The Surprising and Unfathomable Love of Christ: A Reflection on the Story of Lazarus

The Surprising and Unfathomable Love of Christ

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

These are the simple and yet powerful words of a well-known children's hymn. But they carry a profound message for adults too. The love of Christ is a mystery that surpasses all human knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). It is a love that is both surprising and unfathomable.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the story of Lazarus in John 11. In this one story, we see both the simplicity of Christ's love and its incomprehensibility. “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5). He loved them, and He loves us. This story shows us just how surprising and unfathomable that love can be.

The Confusing Love of Christ

When we encounter the love of Christ, it can be confusing. The story of Lazarus is a perfect example of this. When Jesus hears that Lazarus is sick, He waits for two days before going to see him. This seems strange to us. Why would Jesus wait when He could have healed Lazarus with just a word?

When Jesus finally arrives, He finds that Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, are understandably distraught. They both say to Jesus, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21, 32)

Jesus is moved by their grief and weeps with them (John 11:35). Then, He does something unexpected. He asks the people to move the stone that covers the entrance to Lazarus' tomb. Martha protests, saying that there will be a bad odor, but Jesus replies, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)

Then, Jesus prays, and calls out to Lazarus with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43) And Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, comes out of the tomb, still wrapped in his burial clothes.

The love of Christ can be confusing. Why did Jesus wait? Why did He weep? Why did He ask the stone to be moved? Why did He call out to Lazarus with a loud voice? The answer is that the love of Christ is not always straightforward or easy to understand. Sometimes, it can seem confusing or even contradictory.

The Perfect Love of Christ

Despite the confusion we may feel, the love of Christ is perfect. In the story of Lazarus, we see that Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus deeply. He wept with them, and He raised Lazarus from the dead. This is a clear demonstration of His love for them.

The perfect love of Christ is also demonstrated on the cross. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Christ's death on the cross was the ultimate expression of His love for us. He took our sin upon Himself, so that we could be reconciled to God.

Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This is the perfect love of Christ. It is a love that is sacrificial, selfless, and unconditional.

The Incomprehensible Love of Christ

Even though the love of Christ is perfect, it is also incomprehensible. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:19 that the love of Christ surpasses all knowledge. It is a love that is too great for us to fully understand.

The story of Lazarus is a perfect example of this. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but He didn't do it in the way that anyone expected. He waited, He wept, He called out with a loud voice. These actions seem confusing to us, but they demonstrate the incomprehensible love of Christ.

Similarly, the cross is a demonstration of Christ's incomprehensible love. Why would God send His Son to die for us? Why would Jesus willingly go to the cross? These are questions that we cannot fully answer. The love of Christ is too great for us to fully comprehend.

The Surprising Love of Christ

The love of Christ is also surprising. In the story of Lazarus, Jesus surprises us by raising him from the dead. This was an unexpected and miraculous event. It was something that no one could have predicted.

This is true of the love of Christ in general. It is surprising in its scope and depth. It is a love that embraces all people, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or social status. It is a love that seeks out the lost and the broken, and offers them the hope of salvation.

Jesus is often surprising in His love. He reaches out to the outcasts and the sinners, and offers them forgiveness and grace. He challenges the religious leaders of His day, and calls them to a higher standard of righteousness. He speaks truth to power, and exposes the hypocrisy of those who claim to be righteous.

The Enduring Love of Christ

The love of Christ is also enduring. It is a love that lasts forever. Jesus says in John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

This is the ultimate expression of Christ's love for us. He offers us eternal life, and nothing can take us away from Him. His love endures through all circumstances, and it is the anchor that we can hold onto in times of trouble.

Conclusion

The love of Christ is surprising, incomprehensible, and perfect. It is a love that can be confusing at times, but it is always enduring. We see this love demonstrated in the story of Lazarus, and in Christ's death on the cross.

As we reflect on the love of Christ, we are left with a sense of awe and wonder. How can someone love us so much, that He would sacrifice everything for us? How can someone love us so much, that He would raise us from the dead?

The love of Christ is a mystery that we may never fully understand. But we can rest in the knowledge that it is a love that endures forever. It is a love that gives us hope and peace, and it is a love that we can share with others.

References

• John 11


• John 3:16


• Romans 5:8


• Ephesians 3:19


• John 10:28