Gregg DeMey 0:08
Good morning and welcome to Elmhurst CRC's Daily Dose of the Word of God. It's Thursday, March 6. This is Gregg DeMay, Lead Pastor of the church and it is the season of Lent as we journey with Jesus toward Jerusalem and the cross - diving deep into the Gospel of John, chapters 11 through 13. Today's reading is from John 11, verses 6 through 13.
Gregg DeMey 0:29
So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
Gregg DeMey 1:12
All cultures have euphemisms for death. In English, we say that, "the person passed away, they reached the end of the line, or kicked the bucket (if we're being crass)." Sleep with the lead euphemism in Middle Eastern culture 2000 years ago. Now, is this what Jesus is doing here? Is he just using a euphemism? His disciples seem genuinely confused. They're thinking, "well, our friend Lazarus has been super sick. Hopefully he's having a good, long sleep - a deep rest might allow his body to heal and our friend to recover." But Jesus isn't talking about natural sleep, as will soon become apparent.
Gregg DeMey 1:56
I think something different is going on in this passage from Jesus' point of view. Earlier in the Gospel of John, Jesus said these controversial words: "very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am." In saying this, Jesus was communicating, "I'm God. The name God gave Moses at the burning bush, I Am that I Am. That's me - past, present, future. It's all the eternal moment of now to me." From that point of view, what is human death, mortal deat, my death, your death, Lazarus's death? Surely not the end of the line, a cessation of existence or passing away as we might say. No!Jesus, being the living one refuses to give death more credit than it deserves. And in referring to death as sleep, he is calling it what it is (from God's perspective) - a temporary wave on the eternal horizon of life that God gives to all those who are his children. Death is the doorway into real life. So given that Lazarus isn't dead (but sleeping, according to Jesus), what might happen next?
Gregg DeMey 3:21
Let's pray. Lord God, thank you that we can indeed see mortal death as a doorway to real life - a mere resting place as we await the resurrection because you are the first and the last - the one who has gone ahead of us into death who now lives forever and ever in your powerful name. In your name we pray today, amen.
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