The Grace of Resurrection - John 11:1-45

You may have noticed that the Gospel readings during Lent in lectionary year A are a little on the lengthy side. Actually, I know that you’ve noticed because many of you have commented on it. Admittedly, I’ve found myself drinking more water before services in hopes of staving off dry mouth whilst reading a portion of scripture that is longer than the average sermon in an Episcopal church. 

Plus, I tend to think that the Johannine community, a group of early Christians who lived a little off the grid and are responsible for the Gospel of John, could have benefited from an editor. So if you found yourself struggling to stay tuned in during today’s Gospel proclamation, no worries, I’m happy to summarize: Lazarus dies and Jesus raises him from the dead. 

Of course, holy scripture is rarely that simple. John’s story about the raising of Lazarus is lengthy because it is a climactic moment in this Gospel on several levels. First, this is the peak of emotional expression for Jesus. John’s Gospel doesn’t reveal much of Jesus’ inner life, preferring to focus on his mysticism and power. But the death of his friend Lazarus draws him out of himself, culminating in the infamous line, “Jesus wept.” 

Secondly, Jesus’ self-revelation in this story is paramount. John’s gospel is known for its “I am” statements. “I am the Bread of Life,” “I am the Good Shepherd,” etc. Here, in the midst of her distress, Jesus tells Martha, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” This is the most literal and most significant of the “I am” statements. It has become the crux of our Christian hope such that we read that portion of this story at Episcopal funerals to remind those who mourn of who it is that cares for our loved ones that have died.

Finally, the story of the raising of Lazarus contains John’s version of the confession of Jesus as the Messiah. In the synoptic Gospels, which is what we call Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it is Peter who confesses that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah. But in John, it’s Martha, a woman, an emotional woman, an angry woman. This is good news for women everywhere. No aspect of our womanhood can prevent us from seeing the truth of our God. 

With all of these climactic moments, I suppose it makes a little more sense that the lectionary creators would opt for such a lengthy passage in one reading. But if you ask me, there’s still a crucial perspective missing from this story, and it’s that of Lazarus himself. Lazarus does not speak once in this story, despite having gone through something no one else on earth had yet experienced. In case you’re wondering, I feel similarly about the lack of speech from Isaac after his father nearly sacrificed him according to God’s instructions. 

One of the more interesting takes I’ve read about Lazarus is from theologian Frederich Buechner. It’s been a while since I’ve referenced Buechner in a sermon, but never fear, we haven’t broken up. In fact, this might be one of my favorite things he’s ever written. Concerning Lazarus, Buechner writes, 

“Recent interviews with people who have been resuscitated after being pronounced clinically dead reveal that, after the glimpse they evidently all of them get of a figure of light waiting for them on the other side, they are very reluctant to be brought back again to this one. On the other hand, when Lazarus opened his eyes to see the figure of Jesus standing there in the daylight beside him, he couldn’t for the life of him tell which side he was on”

This is a humorous perspective, but it certainly touches on the shock and confusion Lazarus must have felt. We cannot know for sure, because John’s Gospel does not record any speech from Lazarus, but it feels safe to assume that this is a watershed moment for him, a literal and spiritual turning point.

I don’t know of anyone who has been resurrected , and excepting the final resurrection at the culmination of history, I assume that none of us plan to be. And yet, Lazarus is somewhat of an exemplar for us. The reality of our Christian hope is that we receive the grace of resurrection all the time. We get to start over every single day on the path towards righteousness. 

And once a year, we walk through the season of Lent, yet another, broader opportunity to recognize the potential turning points in our lives and repent. We spend time during Lent dwelling on our mortality, something Lazarus was all too acquainted with. We don’t know for certain that Lazarus lived his life differently or more fully, after his resurrection, but we can certainly imagine some of the ways in which he might have. 

There are a few clues about Lazarus’ new life in John’s Gospel. In chapter 12, it is reported that several chief priests were after Jesus and Lazarus, because so many people left Lazarus’ company believing in Christ. At the very least, Lazarus was bearing witness to the faith in a way he could not have before. 

Lent is an opportunity for us to turn this imagination inward. In the face of our own mortality, how might we live differently? How might we bear witness to our faith in ways we haven’t before? Knowing that in Christ, we have the opportunity every single new day to recognize a potential turning point, to repent, and to live our lives more fully, will we take it? 

When faced with such moments, we may experience stunned and paralyzing confusion, as Buechner suggests Lazarus did. This is understandable. Life’s turning points are rarely clear and convenient. But once again, we have Lazarus to look to as an example. Once he was raised from the dead, Jesus commanded that his companions “unbind him and let him go.” We too must unbind ourselves and let go of the things that hold us back from a life lived in the image of Christ. 

So, maybe you’ve spent Lent 2023 in prayer and contemplation about your mortality and all the ways you can repent and turn towards Christ. Or maybe, like me, you’ve spent most of Lent 2023 praying for warmer weather and dreaming about dessert. Either way, Lazarus is a good reminder. Our lives are finite and they are brief, but we are given no shortage of opportunities to start again and make the most of them. With Christ our hope and Lazarus our guide, we are surely ready to embrace the grace of resurrection. Amen.