03292020 – John 11. 1-45
IT IS a hard gospel to preach on sometimes…it It most certainly is challenging!
John’s gospel ONE MORE TIME IS DIFFERENT…very different!
ONE of the problems that present itself is this is OUR FIRST encounter with Lazarus.
We DO NOT KNOW him and have NOT heard of him before this. We know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about him.
But John seems to ASSUME we know WHO IT IS he is writing about!
Lazarus for 11 chapters has been “AN UNKNOWN.” And now, all of a sudden, he pops UP!
All we are told about him – is that he and his sisters were friends of Jesus. OK. I am glad – I am happy Jesus had close friends outside of the group of 12.
Lazarus is NOT at all – a “fleshed out” character. Apparently, he and his sisters are JUDEANS and not GALILEANS.
We know NOTHING about where HE is from, WHY Jesus loves HIM and HIS sisters, or anything WHATSOEVER about their relationship.
It is all BRAND SPANKING NEW INFORMATION for us as the READER.
WHAT WE DO KNOW is that Lazarus got sick and then HE DIED. We have no knowledge of what he died from…
MARY AND MARTHA are his sisters, Mary would be the OLDER one and Martha would be the YOUNGER one. We DO NOT KNOW where Lazarus FITS into the scheme of things…
We actually met THEM earlier in the Gospel of Luke. LUKE fleshes them OUT A LOT MORE than JOHN ever does.
HERE IN JOHN, both-of-them come off as being a little bit “passive-aggressive.”
They are nice, NOT mean, but could be read as being “a little SNARKY,” toward Jesus. But we cut them a break because their brother has JUST DIED.
“Their initial request” DID NOT ask Jesus TO COME TO THEM.
ALL IT DID: was inform HIM of their brother’s illness…Lazarus is sick, that was it…
THEN when JESUS approaches their village, to come and console them, THEY EACH, separately, RUN out and LAY the “identical guilt trip on him.” BAM!!!
Shame Jesus, shame. It is ALL YOUR FAULT. Not the disease, NOT the illness, but YOUR fault!
“Lord, if you had been here, OUR BROTHER would NOT have died.” It is totally YOUR FAULT. How could YOU do this to US?
Poor Jesus, he is never more certain about the GRANDIOSE SCHEME OF THINGS than he is RIGHT HERE. Lazarus’ illness may have ended in DEATH, but death DOES NOT HAVE the final word…GOD DOES!
Again, poor Jesus because he is, at the same time, feeling his own SENSE OF LOSS, EMPTINESS and HURT with the death of his friend, Lazarus, and his “inconsolable sisters.”
Poor Jesus because right there ON THE SPOT – he has a decision to make.
Poor Jesus because he DOES NOT KNOW if ANYONE is going to be “READY” for WHAT he is about to DO.
He MUST REALIZE that WHAT he IS about to DO, has NEVER been DONE before EVER (except by HIM!) This time its personal!
I am sure he is MORE THAN AWARE that “a great deal” will be riding on this ONE-SINGLE-SOLITARY decision.
The ramifications will literally get JESUS killed. He who BRINGS LIFE will surprisingly be put to DEATH.
When Jesus says, “YOUR BROTHER WILL RISE AGAIN” poor Mary and Martha have no idea whatsoever WHAT Jesus was THINKING or TALKING about.
HOW could they?
Rabbis believed that the soul HOVERED over the body for THREE DAYS and after that, there was NO HOPE of any kind of resuscitation. This is day FOUR. ALL HOPE is gone!
Jesus had a soft spot in his heart, of that there can be no doubt. He wept over Jerusalem. He wept in the garden of Gethsemane and now we find him WEEPING at the grave of his FRIEND.
The WORD used could actually indicate lament, anguish, indignation and almost anger at the loss.
Jesus was definitely hurt by the death of his friend.
When he requests that the stone be rolled away…our minds go directly to EASTER MORNING! WE now KNOW what is going to happen!
And, when Jesus cries, “Lazarus, COME OUT!” Everything comes to a crashing halt and goes on hold for a brief moment of time.
Will he or won’t he COME OUT?
Is it too late?
Has too much time passed?
It made me think of when Jesus said, “My sheep HEAR my voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW ME.”
And, of course, Lazarus the ever-faithful- follower hears the voice of his LORD and he responds and COMES OUT and he is returned to his loved ones and family again.
Oh, to hear THAT VOICE!
One day!
One day!
And may we, ALWAYS FAITHFULLY RESPOND!
WHEN JESUS CALLS – you come!
Amen.