John 11:32-44
"If only you had been there." I wasn't there for my parents when they died. My mother had been sick and we thought she was getting better. I had made the All State band and would be going to Greenville. I remember my parents telling me earlier that week that they thought she would not be able to make the trip to the concert on Sunday. I said, "That's OK, you can go next year." She died unexpectedly that Friday night. I was not there for my Dad either. I had been there that morning and talked to the Dr. and he thought my Dad would pull through. But late that afternoon he threw another clot and died.
I was not there when my parents died. But I've been there when so many others died. From my time as a seminary students training as a chaplain at Duke Hospital through 19 years of ministry including a 4 year stint as a volunteer chaplain for a hospice, I have been with many people in bedrooms and hospital rooms and hospice rooms when they died.
Perhaps Mary and Martha were with Lazarus when he died. I can imagine Martha bringing wet washcloths to lay on his head and cool it and to comfort Lazarus. I can imagine Mary sitting beside the bed holding his hand and praying. We don't know for sure if Mary and Martha were there.
We who know who wasn't there: Jesus! There is a note of accusation in Mary & Martha's voices. The first thing both of them say to Jesus is "If you had been here�" Why had he delayed? Lazarus was his friend and the message was clear he was critically ill. Where was Jesus when they so desperately needed him?
If Jesus had been there he could have prevented Lazarus' death. They both firmly believed that. They believed that Jesus could have cured what ever was causing the illness. They certainly had faith. Jesus was a famous healer with a reputation for healing people with just a touch or a word.
But Jesus was more than a healer. He is the resurrection! We with 21st century hindsight know what is coming. Jesus the resurrection will raise Lazarus from the dead.
Today we are celebrating All Saints Day. On this day we remember those believers or saints who have gone on to their heavenly reward. As part of the communion prayer we will name those dear to us who have passed on from this life to the next. This congregation has lost several members who are dear to us. Many of us, including my own family, have lost people dear to us. We called on Jesus to heal them, but they still died.
Sometimes in such a situation people feel like Mary and Martha did. They say in their hearts if not out load, "If only you have been there." It is not an expression of a lack of faith. Mary and Martha obviously had a very strong faith in Jesus. But from their perspective it seemed that Jesus had failed them.
Sometimes we can't see the bigger picture. Like Mary and Martha we can't see beyond the tragedy whether it is the death of a loved one or the loss of a job, or some other loss. We don't know the resurrection Jesus has planned in the future.
If you have ever felt like Mary and Martha, if you have ever through or said, "If you had been here�" Know that Jesus was with you and is with you. Jesus was there with Mary and Martha. He knew that he was going to raise Lazarus. But he still wept with them.
Jesus was there with you as your loved one was dying. And Jesus was weeping with you. Even though he knows what awaits them in glory Jesus still feels with you.
And Jesus will be with you. That doesn't mean Jesus will necessarily address your loss the way you want. But Jesus is the resurrection. The situation can never get so bad that Jesus can't bring new life out of it.
Jesus delayed and Lazarus died. Mary and Martha, in faith, said "If you have only been here he would not have died." Jesus told them "I am the resurrection." He is the resurrection and the life. He is the source of new life and eternal life. If we will only believe we will see the Glory of God.
Do you believe? Do you believe that God has a better plan for your loved ones who have passed on? Do you believe that God can raise you out of you loss? Do you believe that God has a plan for you that is beyond your comprehension? Do you believe God can raise you up no matter how low you have gotten?
Jesus is the resurrection! He is with you. He will raise you up! "Do you believe this?"
Hebrews 12:1-3
Some of our younger members might recognize that as the chorus to a song by Nickelback, a popular rock group. When I hear music I listen carefully to the words and these words caught my attention. What if everyone cared and nobody cried? What if everyone loved and nobody lied? What if everyone shared and swallowed their pride?
The world would certainly be a better place. But could it really bring about a day when nobody died. I mean really, could we bring about an end to senseless killing? I though "How idealistic." In fact I would say it is pollyannic to suggest that kind of change is possible by the human race and that we could bring an end to senseless killing.
