Bloghardt's Reflector

But, Jesus wasn’t late.  He was on time - His time.  The Gospel says that when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.  

“Lazarus’ illness is not to death,” Christ told His disciples, “It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified.”   

Then, after two days, Jesus decided to go to his friend.  “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 

“If he sleeps, then he’ll get well!” say the clueless disciples.  They didn’t want to go on the sick call, you see.  The last time they were in Judea, the Jews ran them out with stones.  

But Jesus has His face set toward Judea and the Cross.  “Lazarus is dead and I rejoice for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe.  Let’s go to him.”

Now, this morning’s Gospel has the Lord standing before the mourners and proclaiming to the grieving sister the simple fact:  “Your brother will rise.”

Not might rise.  Not possibly rise.  Not since-he-died believing, he’ll rise.  Not anything about Lazarus at all, just simply, “He will rise again.”

Martha deflected it.  It couldn’t be that certain.  “Sure, he’ll rise at the resurrection on the Last Day.”  Some time later, he’ll rise.  You know, on the Last Day.  Not now.  

And what about us?  Here we are today remembering my friend, your wife, your mother, and your grandmother, Gene.  The air is filled with the sadness of loss.  

None of us expected this.  Just a month ago, I was bringing the Yeagers communion.  We were talking about Christmas and watching Fox News.  Pastors don’t get to talk politics, so I always enjoy my visits with the Yeagers ‘cause I get to watch a bit of Fox News.  

She was just telling me that she was a day older than Jesus.  She wasn’t like two-thousand years old, no  she was talking about being born on Christmas Eve. 

I think it’s the suddenness of this that is just this hard.  And it’s ok to weep.  Our Lord will weep in just a few verses.  Weeping isn’t wrong.  Death stinks.  It wasn’t what God intended.  God didn’t created Lazarus to die.  Sin did that.  God didn’t create Gene Yeager to die.  Sin has done that.

So, as Jesus speaks these words in our Gospel to Martha, He speaks them to us too.  To Gene’s friends, her family, her kids, her grandkids, and especially to you, Jim.

Remember, Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise.”  And Martha side stepped His words.  She was looking later.  Yes, yes, Jesus, I know we’ll all rise up on the Last Day.  

Jesus responded, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me though He die, yet shall he live and he who lives and believes in Me will never die.  Do you believe this?”

Not later.  Not on the Last Day.  But right now, I am the resurrection.  The resurrection on the Last Day.  The resurrection right now.

I am the life - right now.  Not then.  Right now.  I’m the light of the world and My light is the light of all men - including Lazarus as he sleeps in the tomb.

He who believes in Me will never die.  Never ever.  Not really.  Maybe sleep, but I’ll wake them.  But final death, separation from the God who created them - no not ever.

For Death has been swallowed up by the Son of God’s death.  It has been beaten up.  It has been conquered in His death.  And as surely as Christ is risen from the dead, those in Him will rise from the dead too.

“Do you believe this?”  Well, do you, dear friends?  Before you answer, Jesus has already decided what He’s going to do for Lazarus.  Remember, He came to Judea already certain that He was gonna wake Lazarus from His sleep.  He tells Martha that He is going to raise Lazarus before He asks whether she she believes or not.

For what Jesus says is true.  It’s a true statement - whether they believe or not.  Christ is the resurrection.  He is the life.  He who believes in Him though he may die, yet shall he live and he who lives and believe in Him will never die.

And Jesus asked where they had laid His friend.  He wept at His tomb.  He asked for the stone to be taken away.  They tried to stop Him, after all, Lazarus had been dead for four days.

Then, He prayed - not for Himself, not for what He was about to do, He already knew what was going to happen.  He prayed that we, you and me, would believe that He was sent by the Father.  

Then, with a loud voice, He cried out, “Lazarus, come out.”  And the dead man, says St. John, did just that - He came out still all tied up by his funeral clothes!

For Jesus is the resurrection.  He is the life and the one who believes in Him, though he dies, yet shall he live and the one who lives and believes in Him will never die.

On Good Friday, the One who raised Lazarus from the dead, suffered and died for His friend, for Martha, for Mary, for Gene, and for you and me.  After three days, He rose and He’s brought to us life and immortality.

And you can be sure that the next time that Lazarus got sleepy, the next time they tied him in funeral clothes, He knew one thing for certain:  the One who died and rose for Him would call him out of the tomb again.  

So, with the certainty of the One who called Lazarus out of the tomb and will call him out of the tomb again, I tell you as a called and ordained servant of the Risen Christ ...

Your wife will rise again.  Your mom will rise again.  Your grandmother will rise again.  Your sister will rise again.  As surely as Christ is risen from the dead, Mary Gene Yeager will rise again.

Not might.  Not because she died believing enough.  Not because of her at all - but because Christ lives now, she will live, she is alive right now in Him.

For She died with Him in the waters of her Baptism.  The finality of her death died with her there in the water.  She rose with Him from the dead.  

 She sleeps now, finally resting from her labors waiting for the voice of her Lord to call her out of the tomb just as He called Lazarus out that first time before Martha and Mary.

And Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb, so that you might hear this message today and believe that He was sent by the Father to die for you and to rise for you.

So that you might believe that just He called Lazarus out of the tomb, He will call you out of the tomb.  

That you would put your faith in His words and believe that all that you have done has been answered for by His holy life and bitter sufferings and death.

And as you suffer through the uncertainty of today, with all it’s sadness and pain, that you would comfort one another with these words: 

Mary Gene Yeager will rise again.  It’s as certain as the Jesus who called Lazarus out of the tomb.  It’s as certain as Jesus died for her and rose for her.   As certain as the Jesus who died for you and rose for you too.

Do you believe this?   

Martha responded, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”  In the name of Jesus. Amen.