Lazarus

All I wanted to do was leave the building and go about my day. The meeting on the third floor was over, so I gathered my documents and got into the elevator. Pushing the button for the lobby I patently waited as the doors slid shut. Then I did what I suppose most people do in an elevator; I stood there and waited, and waited, and waited. The elevator car had indeed descended to the first floor, but the doors unexpectedly remained shut. Now, after a few seconds you get that feeling that something isn’t quite right. A minute ago everything was normal, but suddenly something was amiss. I’m typically the kind of person that stays calm in situations like this. Much of that is due to my military training, I suppose. So, being the cool-headed guy I am, I did the next logical thing; I hit the “door open” button about fifteen times with increasing force and speed. Can you believe that didn’t work? Okay, I am actually trapped in an elevator, I concluded.

I remembered upon entering the building, located in downtown Beaver Falls, that a receptionist, or security guard, or someone behind a desk in the lobby had greeted me. The next logical thing to do as I stood alone, trapped inside the elevator car was…pound loudly on the doors, right? Those things must be well insulated, because I pounded quite loudly and there was no response. “Ah, the cell phone, dummy,” I said out loud. My hand went to my pocket and I reminded that I had left the phone in the car. I felt like I was in a sitcom.

I stood for a moment pondering my next move. Looking more closely at the elevator’s control panel I spotted a “call” button. It was worth a try. Immediately upon pressing it, I heard some electronic beeping and then a voice, “911 operator, what is your emergency?” I explained my plight and she put in a call to the fire department while remaining on line with me. Once the BFFD was dispatched, the 911 operator started asking if I was okay. “Yes, I am fine,” I assured her; “I’m not claustrophobic served on a submarine.” Some moments later I heard the Fire Department personnel out in the lobby. They too were asking if I was alright and I assured them I was. Within another thirty seconds or so, the doors where pried open and I was set free from my temporary cell.

As we approach Easter 2020, life has suddenly taken some unexpected turns. Obviously there is covid19, but there are other things going on as well. Most of which I seem to have no control over. Let’s face it, any amount of control we think we have is more illusion than reality. This virus illustrates that. Three months ago did any of us see this coming? Recorded in the amazing words of the Bible’s Old and New Testaments are many, many accounts of people who’s lives were suddenly altered for one reason or another. The account we will consider in this blog is one that impacted the final days before Jesus went to the Cross to redeem all who believe. The account begins with someone who was sick and dying; his name was Lazarus. Please stop for a moment, take out your Bible and read John 11:1-37.

There is so much happening in John 11; let’s review some of the main points. Lazarus lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. Bethany was like a suburb of Jerusalem. This Mary would later anoint Jesus with oil and wipe His feet with her hair; that can be found in John 12:1-8. Thus, at the time of Lazarus’ sickness in John 11, the anointing had not taken place yet. Remember, the Gospel was written after the events took place, it was not recorded live. Anyway, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, who was some distance away. Upon hearing the news Jesus did not go to Bethany immediately because He and the Father had a different plan. Jesus makes clear in John 11:4 that the end result of Lazarus’ sickness would be God’s glory, not Lazarus’ death. The people needed to learn something about who Jesus is.

Then in John 11:5 Jesus tells His disciples it is time to return. We don’t know how long it was from Lazarus’ initial signs of illness until the sisters sent for Jesus. We do know from John 11:17 that when Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Further, 11:5 states Jesus left where He was two days after the messengers came to Him. You also will note that Jesus’ disciples were concerned about His returning to the area of Jerusalem because the religious and political leaders wanted to kill Him, some out of jealousy (John 12:9) and some out of fear (John 11:41). Regardless, Jesus was returning because the Father was to be glorified.

Meeting Jesus as He returned, Martha expresses her faith in Him as the Christ, the Son of God. She says, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died, but even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

After a short conversation Jesus responds, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live, and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Then He asked that all important question, “Do you believe this?”

Martha confirmed her faith and then ran to get her sister Mary who then went out to meet Jesus. She wasn’t alone as she went, for many from Bethany and Jerusalem were there consoling the sisters; they followed Mary. Mary expresses the same belief that if Jesus had been there He could have healed Lazarus. The crowd believed this also according to John 11:17. So Jesus, Mary, Martha, the Disciples, and the crowd all went to the tomb.

Upon arriving at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus instructs some people to remove the stone from the tomb’s entrance and Martha reminds Jesus that her brother had been dead for four days. It would seem that she didn’t really expect what was coming next; she just thought Jesus wanted to see the body. Even if you know this account well, take time to ponder what Jesus said next.

He said, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

This was more about revealing the Father’s glory and that same glory in Jesus as a testimony to all those witnesses, and by extension to you and me as we read this account.

Jesus continued, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me, and I know that You always hear Me. But because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

That’s the other piece, Jesus delayed returning to Bethany until Lazarus had been dead for four days, so that we could believe that He is God the Son who came from the Father and is one with the Father. He is the Christ, God the Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and who has the power over sin and death.

Jesus cried out, “Lazarus, come forth!”

And Lazarus rose from the dead and walked out of that tomb.

Now, is this a promise that Jesus will raise all of our departed loved ones from the grave so that we can have a little more time with them? No. As Jesus said, resurrection to Life is only for those who believe He is the Christ. Furthermore, that resurrection is not now, but in the future when all the dead in Christ will rise (stop again here and read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Those who believe in Jesus now will eventually die physically, unless He returns first. But let me say this, not every tomb is covered by a rock. The Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostle Paul in Romans that every person has sinned (3:23) and that what we’ve earned in our sin is death (6:23). Without faith in Jesus Christ, believing that He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no person will get to God except through the Blood of Jesus (John 14:6), there is no forgiveness. Only Jesus’ substitutionary death on the Cross can wipe away our sin and make us accepted to the Father (Ephesians 1:7). Without faith in Jesus we are all walking dead, spiritually dead that is. When we realize and confess that our sin is rebellion against God and His will for us, when we repent of our sin and believe that God the Son died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin, when we realize salvation is only through Jesus Christ, then we too have “come forth” from death into Life.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

I was set free from a malfunctioning elevator in Beaver Falls one day, but that is absolutely nothing in comparison to the prison of sin and death my Saviour Jesus freed me from by the grace He gave to me, a grace I truly did not deserve. The similarity is this: as long as you or I insist we are alright, that we have things under control and don’t need any help we will remain trapped in sin, and the wages of sin is death.

If you have never committed your life to Jesus Christ, today is the day. These are troubling times, and today is the day of salvation.

“Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

If you have believed and have committed your life to Him, then know that in these troubling times you need to continue to trust Him and be a witness for Him, now more than ever. Look, I said earlier that Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead had an impact on the following week, the Passion Week, when Jesus went to the Cross. Many people saw Lazarus in the days following his resurrection by the power of Jesus. John 12:9-11 says many came to see Jesus and Lazarus and that the Jewish leaders then plotted to kill Lazarus also, “because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.” Lazarus, raised to life from death was a powerful witness to who Jesus is. Jesus’ delay in returning, and His raising Lazarus from the dead brought glory to God by leading many to faith in Him and the redemption of their souls

You, being raised to Life from death are a powerful witness to who Jesus is. People need that witness, open your mouth and let the Holy Spirit speak through you. The time is now.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Mark