Lesson 68

They told him, "Lord, come and see."

Jesus had arrived in Bethany four days after Lazarus had died. Martha, the sister of Lazarus, heard He had come and ran to greet him. Martha was the practical sister. With Martha He has a conversation. He tells Her plainly what His plans were, though it is clear that she did not fully understand them. But, she does understand that something is about to happen. She went away and told her sister, Mary that Jesus had arrived.

Mary went out immediately to see Him. The Jews that were grieving with them followed her out of their home thinking that she is going to the tomb to weep for her brother. When Mary meets Jesus, she basically says the same thing that Martha had said to Him. "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died."

It is significant that Jesus does not engage Mary in conversation. Mary is the sister that sat at His feet and listened to Him when He visited. She was not concerned about the practical matters of running the household when He was there like her sister, Martha. Today, she comes out to Him weeping. Her tears and grief affected Him. He was troubled and saddened because these were people that He loved dearly. And, they were hurting.

He asks them where Lazarus was buried. They lead Him to the tomb. And, in that long march, He is overcome with grief. "Jesus wept."

What is it that Jesus weeps for? It is not that He is without hope. He knows assuredly that Lazarus will be raised from the dead. He knows that soon those who are weeping will be shouting for joy.

This is another occasion where we all may draw our own conclusions. We have all wept for those we have lost and for those who we will lose. Personally, I think He was weeping for us all. He wept because He knew the pain that we go through when we see the end of life, as we understand it. He wept for all those who would not be raised until that final day. He wept because those whom He loved around Him were weeping. Our Lord does not stand off from us afar. He embraces us in the midst of our pain and weeps and comforts us when we need it. And yes, He wept because His friend Lazarus, whom He loved, died sick and ultimately, alone.

We were not meant for illness, or death, or loneliness. God's purpose was that we would live in Him forever and never die. Never face illness or disease. Never face loneliness. We are separated from God and it grieves Him deeply. God grieves for the sick and the lonely. God weeps for the living and the dead.

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die, yet will he live. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die." God gives us hope. He offers us His hand to lift us out of the grave. But, He also weeps for our pain and our suffering. God is with us through all things.