Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and because of his love, he worked a plan that was very different from theirs. He showed them His glory and His power. He revealed to them who He is:

Jesus said: “I AM the resurrection and the life”

He didn’t say, “I can resurrect people” and “I can give life” (although awesomely true!) John’s emphasis here is not on what Jesus does (or does not do), but on who Jesus is—the Resurrection and the Life! Perhaps the most loving thing God can do for us is to show us more of Himself in the hard times, to show us the preciousness of Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life!

Here’s John Piper’s definition of love based on John 11: “Love is doing whatever you have to do — or whatever God has to do — at whatever cost, in order for the glory of God to be shown.”

In what other ways did we see the preciousness of Jesus in this lesson? Here are just a few:

• He weeps with us.

• *Jesus wept. John 11:35.

• *“Lazarus, come out.” John 11:43

• *Jesus said to her, “Mary.” John 20:16

• *she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. → “I have seen the Lord” John 20:14; 18