Today's Scripture:

John 11:1-45 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 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.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 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. 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.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

Read: Reflect on a story in your life that pertains to this scripture.
In this passage, Jesus witnesses a great deal of suffering among His closest people as Lazarus, a man that Jesus loved deeply and one of His closest friends, passes away. Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, each approach Jesus differently in their grief, and Jesus responds to each of them differently out of love. Then, Jesus displays His power over sin, death and the grave in a miraculous way as He calls Lazarus out of the tomb and into a new life with Him, leading many to believe that Jesus was truly their Savior.

Reflect: What is this scripture telling you during this season?
The biggest thing that stands out to me in this story is actually the words and actions of Jesus before Lazarus is brought back to life. Jesus chose not to heal Lazarus while he was still alive, and as a result, we are given a beautiful picture and model of how to love and care for those who are grieving. When I see others going through hard things, I am often tempted to try and fix things, but Jesus shows us a different way of coming alongside those who are hurting. Martha, who was told by Jesus in the past that she was worrying about things that weren't needed, comes to Jesus faithfully. Despite her grief, she confidently trusts that Jesus will heal her brother, and Jesus challenges her to remain faithful and see what He will do. Meanwhile, Martha is simply full of grief, and can only tell Jesus that He should have come sooner. But Jesus doesn't condemn her or judge her... instead, He weeps with Mary and comes alongside her in her sorrow.

Respond: How is this scripture calling you to respond?
An important aspect of sharing our whole lives is that we will likely have days where we go through grief together. Jesus teaches us here that sometimes we must remind those around us to remain faithful, and other times we must simply grieve or mourn alongside those who are hurting. In both of these things, Jesus shows us that His love can shine through and into our grief, and that death, sin, and the grave are not the end... Jesus is! He is our Alpha and Omega, and He has conquered over death forever! Because of this, we can always have a reason to praise Him, even in our suffering.

About Daniel Baudin:
Since 2020, I have been serving as one of Grace's Student Ministries Associates. I have two fantastic parents, Traci and Earl, who have been members here for years, and I have an awesome older brother named Joshua! In May of 2023, I got married to my wife, Kaylie, here at Grace! Currently, I am also attending Fuller Seminary to get my MDiv with the hopes of becoming a pastor.
I have been a covenant partner at Grace since my confirmation in 2012, but I have been at Grace my entire life! I also have the coolest job in the world... working here at Grace, serving our students and helping with worship on Sunday mornings!