Nickelback makes its point though in its video. With the music as the background the video for this song tells the stories of four people who did make an impact in their world. It tells of Bob Geldorf who championed the "Live Aid" concert and raised millions to alleviate world hunger. It tells of Betty Williams who led a march for peace in Northern Ireland and won the Nobel Peace Prize. It tells the story of Peter Benenson who led a letter writing campaign on behalf of political prisoners and eventually founded Amnesty International, a group that works for human rights and an end to torture. And they tell of Nelson Mandala who fought against Apartheid in South Africa and eventually became that country's first ethnically African president.
Well, Nickelback makes a point. Yes, these people did make some difference in the world. But just look at the word we live in. People literally blow themselves up to kill others every day. Can we really dream of a day when nobody died in this world? Yet there are plenty of Christian who have dreamed of a world where people cared and loved and swallowed their pride.
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born in Albania in 1910. As a child she dreamed of becoming a missionary and at the age of 18 she left home to become nun when she took the name most know her by "Teresa." Most of then "Sister" Teresa's work was with the poor in India. Later as her work grew she became Mother Teresa and founded the Sisters of Charity. One of their early works was a hospice. They would take in people who were dying in the streets and would care for them. Mother Teresa said of this ministry; "A beautiful death is for people who lived like animals to die like angels - loved and wanted." The work she started continues today as many others bring the love of God to people in need.
Another Christian who dreamed of a world where people loved and cared and shared was John Wesley and the early Methodists. Not only were they methodical about the study of the Bible and their prayer lives, hence the name "Methodists," they were also methodical about the care for the poor & needy. They taught the poor to read and cared for the medical and material needs of people. Some have credited the early Methodists for creating the middle class in Britain and preventing the same kind of violent social revolution that happened in other European countries in the 18th and 19th centuries. And those ministries of caring for the needy and spreading "scriptural holiness" continue through the many churches that trace their roots back to John Wesley and the Holy Club.
But even here in the United States in the recent past people have dreamed of a day when nobody died. Clarence Jordan was a Southern Baptist preacher with a PhD. in Greek who grew up in Georgia. He is most famous for his imaginative "translations" of the New Testament known as the Cotton Patch Gospels in which he places Jesus in mid 20th century Georgia. But some don't know that in the 40's he started a Christian Community on a farm in rural Georgia that tried to embody Christian Principles. Through 50's and 60's this Christian community continue to welcome people of all races who sought to live a Christian life. The interracial nature of the community made it a target for persecution in the 50's and 60's. The impact of the witness of the "Koinonia" community and the Cotton Patch Gospels continues. But also out of this community grew the Habitat for Humanity ministry which helps needy families work their way out of poverty.
The Bible also speaks of people who dreamed of a different world. It tells of people of faith like Noah and Abraham and Sarah and Moses and Paul and Peter. And it says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us." So people have made a different in the world. There have been those who by faith lived lives of caring and sharing and love. But people still continue to die needless senseless deaths. Is there any hope for "the day when nobody died?"
But look what else the Bible says: "Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart." Jesus' death made possible the lives of all those saints I just mentioned. Can one person's life make a difference? With all humility, and an apology to Nickelback, I have to admit: yes, one life can make a difference. Because Jesus' life and death had made a real difference and will continue to until we come to that day when nobody dies.
Ironically there is hope for "the day when nobody died" because of the day that somebody, Jesus, died for the world. So let us, inspired by the witness of the saints of God, dream. "If everyone cared and nobody cried, If everyone loved and nobody lied, If everyone shared and swallowed their pride, We'd see the day when nobody died." And like so many before us let us look to the example of Christ who really made a difference in the world.
We are different! Christians are not the same as the people of this world. Surely we all start out the same. We are all born as helpless infants. In need of constant care and protection. Unable to do anything for ourselves. We are all born into a hopeless condition. We are born into a world that is in slavery to sin and death. We all experience the agony of separation from God. We all experience the pain of separation from loved ones. Like all humans we experience death. Both the little ones and the big one. The death of loved ones and eventually our own death. Being helpless and hopeless are the universals of the human condition that all people face at one time or another.
So what makes us so different, could it be that we are saints? According to the Christian tradition and language we are the saints. We are the citizens of God's kingdom. We are the ones who have washed our robes in the blood of the lamb. (Rev. 7) In that sense we are saints, but in a very real way we are no saints. We sin, we hurt others needlessly, we cause ourselves pain, we forsake and abandon our God. True we are forgiven, and I hope that by the power of the Spirit we Christians are a little more loving and faithful than the people of the world. Despite that forgiveness, we are by no means what most people mean by a saint. We are not perfect. Not yet anyway.
