Encounter: Lazarus
Jesus Gives Life
John 11:1-45
Rev. Tim Callow
Preached Sun. March 26th, 2023
I am amazed at the faith of Mary and Martha. Their dear brother, Lazarus, had fallen ill and wasn’t getting any better. These were days before hospitals and nurses. The full burden of caring for him fell on them. They washed him, they moved him, they fed him, they gave him something to drink. And they watched as he slowly went downhill and, in the end, died.
While Lazarus was ill they sent out for Jesus. These were the days before telephones or the postal service. So they had to find someone willing to travel the day or two it would take to get to Jesus and relay the message. Time was short and they hoped Jesus would rush to Bethany the first he heard. Instead, Jesus delays two whole days. And in those two days Lazarus died.
By the time Jesus makes it to Bethany Lazarus has been dead for four days. Mary and Martha are surrounded by mourners. They’re trying to put the pieces of their life back together, not knowing what the future might hold. If I were either of them, and if word was to arrive that Jesus had made it, I would be upset. How dare he show up now, when my brother was already dead. What kind of love is that? And what is his excuse? The man could heal with a word. We know the story of the Centurion’s servant, I assume Mary and Martha must have heard similar. Or seen similar. When Jesus went to heal the man’s servant, he sent someone else to stop Jesus. “Only say the word and my servant will be healed.” And over distance the deed was done. What kept Jesus from doing the same for Lazarus?
But that is me. Perhaps you might have felt the same way. But that is not Mary and that is not Martha. Instead when they hear Jesus has arrived Martha rushes out to meet him. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She says. “But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” What amazing faith. She acknowledges that Jesus could have healed her brother, but she shows no bitterness toward him. Instead, she expresses her trust in him. Though her brother is dead, yet Jesus may yet still work some miracle. Though she is in the darkness of grief, yet the light of Christ may still somehow shine.
Jesus replies, “your brother will rise again.” Martha, the pious one agrees, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
But no. That is not what Jesus means. He does not refer to the resurrection on the last day. He refers to resurrection in the here and now. Resurrection that comes through the person of Jesus Christ. “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?"
What an astounding claim. Jesus does not say he can raise the dead. He goes even farther. He says he is resurrection. He does not say he can bring to life. He goes much farther. He says he is life. And he doesn’t say that all who believe in him may know his resurrection power. But all who believe in him will know his resurrection power. And he asks Martha if she believes this. If she truly believes this. In the face of her brother’s death, can she affirm this?
She says yes.
Jesus goes to manifest his glory, and do his Father’s will. He weeps before the tomb of Lazarus, joining in the sorrow of the mourners. Joining the sorrow of Mary and Martha. Joining all of us in our grief when we confront the event of death. But through his tears he commands Lazarus to come out. And he does. Bound in his funeral wrappings Lazarus climbs out from the tomb. And the people unbind him and take him home.
Death is a reality we have all come to face, or we will all come to face. Death is tragic and unfair. And people lose their lives in all manner of different ways. Some are cut short like Lazarus was. Some live to a ripe old age. But no matter how it comes about, we all die. And each death, when we encounter it, feels wrong. It shatters our world. We sense, deeply, that it’s not supposed to happen. That it wasn’t meant to be.
Mary and Martha have a great reason to feel that. They call upon the man who can give life, who can heal, and nothing happens. Perhaps you’ve experienced the same thing. Not all prayers are answered as we hope. Life is far from fair.
But Mary and Martha also possess the hope beyond hope. They possess the faith beyond faith. And they are witness to the glory of God. Jesus is resurrection. Jesus is eternal life. And the life Jesus possesses is a life all may receive. The resurrection Jesus is is a resurrection we may all come to know. The power over death Jesus reveals in the raising of Lazarus is a power that belongs to him. A victory that he has won. A victory he would give to each and every one of us.
In all the sufferings, and grief, and loss of this world we may hold this in full confidence: Jesus is life. That life he freely gives. And the day is coming when there will be no more death. When his victory will be manifest and certain. And we all may join together in that resurrection life.