WEBVTT 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:07.360 There are a few things we struggle more in this life than death. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.880 But that's what makes the death of Lazarus such a moving story. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:18.480 It has sleeping and awakening. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:20.960 It has death and resurrection. 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:24.160 It has sorrow, but joy. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:28.320 Jesus weeps. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:31.600 Our Lord has feelings. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.200 He cares that Lazarus dies. 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:41.359 But he says and he does things that those around him cannot understand. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:48.880 They must be given the eyes of faith to see and the ears of faith to hear. 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:56.240 We have Saint Thomas, a beloved apostle who desires certainty. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.200 He's present in this story too. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.880 We like to refer to him as doubting Thomas. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:16.560 His witness of Lazarus' death and resurrection is proof that the eyes and ears of faith don't come through human reason, but as a gift of God. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:32.400 Even after witnessing Lazarus' death and resurrection, it doesn't amend his need to later touch the hands and sides of Jesus after his death and resurrection. 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:38.719 The Lord must give him the eyes of faith to believe as well. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:46.480 Then we have Mary and Martha, two lovely sisters. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:49.920 They both love their Lord immensely. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:58.319 It was Mary who had anointed her Lord's feet with lovely perfume, despite being chided by Judas for it. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:08.960 Jesus tries to explain to the disciples that what she has done was to prepare him for his death and burial. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:13.039 But the disciples couldn't comprehend it. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:21.919 They didn't have the eyes of faith to see it, nor the ears of faith to hear what Jesus was saying to them. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:31.919 If we know where else to go in Scripture, we would also find the two sisters, Martha and Mary, at their home with Jesus. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:45.439 A place where Martha chooses to love her Lord by serving him, but it's Mary who loves her Lord by sitting at his feet and being served by him. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:54.400 Jesus points out that to Martha, that it was Mary who had chosen the better portion here. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:03:02.960 She knew that the best place to be is on the receiving end of what Jesus is giving out. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:19.120 But our concern today, well, in today's gospel, isn't really about what they are doing, but about what our Lord is doing, what he's saying to them and to us. 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:25.039 The disciples need to receive what Jesus is giving out. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:31.280 Everything that his word says is exactly as our Lord promises. 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:38.960 The sisters had sent word to the Lord that their brother was sick. 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:50.639 They obviously knew what Jesus could do: give sight to the blind, make the deaf hear, the mute to speak, cast out demons with a word. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:54.400 And that's what they're hoping for: healing. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:59.599 Because Lazarus is pretty tragically ill. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:06.240 But when Jesus hears of Lazarus being sick, he doesn't get up and go to him. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:14.639 No, he stays two extra days and then tells his disciples, let's go to Judea again. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:22.800 Human reason cannot comprehend our Lord's ways. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:27.279 Why would Jesus wait two extra days? 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:35.920 Jesus explains, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I must go to awaken him. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:40.560 Of course, the disciples don't understand. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:45.279 And quite frankly, maybe we wouldn't, I either, if we were there. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:49.120 Will we not say the same thing? 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:52.480 Lord, if he's fallen asleep, he will recover. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:05:06.079 Many of us make similar statements out of human reason today, except it sounds a lot more like, oh, don't worry, pastor, there's no need to add me or my family to the prayers of the church. 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:07.759 We're only sick. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:13.920 No doubt, no one's on their deathbed right now, though they will recover. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.319 Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:25.680 And for your sake I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:31.600 Now we all know the end of the story. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:39.680 Jesus resurrects Lazarus, but are we paying attention to what Jesus is doing? 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.160 Are we hearing what Jesus is saying? 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:49.920 Lazarus is dead, and our Lord is glad. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:54.079 But not out of spite or animosity. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:58.319 He's glad so that the disciples may believe. 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:03.680 Quite frankly, our Lord is glad so that you may believe as well. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:06.399 But it's St. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:11.680 Thomas who makes the most profound confession of faith. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:16.160 Let us also go that we may die with him. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:23.920 His statement confesses more than he realizes, maybe more than we realize as well. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:28.720 So Jesus arrives with his disciples. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:30.480 He's about two miles off. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:34.240 Martha goes to Jesus, but Mary hangs back. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:40.959 Martha says, Lord, if you had been there, my brother would not have died. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.680 We all know what it's like to have a loved one pass away, don't we? 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:55.839 And if we were in our Lord's presence, chances are we'd feel the same way she does. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:04.240 Lord, if you had been there, my brother or sister or mother or father or husband or son would not have died. 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:13.040 Jesus tells her plainly, your brother will rise again. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:18.639 But it's clear in her response, she doesn't understand what our Lord is saying. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:21.839 Her ears of faith must be opened. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:26.399 I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:32.720 But Jesus must speak faith into her heart, and she must receive it. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:38.879 So he tells her, I am the resurrection and the life. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:44.079 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:49.759 And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:51.920 Do you believe this? 00:07:54.079 --> 00:08:01.120 Our Lord has opened her ears of faith to receive what he's giving out. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:06.319 Who he is and what he came for. 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:09.439 It is as he said it. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:18.560 No one can claim to be the resurrection, nor the life, except Jesus, who is the Christ. 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:26.000 So she responds faithfully, not seeing with her own eyes, but her eyes of faith. