You only live twice

John 11:17-45

In a week where we celebrate one hundred years since some women were allowed to vote, it's heart-warming to notice a nice little detail about Jesus' own attitude towards women. 

In a passage which is remembered more frequently for one of Jesus' most stunning miracles, bringing a man back to life after four days in a tomb, there is a conversation between Martha and Jesus which would not have taken place if Jesus had thought that a woman's views and opinions were not important - like the religious leaders of his time.

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'"

Does Martha believe this? Jesus has all of his disciples with him - he's on the road, heading to Bethany on his way from the Jordan desert. But Jesus doesn't ask the disciples what they think, he asks Martha. What does she think?

"'Yes, Lord,' she told him, 'I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.'"

This declaration of hope comes in the midst of her profound grief. Her brother Lazarus is dead and Jesus didn't get there in time to heal him. She has faith in him even so, 'I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'

She's right, too. He does. Jesus tells them to open the tomb and Lazarus comes out alive and well. That's wonderful for all those who loved him! It's really great!

But Jesus is making a much bigger point. He wants them 'to live, even though [they will all] die' one day. Raising Lazarus is a wonderful miracle because it brings other people to believe in him; v45 

'Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.'

Very soon, they would all know about Jesus' own death and they would hear about his resurrection, too. Some of them would see his resurrected body with their own eyes. They would eat with him, touch him, talk with him. 

The miracle is that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The much bigger miracle is that believers will experience life beyond their physical death. They, too, can be made alive again.

We spent some time in the group discussing the possible meanings of Jesus' tears. Loads has been written on the fact that this was seriously body-shaking grief that Jesus was feeling. The Greek word for 'deeply moved' can be translated as 'to snort'. It's a strong shaking, like that of a horse. Unashamed strength of feeling. We wondered whether this response could be to Lazarus' death, or whether it was a revulsion of the idea of death itself.  Was Jesus anticipating the manner of his own death? Or was he emotionally taken over by righteous anger at the horrific effect of death on humanity?

We talked about difficult things that we face at the moment - situations that overwhelm and horrify us. This passage reassured us that we aren't letting Jesus down when we express our feelings at the inappropriate and devastating effects of sin and death in the world.

Hebrews 4:15 sums it up; 'we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in ever way, just as we are - yet was without sin'

John 11:17-45 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God,who is to come into the world.”

28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind manhave kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.