So how are Christians different? I believe it is a matter of perspective. Perspective is important. The point of view or vantage point from which we see life shapes how we live life. Christians are different because we have a unique perspective or vantage point on the common situations that all humans face. When we come to know Christ our perspective on everything is changed.
Knowing Jesus changed Mary and Martha's perspective. When their brother, Lazarus, died, their world was turned up side down. As women without husbands their brother had been a source of security for them. He was their source of legal recourse. He was their voice in the face of injustice. He was probably their source of financial stability. But more importantly they loved him. He was their flesh and blood. They had lived with him all their lives. They had served him, and he had protected and provided for them. All of a sudden he was gone, they were devastated. Where was God's glory then?
Four days after Lazarus' death Jesus came to see them. Martha the practical one came out to meet Jesus while the emotional Mary went to the tomb to weep. When Mary saw Jesus she ran to him and knelt at his feet. And she said, "Lord, where were you? Lazarus died four days ago. Like some incompetent Physician you were out on the golf course while Lazarus was on his death bed. And now you have the gall to come visiting after the funeral. If you had been here you could have saved him! I believed in you Jesus." Jesus said "Where is he buried." When they showed him he cried, and he said, "roll the stone away." But Martha tired to stop him, "Jesus he has been dead four days his body has begun to decay. Mary has been through enough don't put her through this too." Jesus replied, "I told you before if you believe you would see God's glory. So believe and see."
Then Jesus prayed to God and raised his voice and he said, "Lazarus, Come forth." I had a Sunday School teacher who used to say that Jesus said Lazarus name first for a reason. She said that If Jesus had said "Come forth Lazarus," then all who had died would have risen in the pause between pronouncing the word "forth" and the name "Lazarus." Jesus had to specify who was to rise or else all of creation would have thought he was commanding the resurrection of all who had died. I don't know if that is true but it raises an important point. When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he was demonstrating on a small scale what God will do in the end. Just as Jesus had called Lazarus back to life he will one day call all back to life. So Lazarus came forth and Mary and Martha saw the glory of God revealed. They had been mourning over their dead brother but with three words Jesus changed their perspective on everything.
I like Mary and Martha. They remind me of myself. Between the two of them they manage to express human emotions in its fullness. How many times have we been as they were. Mourning a death; Not necessarily a human death but a loss of some kind. Part of us puts on a face to meet the visitors. And part of us goes to the tomb and weeps. Most people meet Martha in the road and go on. But every now and then Christ comes down the road and gets beyond Martha and goes to the tombs to weep with Mary.
Then it all comes pouring out: "Jesus why weren't you here, why didn't you do something." The relationship is dead. Words were said that cannot be taken back. The youth and vigor is gone and I am old. Whatever it was that I cherished it is lost. Why weren't you here to save it before it died?
And Jesus says, "Where is it buried?" When we point to the tomb all can see the depth of the loss. It is not just the thing that was lost, the friendship, the youth, or whatever. Part of us has died too. We are buried in that tomb with Lazarus. Jesus weeps with us a moments and says, "Roll that stone away." Then Martha catches up to protect us and she says, "Don't roll the stone away. It is holding back the pain and the grief and the smell of death and decay." Jesus, with a tear still in his eye turns to us and says, "Believe in me and you will see God's glory. Then Jesus raises his Almighty voice and shouts, "Come Forth." And in the blink of an eye all that was dead in us is brought back to life. Just a moment ago all we saw was death and now out of the mouth of a tomb we see new life.
As surely as Lazarus came back from death so Christ will come again. Whenever Christ comes into our lives, his glory is revealed. When he comes that final time with all the saints he will make all things new. Jesus will come again and bring a new heaven and a new earth. The old one will pass away and a new one will come into being. This universe with all its evil and sickness all its death will cease to exist. God will make a new creation to replace it. In the new world the full glory of God will dwell among us. There will be no more sorrow. Chains of injustice, chains of poverty, chains of hatred would all fall away. And those who weep will have their tears gently wiped away by the hand of God.
