What Do You Believe? ~ John 11:32-44 ~ All Saints Sunday

The story we heard from the Gospel is one that will be familiar to many of us—even if we’ve never even heard it before...  We’ve lived it...

At some point in the past, Jesus came into our lives when we may not have been expecting him or even seeking him.  It wasn’t difficult to put our faith in him—because we saw his love all around us.  Prayers were answered.  His help came when we needed it.  We had his peace.  Life was never the same again...

But when tragedy strikes, Jesus is nowhere to be found...

This was the experience of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.  Lazarus becomes gravely ill—and immediately, the two sisters send word to Jesus.  But he stays where he was.  Lazarus gets even sicker, until finally, he dies—and still, they wait on Jesus.  After four more days, Jesus finally shows up—and it’s too late.

So where is Jesus when tragedy strikes...when prayers are unanswered...when someone we love dies?

What does Jesus expect us to do when all signs point to his cold and cruel absence?

For answers to those questions, we turn to the Gospel...

There, we see that Jesus does not abandon his friends when he needs them most.  Even as they cry out to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” he does not reject them for their anger or their disappointment. 

Jesus loved these women dearly—as he loved Lazarus.  He was heartbroken that death had struck the lives of his friends. He knew the dreadful power he was up against—because he would soon be facing it head-on at the cross.  But Jesus had a plan.  Death was not going to win.  And being a few days late wasn’t going to thwart that plan one bit...

So they go to the tomb... 

Now, at this point, we’d expect Jesus to perform a miracle, with everyone watching in amazement.  But that’s not what happens...

Jesus tells the people that they must roll away the stone—even as Martha reminds everyone that the smells of death are very much still in the air.

All signs were still pointing to more disappointment; that all they were going to find behind the stone was death.  But Jesus assures them that if they have faith, they will see the glory of God.

Against all odds, they act on their faith by rolling the stone away. 

At Jesus’ Word, Lazarus comes out of the tomb.  Still, Jesus has more work for the people to do—because Lazarus is still bound in strips of cloth.  Once again, they must act on their faith by unbinding him from the grave clothes—not knowing what they’re going to find underneath. 

In the end, they see the glory of God—because they believed Jesus’ word.  First, they confronted the reality of death head on; complete with all its sights and smells.  Then, they answered Jesus’ call to act on their, faith against all the odds.  They saw with their own eyes that death would not have the last word in Jesus’ world. 

That is what this Gospel teaches us—that Jesus can work through every hardship and every loss for the sake of our redemption.  But we must have faith if we are to receive his healing—and not just any faith; a faith that expects to see the glory of God.  We must have a faith that acts...

The tragedies of life have a way of binding us in a darkness that feels as though there is no escaping.  We interpret all of the hardships and frustrations as signs of Jesus’ absence—and resign ourselves to living out our days in fear and misery.  But that is the worst thing we can do—because we are surrendering to the very powers that Jesus defeated at Golgotha. 

Faith, on the other hand, is a bold defiance of death.  It’s more than just the belief in life after death; it is believing that Jesus is right there with you and all who are hurting.  It is also hearing Jesus calling us out of the dark places so to receive his healing. 

Acting on faith means that we receive him where he promises to come to us—in prayer; in Scripture; in sacrament.

One of the most powerful ways that we receive Jesus’ healing is by participating in the healing work Jesus is doing in the world, just we see him doing throughout the Gospels.  He’s caring for those who hurt.  He’s befriending those who are lonely.  He’s giving to those who are in need.  His love is freeing people from misery and despair.

If we as a church do these very things, there’s no limit to the healing that Jesus can accomplish through us.  Jesus can use each one of us to unbind our neighbors from misery and despair and bring them to new life.  And we will be healed as we become Jesus’ healers..  We’ll see that truth, that death will never have the last word in God’s world.

There is healing for all who will hear Jesus call to come to him and believe.  We can bring to him our every hurt, and even our anger and our frustration.  We can bring to him our fears and our worries.  We can bring ourselves to him just as we are, even if we’re the worst sinner in the world—and he will never, ever, reject us.

Jesus is compassionate.  He is faithful.  And whatever the tragedy, whatever the loss, Jesus will always have the last word.  He will work in your life, through that loss, to bring you to a knowledge of his glory.  So hear his call.  Come out of the darkness.  Discover his love for you in the Body of Christ.  Participate in his work.  Receive is healing.  And wait with hope for the life that is to come.