John is the gospel of belief. From the most famous scripture of John 3:16 indicating that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life.
Later, John mentions why he wrote his gospel near the end of the gospel in Chapter 20:30-31. 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
What you will notice is that belief or faith and life, particularly, eternal life are held together in John gospel. Faith in Christ is the requirement for a person to have eternal life.
These same elements are clearly involved in this episode of John’s gospel.
You will remember that Jesus delayed before he came to visit Lazarus. Earlier in this chapter we learn that Jesus knew that Lazarus was ill. And Martha seems to be upset about it. She said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died”. She was apparently frustrated with Jesus as if to say, “You knew our brother was sick…Didn’t you get the memo, Jesus! Why did you not show up earlier!” Martha’s words represent the larger human cry. This implies that Martha believed Jesus could have healed her brother. But she seemed upset because Jesus was not present or was missing in action on this critical moment. It is the cry of theodicy. “Why Lord? Where are you Lord, when loved ones are sick and die?” When the innocent people suffer and there is not relief?” “Lord, we know you can heal…so where are you, Lord?”
But Martha did not understand that Jesus had something greater in mind. And friends, Jesus always has something greater in mind. We may not always understand why tragic things happen in our world. But we can trust that God will work out for our good. And we can believe that God has something greater in mind! Matter of fact a little earlier Jesus gave an explanation for his apparent delay. Let’s look at v14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Notice again that John is emphasizing belief or faith here. Jesus is delaying for a greater purpose which they did not realize. But they were about to have the surprise or awe-inspiring event of their lives!
Remember this was before he went to Bethany. Jesus knew that Lazarus had died, and he was going to raise him from the dead. In Jesus’ spiritual words…he was going to wake him up! Meaning he was going to raise him to life again!
I want to give credit to Martha here. She believed Jesus could heal her brother. But she didn’t realize Jesus had something greater in mind! And friends, can I say again, this story reflects the greater truth that Jesus always has something greater in mind that we may not be able to see or fully understand at the time.
The story continues. Jesus told Martha…Lazarus will rise again.
Again, to her credit, Martha also believed in the resurrection but the resurrection at the end of time. She believed as we say in our Creed today…We believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting! We believe there will be a resurrection at the end of time either to eternal life or eternal condemnation.
But then Jesus said something life changing and world changing. The title of today’s sermon. “I Am the Resurrection and the Life” and attached to this… consistent with John…Jesus adds to this statement…The one who believes in me will have life, even though he dies and Whoever lives and believes in me will never die!
Notice again John is connecting faith or belief in Christ as giving life, even eternal life.
The dilemma Martha was facing is representative of our entire human race. We are death shadowed people who are looking for a way to solve our mortality. As Ponce De Leon of history, people are incessantly looking for the proverbial Foundation of Youth or a way to preserve life and prevent death.
In 2013 the issue of Time Magazine announced that Google and its CEO Larry Page were funding a company that would try to extend the human life span and dissolve the disease of aging. The weekly newsstand cover asks in huge broad letters “Can Google Solve Death?” I was just going to write and tell them, “Good News! That’s already been solved.”
As this story continues, Jesus goes to the tomb of Lazarus…Now notice how this unfolds
v39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you BELIEVE, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may BELIEVE that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Now notice again how Jesus is reinforcing belief or faith…v40 if you BELIEVE you will see the glory of God. Again, in verse 42 that they may BELIEVE you sent me…
In this powerful scene Jesus spoke with the voice of God, the Life-Giving Spirit and said, “Lazarus, come forth!” Some commentators have suggested he said specifically, Lazarus come forth…otherwise there would have been a massive opening of graves!
Now we know that Lazarus was brought to life from the dead making true to claim of Jesus to the ONE WHO IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. One can surmise that Jesus waited so there was no doubt that Lazarus was truly dead to bring to greater light the realness of Jesus truly being the Resurrection and the Life, having the power of life in Himself. OF course, this was only a foreshadowing of a much greater resurrection…for Jesus always has something greater in mind. Lazarus was raised to die again. Jesus was raised on the third day to bring about whole new order of life in an eternal dimension that will never die!
God breathed life into Adam but then the scriptures teach us that Christ is a Life-Giving Spirit. And as a life-giving spirit he brings about a whole new age, a whole new transformation of life. Herein we understand the gift of eternal life that Christ offers us.
As Paul writes in the great resurrection chapter of I Corinthians 15… our physical body is sown mortal, but the resurrection body is imperishable. We are sown perishable, but we will be raised imperishable. This mortal body will put on immortality. I spoke these words at the graveside of Mele Compton, mother of Leigh Matthews, this past Wednesday. And in moments when we face a tomb, we come to know what we really believe! And we believe Jesus is who He says He is…The Resurrection and Eternal Life!