We Christians see life from the viewpoint of the God that is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. When we face injustice, we can see God's justice coming. When we weep, we can see God's hand preparing to dry our face. And when we view death, we know that the resurrection is ahead. We can look into the mouth of a tomb where other can only see death, and to Christian eyes the glory of life is revealed.
We believe these things, and like the saints of old we shall see the glory of God.
John 11:1-45
The story of the raising of Lazarus is one of those Gospel stories that is full of emotion and meaning. It begins when Mary and Martha, close friends of Jesus, send him the message that their brother Lazarus is close to death. They believe in Jesus and they know that he can heal Lazarus. But Jesus delays saying that the illness does not lead to death, but will glorify God. After two days Jesus heads to Bethany even though his disciples warn him that his enemies in Jerusalem will try to kill him.
When he arrives Lazarus is dead. For four days he has been laying in the tomb. Not only had Jesus not gotten there in time to prevent his death he had even missed the funeral. And then while speaking with Martha Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die yet shall they live." And Martha replies "I believe that you are the Messiah the Son of God."
After this Mary and Martha lead Jesus and the crowd of people to the tomb. Jesus orders them to remove the stone. Martha, who had just confessed that Jesus was the Messiah the Son of God, protests, "Lord, surely there will be a stench." When the stone is removed Jesus thanks God and cries with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." And Lazarus, who had been good and dead comes forth and many people believe in Jesus.
This is certainly a moving story but what is it about? It is first about Jesus' own death and resurrection. You can't miss the foreshadowing of Jesus own death in every step of the story. First of all we are reminded that this Mary who sent the note was the soma one who would soon anoint Jesus as if for burial. Then when Jesus decides to go to Lazarus the first response of the disciples is that Jesus will be killed. In fact Thomas declares "Let us go with him that we too may die." Thomas seems convinced that Jesus was about to be killed. Then there is that part about the resurrection itself. What Christian familiar with the Easter story could miss it. The stone rolled away the mention of the funeral cloth. In short if Jesus has the power to raise Lazarus he can defeat his own death.
The last verse that I read verse 45 says that many believed in Jesus because of this miracle. But in verses 46-53 Jesus' enemies plot his death. This resurrection is the straw that broke the camels back. The powers of darkness will try to stop Jesus from revealing God's glory by killing him. Within a few weeks of this event Jesus is on the cross.
Perhaps Lazarus would be a sign to the disciples. As they mourned the death of their Master perhaps Martha and Mary and Lazarus would be morning with them. And the disciples would remember how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. They would also remember that Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Perhaps this would give them some hope and prepare them to believe when the resurrection did take place.
What is this story about? It's about Jesus own death but it is about the death and resurrection of all believers. I had a Bible Study teacher once who said that there is a reason why Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth." If Jesus had said, "Come forth, Lazarus," then between the word "forth" and the word "Lazarus" every creature that had ever died would have risen. Jesus had to first specify who was to come forth then call them forth. If not, then creation would have mistakenly thought Jesus was call all that had died back to life.
I don't know if that is the case, but the point my teacher was making is true. Jesus is the resurrection incarnate. He is the power of life and new life in the flesh. Jesus not only has the power to raise a man almost 2,000 years ago and to raise himself, but to raise all who would believe in him.
It significant that in the midst of his discussion with Martha Jesus says not only that he is the resurrection and the life, but that all who believe in him shall rise as well. If we truly believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life then we will believe that he will raise us from the dead. You know that Lazarus eventually died again. But when Jesus raises us from the dead it will not be just to continue life as we now know it. He will raise us to eternal life.
What is this story about? It is about our deaths and resurrections. You know it is one thing to believe that Jesus has the power to raise us from the dead on some future date, but it is quite another to believe that Jesus can do something about our lives in the here and now. There are a lot of Christians who will readily say they believe that Jesus will give them eternal life but they act as if he has no power to improve their lives right here right now. They are like Martha saying, "Lord I know that Lazarus will rise on the last day," not realizing that Jesus will rise him that day. If Jesus has the power to give us life after we are dead, then he certainly has the power to give us life here and now.
