Encounters with Jesus: The resurrection and the life

John 11:1-44 ESV

[1] Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. [2] It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. [3] So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” [4] But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” [5] Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [6] So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. [7] Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” [8] The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” [9] Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” [11] After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” [12] The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” [13] Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. [14] Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, [15] and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” [16] So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” [17] Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. [20] So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. [21] Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” [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. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” [27] She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” [28] When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” [29] And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. [30] Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. [31] When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. [32] Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. [34] And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” [35] Jesus wept. [36] So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” [37] But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” [38] Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. [39] Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” [40] Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” [41] So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” [43] When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” [44] The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.11.1-44.ESV

Rev. Kyuboem Lee

Jesus does not keep us at a distance. He doesn't perform a resurrection; He is the resurrection. 

Jesus wept

Lazarus is dead. God is too late. Martha just gives voice to how we feel about these kinds of situations. Jesus isn't offended. God wants our messy prayers. It is both accusation and faith together. Both sisters school the same thing. So then we come upon the the shortest verse in the Bible. Jesus wept. He was deeply moved. Jesus is not Buddha. Jesus is moved by the human suffering in front of Him. 

But why does Jesus weep? He knew Lazarus was dead before they arrived. He knew that he was about to raise Lazarus from death soon. So, why? Jesus enters into our grief. Jesus is overcome by our losses. We may feel this feature to preserve God's dignity. But Jesus comes into our lives and walks alongside us in the messiness.

Christian grief is normal and real. But the grief has hope. It does not circle in on itself. We aren't called to stay safe in the distance, but to come with Jesus to the tomb and weep with those in grief. He isn't simply polite, sending condolences from a distance. He brings his presence to those who are in the midst of grief.

I am the Resurrection

Martha and Jesus converse. Martha acknowledges her brother is dead. Jesus says Lazarus will rise again. Martha accepts and says that Lazarus will return at end times. Jesus challenges that by claiming to be resurrection. Not resurrection for end times, but rather resurrection in the midst of death, sin, and messiness of our lives. He is here now to bring life on the midst of everything.

[People] unbind him

Jesus calls for the stone to be rolled away. Martha points out that Lazarus had been buried for four days. He is a dead as can possibly be. Jesus reiterates his command and the stone is rolled away. Jesus prays for not Lazarus, but the community. Lazarus comes out bound in burial coverings. Jesus calls for the people to help unbind. This is not salvation that we are called to do. We are called to help unbind each other from the bindings of sin and death. This is what the church is called to do. Resurrected people need each other's help. 

Encounters with Jesus: Love and conflict

Matthew 23:1-12, 23-28 ESV

[1] Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, [2] “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, [3] so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. [4] They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. [5] They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, [6] and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [7] and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. [8] But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. [9] And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. [10] Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. [11] The greatest among you shall be your servant. [12] Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

[23]  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. [24] You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! [25]  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. [26] You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. [27]  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. [28] So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.23.1-28.ESV

We have known from Sunday school days that the Pharisees were the villains of this story. They opposed Jesus. We would consider them to be the farthest from ourselves. The opposite of the Christian. But think about this: they fasted once a week. We struggle to fast during Lent. They tithed not just their paychecks, but they also tithed their herbs. They knew the word of God inside and out. Not only did they respect the law of God, but they made additional laws to help them follow the law of God. 

This should make us tremble that such adherence to religious practice can make us the enemy of Jesus. Following the laws of God had an ulterior motive. It was a way to gain political power and status. Following the practices of religion without self examination will end in self righteousness. This is the results of a selfish heart given religious tools. We are more like the Pharisees than we think. 

The Pharisees kept all the minor laws in order to promote their own righteousness. Their outside is pristine but the inside is a tomb. The sex worker and the tax collector has an advantage in this. How so? Their sin is obvious. We cannot repent of what we consider to be a virtue. Self deception is slow and progressive. The longer we are a Christian, the more likely we will resemble the Pharisees.

The Pharisees pushed for self effort. Better and closer adherence to the law is the way to salvation. Works righteousness is completely contrary to the gift of grace. The call is to cast aside our righteousness and accept the gift of grace by the life and death of Jesus. We are not called to more effort, but a new identity. We are accepted as children of God because of Jesus. 

God does not keep a ledger of our good works. God doesn't owe us. But the Pharisees did. Good works will be rewarded. They perform for their own status. They take a genuinely good thing and twist them to promote themselves. 

Questions to help guide us back onto the path:

Do you find it harder to confess current sins rather than old ones? 

Do we impose rules on others than we ourselves do not fully meet? 

Do we still feel our need for grace just as much as when we first became a Christian?

Do we come to God as a child coming home or an employee reporting to their boss? 

Do we put burdens on others rather than giving grace?

Do we feel upset when we are not recognized for the work that we have done?