DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY
Death is an unpleasant subject to talk about. We avoid it. We certainly don’t like thinking about our own mortality. Your greatest enemy is death. But let’s talk about it anyways.
I have come to appreciate old movies. One that left an impact on me was the 1934 film, “Death Takes a Holiday.” After years of questioning why people fear him, Death takes on human form as Prince Sirki for three days so that he can mingle among humans and figure them out. A wealthy and aristocratic Italian family take him as a guest for this “holiday,” but only the host knows his real identity. While Death is on vacation, no one in the world dies. Weapons of war malfunction, accident victims walk away without a scratch, and people can’t even commit suicide when they try.
The twist in the plot comes when Prince Sirki, or Death, falls in love with a young woman at the villa named Grazia. Death is torn between seeking his own happiness or giving up this love so Grazia may live. Death decides to let Grazia live and returns to his true self, a black shadow. But it turns out she knew who he was all along and…
Can you imagine death taking a holiday? Three days where no one dies. Would we notice?
We have been reflecting on the seven signs in John that reveal more and more the glory of God in Jesus. With this seventh sign, death takes a holiday. Jesus forces death to take a breather for the moment and shows us that even death must submit to the authority of Jesus. This is more than a demonstration of glory and power, however. I believe that the raising of Lazarus teaches us that in Jesus we have an answer of hope for when we face death.
1. Living in the Shadow of Death (11:1-16)
The shadow of death looms large in this part of the story. Immediately, we are told that a good friend of Jesus’, Lazarus, is sick and probably dying. Now Jesus had been in Judaea, faced opposition, and left for the far side of the Jordan River, two days journey away. The messengers that brought the news that Lazarus was sick needed two days to find Jesus. Hearing the news, Jesus stays put for two more days. Good, the disciples think, no sense going back where Jesus could get stoned.
On the other hand, if we didn’t know the story and what Jesus intended to do, we would wonder how Jesus, who loved this family so much, would delay going to them. Why would he wait so long? This question runs through the story.
Already we see death threatening on two fronts. First is the death of a dear friend, Lazarus. And second is the potential death of Jesus if he returns to Judaea. The fear of death has gripped the disciples on both sides.
In Jesus, we see no such terror. He calmly answers, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it,” (4). Jesus knows what he is going to do. He is going to reveal God’s glory by raising Lazarus from the dead. “Glory” does not mean “praise” in this sense; glory is God’s character. And this glory will be seen in Jesus. So, he waits two more days.
Then Jesus says, “Okay let’s go back to Judaea.” Not to Bethany, but to Judaea. Bethany is two miles from Jerusalem – it’s the hornets’ nest. And the disciples object. Again, because of the threat of death. Fear of death paralyzes us; it keeps us from moving forward, trying new things, going places. It doesn’t stop Jesus though. He replies with the “twelve hours of daylight” metaphor we heard about in 9:4-5. It is a metaphor that implies that we don’t stop working so long as the sun is shining. In other words, Jesus is telling the disciples that he is safe as long as he does the Father’s will. There’s nothing to fear.
Then Jesus says, “Let’s go wake Lazarus up.” Is he sleeping? The disciples get that impression. Sleep is good for those who are sick; it helps recovery. No, Jesus corrects them, Lazarus is dead, but let’s go wake him up. Sleep as a metaphor for death is widely used in the NT. It is a comforting image in the face of death. The “sleep” image takes the sting out of death to some degree.
A boy of about 12 knew he was dying, and he asked his father, “What is it like to die?” His father told him, “Son, do you remember when you were little how you would come and sit on my lap in the big chair in the living room? I would tell you a story, read you a book…and you would go to sleep in my arms. When you woke up you were in your own bed. That is the way death is.” Death is sleep. When you awake you are in a place of security and safety and beauty and rest.
That’s only possible because of what Jesus does…
2. Jesus’ Answer to the Questions of Death (11:17-27)
When faced with death, questions arise in our hearts unlike any other time. There are often misunderstandings and misconceptions about God and why God allows death. People even say things like, “God took George. I guess it was his time.” Martha, the sister of Lazarus, was no different.
Martha greets Jesus with, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask,” (21-22). Is this a rebuke? How dare you show your face here now? No, these are words of grief mixed with faith. If Jesus had been here, Martha believes Jesus would have healed him. If Jesus had been here, Lazarus would not have died. She even states in absolute faith that Jesus can ask the Father anything…except to bring Lazarus back…she doesn’t say that.
What questions do we ask of God when death cuts our hearts? My mother died before my eyes and I asked God, “Where did she go?” What did you ask? Why God? Why now? What is your timing in this? What is your plan? How is this good?
Elsewhere, Jesus says, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades,” (Rev. 1:18). To some, that may sound like Jesus is in control of life and death. Often people say that God determines our death date based on this. But I read it differently; to me, this says Jesus has gone into the realm of death by dying on the cross and has defeated death, snatched the keys from his bony hands and is going to open every jail cell and unlock every chain and set you free.
