tell this story. It is a story that rings in our hearts for many reasons.

The first is the obvious: Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead! What an incredible moment! Up til now, we have seen Jesus heal the blind, the lame and the ill, but nothing like this.

But there are more messages in this story.

Jesus does not arrive when Lazarus is dying; He arrives 4 days after he dies. Lazarus is already in the tomb. By His actions, Jesus is telling us that it's never too late to trust in the power of God. God can step into any situation, no matter how dark, and still bring light, hope, and life.

This story also contains, what is probably, the shortest verse in the Bible: "Jesus wept." (11:35) What a powerful image. God is crying!

I love this moment because it reminds me that Jesus is not just fully divine, but He is also fully human. He sees his friends, people He truly loved, in grief, and He feels their pain.

But I think it's more than this. Jesus knew that He would die soon, and He knew that His death would be public and violent. When He saw the family of Lazarus grieving, He could also see His family grieving for Him. He could imagine His own mother, with tears streaming down her face. He could see His friends and followers screaming in anger and disbelief. The pain of this thought was too much to bear. Jesus wept.

What does this story mean to you? Please feel free to leave a comment with your answer...