I think that Martha expected Jesus to come to their aid immediately, or help her in the way she wanted and isn’t that true to life for us nowadays. We want our answers immediately if not sooner and it seems sometimes as if they will never come, but never despair and especially avoid talking negatively in any way. That can shut your blessing down very quickly. Keep looking at the word of God. Focus on His prophetic promises, because He is not a liar and He has not changed. If He said that He will do it... He will do it. His time factor is different to ours. Sometimes we feel that there are unnecessary delays.

We have already seen how important you are to God, describing the great detail used to introduce Lazarus to us. His sisters did what was right by turning to Jesus for help. That is the best thing you can do in any situation. He not only knows the answers.. He IS the answer!
Rest assured my friend, all things do come together God's way, in God's good time and are always the best...

Jairus was concerned about time when Jesus stopped to minister to the woman who had an issue of blood, but Jesus did reach his home and the girl was healed. See the story, The Woman Who Stopped God.
Daniel prayed and God sent the answer immediately, but twenty-one days later it arrived (see Daniel 10). There are many reasons for what seems to be "delays" but in the economy of God, there is no such thing as time. It is always Now! We are bound to the limitations of time in our human frames, but we are spirit beings who need to learn things and Jesus’ delay gave opportunity for teaching!

When the man arrived with the news, Jesus never responded in the way we would expect. In other instances, He was very quick to respond, but this time He deliberately waited, not for an hour or so, but for several days. It almost seemed to be out of character, but there was a very good reason.

He knew all about the situation, but it did not disturb Him. All Jesus did was say what the outcome would be and then took it easy. He knew that Lazarus would be raised from the dead, just as much as He already knows your own need or problem. Fretting over it... worrying about it... losing sleep over it will not change a thing. Give it to Him and let Him do that for you. Rest in the Lord my friend and let Him do what He alone can do. I guess that all He did was to say Thank you to the messenger and went to sleep. He slept in the storm. He walked on top of the storm driven waves and He has not changed.

He told the disciples plainly that it was not over ‘til it's over and I've proved that works many times. See the story of my son Gary in From the Gates of Hell to the Door of Splendour.

John tells us that Jesus remained or Abode in the Same Place where He was for two days. He was only about 2 miles or 3 kilometres from His friend, but deliberately waited, so could have reached him in a few hours really, but 2 days? Why? We need to look at a few points before continuing. The Greek word Meno used here is interesting. I describes a geographical position such as a place of abode or a dwelling of course, but look at this.

It describes a state of being, a condition or a station. It talks about endurance and standing. Paul tells us to stand, and keep on standing in Ephesians chapter six. I suggest that the meanings include having the ability to stay in a given place, state, or relationship with the expectancy that God will bring you through.

My friend, your miracle will come... your breakthrough will arrive, provided you remain in the same place where Jesus is.

Mary and Martha wanted Jesus on their terms in the same way we want help to arrive yesterday, often not realizing that all the help we will ever need has already been given to us. Your healing was obtained 2000 years ago, but the manifestation of it may still need to arrive. Your financial breakthrough arrived at Calvary, but the transfer of finances may need to yet be finalized. If I deposit a cheque in my bank account, that deposit is real, but it might take a few days for clearance. Whatever it is, God has already done it for you and help is already on the way.

2 days later, Jesus told the disciples, OK boys, lets go. I'm going to wake Lazarus. Jesus knew several days beforehand that Lazarus was dead. John says that by the time they arrived there Lazarus had been dead for four days. Four days? The journey only took hours... one day at the most each way. The messenger may have taken one day to reach him. He waited 2 days before going and then there is the return journey of one day, making the four in all, but why delay? Why could He not have spoken the word like He did for the Roman Centurion? He wanted God to get the glory out of this and He wanted the disciples and us to learn that He is master over everything, even death.

One thing stat leaped out of the bible at me was His statement to the disciples. Look at it with me.

But when Jesus heard about it he said, “The purpose of his illness is not death, but for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this situation”.

Jesus loved Lazarus very much and fully intended to raise him from the dead, but there were object lessons to be learned.
Although Jesus was very fond of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days and made no move to go to them. Finally, after the two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go to Judea.” But his disciples objected. “Master,” they said, “only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you. Are you going there again?” Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day, and during every hour of it a man can walk safely and not stumble. Only at night is there danger of a wrong step, because of the dark.”

