*Vincent van Gogh, The Raising of Lazarus (1890)
Winter, but Not the End
If you have watched or read C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, you may remember this line: “Always winter, but never Christmas.”
Narnia is frozen. The White Witch rules with fear and power. The land is cold. Life feels stuck. Nothing grows. Hope seems buried under snow and ice. But quietly, something begins to change. There are rumors. Signs. The snow starts to melt. The ice cracks. Spring is coming. Aslan is on the move. The winter is not the end of the story.
Friends, many of us know this kind of winter. Not just outside, but inside. Some of us are grieving. Some are tired. Some feel numb. Some look at our country and our world and feel sad, frustrated, even overwhelmed. If you are in a season of winter, today’s message is for you.
John and Signs
Unlike the other three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), John doesn’t follow Jesus’ life and ministry chronologically. Instead, he focuses on “seven signs” – signs of hope, signs of spring, signs that reveal who Jesus is. John tells us why he writes this way:
Friends, many of us know this kind of winter. Not just outside, but inside. Some of us are grieving. Some are tired. Some feel numb. Some look at our country and our world and feel sad, frustrated, even overwhelmed. If you are in a season of winter, today’s message is for you.
John and Signs
Unlike the other three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), John doesn’t follow Jesus’ life and ministry chronologically. Instead, he focuses on “seven signs” – signs of hope, signs of spring, signs that reveal who Jesus is. John tells us why he writes this way:
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31, NIV)
The story of Lazarus is the seventh and most powerful sign. Lazarus’ family was not only facing external oppression from the Roman Regime; they were grieving, broken, and living in a personal winter.
Martha and Mary were deeply disappointed and hurt. When their brother Lazarus became ill, they sent a message to Jesus, hoping he would come right away. But for some reason, Jesus stayed two more days. By the time he arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days.
God of Yesterday and Tomorrow
When Martha saw Jesus, she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” (v. 21) Have you ever felt that way? “Where were you, Lord? You came too late. Where were you when my loved one died? Where were you when my marriage fell apart? Where were you when my child went astray?” Martha was focused on the God of yesterday – the One who was “not there.”
Jesus gently said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” This time she believed in the God of tomorrow, the life after death.
I AM
Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life.” Here, Jesus was saying, “Martha, I am the God of today, not just yesterday or tomorrow.” Martha replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.” “I do believe that you are the God of today.”
We, too, can often focus only on the God of yesterday or tomorrow. We remember how God has helped in the past. We also have faith that someday we will get to heaven after death. But through the story of Lazarus, John tells us that eternal life is “present tense” – here and now. Jesus prayed in John 17:3, “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jesus also said in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” When? Now. Today.
Living the Resurrection
So now, Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus and cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out. Jesus said, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Lazarus had life again that day, but one day he would die again. This is the sign that points to a deeper truth: Jesus, who called Lazarus out of the tomb, walks toward His own tomb within days. He laid down His life, for Lazarus and for us, so that we might believe in him and have new life today.
We see this kind of resurrection life in Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur and Messala grew up together as close friends, both Jewish. But as adults, they chose very different paths. Ben-Hur stayed faithful to his people. Messala chose power and became a Roman officer. When their paths crossed again, ambition won over friendship. Ben-Hur’s family was arrested. His mother and sister were imprisoned and became lepers. Ben-Hur was sent to a slave ship. From that moment, his heart burned with revenge. Years later, miraculously Ben-Hur survived a shipwreck. He gained freedom, wealth, and strength. Eventually, he faced Messala and defeated him. But even after winning, Ben-Hur was not free. His heart was still restless.
Then he heard about Jesus - a man who healed the sick. He rushed to bring his mother and sister to him, but arrived too late. Jesus was already on the cross. From a distance, Ben-Hur watched. He saw the mocking. He heard the cruelty. Then he heard Jesus pray, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In that moment, Ben-Hur said it felt as if Jesus took the sword out of his hand. The hatred was gone. Peace entered his heart. That is resurrection life. Not only life after death, but a new heart, a new way of living, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, here and now.
Here and Now
Many artists have tried to paint Lazarus being raised. For me, my favorite is Vincent van Gogh. As many of us know, Van Gogh lived a very hard life. Early on, he hoped to serve God. He worked as a lay preacher and missionary, but he was eventually dismissed. He struggled to find his calling. For most of his life, he was unknown, misunderstood, and poor.
The Raising of Lazarus was painted while Van Gogh was in a mental hospital, in his final year. He based the painting on a Rembrandt print, but left out Jesus. Instead, he focuses on Lazarus, weak and struggling to rise. Many believe Van Gogh saw himself in Lazarus. That’s why Lazarus has a red beard, like Van Gogh. How about the two women at the grave? They are not biblical figures. They are real people Van Gogh knew: Mrs. Roulin and Mrs. Ginoux. They were friends who showed him kindness and care during one of his darkest seasons.
