|
|
by Jerry Goebel, One Family Outreach
John 11:1-45
[Jn 11:1] Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. [2] It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. [3] So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." [4] But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." [5] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [6] So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. [7] Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." [8] The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?" [9] Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." [11] This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." [12] The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." [13] Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. [14] So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, [15] and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." [16] Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."
[17] So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. [20] Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. [21] Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." [23] Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." [24] Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." [25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" [27] She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."
[28] When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." [29] And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him.
[30] Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. [31] Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. [32] Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." [33] When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, [34] and said, "Where have you laid him?" They *said to Him, "Lord, come and see." [35] Jesus wept. [36] So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!" [37] But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?"
[38] So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. [39] Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days." [40] Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" [41] So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. [42] "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me." [43] When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." [44] The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
[45] Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.
John 11:1-4
[Jn 11:1] Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. [2] It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. [3] So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." [4] But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it."
"Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."
This is the family that Jesus loved. It was an odd family; Mary is the one who abandons all social decorum and cultural boundaries to throw herself without reserve onto Jesus’ feet. Martha was a nit-picking badger who seems to continually hen-peck those around her. Lazarus seems like a kind-hearted, but sickly, fellow who did not want to receive too much attention or cause too much trouble. He wasn’t known for any particular deed or for any great titles such as "Lazarus, the disciple." He is simply introduced as a certain man who was sick (the word also means feeble, sickly and even impotent).
This family was simply known for it’s acceptance of Jesus; theirs was the home where He stayed whenever our Lord was near to Jerusalem. Lazarus himself will always be known for what Jesus did to him—not what he did for Jesus.
They opened their house to the Lord when it was very a unpopular action that would have dire consequences. They were in the suburbs of Jerusalem (Bethany—about a twenty minute walk from the City of David) and Jesus used their house as a base of operations during his final week on earth. It had already been announced that to associate with Jesus would result in expulsion from the synagogues (let alone the Temple). Yet, these odd three, this strange little family of misfits welcomed the ‘outlaw Jesus’ into their own home—whatever the consequences.
Each of the members of this beloved family had their own distinct personalities:
Mary
Mary never focused on herself when Jesus was near. She adored him. Why? Because Jesus loved her without using her. Her faith in Jesus was inalterable. She loved him abundantly no matter who was around or murmured disapprovingly (including the Apostles). She was unconcerned with their whispering (the disciples and even Martha) and instead ministered to the broken heart of Jesus who was facing His imminent death. It was Mary who anointed Jesus prior to His final sacrifice. This is amazing; for it wasn’t a make priest who anointed our Lord; it was woman—and a purported prostitute at that. Nothing could be more illustrative of our Lord's mission on earth: Son of God, anointed by the least of these.
Would I have loved Mary like Jesus did? Would I have accepted her? Or, would I be embarrassed if she were near me? Would I have loved her as God’s daughter and not my toy? Would I have seen within Mary the ‘Anointer’ our Lord?
Martha
Every time that we read of Martha, we see that she is nit-picking at someone. If she is not on Mary’s back—she is on Jesus’ back for letting Mary sit at his feet while Martha slaved in the kitchen. One almost wonders if Martha really wanted Jesus in her house, or maybe she even wanted Jesus but not the whole 'rabble' she brought with him.
With so many following Jesus—her daisies would certainly be crushed, there would be spills all over her rugs, and piles of dishes to be washed. I am like Martha whenever I care more about my possessions than I do about His presence. She welcomed Jesus into her home—but it seemed like there was no joy in that welcome.
Some of us may stand agog over that type of behavior. How could someone have Jesus in their very house and not be elated? Yet, Jesus comes to us in many forms in which he is unwelcome. Homeless, hungry, alienated, or… even just the new family that sits in ‘our church pew’ not realizing that; "I’ve sat in that pew for 83 years…"
Lazarus
We hear very little of Lazarus, except about the miracle of being risen from the dead and the crowds that came to follow him afterwards. There is, of course, another Lazarus; the poor beggar covered with sores that died at the rich man's gate.
Lazarus is a popular name [Eleazar, 'God helps'] yet, the parable about Lazarus is the only parable where Jesus uses a familiar name. Since the parable is addressed to those whose attitudes are like the Pharisees, is it possible that the sickly Lazarus might have been someone who was well-known and accepted by the Pharisees? Perhaps he fell into disfavor when he became ill and the Pharisees rejected him? Certainly they would have rejected him for embracing Jesus. Might it be that his sister, Mary, turned to prostitution to pay the bills? There certainly would not be many other means where she could make money in a society so closed to women (especially if the family were outcast by the leading priests).
