Today's Scripture
Jesus Cries: John 11:17-37
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: John 11(CEB)
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was a little less than two miles from Jerusalem. 19 Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after their brother’s death. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained in the house.21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die.26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.”
28 After she said this, she went and spoke privately to her sister Mary, “The teacher is here and he’s calling for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 30 He hadn’t entered the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were comforting Mary in the house saw her get up quickly and leave, they followed her. They assumed she was going to mourn at the tomb.
32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?”
They replied, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
What does this passage mean to me/us
John 11 is one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible.
It is powerful because how we see Jesus raise Lazarus from death.
It is powerful because how we see Jesus responding to the call of Mary and Martha.
However, it is powerful because we see how Jesus mourns.
In verse 35, it says, “Jesus began to cry.”
Jesus knew he had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead.
Jesus could have easily foreseen how Lazarus walks out of the tomb.
One might say, why did he cry if he knew what will happen. But instead, he cried.
It shows how Jesus emphasize our sorrow and despair.
It shows, how Jesus will still make a way, he still takes a time for the ones who mourn.
In the time where we all mourn, we remember how Jesus mourns with us. He cries with the ones who are crying. He is the Lord of the broken-hearted.
But he will still make a way.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your love. Lord, heal us. In Christ name, we pray, AMEN.
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