That You May Know - Pt 17

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:38-44 ESV).

Our reading today is a part of a larger portion of Scripture that details Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (cf. John 11:1-46). There have been so many books, sermons, and devotionals written about this even I hesitated to include it in our list. However, it became even more relevant to me with the death of my oldest brother recently. Jesus was no stranger to death. He attended funerals and mourned the death of friends and family just like we do. This story is a bit unique in how Jesus responded. Upon hearing Lazarus was sick, Jesus postponed returning to Bethany, and when he finally arrived Lazarus had been dead for four days, survived by his sisters Mary and Martha. That the context of our reading today. The key is in Jesus’ response to Martha: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (vv. 23-26). The most astounding thing here is the claim Jesus makes about himself: I am the resurrection and the life (v. 26). Think about what it means for Jesus to say he is the resurrection and the life; and imagine how insensitive a thing this is to say at a funeral — unless of course it’s true. Point is, Lazarus isn’t dead. His body lies in the tomb, yes, but ‘he’ is not dead. Jesus explains that for us… Lazarus is not dead because “whoever believes in me lives.” Martha thinks she understands. “Yes of course,” out spilled her correct doctrine. “He’ll live again at the last day. I learned my catechism. But Jesus isn’t saying that. He’s saying something far more radical. He’s saying that Lazarus lives now, as he and Martha speak, even though the grave holds his body. And Lazarus lives now because of who and what Jesus now is — resurrection and life in himself. The resurrection isn’t out there somewhere, an event in the future, as Martha thought. It’s right here, Jesus says. “It’s where I am. It’s who and what I am. Life, real life, indestructible life, is right here, Martha, speaking with you. I am where Lazarus is.” The life we dream of, the joys we chase, the hopes we sacrifice so much for, the fears and pain we medicate with drink or success or religion, all the pleasures and fulfillment and assurance we try to squeeze out of the few moments we have in this fleeting thing we call a lifetime — that life isn’t out there in our future. It is here, now, in Jesus! Now that is GOOD NEWS!