Lent 5A – Hope for the Future, Hope for Today April 2, 2017
Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 Panzer Military Chapel, Stuttgart
This Lenten season we have been reading some of the most familiar biblical stories.
Some of them have been long… not the pithy snapshots that we have come to expect for our Sunday morning worship pleasure. Of course, that puts a lot of pressure on the preacher… if the readings are long, I feel some responsibility to concentrate the message into one that gives us a good takeaway.
Some of them have been long… not the pithy snapshots that we have come to expect for our Sunday morning worship pleasure. Of course, that puts a lot of pressure on the preacher… if the readings are long, I feel some responsibility to concentrate the message into one that gives us a good takeaway.
As I was preparing, I looked for a common theme in these stories. And the one that immediately surfaced was the core Christian belief in the power of New Life. In the Hebrew Bible reading, we get this wonderful story of dead, dry bones being fitted with new flesh and having life breathed into them, raising a new army for the Israelites. In the Gospel lesson, we hear the story of the raising of Lazarus, a true fore-shadowing of Jesus’ resurrection, pointing to the power of God.
These stories flesh out the reality that Hope is stronger than Despair. In the “dry bones” story, the children of Israel have lost their hope. But Ezekiel is inspired by this vision from God. Hope is not lost. God is still working and able to turn our worst nightmares into something beautiful and mighty.
The same is true in the Lazarus story. Mary and Martha are sure that Jesus can bring change to their situation, but when he does not come in time, their hope is lost. “Lord, if only you had been here…” How many times have we looked at the tragedies and disappointments in our lives this way? “What if?” and “If only…” are common phrases among us. We get comfortable in our everyday lives, and when things take a bad turn, we also ask questions about where God is in the midst of our pain and fear.
When questioned by Jesus, Martha professes that we will be with God on the last day. In everyday terms, she is saying what many of us believe – that even though we don’t understand why bad things are happening, one day, it will all go away. Salvation and resurrection will solve our problems, take away our pain, and we will live in God’s presence and healing love forever. And that is absolutely true.
But for some people, even steadfast believers, that promise does not bring the kind of comfort or reassurance that they want or need. Where is God today? Where is God in the midst of my hurt and pain? Where is God for those who have made difficult, faithful choices and who face negative consequences, often by others who do not value their choices or beliefs? Where is God in the middle of the mess that we have made for ourselves, or the ones that we have gotten caught in, unawares?
Many question the goodness of a God who can intervene, but chooses not to do so. Many question the power of a God who could punish the wicked, but instead allows them to prosper and continue their reign of terror. Many question the people who proclaim a God who will rule at the end of time, but whose kingdom seems only fleeting in the here and now.
Jesus’ response to the sisters is the same as his response to us. We hear Jesus say, “I am the resurrection and the life…” and interpret it as a gateway to eternal life. We claim this verse as our entry ticket into heaven. But this verse is not just about our belief about what happens in the end. It is also about the promise that eternal life is a gift we have now.
What??? I’m sure you’re asking how I came up with that conclusion. And the answer is in all that follows. Immediately after Jesus’ conversation with Martha, she returns to Mary and they follow Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb. Mary’s reaction is perfectly normal… “Lord, if only you had been here, he would have never died.” Mary’s faith in Jesus’ healing powers is unrefuted. But Jesus knew that that was not enough.
And so, when he ordered the stone to be rolled away, and when he called the man Lazarus, dead for four days to come out of the tomb, the glory and power of God was revealed in a new way. Death would not just be defeated at the end of time, but would be defeated on this day as a witness that this Messiah was the one who fulfilled the prophecies of the Hebrew Bible. And while this a pivotal story in the ministry of Jesus, in the long run it’s not the biggest deal. Lazarus does get his life back, but eventually, his fate and that of his sisters and all of the disciples. Physical death came. But that was no longer the last word.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but in John’s gospel there are no miracles. Instead, John calls them signs – pointing to who Jesus really is. In these last few weeks, we have seen some pretty mighty signs. And this week, Jesus shows all of his cards. It is as if he is saying: you want signs? Healing a blind man? Or restoring hearing to a deaf man? Did you see that lepers who were made clean? And how about the demons cast out from people who had suffered for years? Do you need more convincing? OK, what do you think of this?
Jesus saved the best for last. He didn’t rush to Lazarus’ bedside to cure him. He waited for days, and only when Jesus had been dead for four days did he call him back into life. Our cynical side asks why he didn’t save Mary and Martha a lot of grief by coming as soon as he heard. But as always, Jesus had a bigger lesson to teach. I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Resurrection is not just about life in the hereafter… it is about life in the here and now.
Before Jesus, Death was the grim reaper, stalking the world in search of souls. Jesus changes all of that. In this exchange, Jesus is pushing the message forward… changing the whole focus of the discussion about the meaning of life, real life. Death is not the dreaded conclusion to a meaningless existence. Our fate is not extinction. Death to our old lives is a beginning, not an end, our passage to life that will never end. Death came into the world through sin, but it is conquered by the one who was sinless and who brings new meaning to what it means to be alive.[i]
Each week, we recite together either the Apostle’s Creed or Nicene Creed. The Latin word Credo is usually translated as “believe,” so it is fitting that each section begins with the phrase, “I believe…” In the last 30 years, many people have told me that they have a hard time reciting the Creeds, because they aren’t really sure they believe everything in them. Some things they just don’t have enough information about, and others things are just hard – maybe impossible – to believe.
