Lessons on Life

Sermon given at Grace UMC 3/24/16

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Scripture Reading:

^NRS  John 11:17  When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, ¹⁹ and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." 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. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" ²⁷ She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."

An old man lived alone in Idaho. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was backbreaking work, and his son, Bubba, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man mentioned it in a letter he sent to his son by saying, “I’m not sure exactly what to do. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. It looks like I won’t be able to plant that garden this year after all.” A few days later, he received a short letter from his son, “Dad, For heaven’s sake, don’t dig up that garden that’s where I buried the bodies!” At 4 a.m. the next morning, a crew of police officers, and the FBI arrived to find the bodies. After digging for hours, they gave up and apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son. “Dear Dad, under these circumstances, that’s the best I can do, go ahead and plant your potatoes now.”

This morning we have come to this place to honor the story of resurrection. But do we really believe that it happened? Before Jesus goes to the cross Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, maybe even a relative, suddenly takes ill and dies. It happens in our world every minute of every day. Someone we love and cherish takes suddenly ill and then dies. What do we believe happens in those moments immediately following our physical death? Where do we go? What does it look like? There are numerous books that describe those who have died and returned and what they have seen, felt and experienced. But are their stories real? What do we really believe?

Martha and Mary have lost their brother. Many of here have lost a loved one at one time or another. It is a time of great sadness as we grieve for that loss. As a Pastor I have attended more than my share of funerals, some large with lots of people paying their respects and some not so large. I remember a man who died in a nursing home when I was serving at a small church called Thomas Chapel. I went to the funeral home and discussed the arrangements; his daughter was from out of town and had left the particulars with the funeral director. It was one of those days, the wind was whipping and it was spitting snow as we arrived at the hillside cemetery where he was going to be buried. I spoke briefly to the funeral director and waited for the family to arrive. We waited and waited and waited. No one did. The crew that had dug the grave saw what was happening and came over saying that someone should at least pay their last respects for the gentleman. It was one of the saddest funerals I ever did.

As a Pastor death has not reached only those who are far away or in someone else’s family. My mother passed in March of 2002. I remember it well. I was working for a client in Scranton, Pennsylvania when the call came. Like most of you, the call is never expected at that moment. Mom had battled a long fight with cancer and the consequences of uncontrolled diabetes. Funny thing about her last moments here in the physical realm! She prepared her flowerbeds for spring, a little early, but it was her normal routine to do so. She got all the things of her life in order and even called me on that Sunday. Mom never liked to use the phone and I thought it a little strange. But her death and the dysfunctionality of my immediate family at that moment left a scar that has truly never healed. Maybe some of you have similar stories to tell. Death is like that you know. 

Death is that moment when our physical life ends and something new begins. I say that because the laws of thermodynamics tell us that energy cannot be lost, it is simply refocused. Martha clearly believes that if Jesus had simply come there when they called for him several days earlier, then Lazarus would not have died. Jesus asks her strange question; at least for our day and age maybe, do you not believe that he will be resurrected. Of course she says in the final days when judgment comes. You see, the Hebrew people believed that when we die we rest in a place called Sheol or Purgatory and there we await the last days and final judgement. At that time we will be resurrected to face a life of paradise or that other place.

But Jesus tells Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me will not perish but have eternal life.”  Have I mentioned that Jesus is late to the funeral? I mean not just a minute late or even a half hour late but he is four days late. Now I think that this plays to the story that John wants us to know. An understanding of Hebrew faith is probably important here. They believe that the soul lingers after physical death. That it takes three days for the soul to progress into Sheol. I wonder if it is coincidental that Jesus waits to one day after that to arrive. I mean, He knows that everyone else knows that Lazarus in beyond the physical realm and no one can say, well he was just ill and Jesus cured him. No he is dead! DEAD, dead!

What Jesus does with Lazarus is an important message for you and me. In fact in some ways it is necessary to the story of His own death and resurrection. If Jesus has the power to raise the dead, then Jesus must be God. Now interestingly enough this story gets press in 1^st century Jerusalem and is reported by historians of that day and time. So we don’t just have the Biblical word, but witness testimony. Jesus raised Lazarus from his physical death back into the physical world. But that is not what Easter. That Jesus has that power is something we take sometimes for granted. That Jesus was willing to help a friend and/or family member is an important story.

What is important today is that the tomb where Jesus lay is empty just as the tomb where Lazarus lay was empty. We have traveled this path the last week from the entrance into Jerusalem where His very entrance on the back of a donkey proclaimed Him as Messiah. Next we go to the events of the Upper Room where when sharing the Passover feast, he introduced a new covenant that we now share. Funny thing about that, again, it cannot be coincidence that Jesus death comes on the eve of Passover at the very moments when they are slaying the lambs for the Passover feast. But Jesus death at Golgotha comes at a pivotal moment for each of us. Why would He do that? Why would He give His life for us? What grace has been shared as the blood was shed?

Easter is not about flowers or spring or the celebration of new bonnets and new suits. It is not about letting us enjoy the children in a program but it is about the message they sent us this morning. The tomb is empty and God’s love and mercy has been shed down the cross for you and me. We are free from the bondage of sin and given the promise of eternal life in paradise. Isiah tells us that one day we will share a meal on the mountain of God with the best meats, the best breads and the best of everything, best of all being in the presence of Jesus. I remember one night while visiting a funeral home where a member’s relative was in viewing. A woman came to me that night with a story. She said some years back she had died while being operated on. She remembers being in a place where she knew people there, but was unable to see, just sense them. There were a lot of people and they were around a table but she was not allowed to move into the throng of people and next to the table. She was turned around and woke up in recovery. Where was I she asked?

Do you believe in the resurrection? God has a promise for you that you too can one day sit at the table of God. But it requires that you come to the table with thanksgiving, repentance and belief. Do you believe?