As has become the custom the past three weeks, we once again have a whopper of a Gospel reading today! We just read most of chapter 11 of the Gospel according to John. There is so much going on in, just before, and just after, this reading I could preach on it for hours. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately we do not have the time for that.
What we do have time for is a brief overview of The Gospel according to John. John’s Gospel can be broken down into 4 sections. The prologue which introduces Jesus as Word of God, the book of signs chapters 2-12 which provide us with numerous signs and miracles offering evidence that Jesus is The Word of God, the book of Glory which illustrates the preparation before entering Jerusalem, and the betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, showing us that Jesus was without a doubt the incarnate Word of God: God’s Son. And finally, the epilogue where Jesus appears a third and final time to his disciples and hands the keys of the Church to Peter and the Apostles.
The section we read today is a very important part of John’s account because it is the transition from the book of signs into the book of glory. Glory is a key theme here. When we think of the word glory what do we think of? When Jesus’ disciples heard Jesus say he would be glorified what did they think of? When I hear the word glory, I think of myself being the closing pitcher for the NY Mets and securing the final strikeout in a World Series win. That’s my kind of glory. Maybe, being a Pulitzer Prize winning author, or the lead singer of a top 40 hit. When we think of glory, and when Christ’s disciples thought about glory, what comes to mind are accomplishments that are admittedly awesome, but ultimately fleeting.
Now to today’s text. After hearing of Lazarus’ illness and waiting two days, Jesus returns to Bethany, a place where he knows there are people out to get him. In Chapter 10, Jesus fled the temple as the Pharisees attempted to stone him which is the conclusion to the healing of the blind man story. Jesus returns so he can rescue his friend whom he loves so much that he weeps at the entrance to his grave. At this point, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Interestingly, there was a belief at the time that the soul of a dead person would hover over the body for three days before finally departing. So, for Jesus to arrive on the fourth day gives all who are mourning Lazarus’ death no hope at all. Yet Jesus arrives and commands the rock be moved, and as the sisters Mary and Martha, and a crowd of others look on, Jesus, the Word of God through whom all creation was spoken into existence, gives thanks to The Father, and boldly speaks “Lazarus, come out!” And he does. Lazarus who has been dead for four days, whose body had begun to decompose, walks out of his own tomb to the astonishment of all who witness it.
What is so unique about this event is that Jesus performs this miracle so openly. He tells his disciples that Lazarus’ death is specifically so that The Son of God may be glorified. Jesus himself announces the transition from him being a man who performs miraculous signs to him being the one who will be glorified. And the glory Jesus is speaking of here isn’t glory that is fleeting, it is glory that is eternal, and everlasting. It is the glory of God.
This event made many believe, but it also caused many to run to the Jewish leadership, to begin to worry, to fear yet another prophet will cause the Romans to destroy Jerusalem. Chapter 11 ends as all this tension is building, and Caiaphas (the High Priest) speaks up. Incredibly he prophesies that Jesus will die for the nation, and not only for the nation but for all the dispersed children of God! Jesus’ actions in raising Lazarus from the dead effectively sign his own death warrant, and the man who would be the architect of the plot to kill Jesus declares that Jesus will die for the salvation of the nation of God. Caiaphas speaks a true prophecy even though he has no idea what it really means. Caiaphas thinks he is saving Jerusalem from another would be messiah who would bring down the terror of ultimate worldly power, the Roman Army.
As we know Caiaphas succeeds, he turns Judas on Jesus, he turns the crowds on Jesus, and eventually even turns the power of Rome itself on Jesus. He does all this because of his lack of faith, his want for personal and national glory, and his fear, which prevents him from trusting God. The glory of the High Priest, the glory of Rome, come together and attempt to crush Jesus, but to their dismay, what the crucifixion accomplished was the restoration of communion between man and God, the establishment of Christ’s new body in the world, The Church, and the empowerment of all believers by The Holy Spirit. In death Jesus destroys death. By His death, Jesus gives the entire world the ability to re-enter relationship with God.
What we read today is the beginning of the story of the glorification of Jesus. The glorification of Jesus is his death on a cross, the atoning sacrifice of an all loving God, who gave us His Word, His Son so that we might all become his sons and daughters. What greater gift can we receive, than the glory of Jesus Christ: The eternal Glory of God Himself opening the doors of His kingdom, and inviting us all, as his heirs, to behold the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Sermon preached by the Rev. Christian M. Wood
Church of the Redeemer
Sarasota Florida
5th Sunday of Lent
2 April 2017