John 11:28-37
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So 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 also have kept this man from dying?”
Reflection
Jesus identifies with us in our pain and loss. He comes to us in our weakness and brokenness. Though he knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus wept when he saw the tears of Mary and her friends. This is Jesus being truly human. As the God who took on flesh, the tears of Jesus flow from genuine human sorrow. Jesus felt the weight of a sinful and fallen world —the corruption and collapse of the way things were meant to be. Our Creator grieves over the devastation caused by sin and death. Once again, we see the loving heart of the Lamb who would offer his life in order to save ours.
Hebrews 10:11-18
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds,“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Reflection
Once more Hebrews sharply contrasts Old Testament priests and Christ, to show his superiority. While ministering, the priests stood, indicating that their work was never done. Christ “sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:12), indicating that his priestly work was completely finished. Old Testament priests offered “repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins” (v. 11). Christ’s unique self-offering is successful and perfects believers forever (v. 14). Old Testament sacrifices were plural; Christ’s was “a single sacrifice” (v. 12). All of this means that the former priests’ ministries were earthly, provisional, temporary, and ultimately ineffective in themselves. In contrast to Old Testament offerings, Christ’s offering was heavenly (although accomplished on earth), final, permanent, and effective.
Such grace should free our hearts and transform us into a people filled with love and mercy for others (Matt. 18:21–35; Eph. 4:32).
Psalm 70:5
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!
With the death of his friend Lazarus, we see the compassion of Jesus for a sintorn world. The Lord is familiar with our weakness and he understands what it’s like to have a broken heart. Pray for those who are suffering and in need of the comforting compassion of our Savior.