Lent 2023: John 11:17-35

The Resurrection and the Life

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem (less than two miles away). 19 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.

20 As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.

24 Martha said to him, “I know that 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, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”

Jesus Shares the Sorrow of Death

28 Having said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

29 As soon as Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to cry there.

32 As soon as Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and told him, “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, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked.

“Lord,” they told him, “come and see.”

35 Jesus wept.

—John 11:17-35

Read & Journal

Read John 11:17-35. Let these questions guide your meditation on the passage:

• Who is Jesus interacting with in this passage? Consider each interaction and what it reveals about Jesus’ character or mission.

• Mary and Martha both approach Jesus with the same statement, “If only you’d been here.” While they offer the same words, how are their approaches or meanings different?

• When have you come to Jesus with similar words: If you’d only been here, if you only understood what it’s like, if you had only acted the way I thought you would? What did Jesus teach you about himself during those experiences?

• Martha’s statement of faith in verse 27 shows that she had some understanding of God’s power, even though she couldn’t see the whole picture of what he was doing. In the circumstances you face today, how will you choose to turn to God in faith even if you can’t see the whole picture?

• When Jesus sees Mary and the mourners weeping, a deep anger wells up in him (v. 33). Jesus knew he had power over life and death; he was frustrated that Mary and the mourners couldn’t see past their grief to recognize that. When have you been so focused on the circumstances of a situation that you couldn’t see how God was moving?

• Today, spend some time in prayer asking God to raise your eyes from the very real circumstances you face to see how he is at work. Journal your thankfulness that his ways are not your ways and your belief that he is moving in ways you cannot see to achieve his mission of redemption.