Jesus said "I AM the resurrection and the life." He didn't say "I will be" or "I'm gonna' be" he said "I AM!" He also said that he came so that we may have abundant life. Jesus right here right now has the power to raise us up. To lift us out of whatever emotional pit we are in; to call us forth from what ever spiritual cave we are in, to roll away the stones of self despair, and loose the grave clothes of self pity.
Like Lazarus Jesus can call us forth. All we need to do is believe. Like Martha and Mary just call on Jesus in faith. That is what they did. They called on Jesus and he called them and their brother from death unto life.
Jesus says to us, "I AM the resurrection and the life those who believe in me even though they die yet shall they live." And then as with Martha he says to us, "Do you believe this?" And with all our hearts we who are Christians shout "Yea Lord I believe! I believe you are the Son of God. I believe you are the Messiah my Savior. I believe you rose from the dead."
Then we take Jesus to the grave and we look at the tombstone and say, "Gee Lord, its just too bad you weren't here in time to save my brother before he died." "Too bad you weren't here to save my marriage before it died." "Too bad you weren't here to cure my cancer before they had to amputate." "Too bad you weren't here to save my business before it went under." "Too bad you weren't here to prevent all those disappointments and heartaches and breakdowns before they occurred."
Then Jesus says, "Roll the stone away." And we protest, "Lord, that stinks!" "I don't want to dredge all that up again. It's too painful to look at. Just leave it buried there and let me mourn in peace."
But Jesus, determined to reveal to us his glory says, "Christian, come forth." And suddenly the dead parts of us come to life. And by the glory of God we are alive again. Whatever it was that had been dead in us is made alive once more.
Jesus IS the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes him even though they die yet shall they live. Do you believe this - really?
Psalm 24
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and all those who dwell therein." This statement by the psalmist has a hollow ring in the modern person's ear. To say that the Earth is the Lord's, doesn't mean as much today as it did in ancient times. In ancient times the world was a vast unknown place. People only heard of places that were far away. And what was beyond these places was a mystery. Their imaginations ran wild. Were their dragons beyond where no one had gone before. Would they fall off the edge of the earth. Today the world is much smaller. We can travel in hours distances that in the past people didn't travel in a lifetime. We have mapped the entire earth's surface, even the bottom of the ocean. There really are no unexplored regions of the earth. NASA has shown us that earth is a small blue ball floating in the vastness of space.
So the statement that the "Earth is the Lord's" doesn't mean all that it once did. We moderns are aware of much greater things than the Earth. Humans have begun to contemplate the universe in all its vastness. Today we know of stars and galaxies. We are aware of other planets and quasars. Black holes and pulsars now occupy our fancy. We speak not of the edge of the earth but the edge of the universe. When this psalm was written it was an expression of the vastness of God's domain. God owned all that was known, the earth. God was even in possession of all the unknown it contained. Today we can imagine the vastness of the universe, and the Earth seems so small.
But the Psalmist's words are still true. This Psalm is praising God because God is great. It is trying to acknowledge that all that exists is God's. God created all of it and it is all at the Almighty's command. The universe is the Lord's and all that is in it. Every planet, every star, Every quasar and Galaxy and black hole. God's hands formed every one of them individually. They belong to God because God conceived of them and made them. God owns them just as a potter owns the pots she makes. God made all that we are aware of. All those interesting objects we see light years away in our telescopes. and many things that we are still unaware of. God is so great! God has even created things we are unable to imagine.
After proclaiming God's greatness the psalmist was led to ask a question. "Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord, who shall stand in God's holy place?" If you think about it, that's a good question. Who is worthy to stand before a God so great. We are but little creatures on one of God's little planets, circling a yellow dwarf star in the corner of an ordinary galaxy. Who on this planet is worthy to ascend to the holy place and worship God?
The answer is obvious: "Those who have clean hands and pure hearts." The Psalmist's answer makes sense. Only those who have not dirtied their hands with the sinfulness of the world can approach God. Only those whose hearts are pure can truly worship God. Only those who are perfect could dare to ascend to the hill of the Lord.
In the past, before Jesus, they might have though this possible. But Jesus made it clear to us that none of us is perfect. His example of love makes our love look so small. His teachings make us realize that none of us are pure in heart. Before Jesus, a person might have said, "I have never killed, or committed adultery or stolen." But Jesus told us if we so much as hate our neighbor we have killed, if we have lusted we have committed adultery, if we have been jealous we have stolen in our hearts. Who could claim innocence to such crimes? No one! So we are forced to admit that we are not worthy or able to ascend to God's holy hill.