Van Gogh reminds us: In winter, we may not hear Jesus’ voice clearly. We may not see dramatic miracles. But even then, Jesus is still at work. Resurrection life still comes to us. His presence, his grace, and his power in this season may be gentle, but they are still, and always, more than enough to raise us up. This is resurrection, here and now.
I want to close with Dr. King’s last speech. Without knowing he would be killed the very next day, he said:
Martha and Mary were deeply disappointed and hurt. When their brother Lazarus became ill, they sent a message to Jesus, hoping he would come right away. But for some reason, Jesus stayed two more days. By the time he arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days.
God of Yesterday and Tomorrow
When Martha saw Jesus, she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” (v. 21) Have you ever felt that way? “Where were you, Lord? You came too late. Where were you when my loved one died? Where were you when my marriage fell apart? Where were you when my child went astray?” Martha was focused on the God of yesterday – the One who was “not there.”
Jesus gently said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” This time she believed in the God of tomorrow, the life after death.
I AM
Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life.” Here, Jesus was saying, “Martha, I am the God of today, not just yesterday or tomorrow.” Martha replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.” “I do believe that you are the God of today.”
We, too, can often focus only on the God of yesterday or tomorrow. We remember how God has helped in the past. We also have faith that someday we will get to heaven after death. But through the story of Lazarus, John tells us that eternal life is “present tense” – here and now. Jesus prayed in John 17:3, “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jesus also said in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” When? Now. Today.
Living the Resurrection
So now, Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus and cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out. Jesus said, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Lazarus had life again that day, but one day he would die again. This is the sign that points to a deeper truth: Jesus, who called Lazarus out of the tomb, walks toward His own tomb within days. He laid down His life, for Lazarus and for us, so that we might believe in him and have new life today.
We see this kind of resurrection life in Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur and Messala grew up together as close friends, both Jewish. But as adults, they chose very different paths. Ben-Hur stayed faithful to his people. Messala chose power and became a Roman officer. When their paths crossed again, ambition won over friendship. Ben-Hur’s family was arrested. His mother and sister were imprisoned and became lepers. Ben-Hur was sent to a slave ship. From that moment, his heart burned with revenge. Years later, miraculously Ben-Hur survived a shipwreck. He gained freedom, wealth, and strength. Eventually, he faced Messala and defeated him. But even after winning, Ben-Hur was not free. His heart was still restless.
Then he heard about Jesus - a man who healed the sick. He rushed to bring his mother and sister to him, but arrived too late. Jesus was already on the cross. From a distance, Ben-Hur watched. He saw the mocking. He heard the cruelty. Then he heard Jesus pray, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In that moment, Ben-Hur said it felt as if Jesus took the sword out of his hand. The hatred was gone. Peace entered his heart. That is resurrection life. Not only life after death, but a new heart, a new way of living, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, here and now.
Here and Now
Many artists have tried to paint Lazarus being raised. For me, my favorite is Vincent van Gogh. As many of us know, Van Gogh lived a very hard life. Early on, he hoped to serve God. He worked as a lay preacher and missionary, but he was eventually dismissed. He struggled to find his calling. For most of his life, he was unknown, misunderstood, and poor.
The Raising of Lazarus was painted while Van Gogh was in a mental hospital, in his final year. He based the painting on a Rembrandt print, but left out Jesus. Instead, he focuses on Lazarus, weak and struggling to rise. Many believe Van Gogh saw himself in Lazarus. That’s why Lazarus has a red beard, like Van Gogh. How about the two women at the grave? They are not biblical figures. They are real people Van Gogh knew: Mrs. Roulin and Mrs. Ginoux. They were friends who showed him kindness and care during one of his darkest seasons.
Van Gogh reminds us: In winter, we may not hear Jesus’ voice clearly. We may not see dramatic miracles. But even then, Jesus is still at work. Resurrection life still comes to us. His presence, his grace, and his power in this season may be gentle, but they are still, and always, more than enough to raise us up. This is resurrection, here and now.
I want to close with Dr. King’s last speech. Without knowing he would be killed the very next day, he said:
“Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, resurrection life is now. By faith, we’ve been to the mountain top. By faith, we’ve seen the Promised Land. Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God? Do you believe he was raised from the dead? Do you believe he is the resurrection and the life? Let us say with all our hearts, “Lord, I believe.” Let us live by faith, not by sight. And we have life – abundant life, today and always. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment