Raised to Walk
This Easter, let’s look at the resurrection in a little larger context than we normally view regarding this important Christian doctrine. It is easy to focus attention on the immediate setting of the crucifixion of Jesus to the degree we miss the bigger picture the Bible portrays of the context and contrast between life and death. As we consider several lessons the Bible is teaching “before the resurrection,” remember there is a large context (life vs death) and an immediate context (the nature of a Jewish religion in the culture of the Roman Empire) for the doctrine of the resurrection.
Consider also that God tends to teach important concepts to His people by first previewing or introducing the subject, then by teaching about it in space and time, and finally by reinforcing the concept in practical, historical settings.
The Raising of Lazarus
Our Scriptural passage for the day is John 11:1-57. Many recognize a structure of the Gospel of John which focuses on signs (John 2:11) through which God reveals the glory of His Son (John 1:14). The raising of Lazarus from the grave becomes the ultimate sign of His ministry and previews the resurrection of Jesus himself. The impact of this event is multiplied exponentially by the interactions with the disciples during an unhurried journey to Bethany, the connection between beliefs about the resurrection and immediate behavior, and the understanding by Mary and Martha and the religious leaders that the resurrection changes everything.
The setting in the previous passage, John 10:22-42, reveals the immediate context of this Scripture. Jesus and the disciples had attended the winter Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. The December festival was about ninety days away from the Passover. The 11th chapter of John indicates following the raising of Lazarus the Passover feast was “at hand” (John 11:55). This phrase usually indicates the time is within the month. For more information on the immediate setting of this passage, see the Mediterranean Moments article.
This is For You
John spends a little time at the beginning of the eleventh chapter to identify the main characters in the account (John 11:1-5). Messengers arrive to Jesus with an announcement, “The one whom you love is ill.” John uses the phrase of himself – in a very personal, yet humble way. Jesus loved the family and had a more intimate relationship with them than He did with many others. Just as the Twelve had a special place in the life of Jesus, this family occupied a similar position.
Jesus’ first statement reacting to the news is comforting. “This illness does not lead to death.” But Jesus adds some depth to the observation. “It is for God’s glory, so the Son of God may be glorified through it.” This is one of the few times that Jesus refers to Himself directly as the “Son of God.” Jesus’ preferred title of Himself seems to be the “Son of Man.”
If there was any question about the depth of this relationship, John clarifies it completely in verse five: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” John probably uses the term “her sister” rather than her name, Mary, because there were so many women named “Mary” in the life of Jesus. The real question comes with the unexpected action that follows. “So when Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was” (John 11:6 ESV). While we would have expected Jesus to drop everything and head to Bethany, He stays where He is two more days.
Jesus’ attitude toward this illness is the same as in John 9:3. The sickness provides an opportunity for “the work of God to be displayed” in His life. What is true here can be applied to every trial that a Christian faces. Our natural reaction to trials is to treat them as an intruder, getting rid of them as quickly and painlessly as possible. When we offer our trials to God and allow Him to use them as He pleases, we bring glory to His name as He works through and in the trials of life.
Perhaps the relaxed response of Jesus confused the disciples. After two days, Jesus announced they were heading to Judea (John 11:7). The disciples, ever protective of their Master, reminded Jesus that Jewish leaders were ready to arrest or kill Him. “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep and I must wake him.” The disciples giggled under their breath. “Lord, he will wake up on his own.” Can you see Jesus shaking His head and saying, “Lazarus is dead.”
But you said his illness wouldn’t lead to death. Jesus continued more deeply, “I am glad that I was not there. This all happened for your sake, so that you may believe. Let’s go to him.”
The Believer Never Tastes Death
At this point, our expectation rests upon Peter saying something. But it isn’t Peter who speaks, but rather Thomas. Some thirty days before we have labeled him a “doubter,” Thomas speaks confident words that indicate he may understand what Jesus is trying to teach. “Let’s go with Him that we may die with Him” (John 11:16).