In some ways, Lazarus became an unwitting part of the Jesus play. He never seemed to seek the attention. Yet, once brought to life; he became the Elvis of his time. People traveled great distances just to get a look at him. The Pharisees plotted to kill him because he was a living symbol of Christ's power. He was living proof of Christ’s power—even over life and death. This act paved the way for his followers to understand that Christ CHOSE to die and that death could not hold him. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory [1 Cor 15:55]?"
One has to wonder if Jesus did Lazarus a favor by calling him back from the dead. I have spoken to many people who have had near death experiences. Many told me that they would have rather stayed ‘on the other side’ but they felt an obligation to return in order to comfort family members. However, none of those people said they felt angry about returning; they each felt like they knew that God’s incredible peace awaited them and that this peace was very difficult to explain to others. Many of them simply stopped talking about the experience unless asked; but it had significantly changed their lives.
What we do know is that when Christ enters our lives we are no longer our own. We move from self-control and self-direction to His control and His direction. We cannot follow Jesus and maintain the reins on our life. As believers, we don’t feel angry about this (like Martha); we realize that it was when we held the reins that we became lost. "Take the helm, Lord. Lead me to where could I bring your joy to on this day."
Which one of these three individuals resembles me?
Am I Mary? Whose salvation had her throwing caution and the opinions of others to the wind? Am I living all out for the Lord despite the glares of those who cannot comprehend my excitement for Jesus? Isn’t it strange how some of these very same people who cannot understand our enthusiasm for the Lord would not hesitate to make a fool of themselves cheering for a sports game on television? Where is my passion for life?
Am I like Martha? I volunteer to help but I want everyone to know how sour I am about setting their places and doing their dishes? Do I take on the chores but allow my bitterness to ruin the joy others feel in the presence of Christ? It is funny; hosting the party was not something Jesus asked Martha to do. At any time, Jesus could have simply said to his followers; "Why don’t you slobs help Martha out?" Yet, how many of us are like Martha. Perhaps we even refuse the help and say; "They wouldn’t do it my way." Yet, all the time grumbling about not getting anyone’s help.
Am I Lazarus? Am I a quiet witness for the Lord, letting Christ’s work in my life speak for itself? Do people seek me out to see what the Lord has done in my life? Is looking at me akin to a glimpse of the miraculous?
Word Study
· Whose brother Lazarus was sick
Sick [GSN770] astheneo (as-then-eh'-o); this isn’t just the word for a virus or
flu bug, it was used for a prolonged illness. Lazarus was ‘feeble with
sickness’. It is the word used of impotence—lack of power—an ongoing illness or
weakness.
· Him who thou lovest
Brotherly love [GSN5368] phileo (fil-eh'-o); this term for love implies a patriotic or brotherly love. Usually, when Jesus speaks of love, he uses the term agape or its verb agapao. Jesus’ love is so deep that He would forget His life and die for you. The message sent by Martha to Jesus symbolizes her understanding of Jesus; Lazarus, your dear friend, is sick. Most certainly, had Mary been given control of the pen, it would have said; "Lazarus, the one that you love so much, the one that you would die for, is sick."
Which understanding of love do I have for my relationship for Jesus? Which understanding do I have of Jesus’ love for others? Am I still at Martha’s cerebral level (phileos), or have I moved to Mary’s heart-filled love (agape)?
Let’s quit playing around the perimeter with a God who is ready to give us eternity. Let’s love Him with all the passion He has for us; all that passion that He deserves. Let’s exchange all the passion that we pour into the distractions of this world and pour everything into Him! Let us move beyond a brotherly relationship with Jesus and into a relationship that changes our hearts.
Ezek 36:26-27
26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
John 11:5-10
[5] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [6] So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. [7] Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." [8] The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?" [9] Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer
Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick; so why did he linger for two more days? Who among us would not hop a flight or jump in the car to get to a loved one that lay near death? So, what is this? If Jesus loved him so much why did he tarry?
A friend of our church is undergoing brain stem surgery. Even as I write she is in my prayer for this is the most critical week in her recovery. If she is to overcome the cancer the doctors have to almost literally kill her so that she has no defenses when they implant the new cells into her brain. It is the only way that she can be healed, otherwise her own defensive systems will attack the implant.
This is exactly what Christ is willing to do in our lives. The deepest faith responses come from the deepest pit of despair. We have to be spiritually exhausted before the Lord can refresh us with new life. Otherwise, it is our nature to say; "Well, I wasn't that bad off. I could have dabbled a little bit more in my sins. See, I wasn't as sick (spiritually) as I thought."
