Those two words caught my attention in preparing for this week's sermon. "Deeply moved." They are in John 11, the story of Lazarus, and describe how Jesus responds to the situation. John tells us that "he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved." In fact, so profound is Jesus' emotional response that he cannot contain his own tears.
I've been pondering why this incident is recorded. Why does John share this intimate glimpse at the inner emotional life of Jesus in his gospel? I mean, this is the Messiah here! God's anointed. The light of the world come to shine in the darkness and all that. What's he doing crying?
But perhaps the question answers itself. John tells us that he wrote his version of the story down "so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believeing you may have life in his name" (20:31). So John wants us to believe. That's his agenda - to move us from un-belief (maybe dis-belief?) into belief. I don't know about you, but it sure is a lot easier for me to believe in a Messiah who expresses empathy in response human grief than a Messiah who would stand stoically by, unmoved by the pain and suffering of the people he loves.
What was it that moved Jesus to tears? Perhaps is was simply grief for his friend Lazarus; perhaps compassion for the others who were crying all around him; perhaps he was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer weight of his mission and frustrated that so many people around him weren't "getting it." After all, the resurrection for which the Jewish people were longing (i.e. Daniel 12:1-2) was no longer a distant, "one of these days" event - it was here and now. "I am the resurrection," he said. Not some abstract teaching about the end of the age, but him. Not just the things he was saying and doing, but him. Embodied. Incarnate.
As Mike said last night at Bible study, "It must have been a lot of pressure to be Jesus."
And so in order to accoomplish his mission, he decided to reveal God's power through the death of Lazarus. He basically allowed Lazarus to die in order to make his point. And how far fetched would it be to think that maybe, upon seeing the grief Lazarus's death caused, he may have had a pang or two of regret? Maybe just for an instant he thought, "Oh God, I hope this is worth it."
The confluence of all of that stuff hit Jesus with a powerful impact. And because he loved deeply, he was deeply moved. And because he was deeply moved, we believe. Even in our human relationships, how much easier is it to be friends with someone who is compassionate and empathetic, as opposed to someone we percieve as cold and aloof?
The story of Jesus' relationship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus helps me believe, because I see in Jesus' emotional response the love of God as a vital, vibrant, responsive movement to human pain. I guess I would say that this intimate glimpse of Jesus's inner life makes God more real for me, and helps me figure out what it means to love, because God first loved us.
Sermon for the First Sunday of Lent, Feb. 18, 2024
8 months ago
8 comments:
People who study the body have tried for years to anatomically figure out why we "leak from our eyes" when we get emotional...there is no "reason" for it. I would claim that tears are a movement of fluid in our bodies, and movement is a sign of change and it brings change. Tears happen when something changes to us...when we are all of a sudden happy, scared, sad. We are transitioning and moving in a healthy way. Tears are way of showing transition...a time of change is coming or is here and it is our bodies way of helping us do go through it. Of course he is showing emotion. His life is changing so quickly. maybe this is silly, but it is your fault for reading it.
What does anonymous's last sentence mean? cb
It means....that generally I make very little sense.
"And so in order to accoomplish his mission, he decided to reveal God's power through the death of Lazarus. He basically allowed Lazarus to die in order to make his point."
-AB
I take issue with this. Do you think that Jesus would really let someone die..i.e. kill someone in order to help others believe in God? He struggled with his own death, why would he do that to someone else? Not that pain isn't a part of life, but in saying that Jesus (God incarnate) let Lazarus die and created a time of pain for Lazarus' family and friends aren't you claiming that God gives us pain so that we may draw closer to God? Does a loving God do that??? Is it healthy to have the, "If God leads me to it...he will lead me through it" attitude. Is all or any suffering redemptive? Yet again...no answers on this end (which bugs me).
peace
The intern formally known as JZ
JZ - How else can one interpret Jesus' decision to stay away from Lazarus for two days, even knowing that he was so sick? In making that decision, it sure looks like Jesus basically "allowed" Lazarus to die. As Mary and Martha both observe, if Jesus had been there sooner, Laz would not have died.
In this story God is about life…not death. The death of Lazarus, seems to be a fact of nature…not divinely willed. Jesus is assured that everything will be ok, that God is good and will bring life…even in death.
God is life, life so beautiful that it can dwell even in death. Death is something that happens because we are human, not because God wants people to die. This is a story of God entering the world, and transforming death. God doesn’t need to cause death in order to show that, we as humans cause enough death. Lazarus died because he was human. God was able to use humanity to show divinity.
If I were Jesus I would be crying too, to know that something is happening that you don’t understand, he knew he had to trust in God, but how can anyone really know God’s full will. Did Jesus know “his father’s will” in all of this? He knew that something was going to happen, but I don’t know if he really knew everything that was going to happen. I again apologize if this ridiculous.
peace
Justy
I hear you and I agree with you.
That's why I did not use the words "cause" or "want" or "willed" in my interpretation. I used the word "allowed." Clearly God's desire was that Lazarus live, but in order to accomplish this desire, it is apparent that Laz was allowed to die.
I disagree with you and I don't know why. It may be that I don't trust anyone over 30...(ha I made a funny). But I don't like the idea that God "allowed" him to die, like my 2nd grade teacher "allowed" me to go potty. What kind of God are we creating by using this language? Let us think outside the box...or in this case "the cave"..aren't I witty?
peace out
Justy
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