If you’re looking to prepare your heart before celebrating on Easter Sunday, may I recommend reading John 11, which recounts the death and resurrection of Lazarus, who was a dear friend of Jesus. 

“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort 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. 

“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.” 

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” (John 11:17-24)

As soon as Jesus arrived it was obvious that the people there misunderstood the main reason He was sent by God. They simply thought Jesus was a miracle worker who might save the Jews from the oppression of the Roman Empire. Martha was one of those who completely didn’t get it. 

Jesus then reacted by saying maybe the most profound words of his ministry which outline to the people what his main purpose was. 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 

“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” (John 11:25-27)

After this though, something surprising happens. 

And 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. 

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.” 

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. 

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 

Jesus wept.” (John 11:28-35) 

Jesus wept? Those two words make up what is the shortest verse in the Bible, and yet they might be the two most important and powerful words. On the surface it might seem that Jesus is merely weeping for his friend who had just died, which is a normal reaction. I believe this is true in part, but it’s not the whole picture. At that moment Jesus, who is the God in flesh, wept because he was responding to something much deeper. 

He did so because HE HATES DEATH. 

Jesus didn’t come into this world to just teach the right philosophy, heal some of his followers, and take down the Roman Empire. He was sent into the world to CONQUER DEATH. He did this by dying on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, and then rising on the third day so that if we believe in him we too can conquer death. 

And what happens after Jesus wept was a foreshadowing of Him conquering death.

Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”-John 11:43-44 

When Jesus raised his friend from the dead, he was pointing to what was about to happen to Him, and what his presence on Earth was really all about. 

Jesus dies on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins, once and for all. The ultimate sacrifice by the perfect lamb. But that wasn’t the end of the story, because the sacrifice means nothing without the resurrection. 

The Apostle Paul said as much to the church in Corinth. 

For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians: 16-18)

Jesus proved to the world that He has power over death and he has conquered death by dying and rising himself. Now that he has conquered death, you can conquer it too through believing in him. 

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21) 

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee