Grave Clothes-1/29/2023

Jan 29, 2023

Last week, we saw how Jesus lovingly cared for Lazarus’ two sisters very differently. Martha, He challenged, and with Mary, He wept. Jesus customizes care for us all while recognizing what we truly need. Though Mary thought she needed to sit actively in her grief, Jesus knew she needed to be with Him. So, He called her by name, and at His call, she came. For the last two weeks, we have talked about how Martha and Mary felt, but Jesus also had some strong feelings regarding this situation. This passage tells us twice that He “was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” It also tells us that He wept. If Jesus knew what would happen, why did He express emotions? Jesus was not afraid to express Himself, yet He did so without sin. Jesus continues to deal with the people around Him with grace. With some of the people present, He had personal relationships. Others were waiting with anticipation and would put their faith in Him. And yet another group of people had grown cold and hard and would never put their trust in Him.

Regardless of their group, many of them were struggling with unbelief. As Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave, faith sprung up also. Though Lazarus came out of that grave, he still wore His grave clothes, but then Jesus commanded them to free him and let him go. Lazarus shed his dead stinky grave clothes with the help of his friends, and so should we. Death was never part of our original design. Jesus loved us so much that He came as the resurrection and life (vs. 25) so we could walk in freedom, unbound by our grave clothes.