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WHY (the) DELAY?
March 9, 2008
John 11:1-45
Psalm 70:1-5
“He’s an old man, this one who sits on the stool and leans against the wall. Eyes closed, were it not for his hand stroking his beard you’d think he was asleep. He often does sleep during worship. As the people sing, his eyes will close and his chin will fall until it rests on his chest, and there he will remain motionless. Silent. Those who know him better know he is not asleep, he is traveling. Back, back, until he is young again. There on the seashore with James. There in the Temple with Caiaphas.
It’s been sixty years, but he sees Jesus still. The decades may have taken his strength, but they haven’t taken his memory. The years may have dulled his sight, but they haven’t dulled his vision. He had been with God! God had been with him. How could he forget? He can hear him, he can see him. He opens his eyes, the singing has stopped, and the young preacher has started. Preaching about sights he has never seen, people he has never met. How could he? He wasn’t even born then. Most weren’t. And most who were there are dead. Peter is. So is James. Nathanael, Martha, Philip. They are all gone. Even Paul, who came late, is dead. Only he remains.
The preacher explains words he’s never heard. He’s there if the young man needs him. But what will happen when he’s gone? What will the preacher do then? Who will tell them how Jesus silenced the waves? Will they hear how he fed the thousands? Will they remember how he prayed for unity? How will they know? And then, he knows what to do. Later, in the light of a sunlit shaft, the old fisherman unfolds the scroll and begins to write…” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory (John 1:1, 14).
John’s gospel is very different from the other three. It was written for us to understand that God became completely human. He lived, he loved, he walked and talked, and he suffered death just for our salvation (John 20:30-31). John writes his gospel differently. He’s not as concerned about chronology as he is about getting through to us. He has intentionally sequenced his stories of Jesus, so that they reach their apex here and now, with the raising of Lazarus. For John, this story is the zenith of holy activity – because this is the trigger for the crucifixion.
When we first met the Pharisee Nicodemus he and some others were pretty much in Jesus’ corner, they believed he was sent from God (John 3:2). Recently, perhaps in the last few months, Jesus had healed the man born blind (John 9:1-41). This action had split the Sanhedrin down the middle trying to decide if Jesus was holy and godly, or vile and evil. Some of the holy men were so angry they had tried to murder Jesus by stoning (John 10:31). Jesus and the Apostles had fled across the River Jordan to Perea. Its not that Jesus was afraid to die, but timing is everything, and the timing was not right (John 7:30, 8:20).
There, in the Transjordan, Jesus receives word that his good friend Lazarus is sick and may die. Jesus says quite plainly, “This sickness will not end in death.” Instead, it will allow the Son of God to be glorified, which is the same thing he said about healing the man born blind (John 9:3). John always uses the phrase ‘glorifying the Son of God’ to mean Jesus’ crucifixion. This sickness will not end in death.” Instead, it will allow the Son of God to be glorified. Jesus adds a cryptic statement about ‘having to get his work done while it is still daylight’. This is also something he said during the healing of the man born blind (John 9:4-5). This is John’s way of saying that Jesus’ road to the cross was not an accident. It was intentional and deliberate. We know that Jesus’ refusal to come back in time and heal Lazarus was also intentional and deliberate. And so, we have to ask, why the delay?
It’s not because he didn’t care. Jesus loved Lazarus (John 11:3). And, the one emotion most frequently attributed to Jesus was compassion. It’s not because he couldn’t have healed him. Everyone involved; Martha (11:21), Mary (11:32), Jesus himself (11:15), and even the insulting non-believing crowd (11:37), all agree that if Jesus had made the short journey Lazarus would still be alive. Its because he needed Lazarus to be completely, thoroughly, unequivocally dead. The Rabbi’s of Jesus’ day believed that for three days after death the spirit hovered over the body. After three days it was impossible for the spirit to return, and for the body to live again. Jesus intentionally waits four days to come to Bethany, so there can be no doubt that Lazarus is dead. Why did he need Lazarus to be dead?