He knew what He was going to do and had no doubts of that at all, but the disciples were still walking our of their natural reasoning and sense knowledge. On many occasions they still marvelled and wondered at Him and please remember that they were not yet born again or saved! This was before Calvary and before the Holy Spirit came down! The disciples misunderstood what He said and were thinking of the threats to His life, not yet realizing that He was now looking forward to Calvary. He then spoke about Lazarus.
Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has gone to sleep, but now I will go and waken him!” The disciples, thinking Jesus meant Lazarus was having a good night’s rest, said, “That means he is getting better!” But Jesus meant Lazarus had died. Then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, for this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let’s go to him.”

Now why would He tell them that He was glad that His friend was dead? They completely missed it. They could only think in the natural that by sleeping, rest would help the healing process. He had to tell them very plainly-
The man is dead!
The miracle of healing was one thing, but there was a greater miracle ahead.

Another most interesting thing to consider is the viewpoint held by certainJewish people that a person's spirit remains close to the body for three days in the hope that it can return again. If, after those three days have elapsed and life does not return, the person is legally dead. I wonder if Jesus was aware of this and made certain? After all, He did say that this was so that people (the disciples in particular) would believe.

The miracle of raising one from the dead ons only one thing on HIs mind. The other miracle He had in mind was that of belief, or, getting them to believe. It is one of changing one's mind. He wanted to teach them how to walk in the miraculous and to know that nothing was impossible to Him or for Him. That is a real miracle indeed. The greatest miracle is one of salvation. When someone's life is changed and that person is translated out of one kingdom and planted in the Kingdom of God. It is the miracle of the New Birth.

When Martha heard that Jesus was in town, she went to him. Mary remained in the house.

Martha approached Jesus with what I believe was mixed emotions. This is not surprising, given the circumstances, but look at her statements. Her first words were basically If Only.  

I've often heard people say... If Only I had this money, I could do this. If only so and so were here, we could do that.
If only; If only; if only. It is dangerous. It can place you in the position when nothing can happen. I remember crying like a baby many years ago having a pity party session, crying, Lord help me. He replied I did... 2000 years ago. Don't do that to Him or yourself.

Jesus was there. Help came and she cried just like that.

In some way, it may have been a kind of blame game. Why didn't you come earlier? If you had, then he would not have died, but now it is too late!

At least some of what she said was true.

Martha told Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask him.” John 11:21-22.

Jesus immediately told her that her brother would rise again and look at her reply.

Martha answered Jesus, “I know that he'll come back to life on the last day, when everyone will come back to life.” John 11:24.

Please do not do what she did! She postponed the day of her visitation.

She was looking to the future, but the future stood in front of her. He replied... I AM...

Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live; And whoever continues to live and believes in (has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on) Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this? John 11:25-26.

Do YOU Believe? 

After Jesus had made that amazing declaration, I Am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), Martha told her sister Mary about it.
Apparently He had called for her, so when she arose and went to him the people who were there to comfort her said that she was going to the cemetery to cry. John says that they followed her and it makes me wonder why they did so. Were they really compassionate and helping her, or merely spectators, who always seem to hang around when you do not need them, but are not there when you really do. To be honest, I really do not want people like that near me.

Nevertheless, Mary went to Jesus and there was something that He had to deal with before He could minister effectively.
It was negativity. It was doubt and unbelief. That all but shut His ministry down in His own hometown of Nazareth and that can shut you down very quickly too. Get rid of that stuff quickly. It is like sandbags holding the hot air balloon down.

Jesus never came to their home. He stayed outside town where Martha met Him. He will not come to places where there is negativity, complaining, muttering and murmuring, fear or doubt. You have to go to Him. You have to meet Him on His terms, because He responds to faith and not to need. He told us very clearly to have the God kind of faith He had. See Mark 11:22.

Mary fell at His feet weeping, saying the If Only's that I hate. If only you had been here. If only... as if blaming Jesus for getting there late! The crowd came with her and John says that He groaned in the spirit.

Why? The expression used for this groaning is one of anger. The Greek is Embrimaomai which means to snort with anger, to have indignation on, to blame, to sigh with chagrin and the like. John said that Jesus was troubled. He knew what He was going to do and that was to raise him from the dead, so He was not troubled for that reason. It was the unbelief and negativity of the people, including the attitude of His friend Mary that disturbed Him!
That attitude of the people and Mary made Him angry! God does get angry you know, but it differs to our humankind of anger. I have seen the Lord's eyes blazing like fire as He spoke once to me about unbelief in people and I never want to see that again.

