Transformed

Todays Scripture

John 11:1–45 CEB

1 A certain man, Lazarus, was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (2 This was the Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was ill.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one whom you love is ill.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This illness isn’t fatal. It’s for the glory of God so that God’s Son can be glorified through it.” 5 Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was. After two days, 7 he said to his disciples, “Let’s return to Judea again.” 8 The disciples replied, “Rabbi, the Jewish opposition wants to stone you, but you want to go back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours in the day? Whoever walks in the day doesn’t stumble because they see the light of the world. 10 But whoever walks in the night does stumble because the light isn’t in them.” 11 He continued, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I am going in order to wake him up.” 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he will get well.” 13 They thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was in a deep sleep, but Jesus had spoken about Lazarus’ death. 14 Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15 For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there so that you can believe. Let’s go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (the one called Didymus) said to the other disciples, “Let us go too so that we may die with Jesus.” 17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was a little less than two miles from Jerusalem. 19 Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after their brother’s death. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.” 28 After she said this, she went and spoke privately to her sister Mary, “The teacher is here and he’s calling for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 30 He hadn’t entered the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were comforting Mary in the house saw her get up quickly and leave, they followed her. They assumed she was going to mourn at the tomb. 32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” 38 Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. 39 Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.” 40 Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” 41 So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” 45 Therefore, many of the Jews who came with Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him.

This is the Word of God. Let us pray:

Transforming God our Creator, we pray that in your presence even an online presence, we will feel you near. We pray that you will open our hearts and minds and write your Word on our hearts. We pray that you will set our hearts on fire with the love of your Son, Jesus, in His name we pray. Amen.

The Butterfly

Every time I read this passage the image of the life of a butterfly comes to mind. From eggs that have been laid sometime earlier a caterpillar is born. For the first months of a caterpillar’s life it spends most of its life devouring as much food as it can find. It grows to maturity and then one days searches for the right place to begin its transformation. It hangs upside down on the limb and its body is encased in a cocoon.

It would appear as a dead thing hanging from its place of transformation. Then weeks later the cocoon begins to move and vibrate. Slowly the living creature inside begins to split the cocoon open. The process of pushing itself out of the cocoon is not an easy one. You can see it is a real struggle to open the bindings of the cocoon up.

Finally, one day, the creature is free. It sits resting as it prepares for the next stage in its life. Slowly it spreads it wings letting the air dry them. Then the butterfly is free as it flies away floating on the air leaving the cocoon and its bindings behind forever.

Lazarus Died

Lazarus a follower or disciple that Jesus loved became ill. His two sisters, whom Jesus also loved, feared for the worst. They had witnessed Jesus doing works of healing in their village. They knew that Jesus could heal their dying brother. They send word to Jesus that the one Jesus loved was ill.

Since they were assured of Jesus’ love for Lazarus they knew Jesus would return as soon as possible. But as Jesus delayed His return to Bethany, Lazarus died. As was tradition Lazarus’ body was prepared for burial immediately. His body was cleansed and spices and ointments were rubbed on his body. Then Lazarus was wrapped tightly in fine linen before place him in his place of burial. In this case a tomb where a stone was rolled across the opening.

In relating this story to the transformation of a butterfly, I see Lazarus wrapped up and surrounded by his cocoon. There is a mystery here as we do not know exactly what was happening in his tomb over the next four days. All of Lazarus’ family and friends were certain he had died. It was an ending of life.

Jesus arrives four days late according to Martha. She tells Jesus that if He had come earlier He could have saved her brother. Jesus assures Martha that her brother will rise again. What appears to be dead and lifeless is going to be transformed.

Jesus steps to the open of the tomb and calls the one He loves to come out. Can you imagine all of those who are witnessing this event sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what will happen next. After what feels like a very long time they see a figure struggling to the opening, fighting against his cocoon. Fighting to get free Jesus tells them to help Lazarus unbind himself so he can be free.

There is much this story can reveal to us. It would take more than one sermon to uncover all that John crams in these forty-five verses. But today I will add only this.

Jesus Christ has transformed the world whether the world knows it or not. In the worlds cocoon Jesus calls it to come out. The church follows Jesus’ instructions to unbind those who have been set free. We watch the world dry their wings and then we fly off together to the glory of the Lord. Jesus continues to set us free.

Gently He is calling “come out” and soar on the breath of the Spirit. In times when a virus has us wrapped up tightly in a cocoon. Just wait for the call to begin again and we will come forth together and soar and float like the gentle butterfly.

Let’s us pray.

Father God we may feel bound up but we know that in Christ we are free. In this time help us ti rest and energize for the work that lies in front of us. We are listening for your call. In Jesus name. Amen.