Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:06 | hello today let’s talk about the raising |
| 0:10 | of Lazarus |
| 0:14 | the raising of Lazarus takes place in |
| 0:16 | the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John |
| 0:19 | the sisters of Lazarus send word to |
| 0:22 | Jesus |
| 0:24 | they say Lord behold he whom you love is |
| 0:28 | sick |
| 0:29 | now notice please the sisters do not say |
| 0:32 | how sick he is |
| 0:33 | they do not offer any |
| 0:36 | instruction |
| 0:37 | or suggestions as to what Jesus might do |
| 0:40 | of course they wanted Lazarus to be |
| 0:42 | healed but they knew that they could |
| 0:44 | trust Jesus to do exactly what was best |
| 0:47 | so they sent that message |
| 0:49 | and then they waited |
| 0:52 | this is good instruction for us too I |
| 0:54 | think |
| 0:54 | when we have a request to carry before |
| 0:57 | the Lord |
| 0:58 | we don’t need to give him instructions |
| 1:01 | we can simply trust in him |
| 1:04 | so as you know Jesus remained where he |
| 1:07 | was for another two days |
| 1:09 | and then |
| 1:11 | suddenly he declared to his disciples |
| 1:13 | let us go to Judea again |
| 1:16 | now that phrase occurs in the hortatory |
| 1:19 | subjunctive that means that it is an |
| 1:21 | exhortation or a command |
| 1:24 | presumably something had changed |
| 1:27 | we suspect that Lazarus has died |
| 1:30 | and in the next couple of verses Jesus |
| 1:32 | confirms that for us |
| 1:35 | by the time Jesus and his disciples |
| 1:37 | arrive in Bethany it is four days since |
| 1:41 | Lazarus has been placed in the Tomb |
| 1:44 | decomposition takes place rapidly in |
| 1:47 | that setting and that climate |
| 1:50 | Jesus wants to meet with the sisters |
| 1:51 | separately without the interference of |
| 1:54 | all of the people who had gathered for |
| 1:56 | the funeral or all the people who would |
| 1:58 | quickly gather around him |
| 2:00 | funerals by the way last seven days in |
| 2:02 | his culture |
| 2:04 | so Jesus asked one of the folks there a |
| 2:07 | disciple or an onlooker to go and get a |
| 2:10 | message to Martha she slips away from |
| 2:13 | the house unseen and comes as quickly as |
| 2:16 | she can to the Lord |
| 2:18 | and there she blurts out what surely she |
| 2:20 | has been thinking for the last many days |
| 2:22 | Lord if you had been here my brother |
| 2:24 | would not have died |
| 2:26 | this is not an accusation against Jesus |
| 2:28 | it’s clear to see because she follows it |
| 2:31 | immediately with this word but even now |
| 2:33 | I know that whatever you ask of God God |
| 2:36 | will give to you |
| 2:39 | what follows |
| 2:40 | is a deep theological conversation |
| 2:45 | Jesus said to her |
| 2:47 | your brother will rise again |
| 2:49 | and she said I know that he will rise |
| 2:52 | again at the Resurrection on the last |
| 2:55 | day |
| 2:56 | then Jesus said to her |
| 2:59 | I am the resurrection and the life |
| 3:04 | he who believeth in me though he were |
| 3:06 | dead yet shall he live and whosoever |
| 3:09 | liveth and believeth in me shall never |
| 3:12 | die |
| 3:13 | do you believe this |
| 3:16 | and she said to him yes Lord |
| 3:19 | I believe that you are the Christ the |
| 3:22 | son of God |
| 3:24 | even he who has come into the world |
| 3:28 | Martha has declared her unwavering faith |
| 3:32 | in Jesus not only that Jesus is the |
| 3:34 | messiah |
| 3:35 | but quite specifically that Jesus is the |
| 3:38 | son of God |
| 3:41 | and she returns home and gives a secret |
| 3:44 | message to her sister Mary |
| 3:46 | the Lord wants to speak with you |
| 3:49 | but Mary is so excited that she jumps up |
| 3:52 | to leave the house |
| 3:53 | causing quite a stir |
| 3:55 | and many of the crowd follow after her |
| 4:00 | Jesus is remaining at the same place |
| 4:03 | and you’ll please notice that Mary says |
| 4:06 | the same words that her sister said |
| 4:09 | however |
| 4:11 | the response of Jesus is completely |
| 4:14 | different one sister to the next |
| 4:17 | when Mary saw the Lord she fell at his |
| 4:20 | feet sobbing |
| 4:22 | Lord she says if you had been here my |
| 4:26 | brother my brother would not have died |
| 4:30 | Jesus was deeply moved with compassion |
| 4:37 | his heart ached for Mary and for those |
| 4:39 | grieving |
