"Change Is Inevitable"

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 challenge you to partner with Jesus during this Lenten season here this morning 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 or for example when we look through a magnifying lens, things seem much bigger than they are.  Often the illusion 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 {meaning self-centered} will 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, or just last week, 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 it before your experience but you now believe 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 believing 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 a 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.