Do you believe?

 Pause with me once again for my reflection on the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

John 11:1-53 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2011%3A1-53&version=ESV

There seems to be a theme over the past few weeks covering the visitation of Nicodemus at night with Jesus and that wonderful Gospel in John 3:16. Then I read about a Samaritan woman meeting Jesus and Jesus telling her about Living Water. Followed last week by Jesus giving sight to a man born blind. And now we have the Gospel for this Sunday about the mourning friends of Jesus witnessing Lazarus return from death.

Once again, Jesus reaches in to me and makes his Word so personal. Jesus reaches into the midst of my spirit and calls me out of myself with the common theme of the past few weeks. Jesus poses a question directly to me and perhaps to you and to all the world. Do you believe?

Did Lazarus believe when Jesus told him that he must be born anew? Did the Samaritan woman at the well believe when Jesus told her that he could give her Living Water? Did the blind man believe when his sight was given to him and he saw Jesus for the first time? For that matter, did anyone believe when they saw water turned into wine? Did the witnesses of Jesus' baptism believe when the Spirit descended upon Jesus? How about the five thousand people fed with just a few pieces of fish and bread. Did anyone believe? Or even Jesus' own disciples; did they believe when Jesus walked on the water? Or the adulterous woman, forgiven by Jesus and saved from stoning; did she walk away believing? Need I go on?

Today Jesus reaches in and seeks my answer to his question in this story about the raising of Lazarus. Do I believe? Closer yet... Do you believe, Bill? 

Believe what? Do you, Bill, believe that I AM the Messiah?

Jesus received word that his good friend, Lazarus was ill. Lazarus was the brother of Jesus' other friends, Mary and Martha. But Jesus didn't run right to Lazarus; and he died. Jesus delayed for some reason. He delayed on purpose, it appears, in order that, in my opinion, the world would receive a vital message about God's love. 

So, Jesus finally does go to where Lazarus was buried, and Martha meets Jesus as he approaches. Martha reminds Jesus of the possibility that if Jesus had been a bit more punctual, he would have been able to heal his friend and her brother, Lazarus. Martha sends word to Mary who is back home mourning that Jesus is close by. Mary runs to meet Jesus and tells Jesus that if he would have been there, her brother, Lazarus, would not have died. So, they all go to the tomb of Lazarus and Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb; out of death to life. This is after Lazarus has been dead for days! 

Word gets out that Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead and the chief priests and the Pharisees begin a plot to kill Jesus. Why? 11:48 explains... "If we let him (Jesus) go on like this, everyone will believe in him (Jesus), and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation."

So how is this "Do you believe?" question personal?

All along this passage the word believe pops up. Jesus is glad he wasn't there for the death of Lazarus. Why? So that the disciples may believe. Martha meets Jesus and Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life and that all who believe in him, even though they die, will live and everyone who believes in him will never die. Jesus asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" Jesus says to the people at Lazarus tomb to remove the stone. Martha cautions that there will be a stench if this is done. Jesus reply? Didn't I (Jesus) tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? They take away the stone and Jesus prayer to the Father concludes with the reason for raising Lazarus was so that all may believe that God sent Jesus.

So, I read, I ponder, I listen and I seek the answer to the question. Do you believe?

I see that even in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, God wants me to hear and listen for a resurrection from the dead. I reflect upon the Psalms to learn to wait in the hope of God. Paul in the Letters mentions life through the Spirit. And I read, I ponder, I listen and seek the answer to the question. Do you believe?

Here in this raising of Lazarus, Jesus speaks to me. Jesus speaks to me personally. Jesus comes to me in the stench of my sinful self. Jesus comes to me in the darkness of my own tomb that I fully deserve. Jesus weeps for my sin. Jesus sees that I deserve death and hell for how I have run from God and how I have made idols out of all sorts of things throughout my life. My sinfulness is bare before Jesus and Jesus knows exactly what I deserve as I dwell in the stinking darkness of my own tomb of sin and death. No wonder Jesus weeps!

And what does Jesus do? Jesus has his own view on what real life is about. Jesus knows that resurrection comes before life. Jesus delays while I'm sure good and gone and dead. But why? So that he could weep for me, while I exist in the darkness and stench of my own sin? No!

The result of Lazarus raising from the dead was Jesus death on a cross. 

Jesus loves me and knows that I am ill in my sinfulness. I am a child of God through my baptism and I know that Jesus loves me. Lazarus death, and my death, set up the supreme gift of the Word to all the world, for me, for you, for all. I see how Jesus loves me. I see how life comes through Jesus death. Jesus boldly steps into my own death. Jesus steps right into my own sinful stench and darkness. Willingly, out of love, Jesus does this. And Jesus teaches me to wait in my stench and darkness, because he alone is the answer to life.

Yes, Jesus weeps for me. Jesus weeps as he will once again weep in the Garden of Gethsemane for me and for you and all the world. See how Jesus loves me? Jesus walks straight towards Lazarus death, my death and the death of all sinners, into his own death on the cross. He walks in this way to give life to me and to all who simply believe. A belief that comes through no effort of my own. Jesus creates belief that comes through all that God has done for me and you and the world.

The cross was only the start of eternal life in Jesus. God gives life! God gives more life than this measly years of existence on this earth. God gives eternal life. Jesus loves me right into eternity with him. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

Personal? Yes! Do you believe? How could I not? Yes I believe! I look forward to that day when the stone of my own tomb is rolled back, when the stench and darkness of my own sinfulness are gone and I hear on the last day... I hear the voice of Jesus beneath the wrappings of my sinfulness... "Bill! Come out! Unbind him! Bill, you are mine and my grace does not end at your death.

As Lazarus was raised... some people believed... others made plans to kill Jesus. A death that resulted in resurrection and salvation offered to all the world.

Do you believe?