| 4:40 | he said where have you laid him |
| 4:43 | they went together |
| 4:45 | and now the shortest verse of all of |
| 4:47 | scripture |
| 4:48 | Jesus wept |
| 4:52 | with Martha |
| 4:54 | Jesus had a deep theological |
| 4:55 | conversation |
| 4:57 | with Mary |
| 4:59 | Jesus wept |
| 5:02 | he provided the caring response that |
| 5:04 | each one needed |
| 5:08 | Jesus told them to remove the great |
| 5:10 | Stone from the face of the grave |
| 5:14 | Martha’s worried because Lazarus she |
| 5:18 | thinks will stink he’s been in the Tomb |
| 5:21 | for four days but Jesus responds |
| 5:24 | did I not tell you that if you believe |
| 5:27 | you will see the glory of God |
| 5:30 | the scripture tells us |
| 5:32 | that |
| 5:33 | Jesus was agitated |
| 5:36 | it’s very interesting the Greek word |
| 5:38 | here indicates indignation or even anger |
| 5:43 | I suspect that we have very little |
| 5:45 | insight into the thoughts and the |
| 5:47 | feelings of the god-man Jesus |
| 5:50 | concerning the fallen angel of Light |
| 5:52 | Lucifer |
| 5:55 | he is the Devil Himself |
| 5:57 | who brought sin and death to humanity |
| 6:05 | Jesus looked to God in heaven and spoke |
| 6:09 | a prayer |
| 6:11 | loudly enough so that the people would |
| 6:12 | understand that God was the one who had |
| 6:15 | sent Jesus |
| 6:17 | then Jesus cried out with a loud voice |
| 6:20 | Lazarus |
| 6:22 | come forth |
| 6:25 | and the dead man |
| 6:27 | walked out |
| 6:30 | please hear at least three things in |
| 6:32 | this text first |
| 6:34 | Jesus knew what he would do in Bethany |
| 6:38 | he had told |
| 6:41 | no one |
| 6:43 | he had his own plan |
| 6:45 | he knew exactly what was best for |
| 6:47 | everyone |
| 6:49 | and he did it |
| 6:51 | frankly it didn’t make sense to Mary and |
| 6:54 | Martha |
| 6:55 | they didn’t know why the Lord hadn’t |
| 6:58 | come on their timetable why hadn’t he |
| 7:00 | come well Lazarus was still alive though |
| 7:02 | sick |
| 7:04 | but that was not God’s plan |
| 7:07 | God’s plan |
| 7:09 | was for the best |
| 7:11 | in the same way |
| 7:13 | you can trust that God has a plan for |
| 7:15 | every moment of your life |
| 7:18 | even when it doesn’t make sense to you |
| 7:20 | even when you think something else might |
| 7:22 | be better |
| 7:26 | second |
| 7:28 | Jesus knew Martha and Mary personally |
| 7:32 | he cared for them with the heart of God |
| 7:36 | though they met him in the same place |
| 7:39 | and they said the same words |
| 7:41 | Jesus provided for them uniquely and |
| 7:44 | personally |
| 7:46 | giving to each one of the sisters |
| 7:48 | exactly what she needed in the way that |
| 7:51 | she needed it |
| 7:53 | similarly |
| 7:54 | Jesus knows you |
| 7:57 | he does |
| 7:59 | he knows exactly |
| 8:01 | how he made you |
| 8:03 | and exactly what you need |
| 8:05 | and exactly how you need to receive care |
| 8:09 | and love and because he does love you |
| 8:13 | you can trust that he will provide for |
| 8:15 | you personally |
| 8:18 | all that you need |
| 8:21 | and finally third |
| 8:23 | Jesus is the Lord of life |
| 8:26 | he is God |
| 8:28 | he forgives sins he conquers death |
| 8:32 | and he delivers from the grave |
| 8:36 | his word |
| 8:37 | is living and active and it does not |
| 8:41 | return to him void it accomplishes that |
| 8:43 | for which it is purposed |
| 8:45 | Jesus could have raised Lazarus with a |
| 8:48 | loud voice or with a quiet Voice without |
| 8:52 | even speaking a word |
| 8:54 | but he did it in this fashion |
| 8:57 | so that all of those people would know |
| 9:00 | that he was the son of God |
| 9:04 | Jesus has given his word to you |
| 9:07 | His Holy Bible |
| 9:10 | this is God’s story |
| 9:12 | but in a very real way the Holy Bible is |
| 9:15 | your story too |
| 9:17 | it is the story of how God Made You |
| 9:21 | and knew you |
| 9:23 | it is the story of your sin and the |
| 9:26 | weakness of your faith |
| 9:28 | especially |
| 9:30 | it is the story of the miracle of how |
| 9:32 | Jesus |
| 9:33 | knows what is best for you how Jesus |
| 9:36 | cares for you personally |
| 9:38 | and how Jesus saves You by grace through |
| 9:42 | faith |
| 9:43 | from sin and death and the devil |
| 9:47 | to be with him |
| 9:49 | forever |
| 9:51 | in Paradise |
| 9:55 | amen |
LutheranLectionary.org 