The Lazarus Effect . . .

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought there was an old science fiction movie entitled "The Lazarus Effect." Maybe there is. But when I googled that title, what came up is a book of that same title about some kind of science fiction resurrection on another planet or something. What also came up is an upcoming HBO special set to air at the end of May about the restorative, healing power of free drugs to help combat HIV/AIDS in Africa. It is all about new life, and healing. And, life after death. Such was the story of Lazarus in the 11th chapter of St. John's Gospel. I hope you know the fundamentals of that story because it was this miracle, this sign that Jesus performed that ultimately caused his crucifixion. Jesus had three good friends, siblings Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They were close to him and he to them. Jesus was away from their home in Bethany on one of his ministerial excursions, and for some reason Lazarus died. We don't know why. Word reached Jesus of the death of his friend, and for some reason, Jesus did not immediately cancel his plans and return to the side of Mary and Martha. He delayed. So, Lazarus was buried in a tomb and was there -- three whole days. Good and dead, to be sure. Finally, Jesus did go to the sisters and both chided him about not coming sooner. They had suffered a terrible loss and they needed their friend. They NEEDED his support in their grief. They NEEDED his power, his ministry, his care. He finds his way through their grief and the public grieving of all their friends and neighbors and goes to the tomb. First, he prays, asking God's help and promising to give glory to God. Then, he calls Lazarus forth from the tomb into new, resurrected life. The religious authorities were completely flumoxed -- and vowed then and there not only to kill Jesus, but also Lazarus, the living evidence of life in Christ. This passage is loaded with God-talk. It is filled with any number of theological issues on which we can hang our Christian hat. Most remarkably, and obviously, it is surely a foretelling of Jesus' own resurrection which is just down the road. But it also makes us thing about who we are in relation to Jesus and new life. Perhaps, it is his invitation to die to what is killing us -- sin, selfishness, anger, unforgiveness, lack of compassion for others, avarice, greed . . . well, the list goes on. Perhaps, in this invitation to die, we can fully claim the charge to rise again in him, and live life abundantly with and it him. Death is never easy. It always causes grief for those affected by such loss. It is the same for death to sin, selfishness, all of the above . . . we may grieve for those ways, for that way of being. What is lost may seem a lot easier that living freely into new life. In this story, we are given not only the promise of new life, but the way TO that life, the man who is Christ himself. So, it begs the question: Are we living evidence of life in Christ? If so, how? If not, why not? Talk amongst yourselves . . . .see you in worship this Sunday as we discuss "The Lazarus Effect." a.