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The season of Lent is drawing to a close with the cross
looming before us. Throughout Lent we have been
listening to holy conversations between Jesus and other
people. Those who encountered Jesus, Nicodemus, the
woman at the well, and the man born blind, have all
experienced change in their lives as a result of
speaking with Jesus. We have also followed Jesus’ lead
by entering into holy conversations with people we care
about, sharing our experience with Jesus.
On this the fifth Sunday in Lent
the cross is before us as our lesson depicts the
greatest of all Jesus’ signs—the raising of Lazarus.
This episode was a turning point in Jesus’ life and
ministry. Tensions were running high between Jesus and
the religious officials. Just a few verses prior to our
lesson the religious officials were so angry at Jesus
that they were ready to stone him.
Jesus was clear from the beginning of his ministry and
nothing or no one would derail that ministry. Not the
religious officials filled with anger and jealousy, not
the slow to comprehend disciples, and not even the
lackluster crowds would be able to halt what God had set
in motion.
Word reached Jesus that his friend
Lazarus was ill. This family, Martha, Mary and Lazarus,
were close friends of Jesus. When Jesus heard about his
friend’s illness he was only two miles away. Had he
responded Jesus would have been there in less than an
hour. But he did not. John reports that after having
heard of his friend’s illness he remained where he was
for two additional days.
Waiting two additional days strikes us as odd. You
would think that Jesus would have sprinted to his
friend’s side in a matter of minutes—but he did not.
Jesus told his disciples, “This illness does not lead to
death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of
God may be glorified through it.” That is a clue for
us. The glory of God will be revealed in Jesus. No one
would force Jesus to act, not even one of his closest
friend’s illness.
Two days later Jesus announced that it is time to go
back to Judea. The disciples knew how dangerous it
would be to return. Again nothing would stop Jesus.
Together they set out for Bethany.
One of John’s favorite ploys that we find throughout his
gospel is a level of misunderstanding. The person
speaking with Jesus misinterprets what Jesus is talking
about. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be “born from
above” and Nicodemus hears “born again” which made
absolutely no sense to him. Jesus tells the woman at
the well that he will give her “living water” what she
hears is an unlimited supply of water so she will no
longer have to draw water from the well. In our lesson
Jesus tells the disciples, “Our friend Lazarus has
fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” This
made no sense to the disciples. Why would Jesus want to
risk his life by going when his friend was only
sleeping? If Lazarus was simply asleep he would wake
up. It would be better if Jesus stayed away having
barely escaped violence the last time. Jesus spelled it
out for the disciples, “Lazarus is dead.” It is
interesting that Thomas, also known as “Doubting
Thomas”, pledged his total support of Jesus telling the
others, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
By
the time Jesus finally arrives he is told that his
friend had been dead for four days. Jesus would enter
into holy conversation with both sisters. Martha greets
Jesus with “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would
not have died.” Jesus assures her that her brother
“will rise again.” Martha does in fact believe in
Jesus, acknowledging that she knows that her brother
will live again, “on the last day.” Jesus was speaking
of a present reality, there and then and not off in the
future
“I
am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in
me, even though they die, will live,” Jesus assures
Martha. This is one of Jesus’ “I am” sayings that
define his identity that we find throughout John’s
gospel. Martha makes a statement of faith, “Lord, I
believe.” However, Martha had difficulty believing in
the present promise. Martha was after all the practical
one, the sister busy in the kitchen while her sister
Mary did not even offer to help.
Martha returns to their home and tells Mary that Jesus
is asking for her. Mary “got up quickly and went to
him.” Her friends who were trying to console her saw
her abruptly leave. They thought she was going to the
tomb to grieve her brother’s death so they followed
her. When Mary meets Jesus she says the exact some
thing Martha said, kneeling at his feet she said, “Lord,
if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Those with her began sobbing. In that moment Jesus was
“was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.” It
is at this point that we find the shortest verse in the
entire Bible, “Jesus wept.” Jesus wept not only for his
friend Lazarus and his sisters but for all the people
who did not believe in him. Jesus continues to weep at
unbelief.
Martha rejoined them and together they went to the tomb.
“It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it,” is
another clue that this is really about Jesus. Jesus
would die and his body would be placed in a tomb sealed
with a stone in front.
Jesus the “resurrection and the life” orders the stone
be removed much to the protest of Martha. “Did I not
tell you that if you believed,” Jesus replies, “you
would see the glory of God?” Jesus prays thanking God
and then in a voice loud enough to raise the dead Jesus
shouts, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man stagers out
of the tomb wrapped in grave cloths like a mummy. He is
alive. Jesus instructs the witnesses to, “Unbind him,
and let him go.” Many of the people who witnessed this
greatest sign believed in Jesus. However, this act also
set in motion Jesus’ own death. The religious council
was called into an emergency meeting to begin actively
plotting against Jesus.
The focal point of the story is not Lazarus but Jesus.
Through this sign Jesus showed the power God has over
life and death.
This story seems out of place with our Lenten journey to
the cross. This is clearly a resurrection story;
shouldn’t we at least wait until Easter for such a
celebration? Jesus is “the resurrection and the life”,
so that every Sunday is a celebration of Easter. We
cling to Jesus throughout our lives knowing that he
promises eternal life to those who believe in him. The
good news is that we can start living that life here and
now.
What is preventing us from becoming the persons Jesus
intends us to become? Whatever it is that is stopping
us Jesus shatters. Jesus calls us out of the tomb, sets
us free and calls us to move beyond ourselves into a
life of faith, commitment, obedience and service. Jesus
calls us to move beyond ourself to a life of faith and
committed service.
Jesus’ holy conversation led to new life for his friend
and an even greater faith for Martha and Mary. Their
faith was strengthened from this encounter, they
believed. In these two weeks before Easter may we
believe with all our heart that Jesus is “the
resurrection and the life.” May we respond with our
commitment continuing to follow Jesus all the days of
our lives.
Amen.
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