Lazarus

"Lord, the one you love is sick." - Lazarus' sisters.

"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going [to Judea] to wake him up." - Jesus

Jesus was returning to Judea where he was previously chased out, narrowly escaping being stoned for his friend, Lazarus.
I want to know more about Lazarus and Jesus! It sounds like they were really good friends.

This is the story that holds the well known shortest verse in the Bible.  "Jesus wept."

He was weeping for his friend Lazarus, even though he knew he was about to raise him to life. Jesus still wept for his death, for the pain that it caused Lazarus's sisters and friends. For the fact that he was out of town when Lazarus died. It says Jesus was 'deeply moved in spirit and troubled,' Jesus was overcome with emotion.
 The point is, Jesus feels for people in pain, even if the pain is something he is moments away from healing, even when there is undeniable hope, his love for us means he feels our pain and it reassures us that he is with us. He's with us for the hard yards, not just up for quick fixes.

And I love it when Jesus says, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." Its just like a little picture of the gospel or salvation, or God making things right. An encouraging reminder that death was conquered.
I like this as a metaphor -- being raised to life but still having to remove the grave clothes. Being brought into a relationship with God and still learning to deal with your personal flaws and grow a godly lifestyle. Really diggin' it.