Grief and the Lord’s Comfort – John’s Gospel chapter 11 verses 17 to 37
Do you feel the world is broken? Horror and grief surround us, and Christians are not exempt. Yet get this: you have a God who understands and comforts you, and so you can then comfort others.
The Lord comforts his own by drawing near to them.
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
John 11:17-19
Jesus is an active participant in our grief.
The Lord comforts his own with truth
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’ 23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ 24 Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ 25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ 27 ‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’
John 11:20-27
Martha’s sadness and persistence together. “Nevertheless, not my will but your will be done.” She knows there will be a resurrection at last. He replies “I am the resurrection and the life.” She was thinking of a future hope. He says it is present now. She believes, confessing he is God.
The Lord comforts his own with tears
28 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.’ 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 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. 32 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.’
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37 But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’
John 11:28-37
Mary follows Martha to Jesus. Her grieving is different, and Jesus responds differently, though both sisters say the same thing. Jesus does not berate them. He listens to them. He does not need us to “get it all together” before we come to Him.
At their loud grief he weeps. With them and for them. He was angry, but at what? Anger at injustice, at sin and death. Anger and compassion mixed together, as it happens in our hearts. So much more in Him who is God. This is why Jesus stepped into our world. He grieves. He has compassion. He weeps. Yet not tears of hopelessness, but of compassion. And this while he anticipates a great miracle. We see here again his divinity and his humanity.
This is our hope in life and death.
Cast all your care on Him. He gives us permission to weep. He keeps all our tears, he keeps account, he understands. And one day will wipe them all away.
Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