The Jewish people believed that, after death, the spirit lingered in the tomb for two days before departing. Therefore, people were not officially dead until the third day. This is the same reasoning behind the three days that Jesus spent in the tomb. If Jesus had not waited until after Lazarus had been dead three days; people would have said he wasn’t really dead. The deep and miraculous joy of our Lord would have been incomplete. The miracle of Lazarus would not been the sign of Jesus’ power over death!
Undoubtedly, it was difficult for the Lord to tarry. However, our Lord is willing to bypass emotional urges for the deeper spiritual joy. Are we willing to wait for His complete work in our lives? Or do we insist on His responding according to our plans; however incomplete they are?
Word Study
· Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus:
This is how God loves
[GSN25] agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o); His is a love that would literally die for us—and,
even more, He allowed His Son to die for us.
· He then stayed two days longer [GSN3306] meno (men'-o); this term not only
means that he stayed—or tarried—two days more; it also means he endured two more
days. This adds great meaning to the verse. It tells us how difficult it was for
Jesus to hold Himself back from rushing to Lazarus’ side. Yet, if he had done
this; the miracle of God would not be given in it's fullness.
Let's make sure we don't try and rush God's timing with our timeline. We cannot beat people into belief. They don't come to Christ in our time, but in His grace-filled moment (Chairos - the God-Pregnant moment).
John 11:11-16
[11] This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." [12] The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." [13] Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. [14] So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, [15] and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." [16] Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."
"Let us also go, so that we may die with Him."
In this story—sandwiched in between two acts of faithlessness—you can find an act of gracious love. The acts of faithlessness involve:
1. The disciples continuing inability to hear the message of Jesus when it conflicted with their own agendas;
2. The doubt that Jesus could protect the disciples from the coming fury of the cross.
Jesus spoke in spiritual terms to a people that were still unable to see beyond the physical. Therefore, when Jesus speaks of Lazarus’ death as sleeping; He is quite correct. The Psalmist would tell us that the ending of our mortal life is but ‘the shadow of death’. Death, to a Follower, is not the end of our earthly lives, but eternal distance from God..
The situation in Jerusalem was very intense and the Chief Priests were actively looking for a way to put Jesus to death. At this point, it did not take a prophet to see that truth. This sinful religious faction had already put out the word that anyone caught associating with Jesus did so at the risk of being forever excluded from the temple. Good, old, doubting Thomas knew how dangerous it was in the region of Jerusalem. He viewed Christ's decision to return to that city as a death sentence to them all. His doubted that Jesus could protect them from what he saw as impending disaster.
In reality, Thomas way overplayed his own importance. At this point, the Chief Priests had no fear at all of the followers of Jesus. They saw them as Galiliean bumpkins; like cockroaches that would scatter if you pointed a light in their direction.
Yet, in between this sandwich of doubt and resignation is an act of outstanding love. It is Thomas saying; "Let’s go die with him." In his mind, Thomas believed that was the only possible outcome of going to Jerusalem with Jesus. Yet, he still didn’t flinch to go wherever Jesus would take him.
Thomas was a doubter, he was a vocal skeptic, but he was the kind of friend you wanted by you in a tough situation. Even if he did not agree with you, he would go anywhere with you. He would let you know he didn't agree; but he would still go. Yet, our Lord doesn’t send Thomas away for his lack of faith (sin). Instead, he keeps Thomas by his side. Jesus does not count the number of times that Thomas failed; he counts number of times that Thomas loved.
Though we often recall Thomas for his doubts and skepticism, we must also acknowledge his courage and ask; "Have I the courage of Thomas?" If I knew that the Lord was calling me to what appeared to be certain death; would I go anyway? Would I go even if my Lord were calling me to something slightly embarrassing? What if He is just calling me beyond my comfort zone? Do I go anyway?
The path of following Christ is often confusing because He calls us to where we are most often fearful and weak—I would even go so far as saying; "If it looks like the path is going to lead to almost certain failure in human terms; you can almost be sure that God is calling you, like Thomas, in that direction."
John 11:17-37
[17] So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. [20] Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. [21] Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." [23] Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." [24] Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." [25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" [27] She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."
[28] When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." [29] And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him.
[30] Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. [31] Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. [32] Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." [33] When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, [34] and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." [35] Jesus wept. [36] So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!" [37] But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?"
"I am the resurrection and the life…"
The painting that is etched by John is one of the most dramatic scenes ever written about in history. God's own son weeping (not for Lazarus—he was just fine) but for the pain of two lost sisters.
