John 11: 1-45
Those of you who participated in our
Women of the Bible study in the fall have heard me say this before, “I LOVE
this story! It is my favorite!” Of course you also heard me say that about many
other of the passages we studied together. But there is something so very
special about this particular text. It’s not just the obvious parallel between
Lazarus’ death and resurrection and Jesus’ death and resurrection, although
that’s important. It’s not just the relationship Jesus has with Martha, Mary,
and their brother, although it is touching. The special-ness of this story is so
much more than all of that. There is something about this story that reaches
into the very deepest parts of me and awakens my soul to the goodness and mercy
of God! It’s transformational. It calls us to new life. But there I go, getting
excited and getting ahead of the story!
I am struck by Martha in this
passage. In Luke’s account of these two sisters’ we are shown a woman dedicated
to service to the point of overlooking the importance of time spent with Jesus.
The only words we hear from her are those of complaint. And we are told that
Mary, the one who sits as a disciple has chosen the better part. We are often
left with a feeling that Mary’s faith was stronger than Martha’s. But here it
is Martha who runs to meet Jesus outside of the city. It is Martha who first
states “If you had been here Lord my brother would not have died.” Too often we
are tempted to cut her off right there, as a questioning or even accusing
grieving woman, but we must hear what else she has to say. “If you had been
here my brother would not have died, but even now,” she continues, “Even now I
know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Martha stands there with
tears in her eyes and grief in her heart daring to hope, to trust, to ask.
Faith seems to pour out of her. Jesus’ reply is simple “Your brother will rise
again.” And yet, despite her hopeful tone, her grief keeps her from hearing
their truth. “Yes Lord, I know that he will rise again in the last days.”
Martha gives the safe Sunday school answer one that may not really comfort, but
sounds right in the moment.
But Jesus will not allow her to stay in the safe thoughts of
the sweet by and by. Jesus will not let us stay in our safety zones. He challenges
her “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?" Do you believe this? Jesus looks into her eyes and
asks her to really believe, really trust these words that sound too good to be
true. Do you believe? “Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of
God, the one who is coming into the world.”
Martha gives a complete confession of faith. She says that
she believes God will listen to Jesus, that she believes he is the resurrection
and the life, that she believes he is nothing less than the messiah. In fact
Martha’s confession is not too different then the ones we use in worship to
state together what we believe. The apostle’s creed, the Nicene Creed, even the
one we used today “We are not alone” all have elements taken from Martha’s
confession. We too say we believe that God listens; we too say we believe that
Jesus is the resurrection and the life; we too say that he is indeed the
Messiah. And we too have moments like Martha has in verse 39.
Martha, who has just given a complete confession of faith
balks when Jesus says “Roll away the stone.” She replies “Lord, already there
is a stench because he has been dead four days." She has just confessed
Jesus to be the Christ and here she takes a step back. How often are we like
Martha? We confess our belief, we even take steps to make changes in our lives,
but when it gets to the hard stuff we regress. We go back to our unbelief
because it is less challenging. We go back to what we know because we are
comfortable. We go back because there is less resistance. We go back because we
are scared of what real transformation holds.
Here stands Martha filled with the fears of the dead body,
the fears of the stench, the fears of her old life. And Jesus tells her “Did I
not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” The same has
been said to us. “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the
glory of God?”
We, like Martha need this reminder. The reminder that God is
God; That Jesus is indeed who he claimed to be; that the Holy Spirit is with us
even now. We join in worship to be reminded. WE say confessions of faith to be
reminded. We pray for and with one another to be reminded. We read the
scriptures to be reminded. We rehearse these facts so that one day we will not
need reminding, we will know. So that one day we won’t need transformation, we
will be transformed. So that one day we won’t question Christ’s power but will,
like Martha be a witness to it!
After he had said this, Jesus prayed. Then he cried out
“Lazarus, Come out.” And the dead man walked out of the tomb still in his grave
clothes. Lazarus had been raised, he had been resurrected, he had been
transformed. “”Unbind him, and let him go.” Jesus commanded. For once you have
experienced the transforming love and power of Christ you must allow yourself
to be unbound. Lazarus was no longer bound to the grave, new life had been
given. We are no longer bound to the slavery of sin; we are no longer bound to
the grave. Yet we sit in our grave clothes afraid to be unbound, afraid to
embrace God’s transforming power. We balk at new life. Yet Jesus commands
“Unbind them, and let them go.” Embrace the resurrection and the life.
So you may find yourself asking “What does it look like
Pastor? What does it look like to be unbound?” If you are unbound you will
commit yourself to doing God’s will. It must be strategic. You do not choose a
path for convenience. It is not about you. The determining factor is not “will
it be convenient and safe?” The real determining factor is “is this what God is
calling me to do for the kingdom
of Christ
God’s vision must be bigger than just growing our churches,
building our buildings, paving our parking lots, meeting our budget, or
implementing the latest programs. God’s vision always extends to all the
peoples of the earth. This vision by its very nature calls us into relationship
with those different from us, culturally, economically, religiously, socially,
and politically. His ultimate purpose and vision is reflected in Rev 7:9 “I
looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every
nation and all tribes and people and tongues, standing before the throne and
before the Lamb, clothed in white robes.” We must be willing to let God take us
into new and unfamiliar territory if we are to embrace his vision.
Once Lazarus was unbound, many believed. And Martha believed,
the gospel writer could have added, for she had seen the glory of God. So to
can many more believe if we will accept the transformation, rise up from our
self imposed graves and be unbound. We have been set free! Believe and see the
glory of God!