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:33.120 Yes, Lord, I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:41.840 Her confession of faith is firmly grounded on what Jesus says, not on her human reason or what is going on around her. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:47.440 Then Martha tells Mary that Jesus is calling her. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:55.679 So Mary comes with a group of Jews in tow who are busy consoling the sisters about their brother's death. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:09:04.000 And when Mary comes to Jesus, she falls at his feet and says, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:12.399 Her teary eyes of faith must also be opened to see what our Lord is doing. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:23.759 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:27.600 And he said, Where have you laid him? 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:31.039 They said to him, Lord, come and see. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.000 Jesus wept. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:39.600 So the Jews said, See how he loved him? 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:48.399 But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also kept this man from dying? 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:56.080 It seems they all must be given the eyes of faith to understand what our Lord is doing. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:04.000 If he'd not only come sooner and not waited two extra days, it would have all worked out the way they had hoped. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.639 But that's not how God is working in their lives. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:12.879 Nor is it how he works in ours either. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:23.200 But maybe the most puzzling thing for our human ears to hear is that Jesus is deeply moved. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:31.279 Maybe we can't comprehend why the Lord of life would be so moved over death. 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:44.159 He is the resurrection and the life, after all, but his heart is moved because he knows the wages of sin is death. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:56.480 Yet he is God become flesh to buy back that which is lost and put sin to death forever. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:00.000 That's what he came for. 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:10.720 That's why he came for us, after all, to buy us back from sin and death with his very own body. 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:14.720 To put Lazarus' sin and death away. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.720 To put away your sin and death too. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:22.480 Let's not be surprised. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:31.759 If you have been united to your Lord, then do not think that all your deaths are precious to him as well. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:37.519 For precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:42.960 He is deeply moved at the death of your body and soul as well. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.200 Poor Martha. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:51.360 Poor Martha. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:56.799 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:02.080 It was a cave and a stone lay against it. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:04.879 And Jesus said, Take away the stone. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:14.159 And then Martha, the practical one, says, Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:22.480 But Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:27.759 Jesus must remind her what he's there for. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:31.039 Death and resurrection. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:38.159 Lazarus' death and resurrection means his death and resurrection. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:44.080 Her eyes of faith must be open so that her human reason doesn't get in the way. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.440 It's no different than with us. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:54.559 Lazarus' death and resurrection is a foreshadowing of Christ's death and resurrection. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:13:01.440 His death and resurrection means our death and resurrection. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:05.519 So they took away the stone. 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:12.240 Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:20.960 I knew that you always hear me, but I said, on the account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:29.039 Yes, it is for both them and for us, that we may believe. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:34.320 And when he said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:41.440 The man who died came out. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:49.279 His hands and his feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a linen cloth. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:55.759 And Jesus said to them, Unbind them, unbind him and let them go. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:02.399 Jesus speaks the word of God, and the dead come to life. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:09.279 He commands the wrappings of death to unbind, and they must obey the creator of the universe. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:14.720 And in this moment, many of those who are there believed. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.720 And this is what it means for us here today. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.080 Who can know the mind of God? 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:30.559 We don't always understand how our Lord works or what he's doing. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:38.639 But we do know that he works all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:49.440 We too must be given the eyes of faith to see what our Lord is doing, and the ears of faith to hear our Lord's word as well. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:54.639 Natural man cannot understand the things of God. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:04.399 But even as believers, we too must be given the eyes of faith as well to see what our human reason can't. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:09.919 We believe, but the Lord must help our unbelief. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:13.759 Our Lord cares. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.559 He gives his life for our life. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:23.200 His death and resurrection means your death and resurrection. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:31.200 So we join in with Saint Thomas and say, Let us also go that we may die with him. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:44.159 For it is just as Saint Paul says, if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:52.639 And there is no other place that you are more united to your Jesus than in your baptism. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:54.000 St. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:01.919 Paul tells us again, we are buried, therefore, with him in baptism, by baptism into death. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:09.120 Let us die with Christ, so that we may be resurrected with him forever. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:15.440 We must be given the eyes of faith to see this very miracle in our own lives. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:24.320 Just like we must be given the eyes of faith to see that plain water with God's word performs the most amazing of miracles. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:34.240 Rescuing us from sin and death and devil, granting the forgiveness of all our sins, delivering God's Holy Spirit. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:40.159 Baptism is just as Jesus has spoken it to you. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.639 It will deliver what has been written. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:50.879 For when you receive his words, well, then you'll desire what he's giving out. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:17:01.440 If you receive what our Lord tells you, then you will desire the life he gives through the means through which he gives it. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:09.759 So let's sit at the feet of Jesus, like Mary, and receive what he has for you. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.480 For he alone is the resurrection and the life. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:29.279 There's no better place than to be where Jesus is giving himself to us in water and word and body and blood, the whole Jesus for you. 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.160 For the forgiveness of all your sins. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:33.599 Amen. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:40.079 Now the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:40.720 Amen.