John 11.1-44 (reading includes verses 1-7, 17-29, 32-44)
This is a story many of us know. A story of life and death – and life again, foreshadowing Jesus’ own resurrection. But its also a story about faith and love.
The life and death in question are those of a young man – who lives with his older sisters, Martha and Mary in Bethany; just a few miles from Jerusalem. They have become friends of Jesus, hosting him and his disciples and so when Lazarus becomes seriously ill, they send for their friend and rabbi. They are certain of 2 things – 1. he loves them, and 2. he has the power to heal… they’ve seen him do it many, many times.
The complicating factor is that at the end of chapter 10 the religious leaders had essentially taken out a hit on Jesus life… they wanted him dead and he had left the region as a result. So, coming back to answer the plea of Mary and Martha means Jesus putting his life on the line. In fact, verses 7-16 tell of the disciples’ discussion about going back – and in the end Thomas suggests “Let us go that we may die with him!” Going back to help puts them all at risk.
However, we know that’s not why Jesus delayed. He delayed because the father told him to. Because it was time to show what the power of God really looked like. More than multiplying food, healing the ill, casting out demons – it was time for the true extent of the kingdom to be revealed.
And this is where the love and faith kick in. Because Jesus truly DID love his friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, he was fully aware of what waiting was going to do to them.
- That Lazarus was going to die, feeling afraid and abandoned.
- That Martha was going to be furious, angry with Jesus for not coming sooner – we hear that in her words. When they sent for Jesus the message was, “He who you love is ill”. When she races to meet him on the road she says “MY brother.” I was with him Jesus – WHERE WERE YOU?
- And he knew that gentle Mary would have her heart broken. Sobbing at his feet, her grief and disappointment with him raw, her distress so palpable that it reduced him to tears too.
Jesus knew the waiting would break their hearts. But it seems to me that he knew that the mutual love they had meant he could trust them. He trusted their faith in him. And he was right to.
Martha, despite her grief and anger STILL believed he was the Messiah, still believed in the resurrection. She wasn’t sure he loved them anymore, but she still believed he was from God – her faith was intact.
And Mary still knelt at his feet. She still came when he called for her. She still l called him her Lord, even in her sorrow.
Jesus knew that the other side of the waiting in hope, the disappointment, grief and anger they would feel, was something that would blow their minds. A blessing so remarkable that it would change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone who would ever hear the story. Something that means 2000 years on they still have the honour of being known by all those who follow their rabbi.
THEY would experience the defeat of death. They would experience the joy of resurrection. They would be the first to realise what the power of God means for those who put their faith in Jesus.
Because he knew they loved him, Jesus trusted them.
I wonder whether you’ve ever considered that Jesus might have faith in you?
So often, when things go wrong or when our prayers aren’t answered we can wonder where Jesus is? it can feel like he is delaying, and we can decide that means he doesn’t love us.
This story shows us that that is not how things work in the economy of the kingdom. As we were recently reminded, Jesus did say that hard times will come. That his people will face difficulty – just like all humanity does. We are not promised health, wealth and prosperity when we become followers of Jesus. And we are not promised resurrection of hopes, dreams, bodies on our own terms, with our own timing. But we are promised 3 things.
Firstly, that our prayers, our cries, our tears are precious to God. In fact, the psalmist says he collects our tears in a bottle. Jesus didn’t tell Martha to calm down or Mary to pull herself together – he acknowledged their anger and pain, shared it – and wept with them.
Secondly, we can be certain that we are loved. That never changed for Mary and Martha, just because Jesus wasn’t working on their timescale didn’t mean he didn’t love them. His love for his friends, including us, does not waver – he just has more for us than we can actually imagine; something bigger is always going on. Something which looks different from an eternal perspective.
And thirdly, we are promised that ultimately God will bring good out of all circumstances for those who love him. It was about a week from them sending the message to Jesus finally arriving. That’s a long week, but there was a purpose. First century Jews believed that the human spirit hung around the grave for 3 days, on day 4 they were gone, the person was really dead. Jesus waited so everyone knew he hadn’t resuscitated Lazarus but had really brought him back from the grave. Resurrected him.
And that resurrection power is still at work. Transforming lives.
Even if there is something you hoped or dreamt for that you think is dead and gone, beyond possibility – Jesus CAN still bring it back.
Even if something feels like it has broken down, that it is rotten, stinking – Jesus can give it new life.
And ultimately, we are promised that those who are in Christ will one day be resurrected themselves – as Lazarus was, and as Jesus himself would be too.
There’s a lot of emotion going on in this little story, both awful and awesome. But the love, faith and power of Jesus runs through it all. Ultimately this is a story about hope and joy – and that is the ultimate promise of God. Hope eternal and joy unending – one day.
Let’s pray.
Jesus – please give us confidence to know how much you love us. That regardless of whether our hearts are warm or cold towards you right now, yours beats for us and you have faith in us. Help us offer you our tears and joys, hopes and fears, successes and disappointments. And to know that they are all precious to you, that you walk with us in them all. And reassure us that you are the defeater of death, the one with the power to breathe resurrection life into our situations, circumstances, dreams and visions. And ultimately, one day into our very beings.Help us to stand secure in the promise of resurrection for all those who are in Christ Jesus.
And all god’s people said… AMEN!