March 28, 2020

Confessions

Rachel G. Hackenberg | Read John 11:1-27

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John 11:1-27

It’s hard to believe that Jesus chooses to let someone die. Of course, it’s hard to believe that Jesus raises someone from the dead too. But first it’s hard to believe that Jesus knows Lazarus is dying and doesn’t drop everything to go and heal him. While many of us try to spend time with loved ones when death looms, Jesus says to his disciples after he receives the news that Lazarus is sick, “Let’s stay where we are for two more days” (ap).

For Jesus, death is sleep, and the time of death is like a night of sleep after which the sun will surely rise. God’s time is not confined by the dance of the sun and the Earth, not limited to the cycles of mortal life and death, and not defined by the rhythms or seasons of this world. God’s experience of time—kairos, “the right moment”—differs from our experience of time—chronos, “sequence.”

I might have more patience with God’s time if I didn’t have so many opinions about how life unfolds in our time. People all around the world flee from war and drought and famine, and I wonder why we do not take better care of one another right now. Why doesn’t God recognize this humanitarian crisis as a moment worthy of intervening action? Racism plagues every part of the world, so much so that the news cycle cannot keep pace in reporting its violent acts and words. I wonder when God will see fit to repair this wrong.

Lazarus dies, and Jesus isn’t there to say goodbye. When Martha tells Jesus that she believes all will be well for Lazarus in kairos, she also admits her disappointment that Jesus was not present in chronos. She believes in God’s power, but she misses her friend in that critical moment.

God, I confess my impatience. I want your relief to find us before our tears begin. I want your healing to find us before our hearts break. Amen.

Pray the Scriptures Using Audio Lectio
Read John 11:1-45

John 11:1-45

¹ A certain man, Lazarus, was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ( ² This was the Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was ill.) ³ So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one whom you love is ill.” ⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This illness isn’t fatal. It’s for the glory of God so that God’s Son can be glorified through it.” ⁵ Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. ⁶ When he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was. After two days, ⁷ he said to his disciples, “Let’s return to Judea again.” ⁸ The disciples replied, “Rabbi, the Jewish opposition wants to stone you, but you want to go back?” ⁹ Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours in the day? Whoever walks in the day doesn’t stumble because they see the light of the world. ¹⁰ But whoever walks in the night does stumble because the light isn’t in them.” ¹¹ He continued, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I am going in order to wake him up.” ¹² The disciples said, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he will get well.” ¹³ They thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was in a deep sleep, but Jesus had spoken about Lazarus’ death. ¹⁴ Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. ¹⁵ For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there so that you can believe. Let’s go to him.” ¹⁶ Then Thomas (the one called Didymus) said to the other disciples, “Let us go too so that we may die with Jesus.” ¹⁷ When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸ Bethany was a little less than two miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after their brother’s death. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained in the house. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. ²² Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.” ²³ Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. ²⁶ Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.” ²⁸ After she said this, she went and spoke privately to her sister Mary, “The teacher is here and he’s calling for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. ³⁰ He hadn’t entered the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. ³¹ When the Jews who were comforting Mary in the house saw her get up quickly and leave, they followed her. They assumed she was going to mourn at the tomb. ³² When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. ³⁴ He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus began to cry. ³⁶ The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” ³⁷ But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” ³⁸ Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” ⁴¹ So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. ⁴² I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” ⁴³ Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” ⁴⁵ Therefore, many of the Jews who came with Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him.

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Lectionary Week

March 23–29, 2020

Scripture Overview

Ezekiel sets the stage for the readings this week. In a vision, the prophet sees a seemingly hopeless situation, yet God restores flesh to the bones and brings them back to life by breathing into them. The psalmist calls out to God from the depths of devastation and waits confidently for God’s redemption. Paul plays off the double meaning of the Greek word pneuma: “breath” and “spirit.” Just as Ezekiel’s dry bones are brought back through the breath of God, so are we raised through the Spirit of God. The Lazarus story provides a bookend resurrection story for the week. Here Jesus demonstrates in the physical realm the spiritual realities described in the other passages. These resurrection stories point us toward Jesus’ resurrection and ultimately the promise of our own.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read Ezekiel 37:1-14. When have you heard from God directly or through others in times of devastation? How did you respond?
Read Psalm 130. How can you listen for signs of hope and look for God’s voice?
Read Romans 8:6-11. What helps you remember that you cannot save yourself and to put your trust in God?
Read John 11:1-45. When have you been disappointed in God’s timing or response? What would be different now if God had met your expectations then?

Respond by posting a prayer.

This season, Whitney R. Simpson has given us the gift we must open: a clear, accessible invitation to connect with the divine spark that is within us. This is the best present: being present for Jesus’ birth, God made human.”

Learn more about our newest Advent resource, Fully Human, Fully Divine here.

—J. Dana Trent, author of One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic’s Guide to Christian Meditation

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