{"id":6608,"date":"2020-08-02T19:00:50","date_gmt":"2020-08-02T09:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmark.com.au\/Blogs\/?p=6608"},"modified":"2020-08-02T19:09:02","modified_gmt":"2020-08-02T09:09:02","slug":"raising-lazarus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.stmark.com.au\/Blogs\/raising-lazarus\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising Lazarus"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Raising Lazarus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adapted from a sermon by Fr Elijah Iskander<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are\nso many characters with varied roles in the story of the raising of Lazarus\nthat we can learn from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two of the characters we meet are Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Martha runs to the Lord and says, \u201cLord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died\u201d<\/em> (John 11:21). She had some understanding of who Christ was, but she didn\u2019t have a complete understanding. She knew Jesus was powerful and had authority over death but she also had a misunderstanding that His power was limited by distance. IF You were here, perhaps she didn\u2019t know the number of miracles He did when He healed from a distance. The centurion\u2019s daughter for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Jesus tells her that he will rise, she responds with theological insight when she says, \u201cI know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day<\/em>\u201d (John 11:24). Jesus clarifies that He meant beyond this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her sister, Mary, comes to the Lord with the exact same sentence, word for word. Jesus doesn\u2019t seem to engage with Mary theologically as He did with Martha but simply completes the miracles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless\nof if I am Mary, coming to the Lord broken-hearted with no understanding or if\nI come to Him with questions, concerns and debates, He still comforts me in the\nlanguage I understand best and is for my benefit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another character that is easily missed in this story is Thomas. The one known as, “doubting Thomas,” has a powerful role in this story. When Jesus informs the disciples that Lazarus had died and they must go to him, Thomas replies, \u201cLet us also go, that we may die with Him<\/em>\u201d (John 11:16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier in\nthe Gospel, Jesus makes a bold claim of divinity, saying that He is the Son of\nGod. The Jews hearing this want to kill Him for making Himself equal to God.\nAnd now the disciples see that Lazarus has died, that the Jews are surrounded\nin the area after they had just escaped from them. It would natural for the\ndisciples to think that if they went to the Jews, they would kill Jesus. Thomas\nconcludes the same but sees this is an opportunity to follow the Lord even unto\ndeath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are we like\nThomas, ready to follow the Lord regardless of the cost and consequences? For\nThomas, this became an accidental prophecy of his own martyrdom. Doubting\nThomas, in this instance, proved to be brave and courageous. What can we learn\nfrom Thomas\u2019 example today? Even if I must sacrifice for you, Lord, I am ready.\nLet us also go that we may die with Him. Let us aspire to have the courage of\nThomas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The compassions of our Lord are magnified in the shortest verse of the Bible which reads, \u201cJesus wept\u201d (John 11:35). When He saw His beloved weeping, He also wept. How can we perceive the depth of this verse? He groaned in the Spirit and was troubled. The Comforter, the Counsellor, weeps and is troubled. This gives us an insight into the compassion of the Lord and how much He loves us. We call Him, \u201cAbba, Father\u201d which is to say, \u201cDad.\u201d This is a real mystery, a compassionate father or mother carry the burden of their children\u2019s needs, even if it is nonsense, even if it is not a big deal. Jesus does not take humour in our requests but He shares with us every feeling that distresses us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I bear\nthe burdens of others? Can I share in the joy and sorrow of others? The Creator\nwept, groaned and was troubled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We see a final group that responds saying, \u201cCould not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying<\/em>?\u201d (John 11:37). Does this not sound like those who mocked Christ on the Cross saying, \u201cHe saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him<\/em>\u201d (Matthew 27:42). Do I see myself in this group? Lord, if You are so powerful then why did I fail my exam, why did I endure such hardship, where were You in my struggles? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This brings\nabout the second groaning within the Spirit of our Lord, perhaps this was not\nsharing in grief but in the hardness of their hearts, their utter lack of\nfaith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which of\nthese characters am I like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n