Ignoring Mary's words, He asked, Where is he?

He was on a mission. When you are on an assignment, keep to the script; do not get sidetracked; do not get caught up with other issues. He was not going to be detoured. They told Him to come and see and then Jesus wept (John 11:35).

He is touched by the feeling of your infirmities my friend, but not coming down to those levels. Sometimes weeping is a good thing and He wept. This was a silent, almost unnoticed weeping. The word used is Dakryō. It is vastly different to the wailing that Mary and the others exhibited. They were wailing (Klaiō) with anguish over a death, like those who have no hope, but we have hope. I wept when my dear son Gary died, but that night, after watching him pass away in hospital, the Joy of the Lord flooded my being as Jesus let me see him in radiant form in Heaven beside my Mother. Death for a believer is merely leaving one home to reside in another with the Lord! Although Jesus told them He was the resurrection and the life, they wept uncontrollably and this made Him angry! is weeping was a deep growling with righteous indignation and anger.

When He arrived at the tomb, He groaned again. They were all shooting their mouths off!

When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who were crying with her, he was deeply moved and troubled. So Jesus asked, “Where did you put Lazarus?” They answered him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus cried. The Jews said, “See how much Jesus loved him.” But some of the Jews asked, “Couldn't this man who gave a blind man sight keep Lazarus from dying?” John 11:33-37.

He was about to do something amazing. A miracle was about to happen, but there was a blockage. They were as good as telling Him that He couldn't do it! Unbelief was rife. When Jesus went to the house of Jairus, He flatly refused to have any of them around Him. My friend, negativity and unbelief, like fear can be contagious. The best thing you can do for yourself is to hang out with people of faith. Mark says that He had to rid HImself of scorners, mockers and unbelievers before raising the girl. It was a forceful eviction. Yes, gentle Jesus meek and mild kicked them out with some very positive action.
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. Mark 5:36-41. The Greek word employed in putting them out was Ekballō describing a violent, forceful eviction.

He had to remove some hindrances first.

Jesus had arrived and told people without any room for doubt that He was the resurrection and the life and what He was going to do. They still did not believe Him, including His friends.
This is the first obstacle He faced. It is most likely the biggest obstacle anyone else could have. Fear is another. Fear will  debilitate you. It is possible to be afraid of failure or success; fear of the unknown. fear of fear itself

His command was simple and unmistakable. It was simple. Take the stone away.

Martha who He had already spoken to immediately put another obstacle in front of Him. It starts with, But. But Lord, I tried that before and it never worked. But Lord I do not have any money. But Lord ,what if it doesn't work? But Lord,what will people think? That little three letter word But, will stop you from receiving your miracle. It ties God's hands. Get the buts out of the way.

Martha's But was, But Lord, he has been dead for 4 days. He stinks. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed, But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days! John 11:39.

What she said was pure fact. It was true that Lazarus was dead. It was true that his body was in a bad state of decay. It was true that when the stove was rolled away the foul stench of death would be evident.
It may be fact that your body may display certain symptoms that medical science has diagnosed. It may be fact that your bank account may be too small to pay a certain bill. It may be fact that you have not got a job. You cannot ignore the evidence staring you in the face, but that is not truth!

The doctor could have diagnosed fact that you have a certain illness... but that is not the truth!
The truth is what God says about the matter. In that illustration the truth is Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (emphasis mine).

Jesus commanded them to roll the stone away. He was not going to do it. They had to. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. John 11:39 (emphasis mine).
They had to do that. You see, you and you alone are the one who sets the stage for God to work in your life. You are the master of your own destiny. You have to believe. You are the one who has to sow seed. You are the one who has to pray, confess, study the Word and prepare yourself to receive from God. That stone of fear, doubt and unbelief, negativity, poor confession or whatever else it is, has to be rolled away first. That hindrance often has to be removed before your breakthrough arrives. Cholesterol can block your arteries and restrict the blood flow. Spiritual obstacles can likewise restrict the flow from God to reach you. Get rid of them! Kick it out and forcefully evict it. Jesus told us to speak to the mountain of opposition... not pray about it.   

It is not always easy or nice. It sure wasn't nice for them, but that was what He told them to do. I imagine that when that stone was rolled away from the entrance to the grave, the smell would have been decidedly unpleasant, but they had to do it and He waited. Sometimes God is waiting for you... not you waiting for God to move. It is like playing chess. God will always make His move, but you have to them make yours and He will never move out of turn!