The disciples were no doubt puzzled as they made their way to the village near Jerusalem. Jesus had said this sickness did not lead to death, but now Jesus had clearly stated that Lazarus was dead. Jesus had never been wrong before. What did all of this mean?
Not too long ago Jesus had been teaching the very same thing. In John 5:24, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” In John 8:51, Jesus responds to accusations by the Pharisees, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Pharisees changed the wording to “taste death,” but Jesus did not correct them.
You will never taste death. Those are powerful words – but especially in light of the circumstance with Lazarus. “Jesus must have been wrong,” you can almost hear the skeptic murmuring. Death is all around; it has claimed another victim.
Outside Target Stadium in Minneapolis, the home of baseball’s Minnesota Twins, rests a plaque commemorating an historic event. At the location, just outside of Gate 34, exactly 520 feet from home plate stands a statue of a golden glove. The spot marks the landing of the longest home run ever hit by any Twins player – hit by Harmon Killebrew, Hall of Fame third and first baseman. On June 3, 1967 Killebrew launched one of his 573 home runs an amazing 520 feet, a record that, as of 2020. still holds for the Twins.
On May 13th, 2011, Killebrew left an even greater statue, written in a powerful blog on his website.
It is with profound sadness that I share with you that my continued battle with esophageal cancer is coming to an end. With the continued love and support of my wife, Nita, I have exhausted all options with respect to controlling this awful disease. My illness has progressed beyond my doctor’s expectation of cure.
On that evening, Killebrew entered hospice care preparing to die. Four days later, the man nicknamed “The Killer” and “Hammerin’ Harmon” passed away. It did not matter how many home runs he hit. There was no care given to his amazing career. Death is the great equalizer. You live; you die.
Or did he? Did Lazarus? Jesus says to Martha, outside of the grave of her brother, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26 ESV). Though he die, he never dies.
Jesus taught the same thing earlier in John’s gospel. In John 5:24, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” In John 8:51, Jesus responds to accusations by the Pharisees, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
Martha, do you believe this? Really? Are you ready for Lazarus to be raised to walk?
We Get What This Means
Mary and Martha believed in the resurrection of the dead, but they believed that it happened later, before heaven and at the judgment. Jesus wants them to look at the reality of a resurrection right now. The resurrection makes us be raised to walk differently. The Pharisees understood the implications of this teaching. “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:48). From this point on, the Jewish religious leaders made specific plans on how to kill Jesus. They didn’t understand that Jesus was saying, “You cannot kill me.”
Life versus Death
The reason is that death is bigger than an event that marks the end of the body’s life. Death is what many people live every day. Since Adam’s sin, death has reigned through people on earth. The expression, “This has been a living hell,” has more truth to it than most realize. Because of death, two things dominate our lives – fear and guilt. The fear of death produces a pervasive bondage that is inescapable and unending. The condemnation of guilt shackles us to the wall, keeping us from ever touching the healing powers of life.
“Don’t you know … We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4 ESV). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2 ESV).
We don’t have to live like this anymore. Was that what Jesus meant when He said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV)?
Raised to Walk
I remember the words from almost sixty years ago, just as clearly had it been only sixty seconds. Warren Robbins, minister of the Plainfield Christian Church, rested the head of a nine-year-old boy in the palm of his hand. Bending at his back, he lowered the quiet and still body into a pool of less than warm water. Family, friends and curious strangers gazed at the ceremony taking place behind the shadows of the church pulpit.
“Buried with Him in the likeness of His death. Raised to walk in newness of life.”
I wonder if the words rang just as loudly in the ears of Lazarus for the remainder of his earthly years. I would imagine that he clings to them even now.
“Lazarus, come forth.”
If death was all around you – close enough to touch, poignant enough to smell, etched forever into the granite of your vision – and somehow you evaded its snare and walked away, wouldn’t you walk differently? Wouldn’t your life be filled with a humbling wonder of how and why your life continued? Could you keep your tongue from shouting your experiences to everyone who would listen? The realization that you had been raised to walk again would be an explosive, volcanic force in your life for the rest of your days.
Raised to walk in a newness of life.