Because Jesus is going to trade his life for Lazarus’. John goes to great pains to show us that the raising of Lazarus is the crucial and key act which unites the Sanhedrin against Jesus. This is the action which causes them to invoke a death sentence on the Christ (John 11:45-50, 12:10). Bringing Lazarus back from the dead guarantees that Jesus will die. The crushing weight of this moment and this decision bears down on Jesus, and he begins to cry.
We typically portray Jesus crying here because he is sad about the death of his good friend Lazarus. But, Jesus could have easily prevented that death. And, he alone knew that in a few moments Lazarus would be alive again – which is more cause for celebration than tears. The emotion doesn’t match the moment. Some believe that Jesus is crying because he is, “Mad at death, mad at the decay and the pain that intrude on the gift of God.” Jesus is visibly confronted with the consequence of sin and separation from God. But, remember why John is writing.
I agree with those who say Jesus began to cry because of the immediately preceding invitation, “Come and see.” “In John’s gospel “Come and see” is the call to discipleship, the invitation to faith. When the first would-be disciples asked Jesus, “Where do you abide?’ he said, “Come and see” (1:38-39). When a hesitant Nathaniel said to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see” (1:46). The woman at the well, excited by her encounter with Jesus ran to tell the townspeople, “Come and see” (4:29). And now, Jesus is invited to trade places with Lazarus, to identify with all those struggling to live in faithful obedience under conditions of suffering and death.”
Remember, John wants us to see the Word made flesh. John’s gospel does not include the Garden of Gethsemane (18:1), this is John’s Gethsemane. This is the encounter with “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want” (Matthew 26:39). Will he do it? Will he call Lazarus back from the dead? If he does there is no turning back. He will certainly end up scourged, beaten, and nailed to a cross. He could just sympathize with the two sisters, then retreat safely back across the Jordan. Instead, he asks, “Where have you laid him?” Come and see. Jesus wept.
In full knowledge of the consequences, Jesus calls Lazarus out of the grave, and he comes. Did he want to come back? The Bible never tells us where Lazarus was for those four days. It never says whether he resisted or embraced his return. Did he spend the remainder of his life excited for a second chance, or longing to move once again beyond the vale?
People who have a near death experience report nearly identical responses. They had spent time in a higher reality, with intense clarity. Their return to this life was disappointing and saddening. Their perspective had completely changed. Before they considered this life real, and heaven was an illusory hope. Afterwards, they almost always describe this life as ‘fake’. “How far did Lazarus travel along the way of clarity, truth and reality in those four days?” Jesus has said that one day every one of us will hear him call us out of the grave, just like Lazarus (John 5:28). John wants us to know that the life yet to come is superior to anything we can imagine.
Which brings us back to the old man and his gospel. By this time the Christian church is illegal. Christians are hunted and condemned by the Roman government. The Church is heavily persecuted. And the question on the congregation’s lips, the question they are too embarrassed to ask John is, “Where is Jesus?” He said he would come back, but it’s been so long. Doesn’t he know we’re dying here? Doesn’t he care about our suffering? Doesn’t he love us? Why the delay? (2 Peter 3:3-4).
John writes his gospel with the raising of Lazarus as the apex of holy activity. It screams to the readers, “Do you think he didn’t know Lazarus was dying? Do you think he didn’t care about Mary and Martha’s suffering? Do you think he didn’t love them?” He delayed because he loved them. Without that delay Lazarus would not have died. Without Lazarus’ death Jesus would not have had the opportunity to freely substitute himself for us. Without that substitution there would be one death for all, and that death would be eternal. Instead, for those who believe in Jesus, even though they die, they will live forever (John 11:25). He delayed because he loved them. He delays now, because he loves us (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Have your grandchildren accepted Christ as their Savior? What about your children? What about you? If not, why the delay? If you have never asked Jesus to save you, and you would like help approaching him in prayer and petition, I will be available right here after the service. I will be available to you next week, and the week after that as well. But, why delay?