4. The Mourners
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)
Today’s Reading: John 11:1-44
Glory to God?
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus is one of his most famous miracles. But it also raises a tricky question: how do we understand suffering in the presence of a Savior who has power over everything? In John 11, Jesus keeps saying this situation is “for the glory of God.” He even tells the disciples, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). But what does it mean to bring glory to God?
In Hebrew, the word for “glory” means “weight.” In Greek, it means “view” or “perspective.” Together, these ideas show us that God’s glory is about the incredible weight He carries and how this changes our view of him. When Jesus says Lazarus’s death is for God’s glory, he is saying that God wants to make a point about the weight he can carry.
Carving Out Comfort
Many of the stories in the Bible are more about the surrounding atmosphere than the event itself. Lazarus’s resurrection only takes two verses, but the chapter focuses mainly on the relationships around his death. That’s where we see the depth of this story.
Imagine how Mary and Martha must have felt. Jesus wasn’t just a distant miracle worker; he was their close friend. When Lazarus got sick, they didn’t even ask him for healing—they told him, trusting his presence would be enough. But Jesus delayed.
Martha, overwhelmed with grief, ran to meet Jesus as he approached the town. She said what many of us feel in hard times: “I know you, Jesus. I believe in you. So why didn’t you show up when I needed you?” Martha’s laments in verses 21-24 aren’t rooted in doubting Jesus but in the reality of how death feels. Death feels final. Grief can feel unbearable.
Jesus responded with this powerful truth: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). He wasn’t just saying he could perform resurrections but declaring that he is Resurrection itself.
What’s incredible about this story is how Jesus meets Mary and Martha in different ways.
With Martha, he spoke truth, giving her something solid to hold onto in her questioning.
With Mary, he met her emotionally. When she broke down in tears, Jesus didn’t offer words—he wept with her (John 11:35).
Some say Mary and Martha represent the two sides of the brain: Martha, the logical side, and Mary, the emotional. Jesus comforts both, showing that his glory embraces every part of our humanity. Life is hard, but we have a Savior who meets us in the dark times.
Receiving Resurrection
Even after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, there was still grief. Mary and Martha were overjoyed to have their brother back. Still, they had spent four days mourning and wrestling with disappointment. Where did all of that energy go? Accepting the miracle required faith, too. It would have been so easy for the resentment of how you wanted it to go to overshadow the resurrection that had just taken place. But in John 12, we see this isn’t the case for Mary and Martha. They respond in service and worship towards Jesus. This shows us that even though the circumstances surrounding Lazarus’s death and return were out of their control, their worship wasn’t. Their focus following the miracle was still on Jesus.
Jesus’s delay, weeping, and ultimate power over death all point to one truth: He carries weight we can’t. He shows us that Resurrection is relational. This story points forward to the greatest glory of all: Jesus’s own resurrection, where he fully lifts the weight of death for everyone who believes in him.
*Video was shot, edited and produced by David Tregde. Script and direction by Julius Shumpert.
Mackie, Tim. “This Is Who Experiences the Good Life (According to Jesus) • Visual Commentary.” YouTube, The Bible Project, 4 Mar. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9fR7sHw9Y8.
“John 11.” Holy Bible: New International Version, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, 1984.
Hollinger, Dennis. “To Glorify or Enjoy Forever?” C.S. Lewis Institute, Knowing and Doing 2003 , 3 June 2003, www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/to-glorify-or-enjoy-forever/.
Guzik, David. “Enduring Word Bible Commentary John Chapter 11.” The Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Local View Digital Marketing , 17 Apr. 1996, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-11/.
