Jesus had a friend who died. His name was Lazarus. He loved Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary (John 11:5).

Now I don’t know if Jesus intentionally delayed returning to town, so the miracle could be performed on His dear friend, if He was grieving, waiting for the friction to die down or if it was a tad bit of everything. It was clear that Jesus felt a personal connection because the Bible states:

John 11:35 (NKJV)
Jesus wept.

Some people are just emotional and will “weep” with those who weep. If there is a personal connection to the person who passed away, the circumstance is more than just praying emoji hands or a blanketed statement of sending condolences to the family. Jesus was grieving – Honey, He was shedding some serious tears. In fact, when Jesus got to the grave in John 11:38, He was still groaning within Himself.

John 11:38 (NKJV)
Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

Lazarus sister named Mary, met Jesus on the road, when she learned that Jesus was on His way back to town to come see Lazarus. She was distraught and frustrated. Mary, knowing the miraculous powers that Jesus had demonstrated throughout the neighborhoods, says in what seems to be a frustrating tone: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

See, Mary wanted what SHE wanted. Well – Mary, that’s not entirely true.

Jesus always professed that His will was to do that of His Father in Heaven; so, if God’s will was for Lazarus to be at rest, Lazarus would have remained resting. We can learn from this example. Even in the midst of trying times, and in fact during the most challenging times, we must seek the will of God.

As we know, God’s will was not leave Lazarus at rest. Jesus asks Mary where Lazarus was laid, she takes Him there, and Lazarus comes out of the grave clothes, his burial site and there sat Lazarus as an example of the glory of God to be revealed and for the naysayers to believe that Jesus was who He said He was (John 12:9, 11).

Before all this transpired, it was a mess:

• The Jews in Judea were looking to kill (stone Jesus).
• The disciples were clueless with understanding what Jesus was saying in the Spirit.
• Thomas talking about let’s go die with Lazarus.
• Another disciple was talking about if Lazarus is sleep, he should be fine.
• Lazarus had already been dead 4 days and that process of decomposition had kicked in…

JUST A MESS!

Had Jesus focused on the environment, what the people were saying, their unbelief, and not the instructions of His Father, everyone would have missed the miracle.

Oh, but remember when sin had you bound, and your spiritual life was dead? Had the Holy Spirit not led someone to you, to redeem you from your mess, the miracle of salvation would have never been.

Don’t miss the miracle, focusing on the mess! The mess creates the foundation for the miracle.