In the last episode, “What Greatness Looks Like,” we saw that Greatness is seen in serving the needs of others with humility. We saw that by his humility, Jesus served mankind and fulfilled our need for salvation. We saw that the answer to the question, “What does Greatness Look Like” is Jesus Christ. Jesus exemplified humility. In this episode entitled “Compassion and the Raising Lazarus,” we’ll see that when compassion flows out of humility, it can help put lives back together that have been crushed by life’s greatest hardship; death.
The Question:
How can I access the same compassion Jesus showed when he raised Lazarus from the dead? To answer this question, we’ll look at the Resurrection of Lazarus story in John 11:1-36. In this story, we’ll see 10 things that can unlock that same compassion in us.
The Story: John 11:1-36
The name Lazarus means ‘God is my helper.’ He lived in Bethany, which was 2 miles southeast of Jerusalem, with his 2 sisters, Martha and Mary. Lazarus became extremely sick. So sick that his sisters sent a message to Jesus to help their brother.
Compassion responds to needs; humility seeks to serve, so that compassion would be an outflow of humility.
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 for two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
John purposely states Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Jesus loved them like his closest family members. You don’t want your family members to suffer, but he didn’t go to them immediately. Why? Because he loved them. Jesus knew the sickness Lazarus had wouldn’t end in death. He also knew that the situation would glorify God. If he had gone when he was called, things wouldn’t have unfolded as they did. Healing Lazarus would have been the easy way through the situation. For that matter, he could have healed Lazarus from where he was, but he didn’t. Why? Because what was going to happen was more meaningful for everyone involved than recovery from an illness. Compassion isn’t easy. Sometimes compassion seems harsh because doing what’s best for people is more important than giving people what they want. It wasn’t easy for Jesus not to go immediately to help his friends.
“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.” (To follow the purpose of God is to walk in the daylight. To avoid the purpose of God is to walk in darkness. Sometimes we react to things before we seek God for answers. When we react before we pray, we can cause more harm than good. Jesus knew the will of God regarding the illness of Lazarus.) Compassion seeks God’s will for those in need of help.
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.”
Jesus knew the will of God for this situation, and he knew it was time to do what God had planned.
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.
The disciples still aren’t seeking God for direction. They need to learn the lessons compassion teaches.
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.”
The disciples didn’t understand Jesus was using ‘sleep’ as a euphemism for ‘death,’ so he told them plainly Lazarus was dead. When Jesus said he was ‘glad’ he wasn’t there for his death for the sake of the disciples, it shows us that sometimes bad things happen for our good. Compassion knows bad things can happen for good reasons.
Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Compassion shares in the suffering of others.
On his arrival, Jesus found 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 (relate with, empathize with) 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.
John included this statement about Lazarus being in the tomb for four days for a reason. It was a common Jewish belief in the first century that the spirit of a dead person stayed around for three days hoping to reenter the body before decay started. Stating it had been four days since Lazarus died meant he was ‘really’ dead, and he wouldn’t be revived. Since Bethany was close to Jerusalem, there were many Jews with Martha and Mary to support them in their grief. But mostly, these were professional mourners. To the Jews comforting family at a time of death was a ‘mitzvah’ (meaning fulfilling the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself). Martha and Mary were dealing with the finality of the situation. Jesus was considerate of their emotional state and didn’t want to cause a commotion at their home with his arrival. Compassion is considerate of the emotions of others.
“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.”
Martha put it out there that if Jesus showed more concern, her brother would still be alive. We’ve said the same thing to God. Then she realized she said that out loud and tried to walk it back with, ‘I still know God listens to you.’ Again, we’ve been there with her.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Oftentimes, we don’t know what to say to a grieving family. We usually say something like, “You’ll see them again,” “They’re in a better place,” or “You’ll be together again.” And these sentiments are OK. Jesus basically said the same thing to Martha, except he knows what he’s talking about.
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
This was a respectful response on Martha’s part. She could have been more bitter, but she recognized Jesus was feeling her pain, and in turn, she tried comfort to him. She was basically saying to Jesus, “Thank you. Yes, I know, and I believe you.” She responded this way because she knew Jesus had a true love for her brother and compassion for their loss, not just empathy like the professional mourners.
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?”
