What do we learn about Jesus from this? – We learn that Jesus is More Than – whatever, whoever, you think Jesus is – Here we find that Jesus is More than. [the image comes from the game we played at St Luke’s you can probably work out the why and how]
And What are we supposed to do as a result of this Miracle?
Firstly note Thomas – in a couple of weeks’ time, we’ll be talking about the Resurrection and about Doubting Thomas – and we’ll be saying Gosh how can Thomas have such little faith – but note this moment – Thomas says ‘Lets go and die with him’! He believes enough in Jesus that if Jesus wants to go get himself in trouble then Thomas is absolutely up for not letting him do it on his own.
Rather makes me think of Gimli in The Lord of the Rings and his remark – Certainty of death, small chance of success, what are we waiting for?!
And then note Martha and Mary and the two very different approaches we have to grief – Jane Austen could have used them for her book Sense and Sensibility –
Note that Its not as if they didn’t pray for Jesus to come – they literally sent a messenger – ‘Lord the one you love is sick’. That is such a great prayer, I’ve been using that quite a lot recently. A reminder to me and me reminding God that as I pray for someone who is unwell – Lord the one you love is sick.
So the sisters did pray.
Here’s Martha – and her reaction is to hold fast to the doctrine – that there will be a resurrection at the end – Jesus’ reaction to this is to say – Look at Me – I am that resurrection – that resurrection is here standing in front of you. I am the resurrection.
And Martha – says Yes I believe you. Wow.
And Mary’s reaction which is to Not come out and See Jesus – it takes Martha to say ‘Come on be polite, do the right thing, come and say hello’ – And Mary comes out and falls on her knees in front of Jesus – I hear in what she says a mixture of Anger – If you had been here my brother would not have died – Where were you?
And I also hear Faith – If you had been here my brother would not have died.
No wonder that Jesus wept.
To Martha – Jesus nudged her faith onwards – I am the Resurrection
To Mary – Jesus showed His great love and compassion – there’s no explanation, no words – there aren’t any that would help at this point – but His tears – they are the answer to many of our prayers, our pains and struggles.
Jesus raises Lazarus and shows that He really is the Resurrection.
I’ve been thinking – Why doesn’t Jesus say – Resurrection? That’s my jam, my bag, I can do that. I can do resurrection. Why does Jesus instead say I AM the Resurrection.
You’ve all been taught well so you know that the answer is – ‘well Jesus says I AM because He’s teaching us that He is God on earth, Immanuel, God with us’. Well done. But there’s more. Jesus is saying that Life In Him is what it means to live the Resurrection life, eternal life.
So that means we’re called to do more than to Follow the teachings of Jesus, we’re being invited into a relationship with the living God in which Jesus lives in you and me. That’s a bit awesome and overwhelming.
So where do you and I fit into this miracle? Jesus invites us to be part of this miracle and do the simple stuff.
Any miracles that we might be caught up in -they will happen because of God’s Holy Spirit working through you. Praise the Lord.
But you’ll see there’s also some quite ordinary dull things to be doing. Jesus says – Take away the stone – that doesn’t require a miracle – that requires some strength and it also requires some faith, and maybe it would help if you had a poor sense of smell.
And then Jesus says ‘Take off the grave clothes, and release him’ – you realise that Lazarus will have waddled out, bunny hopped out, mostly blindfolded and just following the light as it comes through the cloth around his head. And now Jesus calls you to restore him to his sisters – unwrap him, get him a cuppa tea, maybe run him a bath, find him some clothes, maybe a sandwich – none of that requires a miracle – but it requires a little a courage.
We see so much pain and struggle and death – and here comes Jesus saying I am the Resurrection. Don’t worry about Thomas – instead ask yourself – Do you believe this?
Because if you’re beginning to believe this, then keep at it, you may find yourselves caught up in some miracles,
You may find yourself weeping – in which case remember Jesus and listen for the weeping of Jesus
And you may find yourself feeling a bit helpless – but odds are on there will be something small that you can do– it might just be about removing a barrier for God to give a blessing, it might just be about showing some kindness to someone who literally feels like death warmed up – with a cup of tea and a piece of toast.
But all of it is held together with this hope – that Jesus is the Resurrection – that living in Jesus, and Jesus living in you – that is living resurrection life – and that explains everything that we’re about to see over these next few weeks. Amen.