Several years ago, one of the first events that I attended with my wife in a national triathlon event. Most of you know that my wife was a triathlete. She has MS. But she functions very well and was able to compete as a triathlete. She won the opportunity to go to New York in the national event there. It was one of the first events that I ever attended. With that experience in New York City I was privileged to meet all kinds of people from all over the nation. These were physically challenged athletes representing all different categories of people who were leg amputees, arm amputees, blind athletes. There were all kinds of conditions and situations. These were people who had been severely affected by diseases, accidents and injuries that affected their life so profoundly. I was there as a handler helping my wife. I ended up befriending one of the guys who was a leg amputee. Right before he went into the water to swim for the first part of the race, he handed me his prosthetic leg to keep so he could reattach it after the swim. And as he handed me his leg another one of his friends thinking I was trustworthy said, “Here, take my leg”. And then a 3rd guy thinking I was trustworthy said, “Here take my leg”. So, I’m standing here with 3 prosthetic legs. Can I say it was a little overwhelming. And did I mention this was the first time I was a handler in any of these events. And I’m thinking, Lord, help me not mess up with this and put the wrong leg on the wrong guy. I was praying hard about that. So, we lined up all the prosthetic legs. There were several of them there. When the athletes came out of the water we matched them with their legs. It was an incredible experience. As I reviewed that day and thought about all the infirmities and all the accidents in people’s lives and how they were fighting to overcome the weaknesses in their life I was reminded of the frailness of life. I was reminded of the fragile nature of life while at the same time true human resilience. But it was an eye-opening experience to see how we are vulnerable and susceptible in this life to the things that can harm and injure us. If I were to go around the room today, nearly every one of us would have a story, perhaps in your family, in your extended family. Someone is fighting cancer or ALS, or MD or MS or cystic fibrosis, arthritis, or diabetes. These things are a part of our world, and they affect us very profoundly and very personally. We cannot escape our fragile human condition or our mortality.
The scripture says not in vain that we are sown in weakness but the glorious Good News is that we will be raised in power. God who spoke this world into existence, Jesus who walked on this earth and who preached repentance and the kingdom of God and believing in the kingdom of God. He touched people. He healed people. And he raised the dead as with Lazarus! And most importantly Jesus Himself was raised on the 3rd Day!
Jesus’ ministry and life is foreshadowing the Kingdom of God breaking into the world. The day when He is coming to place all enemies under his feet and God will reign supremely. Paul writes in Romans that this whole creation is moaning as in birth pains waiting for its deliverance, deliverance from the curse that we are living under in this life and this world.
Can I put a little bit of Christmas in Easter here today? The great song, “Joy to the World” the Lord is come says “He comes to make his blessing known far as the curse is found” And we see the complete deliverance from that through resurrection and life eternal. We may be sown in weakness. But Jesus has something greater in mind!! We will be raised in power and glory.
John the Revelator in that marvelous chapter 21 says, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy city the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying “Look, God’s dwelling place is now among the people. He will dwell with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. For all the old order of things is passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “See I am making all things new.”
Several years ago on Easter Sunday morning, I was in Prattville as an Associate Pastor. I went to a nursing home down the street from the church to do a devotional. All the residents were gathered in the meeting room of that place. There was a large plate glass window with doors behind it. They brought in the residents and placed two elderly gentlemen in wheelchairs. And back behind those two gentlemen and overlooking the door was a sign that we all see very often. It said, “No Exit”. I thought about Easter, and I thought about those two men in their wheelchairs juxtaposed against that sign that said, “No Exit”. And as I contemplated that situation, the question rose in my mind is there no exit for these men? Is this all there is? And Paul put it like this, “If in this life only we have hope, I’m of all men most to be pitied and most miserable.” If there is “No Exit” this is a really sad situation, hopeless really. But our Lord, who is the Resurrection and the life…Just like he did for Lazarus, has created an exit. Our Lord has not only created an exit, but he’s also created an ENTRANCE into glory. Jesus is the exit from this perishable body to the imperishable one. Jesus has created an exit to what is sown in dishonor to be raised in glory. Jesus is the exit for this weak body will be raised in power. Jesus is the exit for this physical and corruptible body to be raised a spiritual and new and glorified body! Thanks be to God! Even the dying thief beside Christ was given the words, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Thanks be to God! He’s given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God who has made an exit out of this life and an entrance for us into glory. Hallelujah! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
May we pray. Jesus, I pray that we all may believe that you are the Resurrection and the Life. Help us this Easter Sunday to know that you will bring under your feet every enemy, even death. We wait in glorious expectation, even as we face our earthly struggles, for the full restoration of Your creation, even the redemption of our bodies. Thank you, Lord, for the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith in You. Help us to live as Easter People in a world of doubt, despair and disbelief. We affirm our need and trust in You…for only you have the words of eternal life. wE pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.