John 11:1-44

(sermon note: 02-22 sermon note)

1A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”

4 But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7 Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

8 But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”

9 Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10 But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11 Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

16 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him.

30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.

They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.

But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

This morning’s reading reminds me of the one about a man who walked into a psychologist’s office. The psychologist told him to sit down and said, “So tell me a little about yourself.” With a smug on his face, the man replied, “It is my deeply held belief that I am in fact a moth.” The psychologist was a little surprised, but being a professional, he thought for a moment and said, “Well, I am sure I can help you overcome that.” Rather indignant, the man shot back, “No way! I love being a moth, thank-you very much!” “So why on Earth did you come in here?” “Oh, well, I was just passing by, and I saw your light on…”

And thus is the power of belief! It’s amazing the beliefs that people can have about themselves or the people and world around them. A moth is a pretty harmless creature, unless it’s around fabric of course, so we innocently chuckle at that poor man’s belief. But imagine if he believed he was a more harmful creature, a lion or tiger. We’d probably be a little concerned about the safety of the psychologist. Sure, the man couldn’t inflict the same damage as an actual lion or tiger but probably some damage. I guess it’s only fitting, and somewhat ironic, that the man would seek out an interaction with a psychologist of all people, someone specialized in treating mental disorders. God turned the right light on that day!

I’m not suggesting anyone in our reading for this morning is suffering from a similar mental disorder. That joke simply introduces the idea of belief, something that is essential in today’s reading. All through the reading this idea of belief kept popping up. Jesus boldly proclaimed, “Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” And then he follows up with the question to Martha, “Do you believe this, Martha?” To which she responds, “Yes, Lord, I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” And then later, when Jesus was at the tomb he turned to his disciples and asked them, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” You see, at the core of this encounter is this deep unbelief held by both Martha and Jesus’ disciples. I know, I know, we say, “But wait, Martha boldly responded to Jesus’ question by confessing, ‘I have always believed you are the Messiah.’” Surely, she was a woman of belief! Well, she’s not really answering Jesus’ question, is she? He was asking if she believed in the everlasting life he has to offer, not in who he is. She, like many people, had a hard time believing in everlasting life. After all, if she had believed in it, she wouldn’t have been so angry at Jesus’ late arrival. She would have been assured of the gift he had to offer and wouldn’t have cared when he arrived. What difference is a day or two when Jesus comes with the gift of resurrection? No, Martha didn’t believe in what Jesus was capable of doing, only in who he was. And the disciples, well, they were always amazed at what Jesus could do. Why? Because of their deep disbelief.

Jesus understands this deep unbelief within all of us. Jesus understands it and compensates for it. He repeatedly heals us in unimaginable ways and teaches us answers to the great mysteries of life. Over and over, he does things to help us get over our unbelief. He knows that there is deep-seated doubt within each of us. We struggle with truly believing in what he can do for us. I often wonder where this doubt comes from. Why do we struggle to believe that he can do what no one else can do? Doesn’t he always create new life? Why can’t we trust this? Why must we be shown him creating new life to actually believe he can do it? Sometimes I think it’s because we’re afraid of new life. We get comfortable in our old ways of living and don’t want to change. New life inevitably brings change and many of us are afraid of change. None of us likes to feel obsolete, that our lives are meaningless. New life can seem to suggest this. Or it can bring hope. With new life comes new possibilities. It’s odd how new life can bring both hope and despair. But back to belief…

There was great unbelief in Martha and the disciples that was ultimately transformed into great belief through the resurrection of Lazarus. They no longer doubted in what Jesus was capable of. What a gift is belief!! Belief is assurance. Belief is fearlessness. Belief is true life! As John 3:16 tells us, “…everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Friends, belief is a great gift, just as great as love and hope and faith. Belief not only leads to assurance and fearlessness and life but it’s what can save us from ourselves. It’s what can save us from self-destruction and despair and doubt. Belief is the key to true joy in this world. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” (10:9-10) Jesus helped Martha and his disciples believe through the resurrection of Lazarus but it was Jesus’ resurrection that helps us all believe. It’s one thing to resurrect someone else. It’s a whole nother thing to resurrect yourself. Only Jesus could do that!

Of course, Lazarus’ resurrection is only a foreshadowing of Jesus’ resurrection. But in both cases, our belief is encouraged and strengthened. Belief is important in our Christian walk through this world. Sure, it might express itself in odd ways as that opening joke suggested but it is a great gift from God. And for that we give thanks. Thanks be to God!

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.