This places us in a quandary; a dilemma. We are forced to admit that we are not worthy to worship God and yet here we are. Here we stand in "God's house." We read God's Holy Word and praise the Almighty. And we pray to God. But in the midst of thinking about God's greatness we realize we are not worthy to be here. God is so great and we are so imperfect.
We are too small to even presume that we can honor such a great God. None of us has said or done anything to make ourselves worthy of ascending to God. Who am I to stand up here and proclaim what God has said. What right do any of us have to walk into the house of the God of the universe and make ourselves at home; much less act as if we own the place. Are any of us as great as a quasar? Do any of us have the power of a black hole?
Yet here we are. God has allowed us to come here. If God had not wanted us here I assure you we would not be here. God could very easily have prevented us from getting here this morning. Or God could have destroyed us for daring the enter this divine house. Not only did God allow us to come here; God invited us to come. God commands us to worship. And God promised to be here with us through the Holy Spirit. If God is so great that we are unworthy to stand in the Almighty's presence, why did God send the Spirit. And If we are too unclean to ascend to God, why did God send Jesus Christ the Son to live among us.
That is the solution to our quandary: God sent Jesus Christ! We were unable and unworthy to approach so great a God. So God came to us. We could not ascend to God so God descended to us. We were unworthy to worship such a great God, so God sent one who was worthy to prepare us. And through Christ God made a way for us to approach and worship.
The universe is still the Lord's and the all that is in it. That has not changed. And it is still true that only those who have clean hands and pure hearts can approach the Lord. And there are none of us who have not dirtied our hands and hearts in the world's sinfulness. But Christ came to make us pure. Jesus washed the dirt from our hands. And he has purified our souls.
At one time we could not approach the great God of the universe. But through Christ this generation have received a blessing. We have been saved and vindicated. Now we can worship God and seek God's face. Through Christ we are worthy to ascend to the hill of the Lord and worship the God who is mighty over all.
The psalmist concludes: "Lift up you heads, O gates and be lifted up, O ancient doors." Some believe that this psalm was written to commemorate the bringing of the ark of the covenant into the Jerusalem temple. It may have even been sung when the incident we read of in II Samuel took place. God's presence sat on an invisible throne above the Ark of the covenant, so when it entered the city, God was entering the city. One can picture the procession carrying the ark to the city. As it comes toward the town the musicians are singing of God's greatness and glory. And David the king is dancing before the ark. And just as the ark gets near the city the musicians start singing "Open the doors for the king of glory is coming in."
In ancient times the doors of as city were there to protect the city. Often times they were not opened all the way. They were only opened enough to let the merchants and citizens go through without trouble. That way they could be closed in a hurry. But this was no ordinary visitor or resident of the city. This was the God of the universe. This God was too big to get though such a small entrance. The doors must be lifted high and opened wide to let God in.
The doors were opened, and the God of the universe dwelt in Jerusalem. In Christ the God of the universe came and dwelt among us in human form. Today the Spirit wishes to dwell in our hearts. But we are talking about the God of the universe.
If we are to let God enter, we must open the doors of our hearts all the way and not just part way. So swing wide the doors and open the gates of your hearts. For the King of all glory wishes to enter your heart and life. Let Christ make you worthy to receive the Spirit of the Living God. Then live like one who has the power of the universe dwelling in them.
Lazarus was dead! Mary and Martha were devastated. We are not sure of the details of their lives. Had Mary and Martha been married and now widowed with no children. Were they young or old and as yet unmarried. Through one course of events or the other they were living in their brother's house.
Lazarus had been the man of the family in a day when the authorities listened only to male voices. But more importantly this was their brother. Their lives had been woven together since birth. They had taken care of and cared for each other all their lives. And now he was dead.
Lazarus was dead. The tax collector would mark off his name. The census taker would make him a statistic. But Mary and Martha would weep.