Jesus makes the most significant statement in the history of the spoken word; “I am the resurrection and the life.” Mary, as a Jew, believed at the end of human history, there’d be a resurrection. But Jesus tells her ‘he’ is the resurrection. The resurrection she was waiting for was standing in front of her. All who believe in Jesus have the resurrection. They don’t have to wait until the end of time. Even if a person who believes in Jesus dies because they believe in him, they have the resurrection. And when they are resurrected, they will never die again. Those who don’t believe in Jesus will also be resurrected in the judgment, and when they’re judged, they will die forever. When Jesus asks Martha if she believes he is the resurrection and the life, he is asking her not if she believes in the resurrection at the end of time but does she believe that he has the power over death. She said that she knows God will give him anything he asks, but that is different from him having the power over death himself. Compassion is Trustworthy.
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
When Martha says yes to Jesus, she is saying yes, I believe you’re the Messiah promised by God who was to come into the world, but she’s missing that being the Son of God also means he is ‘God’ with all the power and authority of God.
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.
Martha goes back to their house and tells Mary that Jesus is there. Mary knows Jesus is there; how could she not? Martha knew it. Mary was grieving and hurting because Jesus didn’t arrive sooner. Jesus knows her emotional state, so he tells Martha to tell Mary he is asking to see her. As soon as she hears he’s asking for her, she runs to him. Compassion is understanding.
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.”
Mary had the same complaint to Jesus as her sister. Can you imagine how difficult it had to be for Jesus to see this woman throw herself at his feet, saying if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died?
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit (let out a groan) and troubled (stirred up).
This is a very misunderstood passage. It’s misunderstood because we associate compassion with the emotional feelings of empathy and sympathy rather than with the compassion of God, which is healing. The Greek word used here for ‘deeply moved’ is the snort a horse makes in war or in a race. Using this word for the reaction of Jesus here means he let out a sound of outrage that came from the Holy Spirit within him. Why was Jesus so angered and troubled by the commotion he saw? He wasn’t angered at Mary or the mourners but at the futility of this religiously acceptable practice of mourning in place of faith. These are Jews, not pagans. God gave them the knowledge of life. They should recognize God has the power over death. But what he sees is an insecure people afraid of death. The resurrection and life is standing right there with them, and they are more intimidated by death than they are inspired by the life that is Jesus Christ. His anger shows that he protects all whom he loves from death, and he loves all who believe in him. Compassion provides protection.
“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
Now, the compassion of Jesus, not just for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, but for all mankind, will be displayed in action as he shows he has power over death. Compassion acts.
The Takeaway (Benediction); Encourage people to use this information for a better relationship with Christ.
Sympathy; relief in not having the same problem.
Empathy; understanding the feeling of someone with a specific problem.
The word compassion comes from the Latin word ‘compati,’ which means “suffer with.” Another’s suffering becomes your suffering. Compassion changes who we are and how we live.
We need to see people not for what they do or don’t do and rather for what they suffer.
Compassion; moves us to do something to support someone with a problem. Love produces compassion, and compassion produces action.
- Compassion responds to needs; (John 1:1-3)
- Compassion isn’t easy. (John 1:4-7) Not easy for the giving and sometimes not for the one receiving compassion.
- Compassion seeks God’s will. (John 1:8-10) To be compassionate helps others understand the will of God.
- Compassion knows bad things can happen for good reasons. (John 1:11-15)
- Compassion shares in the suffering of others. (John 1:16)
- Compassion is considerate of the emotions of others. (John 1:17-20)
- Compassion is Trustworthy. (John 1:21-26)
- Compassion is Understanding. (John 1:27-31)
- Compassion provides protection. (John 1:32-33)
- Compassion Acts. (John 1:34-36)
It would be great if we could have this kind of compassion for others in our life. It’s definitely something for us to aspire to and a courageous goal, to be sure. But what’s important for us to take away from this episode is that through Jesus Christ, God has shown us his compassion for us in all these areas of our lives.
Jesus put himself in our place by taking on a human body. He walked in our shoes or sandals and took on our sins to share our suffering. That’s compassion.
Jesus willingly accepted what he had to do, even the death on the cross, to lift us from our prison of fear of death.
To practice compassion toward others, we need first to let Christ give us the compassion we need in our life. Compassion is like love. To love others, we need to accept the love Jesus has for us first. To show compassion to others, we need to accept the compassion Jesus has for us first. Then we can give compassion to others in need just as we have received from Christ.