Writer Adam Hamilton recently wrote about devotional book about the Creed, and in its introduction, he said something that felt very true. He wrote: “Belief is a decision of the will.”[ii] In the baptismal and confirmation liturgies, we ask parents, confirmands and congregation to reaffirm their commitment to God and Christ by reciting the Creed. In this action, we offer people the chance to take the focus off of what we can fathom for ourselves and to instead focus on what Christians for two centuries before us have confessed. We place our faith in not what we already know, but on what will be revealed to us in the days and years of faithful living.
It makes sense that traditions that perform infant baptisms also see the Creed as a source of inspiration and guidance. God’s grace is not dependent on our abilities or knowledge. It is grounded in the relationship of the Trinity to itself and to us. The Creed is something that we grow into. We flesh it out in our relationship with Christ and with one another.[iii]
This idea takes on even more meaning when we realize that translators often choose the simplest, pithiest words when bringing Greek, Latin, and Hebrew concepts into the English language... we’ve talked about this before. The Creed becomes more of a living profession if we translate credo as “believe into,” rather than simply “believe.” “Believing into” is about relationship. “Believing into” is about trust and willingness to grow and change. “Believing into” is about not always clinging to ideas just because we have always had them. “Believing into” is the very definition of new life.
So, when we recite or pray the Creed, the real question is not whether we give intellectual assent to the ideas about who God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are, but instead whether we are prepared to entrust our lives to a God who, in three persons united in one Being, does or is like what each article of the creed professes.
When we proclaim, "I am believing into the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting,” What does this statement mean to us, personally? How is it lived out in our own faith journeys? Where are the examples that we live what we believe? Do people know that we are Christians without our every opening our mouths? Do we live as if we believe that Jesus is, in fact, the resurrection and the life?[iv]
The eternal promises of Jesus’ resurrection cannot be refuted. They are proclaimed in the New Testament writings and the Church has built a foundation of ministry on them for almost 2000 years. But the promise of resurrection is also a story to be lived and believed in the present day. Ministry and mission are not about getting to people to believe and profess faith in the Jesus story. They must also be about living out that story every single day.
What does that look like? The message of Jesus and the good news of the gospel should make a tangible difference in the world now, make things possible now, open up opportunities and options now, transform relationships now. It means that the promises of God are present tense, not just about the future. It means living in the here and now and letting the future promises of Jesus take care of themselves, because God is always faithful.[v]
When we begin the process of living out our baptismal faith, we never know where that process will take us. And while we often wish that our faith in Christ will protect us from the dangers of the world, we often find that we are heading into unknown places where our trust in God and the promises of new life and resurrection are our only hope. We look at the news and are tempted to see only death and destruction, but if we look deeper, we will see faithful followers of Jesus, wading into muddy, dangerous waters.
As Christians we are called to live into our beliefs… the belief that God created and loves everyone… the belief that speaking truth to power will sometimes make us feel less safe… the belief that our safety is not actually our first responsibility.
Our main text today is often called, “the raising of Lazarus,” but is important to note that the actual sign Jesus performs only takes up just two of the forty-five verse of this story. Maybe that’s because, for John, it’s not the sign that matters most, but instead how Jesus interprets it and how we respond. Lazarus will die again, but in the process, the world has changed. Now we are empowered to be a part of the life-changing process of unbinding and freeing people from the power of death, and if we act on our beliefs – if we believe into our faith, the Church will change the world.[vi]
Sojourner’s Magazine recently highlighted an article, “When Christians Love Theology More Than People,” and this quote made me take a look inside: “You may have the most intellectually sound theology, but if it's not delivered with love, respect, and kindness - it's worthless. The practical application of your love is just as important as the theology behind it. Our faith is evidenced by how we treat others. Does the reality of your life reflect the theory behind your spiritual beliefs?”[vii]I have seen the amazing ways that people have lived into their belief… stories that live out God’s good news. They are too many to name, but I have been especially touched by those who have stepped outside their comfort zones. Some have opened up their church buildings or raised money for Muslim, Jewish and Christian congregations who buildings or cemeteries have been burned or damaged beyond repair… Others have offered sanctuary or legal advice to those who are in danger of being deported without a hearing.
Churches are hosting farmer’s markets as a way of gathering the community, and others have taken vacation bible school to the neighborhoods, instead of requiring the children to come to them. Some have even left the comfort of reliable jobs and predictable housing in response to God’s call to be present with people who don’t even know they need Jesus. All of this is living into belief.
God is calling each of us to do the same. When we do, our dry bones become fleshed out, and with Spirit breath, we truly know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life and has promised to give us, not just more life, but life with all the abundance we could never imagine. So let’s go live it!
Peace, Deb
[i] David F. Sellery, “Big Deal,” This Week’s Focus, 2014
[ii] Adam Hamilton, Creed: What Christians Believe and Why, 2017, Location 116.
[iii] Taylor Burton-Edwards, Fifth Sunday in Lent | Believe! — Preaching Notes, April 2, 2017 (Year A) | Living Our Baptismal Calling Series https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/fifth-sunday-in-lent-believe-preaching-notes
[iv] ibid.
[v] David Lose, “Present-tense Salvation,” Dear Worship Preacher, April 2, 2014,
[vi] ibid.
[vii] Steven Mattson, “When Christians Love Theology More Than People,” Sojourner’s, January 22, 2014,
https://sojo.net/articles/when-christians-love-theology-more-people
copyright - Deb Luther Teagan 2017
copyright - Deb Luther Teagan 2017
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