Question:
Anyone here want to take a guess at what perceptual distortion means?
I understand it to be when things look a lot bigger than they really
are.
How many here are personally experienced a
circumstance recently that looked a lot bigger than it really was? Is anyone will to share a little of your
experience?
April 2 2017 readings: Romans 8: 6-11 Psalm 130 John 11: 1-45
There is and
always has been a tension between the hope of resurrection and the finality of
death, and it seems to especially come to mind in this season of lent where
intense personal communal reflection is taking place, or at least it should be
taking place. Amidst the kayos of our
modern world and the social realities of our time, we should yearn for transformation
and an unbinding that releases us to dream beyond our circumstances, to
experience a spiritual rebirth, yes to be born again. Our imaginations should reach out to a
world in which wholeness, well-being, health and prosperity are normal
expressions of our human existence. I have
been challenging you to partner with Jesus during the Lenten season in making
that dream a reality in your own life. Change folks, is inevitable, as is the
presence of God in our lives. It is
the fifth Sunday of lent and so let us consider the possibility of transformation,
a resurrection in this life, not from physical death as in the case of Lazarus
but a resurrection from emotional and spiritual death to a new beginning to
live out the rest of our days with the Master.
One of the greatest hindrances to change is something
called “perceptual distortion.” Meaning the acceptance of illusion as
reality. Often the illusions that life
presents to us keeps our attention so we begin to miss the reality of a
personal relationship with our God.
Looking at life or our circumstances through this lens keeps us
preoccupied with seeking to save ourselves rather than discerning positive
alternatives, to change the way we live.
This is evident in today’s
lesson. The disciples have been
following Jesus as teacher and companion throughout the towns, villages and
mountainous regions yet they often appear more pre-occupied with their
limitations than with the restorative power of a resurrected way of seeing and
living life with Jesus. Often as
illustrated in scripture, they disagree with one another even arguing with
Jesus at times. Judas betrays Him and in
the end they all seem to turn from Him, especially Peter as he denies knowing
or being one of Jesus’ followers. This
resurrected life requires us to trust in Jesus teachings, often in situations
which seem impossible. For example those
who seek to save themselves {being self-centered} loose themselves in self-centeredness.
In today’s reading we find an excellent example of the blind trust that is
needed. Believing Lazarus to be now
dead, the disciples cannot understand why Jesus makes the decision to make a
treacherous journey over the mountains to Judea after a two-day delay. If he
wasn’t dead before, then he surely must be dead now. Never the less Jesus insists even though it
is dangerous for Him to go back, they journey on. As Jesus and the disciples approach Mary and
Martha, the air is filled with pain and confusion. “ Why
did you not come sooner” they ask. Mary
suggests that if He had come immediately when asked, there may have been a
chance to heal Lazarus before he died.
The disciples would be thinking, as would we, Lazarus cannot be brought
back to life now, especially after lying dead in a tomb for four days. Here is another opportunity for the onlookers
to trust in Jesus but being much like ourselves they would question the miracle
of resurrection. It wasn’t the first
case of doubt, nor would it be the last for the disciples. Remember Jesus feeding the 5000 with 5 fish
and 2 pieces of bread or Jesus and Peter walking on water, the man blind from
birth man who was given sight. Jesus on
the other hand insists that his disciples set aside their “perceptual distortion” to understand that with God, anything is
possible folks, RIGHT!! How many of here today know that to be true
because of your own personal experience? You may not have believed before your
experience but you believe now because of your experience. Example, people tell me that if they give
something away no strings attached they always receive much more in return than
they gave.
Mary and Martha
both believed in the power of God, the resurrection and I’m sure looked forward
to being with Lazarus once again, however they have not yet experienced
anything to support this teaching; even the whiteness to this extraordinary
event walk away skeptical, yet fascinated with the possibility of a new
life. As believers we watch from a
distance and are intrigued by the possibility of resurrection wanting and
longing to join Mary and Martha in their experience. Now folks, here is the teaching that may be
even more important to us than the miracle.
Even though Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, it is just a reprieve
for him, he will die again. Regardless
whether you believe the miracle or not Jesus urged those who are there alive,
which includes us, “unbind him and let him go” This unbinding call is the lesson that was also meant for our ears to
folks. It is a call for us to take off the grave
cloth that bind us to our negative thinking, self-centeredness, greed,
jealously, fear, anger or hatred.
Releasing individuals or communities from the clutches of this kind of
death, demands something from us first. We must unbind ourselves, so we can do the
same for other. Always remembering that
you cannot do for others that which you have not yet done for yourself. I cannot be to you that which I am not to
myself. This is why the season of lent
is so important for the individual. It
is our time to examine and reflect upon oneself. When this becomes a reality in your own life
then you can truly begin to live as Jesus has taught and called us to
live. This also involves removing the
grave cloths of self-doubt, social isolation, marginalization, and
oppression. Then we can stand at the
tomb of suffering and pain equipped to trust in the words of Jesus. With this trust in tack we will be able to
unbind the grave cloths for those whom God delivers. Let us Pray.