There are two central themes to this reading:
1. "Jesus wept…"
If I did not believe that Jesus was the Christ for any other reason, this statement would be the one that would break my resistance. The Beloved of God, sent to exemplify the extent of God's infinite love for us, weeps for His people! He does not condemn Mary and Martha for their lack of faith. He reminds them that He is Lord; even of life and death. Instead of reproaching them for their lack of faith; he cries with them. And not just cries; our Lord weeps! It is not as though a tear runs down the wrinkle of his eye to be covered up by a corner of his robe; no, he sobs for the pain of these two sisters.
This is how God feels for us. This is the depth of His love! God sobs for His children's bewilderment. He sobs, but He also acts. He brings healing to the broken hearted and comfort to the confused. There is no condemnation, lecture, or admonishing bible verses; He just appears in our lives, weeps with us over our sorrow and acts with boldness to bring us comfort.
2. Jesus is the resurrection and the life
To be the resurrection is more than just raising dead people. That would be like spending your days repeatedly pulling injured people out of a pool instead of relocating the diving board from the three-foot end to the twelve-foot end. The life and resurrection of Jesus is an invitation relevant to this life—not just ‘a next one’. Indeed, if we aren't practicing the ways of life now then we are already dead
When Jesus declares himself to be the resurrection and the life, the term he uses means; "I will stand you up. I will give you moral strength." The term life also means living. Jesus will give us strength to stand and a way to live. Does my life show evidence that I am taking Jesus at His word? Has His touch in my life given me the ‘strength to stand’ and a ‘new way to live’? Or am I living the same old way despite receiving a new heart?
This analogy is good because it is like Jesus has done heart surgery on us. When He raised Lazarus, do we think that he raised him sickly again? When Jesus enters our heart he offers something that is totally restored and completely renewed. However, what if we take this gift of a new heart transplant and go right back into slothful living and poor nutrition; then it is a double shame on us.
2 Peter 2:20-22
20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog returns to its own vomit ," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."
When Jesus restored Lazarus, it would be silly to think He restored him to his old feeble self. When Jesus enters our hearts, we are completely renewed and set free. We need to ‘stand upon’ His strength and truly live ‘a new way’ or we are mocking God’s gift.
Word Study
· I am the resurrection [GSN386] anastasis (an-as'-tas-is);
Jesus declares himself the author of life, the recovery of spiritual truth, the
resurrection from death and the rock upon which to stand. All of these
definitions would be applicable to this one word.
· The life [2222] zoe (dzo-ay');
Jesus further describes himself as THE Life not just a life; He is not an
addendum, He is the agenda. To live without Jesus is to be on the way to death.
Only through Jesus are we truly on the way to eternal life.
· He groaned [GSN1690] embrimaomai (em-brim-ah'-om-ahee);
This term means to be indignant, to ‘snort with anger’, to sternly charge someone with a crime or to make them take an action. Jesus raged against death. He snorted like a bull confronting a wolf when he came up against Satan’s work. Death was not God’s work. It was our choice under the influence of Satan. Death and disease made Jesus ‘snort with anger’.
John 11:38-45
[38] So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. [39] Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days." [40] Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" [41] So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. [42] "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me." [43] When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." [44] The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
[45] Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.
"Lord, by this time there will be a stench…"
Here, as the miraculous event comes to an incredible close, we see that Martha and Mary are confronted with the same two basic choices that all of us face in the presence of Jesus:
1. Life stinks
As much as Jesus loves Martha, her fastidious and practical attitude must have been frustrating. Now we see a tone of rebuke in Christ’s voice as he gives a command and she tries to counteract it for olfactory reasons.
To choose to be a faithful servant is to be surrounded by people who say; "It will never work. It's not worth the effort. Not in my backyard. Not if I have to move from my pew."
Some people simply believe that anything which involves personal irritation should not be done. This was Martha's attitude. She was more concerned with the smell of a dead body than she was with the miraculous raising of her brother.
Where am I? Am I like Martha; standing in the way of the miraculous because I am so locked into my 'life stinks' attitude? Is that my personal pew? Do I get in the way of the miraculous because I am stuck in the stench of death? Have I ever had the attitude that God could not work in a situation because the person, people or community were too far gone?
Our God, who snorts in anger at death, loves to conquer such issues and reveal His glory to us. If we give the Lord the impossible; we better not stand in the way with our ‘stinking’ attitudes.