We enter the story this morning when Jesus arrived four days after the fact. After talking to Martha, Mary comes on the scene. She kneels before Jesus and says, "If only you had been here my brother would be alive." Now some see these as callous words spoken in anger as if she were chastising Jesus for being late. But maybe they are a confession of her faith that Jesus could have done something instead of an accusation that he failed to do what he could.
When Jesus saw her weeping and those with her he was moved. The New Revised Standard says, "When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved." The way it is translated if sounds as if Jesus is having compassion for them. The original Greek however conveys the idea that Jesus is angered and irritated. Jesus is upset with the way they are acting.
So what is Jesus angry about? Perhaps Jesus next words give us a clue. Immediately after the Bible tells us that he is angered by them it tells us that he asks, "Where have you laid him." I can almost here Jesus saying it with a note of disgust.
It appears that Jesus is upset with their failure to believe in his power to make the dead alive. They could believe that he could heal the blind. They believed that he could have healed Lazarus before he died. But at death their belief stopped so they took Lazarus off and buried him. If they had really believed that Jesus is the resurrection, they would have left Lazarus in his bed until Jesus came. Then Jesus wouldn't have had to ask where they had laid him.
Today is the Sunday after All Saints day. It is the day on the Christian calendar when Christian have traditionally remembered the lives of God�s saints. It used to be a time when Christians would recall and recount how these saints had lived and died. They would tell and retell the stories and thank God for these witnesses. You know the Greek word for "witness" is "marturion" from which we get the word martyr. Those martyrs bore witness through their deaths that Jesus was the resurrection and that he had power not only to heal the living but also to raise the dead.
One of my favorite martyrs and saints is Polycarp. Polycarp was a Christian Bishop who lived in the second century just 100 years after Jesus� life, death, and resurrection. The Romans were persecuting the Christians because they would not worship Caesar. A number of Christians were fed to lions or otherwise killed during this persecution. So the Bishop, Polycarp, went into hiding because the Romans were looking for him.
When they finally caught up with Polycarp, who was in his 80's they told him that considering his great age he should just say "Lord Caesar" and that would be enough. When he wouldn't do that they demanded that he curse Christ. To that Polycarp replies, "Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my king who saved me?" They threatened to feed him to the lions or burn him alive. To this he replied, "The fire you threaten burns but an hour and is quenched after a little; for you do not know the fire of the coming judgment and the everlasting punishment that is laid up for the impious."
Those are the kind of witnesses to Jesus, the resurrection, that Christian used to share on this day. But we don�t seem to do that now a days. In the Protestant church we seem to have placed the saints on a shelf where they have grown dusty. The history behind this is well known. During the reformation Saints were taken out of the religious lives of the people because of the few cases of abuses. I still hear people who spread the reformation propaganda that Roman Catholics "worship" the saints. Certainly at times and place the veneration of saints has gotten in the way of glorifying God, but in the right context remembering their lives and deaths glorifies God.
I understand why the Protestant reformation put the saints up on a shelf, but I feel it is time to dust those saints off. There is a hymn in our hymnal that says, "a world without saints forgets how to pray." You know we live in difficult times just as those saints did. And often times we feel threatened or discouraged by the troubles we face. And so we pray to Jesus to come and deliver us and encourage us and give us faith.
I can almost hear Jesus responding. Where are the saints I gave you? Where are the martyrs and witnesses I gave to inspire and encourage you? Where are the stories of lives lived in faith that I gave to strengthen your faith? And Jesus knows we will respond, "They are in a book gathering dust on a shelf in the church library."
Jesus is the one who can and will raise the dead. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. And the stories of the martyrs and saints are the stories that show us faith in that truth being lived out. Whether it is St. Frances, who sold all he had and gave it to the poor, or St. Patrick, who was a 4th and 5th century Billy Graham who spread the gospel in Ireland, or Mother Teresa, who gave her entire life for those who were least likely pay her back. All these lived lives that demonstrated a faith in the resurrection power of God alive in Jesus.
So let us tell these stories of faith. Let us recall John and Charles Wesley�s struggle to spread the faith. Let us remember how Luther and Calvin led the reformation that created the Protestant churches. And while we are at it let us recall those saints in our lives that have demonstrated the faith for us.
Then inspired by their examples we can live our lives for Christ. We can even give our lives unto death. For like the saints we too believe that Jesus is greater even than death itself.