5th Sunday in Lent!
Prayer
John
11:1-44
First Movement:
I woke one morning
to a contact that a pastor dreads to receive.
I believe we were in the middle of breakfast prep and maybe about to
have my first cup of coffee and ding dong the bell rings. I go to the door and a Sheriff is standing at
the door. He asks, are you pastor
Mike? I say, yes. He says, we were called to an accident this
morning where a man riding a motorcycle last night hit some gravel,
straightened out a curve, and hit a tree and was killed. A passer byer saw him
lying in the field and called us. His
name is Tom Smith (the name has been changed to protect the innocent), and we
found this card in his wallet. He showed
me one of my business cards that I pass out.
He asked, “Do you know him?” I
said, “Yes, he and his family go to my church.”
He then said, “Do you know where they live, and can you go with me to
take the news of his death to his family?”
I said yes and quickly grabbed some things to lead him out to the house.
Let me tell you
some things about Tom. Tom was a single
parent. His ex-wife had been in and out
of prison, on and off of drugs, and for the most part had nothing to do with
him or their 15 year old daughter. Tom
worked and provided for his daughter, and the best I could tell was a loving
parent. He liked to ride his motorcycle. He wasn’t real regular at church, but he came
occasionally. He worked a lot on Sundays
but came when he could. I think I had
given the card to him one time he was there or perhaps at a time I had visited
him when he was sick or in the hospital.
He actually lived in a neighboring town with his daughter, and his
daughter was also involved with some of the activities at a United Methodist church
there. Tom spent a lot of his time at
his mother’s house which was in my parish.
His mother had been a Sunday School teacher in my church for years
before I came. Now, she was one of my
shut-ins, and Tom’s sister had moved back to live with her and take care of
her. Tom’s sister was my song leader at
church. Tom usually left his daughter
with his mother when he was at work, so that is where I took the Sheriff.
When we arrived at
the house, the Sheriff quickly dropped the news in a formal sort of way and
left them with me. They were in shock to
say the least. The sister was shouting, NO,
NO! in broken English that seemed like
her voice would cut in and out, for it seemed like forever. Even as a pastor, I searched for words that I
could say to give any immediate help, but found that the best thing I could do
was be there with them until the shock wore off and they were able to hear a prayer and words of hope. I found out that Tom’s daughter was on a
mission trip with the UMC in the neighboring town, so having that pastor in my
cell phone, I called him so that they could get word to the daughter. This was a great concern for the mother and
sister, and I was able to arrange for his daughter to be contacted. A couple of the adults on the mission trip
got together, broke the news to her, and arranged to bring her home early.
This is one of
those times when we wake up and all of a sudden we are faced with death, for me
and this family! It is a reality of
life: life and death do intersect!
Second Movement:
Our
scripture today is again from John’s gospel.
It has no parallel in the synoptic gospels; it is only in John’s gospel
that we have this story of the raising of Lazarus. Like the story of the Blind man, from last
week, had a double meaning about Spiritual blindness, this story has a double
meaning about life and death. Like the
water that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman at the well was more than physical
water, the life that Jesus offers here is more than physical life.
As
I read this story this week with fresh eyes, four phrases caught my attention,
so I want to tell this story around these four phrases today:
A. “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
(v. 16)
B. “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who
believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and
believes in me will never die. Do you
believe this?” (vs. 25-26)
C. “Jesus began to weep.” (v. 35)
D. “Unbind him, and let him go.” (v. 44)
Third Movement:
A. “Let
us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus and the
disciples get the word that Lazarus is sick.
Jesus intentionally waits a few more days before going to help him. When he does go, he says he is asleep but
actually means he has died. Again here,
Jesus says something similar to what he said about the man being born blind so
that “God’s works might be revealed in him.”
Here he says “this illness does not lead to death but that God may be
glorified through it.”
After a few days,
Jesus and the disciples leave to go to the home of Lazarus. There is a lot of reluctance by the
disciples. This region seems to spell
trouble for them. The disciples remind
Jesus that they have tried to stone him here. (vs. 8) John records two of these instances in chap.
8 vs. 59 and in chap. 10 vs. 31. Jesus
is still determined to go. Thomas says, “Let us also go, that we may
die with him.”