2. Thank you, Father
In comparison to Martha’s attitude is Jesus’ incredible thankfulness. The word used here is eucharistia [GSN2169 (yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah)] it means perfect gratitude, or a ‘grateful act of worship’. It is the word from which we get ‘Eucharist’. The miracles of Jesus always happen in an atmosphere of gratitude. In this case, Jesus gives thanks even before Lazarus walks out from the tomb! Is that like me; do I live a life of ‘expectant thanks’? Do I expect to be able to give God glory for the work He is going to do in my life and thus live in a state of eucharistia; grateful worship?
Most of us might sneak down to the tomb when no one is looking and whisper; "Lazarus, if you can hear me, knock." Then, only if we heard Lazarus knock back, would we run and get others to see Lazarus rise. To witness the fullness of the miracles of Christ, we need to live in the attitude of eucharistia, continual, expectant, grateful worship.
"Unbind him and let him go."
The work of Jesus is to bring life; the work of the congregation is to unbind people from the trappings of death. The words that Christ speaks are so full; he literally tells the ‘congregation’; "Destroy what holds him down. Send him forth free."
Do you remember in John 9, when Christ healed the blind man, but the man’s community refused to see him as healed; they refused to ‘unbind him’?
John 9:8-9
8 The neighbors therefore, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, "Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?" 9 Others were saying, "This is he," still others were saying, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the one."
They refused to see the man born blind as anything except the beggar that he was before Christ. Even though he is standing right before their very eyes; they refuse to even acknowledge that it is him. Talk about attitudinal blindness! Eventually, they turn him over to the ‘religious authorities’ in fear.
All too often, we never unbind those who Christ has resurrected. We would rather continue to see them with the haughty eyes of the skeptic. We are more excited for them to fail then to change. I see this all the time when a young person comes back excited from recovery and some idiot says; "Oh yea, well. I know that feeling and it will only last a month."
We must choose the eyes of hope and resurrection—even in the face of a pessimistic and sarcastic world. We must choose to unbind those that Christ has resurrected and not keep them bound in the clothing of death.
"God please don't judge me with the harshness I judge others. Change me, O Lord!"
We bind people through our attitudes toward them. We bind them when we hold onto their faults instead of lifting up and encouraging their attempts to change. We bind people when we don’t forgive them. We bind them when we gossip to others about their faults. Whenever we treat people out of our smallness instead of the Lord’s abundance; we keep them bound.
We free them when we are determined to see new life in them. We free them when we praise God. We free them when we forgive them. We free them when we smile and welcome them, saying; "I am so glad you are here; do you have anyone to sit with today?" We free them the most when we seek them in their tombs and, ‘snorting at death,’ we command them in the name of Christ to come into new life.
Whenever we treat another out of Christ's greatness and not our smallness; we free them. This is not our nature; our nature is worldly, the pleasures of gossip and the flesh. Because it is not our nature we must call upon Christ to forgive us—to unbind us—and then we must act—in a new way—based upon the Holy Spirit who will help us to love and praise God even when we don't feel like it! Especially when we don't feel like it!
In the process of unbinding others, we ourselves are unbound. When we let go, we are set free. When we forgive, we are forgiven. The bottom line is that Christ offers us a choice to ‘unbind others’. From there on, we can ‘live for-giving’; offering dignity to the bound or we can die holding onto the ‘stinking attitudes’ of death and corruption. We can live in gratitude or die in our own pew.
"God free us. Help us live constantly for the purpose of giving more of you; constantly for giving, constantly unbinding."
Word Study
· Unbind him [GSN3089] luo (loo'-o): Destroy what holds him down. Melt or
dissolve his bindings. Are we doing that? Are we in the business of destroying
what binds or holds people down?
· Send him forth [863] aphiemi (af-ee'-ay-mee): "Send him forth free. Forgive
him and let him be. Let go of your judgments against this man." Here is Christ’s
call to the congregation; "Free others from what holds them back. Set them free
of judgment and give them new purpose."
Copyright © 2005 Jerry Goebel. All Rights Reserved. http://onefamilyoutreach.com.
See Also:
What is Missing?
by Fr. AndrewLazarus: Jesus Bursting into Tears
by Edward F. MarkquartI Am the Resurrection and the Life
by Rev. Bryan FindlaysonThe Resurrection of Lazarus
by George WhitefieldThe Time to Uncover and Unbind!
by Sarah Dylan BreuerHis sheep hear his voice!
by John PettyThe Raising Of Lazarus, Gospel Analysis
by Edward F. Markquart
Sermons Home | General Sermons and Essays | Articles | eBooks | Our Faith | Prayers | Library - Home | Baselios Church Home
-------
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox
Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by
International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio
