Readings:
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
Audio sermon link:
https://fileresource.sitepro.com/filemanager/74/filecollections/422/4C469A32-58D3-1379-689C-505CEA1C59E0.mp3
As Pastor Mohn started out her sermon, she mentioned, as often happens, she discussed her sermon with husband, Erik Gronberg, Pastor at Dr. Martin Luther Church in Oconomowoc. He said, “Whattcha gonna preach about Lazarus?” Upon her response about a planned approach, he replied “Well, you’re gonna preach Favre, aren’t ya?” As only a blog originating in the remorse-laden down-state areas of Wisconsin might attest, the message of Lazarus rising from the dead and the recent hanging up of cleats by one of the NFL’s most relentless of work-ethicists have something in common. Throughout Green Bay and beyond, there were more than shades of grief over the announcement of Favre’s retirement from professional football. There was a palpable sense of loss permeating conversations around water coolers (excuse me, bubblers) and coffee machines. If you didn’t know better, Pastor Mohn pointed out, you’da thought he’d died!? There was a sure-fire sense of a legacy left behind.
Number 4 played with reckless abandon, and inspired those around him to hope and believe they could go an extra yard, gain an extra step, gain an extra first down, reach further for a grab. People were resonantly disappointed that he’d leave and let the fire that was his presence be dimmed. The people around Jesus in today’s scripture reading are similarly disappointed that Jesus took the news of Lazarus’ dying without rushing or hurrying to his friend’s side at his time of need. They were disappointed in Jesus for allowing this light that was Lazarus to go out. But Jesus had a different plan. Lazarus’ illness was to be used as part of that bigger plan – to glorify God in his raising from the dead.
In Pastor Mohn’s aptly chosen words,
“That’s an interesting legacy.”
Even when what happens to you doesn’t seem to, it will be used “for good” by God, in God’s way, in God’s time. It’s interesting because is does not always conform to our view of how the plan maybe should be played out. And interesting because our understanding is not integral to the plan God has chosen to reveal His glory to the world.
Jesus DOES care and he truly grieves for Lazarus. His grief is REAL. But there is NO TONLY death. Jesus turns the tables, in a taste of what’s to come. If the blind man of recent scripture texts has been chosen to lead a “purpose driven life” in having his sight restored, it may be, Pastor Mohn notes, a “purpose driven death” through which Lazarus is chosen to illuminate the glory of God.
If this sounds too dramatic, too martyrdom-ish, death is never really as far from us as we’d like to think. It’s as close as The Cross.
Relative to God’s timeline, the length of any human life is but a left parenthesis on a much longer abundance beyond this life. If that left parenthesis is defined as much or more by its ending than anything in its Earthly duration, this may be an interesting legacy. And a twist on our interpretation of the importance of life’s length as contrasted with its abundance. As Pastor Johnson has reminded us several times, Jesus promised us not a long life, but rather an abundant one.
The season of Lent focuses on our mortality and our limits. The reality is we always give our money, our resources, our time, our lives to something. What are your dreams, the things you devote your best hours and your best self to? It’s an important question in life because very day, they cost you another 24 hours and, in the end, they cost you your life.
Each of us receives a call in Baptism to die and rise every day – the dietism and the Tree of Life. Each of us will give our life for something.
What are your dreams? To what are dedicating your life’s efforts? What are you giving your life for? What’s it costing you? What are you willing to pay?
Pastor Mohn casts a cloak of responsibility over this notion when she reminds us that we’re challenged in our answer to this call. We are challenged in that our answer to the call may require that we change to make that calling happen. Recently in Lent Pastor Johnson ended a sermon by leaving us with this thought:
It’s not sinful to leave your feet planted firmly on the ground, but if you’re willing to change to heed the call, if you’re willing to “ride the wind”, if you’re willing, like so many of Favre’s foot soldiers, to believe and to hope and to aspire to an extra charge then what can and will happen will be nothing short of extraordinary.
If we put our own notion of The Plan aside, if we are willing to trust and believe, there’s always another chance for life – as close as tomorrow morning. As Jame taylor sings:
“Another day, another day
Another chance that we may finally find our way
Another day.”
Another day, another chance to play with reckless abandon, and inspire those around you, not all too unlike Numero Quattro, to hope and to believe.
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