I find this
greatly ironic! This is one of several
places where the disciples pledge their allegiance to Jesus even to death, and
here it is Thomas: the one who would later be branded, doubting Thomas! It is easy to pledge allegiance when we are
in a group of other followers, but what about when the chips are down. When the chips were down, Thomas and the
other followers fled. It is easy to
speak bravely about Jesus when we aren’t afraid anyone who will throw insults
or stones our way, but what about when we aren’t surrounded by other
Christians? It is easy for us to
testify, sing praises to God, and speak for Jesus when we are here at church,
but what about when we are on our own through the rest of the week? Do we speak for Jesus then? This goes right along with the sermon last
week, “The Man who would not be silenced.”
The disciples were silenced when the chips were down; how about us?
B. “I
am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they
die, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (vs. 25-26)
Jesus arrives at
the home of Lazarus (who is now dead) and his sister’s Martha and Mary. Martha comes out to him first and says,
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” They had faith that Jesus could heal the
sick, but death seemed beyond the realm that even Jesus could do anything
about.
After a short
conversation Jesus replies with, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those
who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and
believes in me will never die. Do you
believe this?” (vs. 25-26) The word
for life that is used here is not the old life which is promised to Lazarus but
a new life. The word is aionios – the life of the final
eon. (Interpretation Commentary)
This is some deep
stuff here, and I am sure those who were with Jesus at the time did not fully
understand; they just knew that Jesus brought Lazarus back to physical life,
and they just knew that when Jesus set up his earthly kingdom, they wanted to
be on his side! They didn’t hear the
hidden meaning, but John wants us to know though after Jesus’ death and
resurrection that Jesus has the power over eternal life! If we believe in Jesus, this life is not all
there is! There is hope beyond the
grave! We will live on with God forever,
for we will never die because Jesus has power even over death! Praise God!
Herein is the
hope for people like Tom’s family! Even
though they would have to figure out who would take care of the daughter for a
few more years, and even though they would miss him, there is hope that Tom
lives on with God in this new life!
Praise God!
C. “Jesus
began to weep.” (v. 35)
Don’t you find it
ironic that Jesus weeps here? He has
already said this illness is not unto death!
He knows that he is going to raise him up, so why does he weep? Because Jesus had feelings, and as he looked
around and saw his loved ones weeping and those in the crowd who were loved
ones of Lazarus weeping, he hurt with them!
As resurrection
people, we now believe in the trinity!
We believe that Jesus was God! We
believe that the earthly life of Jesus gives us our greatest revelation of God,
so what do we glean from this? God is a
feeling God! God hurts with us when we
hurt! God rejoices with us when we
rejoice! Because God has lived among us
in the person of Jesus Christ, God can give us what we need as we walk this
journey of life! Indeed, we do have a
“great high priest who has passed through the heavens.” (Heb. 4:14) “We do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been
tested as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15)
So we can approach the throne of grace to find grace and help in time of
need! God is there! God can give us what we need! Praise God!
D. “Unbind
him, and let him go.” (v. 44)
I love this! Jesus worked the miracle of raising Lazarus
from the dead, but it was up to those onlookers to unbind him, and let him go!
Jesus is still in the business of raising
people from the dead. Here goes more of
that hidden meaning! We are all dead in
trespasses and sins! We are separated
from God! Through Jesus, we can be given
new life! That life is not just for
eternity, but it can start now! We can
be given forgiveness! We can begin a
life of purpose! Life can have
meaning! That life is through
Christ! But get this, it is the Church
who unbinds them, and lets them go! It
is us who gives them a place to serve in the Kingdom of God! It is us who gives them a chance at this new
life! Praise God for a chance to be a
part of what God is doing in the world!
Forth Movement:
So
there is a lot that we can glean from this passage. For today, we’ve had to consider whether we
stand for Jesus when we aren’t surrounded by Christians or if we like the
disciples have good intentions but flea when the heat is on. As you encounter Christ at the table today,
maybe you need to come and pray for strength today?
We’ve looked at the promise of new
life in Christ and the hope that brings to us as Christians: eternal life as
well as new life today. Have you
received that new life in Christ? As you
encounter Christ at the table, maybe you want to receive Christ today. Let me know if you do that so I can help you
with your new journey in Christ!
We have looked at why Jesus
wept! We have learned to understand God
as a feeling God who can help us on our journey. As you encounter Christ at the table, maybe
you need to approach the throne of grace today to find help to help you on your
journey? You can do that as you come.
Lastly, I challenge you church, be
a church that is an unbinding church! Be
willing to let new people find their place in God’s kingdom! Be willing to unbind them and turn them loose
for ministry! Thanks be to God! Amen!
Prayer
of Confession
Service of Communion
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