Dear friends,
We continue our journey with long, Lenten lectionary passages.  This week, we hear the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, John 11: 1-44.  Sometimes, because the story is so familiar, we miss some of the humor and very real human emotion written into the story.  Read it again, and closely.   Chuckle with Jesus, as the disciples do not understand that Lazarus is dead, and suggest,  “if he’s gone to sleep, he’ll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine.” (11: 12-13 The message)  Struggle with Thomas’ mysterious declaration, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (11:16 NRSV)   Weep with Mary and Martha as they grieve their brother, their disappointment with Jesus, and still proclaim their faith in him.
It’s a rich passage.  In this story you will find one of the funniest verses in the Bible, when Jesus tells the people to roll away the stone, Martha, the sister of Lazarus says, “He stinketh.”  (John 11:39, King James Version).    You also find that trivia contest winner, the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11: 35, Jesus wept.  And one of the best known scriptures, “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. ” (John 11: 25-26)    Professions of faith, admitting doubts, the grief and pain of death, “if only you’d been here,” and a resurrection.  It’s a great story.
Where are you in this week’s story?  How is the Spirit speaking to you?  Are you confused with the disciples, wondering what can this possibly mean, how can the dead be awakened?  Do you weep and wail at Jesus, if only you had been here?  Do you grieve with Jesus, at the loss of a friend, the heartache of one you love?  Are you helping to roll the stone away for another, to remove the things that bind them?  Or, are you Lazarus, waiting in the tomb, dead to the world, stinking, bound by the fear, prejudice, ignorance, sickness, apathy,insecurities just waiting to hear the words, “Come out!”
And where do you see our church?  Are we the confused disciples, willing to follow Jesus all the way to death even if we don’t understand?  Are we the community rolling the stone away, event though it stinks, even though what’s inside could be terrifying?  Or are we the tomb–keeping the stench of life, the pain of the world, hidden, contained behind the stone?  Are we with Jesus, calling the oppressed, the lost, those who feel dead inside, to come and find new life.  Come out and live!
It’s a great story!

I’ll see you on Sunday,

Pastor Heather

Filed under: Weekly Invitations by Pastor Heather