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Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, West Valley City, UT
The Rev'd W. Lee Shaw
This is one of the most widely read stories from the Gospel of John.
A portion of it is one of the choices at funerals and is the one I have
used the most in funerals. It speaks so deeply of the emotions that can
overwhelm a person at the death of a loved one. Both Mary and Martha
confront Jesus with, ...if you had been here, my brother would not
have died.
The anguish, anger, and grief in their confrontations
are palpable. And Jesus is no passive observer of this human tragedy,
for he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved,
and that
he wept at the tomb of his friend.
Then in one of the most dramatic turns in Scripture Jesus orders the
stone removed from the tomb and says in a loud voice, Lazarus, come
out!
And the dead man comes out still wrapped in his burial cloths.
This is the last miracle in John’s Gospel. This is the turning point for John, now everything points to Jerusalem and the great final drama. The raising of Lazarus prefigures Jesus' own story: death and rising again, but with key differences. Jesus is resurrected. Lazarus is raised and yet will die again. Lazarus brings with him the remnants of death and the tomb in that he is wrapped still for burial. Jesus’ burial cloth is left in the empty tomb, for he is beyond death.
This last great miracle marks a shift in John’s Gospel as well.
People have reported the miracle to the Pharisees and they determine
that what Jesus is doing is against the best interest of Israel: For
this man performs many signs. If we let him go on thus, every one will
believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place
and our nation,
(11:47-48).
Jesus seems aware of the growing threat to his life and withdraws to
a town called Ephraim, in the country near the wilderness
and
stays there just with his disciples, essentially, going into hiding for
the time being. The sense of impending danger, of fear and uncertainty
are the background for John’s narrative.
But it is the season of Passover, as it is now. Expectation mingles easily with uncertainty. Will Jesus return to Jerusalem for the feast? What will happen if he does come? We gather that his followers now number well into the hundreds and people are wondering about the prophet.
We read later in John’s Gospel that six days before Passover he returns to Bethany. Mary and Martha host a dinner for him and he sits at table with Lazarus his friend whom he had raised from the dead. John notes that many people came just to see Lazarus as well. Because of that the authorities have decided that Lazarus must die as well (again) and they plot his death.
While sitting at dinner, Mary takes a pound of costly ointment, kneels and anoints the feet of Jesus and wipes them with her hair. I find this scene incredibly poignant. Jesus shares this final meal with this family of three siblings, seemingly his dearest friends outside the circle of the disciples: Martha, the practical one; Lazarus his dear friend whom he wept over before raising him from the dead; Mary, devoted friend now anointing him towards his death. What a joyous and yet solemn meal this must have been for all of them.
The next day Jesus goes to Jerusalem where he is greeted by a great
crowd with shouts of Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord, even the King of Israel!
So, as we prepare to meet Jesus in the streets of Jerusalem with shouts of Hosanna next Sunday, Palm Sunday, what can we take from this incredible story of the last miracle?
For me there are layers of meaning and symbolism here that an entire book could be written about. However, key for me is the relationship between Jesus and Lazarus, Jesus and us.
I fully believe that Jesus calls us each to come forth, to come out of the tombs that hide us, that shield us from others, that prevent us from being fully alive in our relationship with our Lord.
Come out! Come out of your fear and your hesitation. Come out of your feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Come out of your past failures and shattered dreams. Come out of your losses and your griefs.
Come out into the light of Jesus’ love and care for you. Come out to the voice of the one who calls you by name and has prepared a place for you at the table of his Father’s kingdom. Come out to the voice of the one who says without qualification, you are precious in my eyes and honored and I love you.