12-08-2022

Good Morning All,

    John 11:39; “Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 

    Most of us know the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.  The story contains this curious verse.  In part, this appears so that the reader can count on one thing for sure; Lazarus was dead.  He had been in the grave 4 days.  Given the climate and the nature of the human body, the decomposing would have begun.  Most of us have been around a dead animal after it had been in the sun a couple of days.  It is tough.

     The unique and very pungent odor is enough to make us gag.  From a very young age, usually without being told, we know enough to avoid whatever smells like that.  It is difficult to bear.  So, when the tomb was opened, there would have been this pungent smell.  All the people there would have smelled it and knew that Lazarus was dead.  There was no mistaking that point.  You can’t replicate or fake that smell; it is real, and it can make you stand back.  It can make your eyes water.  Yet Jesus called to Lazarus and Lazarus came out of the tomb for all to see; what an amazing miracle.  Finally, the Scribes and the Pharisees were impressed by Jesus.  They were envious and jealous and plotted to kill Jesus, but they were impressed.

    There is a second truth in this story that we often miss.  When we read these stories in the Bible, we often like to place our self in the story.  We like to think that we would be the Good Samaritan or the one leper who came back to say thank you.  We want to be the wise or the kind or generous one in the story.  When Jesus says,” Be like this guy; we want to be this guy.”  So, as we look at the story of Lazarus, who are you?  Are you Mary or Martha, the grieving sisters?  Are you part of the crowd that is amazed?  Are you the Pharisees who see this event as a threat to your power base?  Who are you?

     Actually, we are all Lazarus.  We are dead, dead in our sin.  Our sin stinks so bad; that we smell as a dead, rotting skunk before God.  The stench of our sin is an abomination before God.  We are so dead in our sin the stone is rolled in front and it is all over. 

      Yet Jesus comes to our grave; our hollow, self-centered life that smells of death and reeks to God and his holy sense of smell.  Jesus throws back the stone and says to us,” Come on out!!”  “Leave this sinful place, leave this place where your soul rots and festers in sin and come out!”  “Come out to the land of the living!”  What a wonderful gift!  What a truly loving gift!  The height and depth of God’s love is shown to you and to me every day.  Everyday Jesus calls us to come out, come out of the tomb of despair and pain, come out of the tomb where there is no light, where there is no fresh air; come out and live!!  Jesus came to rescue us from that tomb and to give us life, abundant life, eternal life.  This is what God gives to you every day; the gift of life through Him.

    Sometimes, we think we should stay in that tomb; the devil wants you to, but God sent Jesus that you could live in the fresh air, unbound from sin, safe in His grace.

Dear Father in heaven, your tender mercies are new to us every day.  We thank you that you have called us from our tomb into the light.  Keep us safe and guard us from all evil.  All this we ask in the precious name of Jesus, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret