Implications of raising Lazarus
When I go to the gym and join classes I always keep an eye on the clock.
I like to know when it’s halfway- if it’s a hard class I’ve endured the 1st half, and downhill now to the end.
Similarly if it’s a boring class. half way- not long to go now.
Half way - getting nearer to our goal, to the end - downhill.
Last Sunday was Mothering Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Lent but it has another name, Mid-Lent Sunday- Half way, it’s downhill now.
But as we know it’s downhill but into a valley of darkness, pain and despair entering a tunnel of darkness - the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today is Passion Sunday when we focus our thoughts and minds on Christ’s arrest, trial, crucifixion- a very dark and gloomy tunnel.
But thank God there is light at the end of that tunnel- Easter and Christs glorious Resurrection.
In today's gospel John sets out the fate of Jesus - the die is cast, the dice have been thrown.
Bethany is less than 2 miles from Jerusalem, as near as Whitchurch is to Rhiwbina so news travels fast.
And news of the miracle that Jesus performed, raising Lazarus from the dead spread like wildfire.
Crowds flocked to Bethany not only to see Jesus but also Lazarus, he was the living proof that Jesus had power over life and even death itself.
Our gospel reading is one of the most tremendous and powerful pieces of scripture that we have and contains the words of eternal life:
I AM the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though, they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
The scene is set, the ministry of Jesus has upset the vast majority of the temple higher-achy to the extent that Caiaphas, the high priest announces to the council that,
‘it would be better to have one man die for the people than the whole nation destroyed.’
Jesus was seen to be a real threat to the stability of the Jewish nation and they believed that such a threat could result in annihilation by the Romans.
Caiaphas was a Sadducees and their theology didn't believe in a resurrection of the dead, they believed that when the body dies, the soul died.
On the other hand the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and this belief brought them into conflict with the Sadducees.
Frequent quarrels and fights broke out between the 2 parties.
So when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead he undermined Caiaphas in 3 ways: Firstly - only God’s anointed, the Messiah had power over life and death.
Secondly Lazarus’s being raised from the dead totally undermined the theology and political power of his position as high priest.
Thirdly when Jesus overturned the money changers and those who sold animals for sacrifice in the temple- Jesus was destroying Caiaphas’s lucrative business.
He had to go - Jesus was a marked man.
Having raised Lazarus Jesus was unable to go freely about His daily routine – where-ever He went He was hounded by the crowd or those who wanted to trick Him into speaking blasphemy or insurrection against the Roman occupation.
But it didn't end there, Lazarus was a marked man as well as he was living proof of the power Jesus had over life and death.
So Jesus had to escape, to be alone in prayer with His Father and the question on everyone’s lips - is He coming to the Passover festivities?
And we all know the answer – YES He came in a way that no one expected.
Riding on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem with the crowd shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord’
All eyes were on Him and questions were being asked by the visiting pilgrims, ‘Who is this?’
Jesus stays with Lazarus, Mary and Martha at Bethany for the rest of the week visiting Jerusalem and the temple daily.
And then late Thursday evening early Friday morning He is arrested in the garden of Gethsemane and taken to the city by force.
We hear no more about Lazarus which in many ways is strange to say the least – why wasn’t he at the foot of the cross with Mary and John?
Why wasn’t he there helping Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus with the body of Jesus?
No one knows only legend tells us that he and his sisters went to Cyprus where he became bishop.
On the other hand we know exactly what happens to Jesus, how He was tried and found guilty of blasphemy.
Passed to the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate who initially wanted to release Him but was blackmailed into having Him crucified.
How He suffered by being flogged, wearing a crown of thorns and being nailed to a cross.
How He died and was buried, but more importantly it didn’t there in the grave.
On the 3rd day He rose from the dead proving that He is the LORD the giver of life itself having power over life and death.
So today, Passion Sunday, we embark on a downhill journey, entering the dark tunnel of pain, despair and sorrows that leads to the glorious light life itself.
We can only look on in amazement, almost disbelief that God loves us so much, that His Son would give His life so freely as a ransom for our sin.
What can we say? Thank YOU! Thank God for Jesus, Or perhaps -
O Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world: have mercy on us…. AMEN
