I Am the Resurrection and the Life

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON TRAGEDY

Reminder that Jesus encounters tragedy in the same way we do

Early on, though, we see that he views it differently

He experiences deep emotions, but he also shapes his response with the conviction of God’s ultimate victory

Jesus is notified Lazarus is sick, and waits 2 days.

He arrives 4 days after death (so if he had jumped right to it, presumably, he would have been two days too late)

Jewish belief was a spirit hung around dead body for 3 days, visible onset of deomposition was sign that there was no hope. Jesus waits until there is no hope to intervene

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

Jesus meets Martha.

She has faith that he could have stopped Lazarus’ death if he’d been there.

She has strong, but inadequate faith

Jesus assures her that Lazarus will rise

Jewish understandings of eschatalogical resurrection

Jesus: I Am the resurrection and the life

Her reaction to stone rolling shows she parrots good theology, but hasn’t integrated it.

Mary also cries when she encounters

Jesus is moved, indignant

Perhaps angered by lack of faith, or at the pain sin and death cause his friends

Jesus goes to tomb

Raises Lazarus with voice (echos Gen1)

INGEGRATING TRUTH

Jesus’ words seem like empty pious sayings we say to one another without really meaning.

“he’s in a better place” “God will make a way”

Jesus challneges us to live in the truth of our confession: imagine a world with no death (we can live in that righ tnow)

At centre of this: I am the resurreection and the life

Resurrection shapes our life

We can live cross-shaped life w/o despair if we believe that death isn’t the last word.

Faith in resurrection changes our perspective on suffering

Faith in resurrection shades our experience of grief