Martha is an action lady. She likes to “do.” She likes to see action. Jesus responds to this action lady in a way she needs to be comforted. He says, “Your brother will rise again.” Yeah, she agrees, on the last day. No, you’re not hearing me. Then Jesus provides the answer to your questions about death – all of them – “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (25-26). Great question. Do you believe in the “I AM”? See, once again, Jesus uses that “I, I AM” phrase to reveal that Martha is talking to God in the flesh. This is your answer to all your questions about death. Jesus is the life!
CS Lewis was married briefly but lost his wife to cancer. In a book he wrote, A Grief Observed, he reflected on his feelings about death. He wrote, “Where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms…When you are so happy…if you remember yourself and turn to him with gratitude and praise, you will be welcomed with open arms. But go to him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting inside. After that silence. You may as well turn away…” Those are words of grief and sorrow. Towards the end of the book, Lewis comes out of the grey cloud to say, “When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of “no answer.” It is not a locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate gaze…Like, ‘Peace child; you don’t understand.” The answers to the questions of death are beyond our understanding. But God is good, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
3. Jesus’ Response to the Pain of Death (11:28-35)
When faced with death, answers and lectures are lost on the grieving heart. If Martha was an activist in her grieving, Mary was a contemplative, a person who just needs to sit and weep.
Notice how she greets Jesus. Same words as Martha. It’s like they had said this repeatedly, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Imagine how she said this, with sobs and loss of breath between each phrase.
And what does Jesus say? Nothing. “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled,” (33). Jesus knew that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, but he starts weeping too. Why? Jesus is not without feeling, without emotions. No, but there’s more…
He is agitated. That expression is like when a horse snorts in anger. Jesus is indignant and troubled. At what? Some suggest that it was anger at sickness and death of a fallen world and the havoc it wreaks on humanity. Others say it was the mourners’ profound grief that led to despair – they had no hope and it shocked Jesus. Jesus wept. Jesus literally burst into tears and sobbed.
Loneliness, loss, pain, sorrow – these are tools; they are God’s gifts to drive us to his heart, to increase an awareness of our need for him. They shape us and mold us in God’s hands that we may be used as God’s channels of mercy to others who are hurting. These tools must be used and not stifled. They are not excuses to live in the shadows, but as messengers, however painful, to bring our souls into contact with the living God. Loneliness, loss, pain, sorrow lead us to God that we may overflow with himself in ways that others who don’t know life’s darkness find impossible.
4. “Lazarus, Come Out!” (11:36-44)
There is an obstacle remaining before Jesus can raise Lazarus: the stone over the tomb. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Have you noticed with some of the signs that Jesus invites human cooperation with the miracle? He tells the servants to fill jugs with water before turning them into wine. He tells the man at the pool to get up. He has the disciples distribute the bread. And how he tells the mourners to remove the stone.
So, these human hands remove the stone. When Jesus is raised from the dead, no human hand touches the stone. It is purely the power of God that moves the stone. When Jesus is raised from the dead, no one takes the grave clothes off him. Lazarus will die again; Jesus lives forever.
Still, we see the power of Jesus Christ to raise the dead in this moment. Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” I love that Bible teachers comment that Jesus had to be specific in calling Lazarus out. Otherwise, he would have emptied every tomb within the hearing of his voice. Lazarus emerges from the tomb shuffling in his tightly wound grave clothes. What a sight that must have been!
Someone once said that it must have grieved Jesus to pull Lazarus out of heaven and bring him back to earth. It must have been disappointing, he said, for Lazarus to leave the bliss of heaven to return to his earthly body. And I have to say, “Nonsense!” He did no such thing. Lazarus was dead! He was in the land of shadows where no one lives – Sheol – the place of the dead. When Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave, he called him back to life. This life must mean something more if Jesus called him back to this existence. It is no tragedy – it is the glory of God!
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Walter Kaiser said this is the favorite verse of congregations to their preachers. Loose us and let us go. I will.
Jesus put his own commentary on what they just saw. “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” This is the point of every sign: That you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and has power over elements, over nature, and over death. Do you believe this?
On the day that Lazarus was raised from the dead, Death took a holiday. But one day, Death will be “fired” altogether. He won’t just take a holiday. He won’t be laid off. His employment will cease, and he’ll be fired.
In the book of Revelation we read, “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of fire,” (20:14). They are destroyed. The Lamb of God has conquered them by the blood of his sacrifice. The sting has long been taken out of death through Christ on the cross and his resurrection from the dead.
Biblical faith is resurrection faith. And resurrection faith trusts in a God who is able to raise the dead. How many of us try to keep alive that which is already dead? We do not and cannot live by the principle, “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” We live by the kind of faith that believes that God brings about life despite death.
If you are grieving today – the loss of someone you loved, the loss of a job, the unbelief of a child or friend – there is hope. There is hope because Jesus cares. There is hope because Jesus can raise the dead. There’s hope because those who believe in Jesus, even though they die, they will live again.
Death is not the end of our hope; it is the beginning. By the death of our Lord Jesus, we died to sin and threw our helplessness to save ourselves onto his dying body. He died in our place and paid for our sins; he rose from the dead and proved that there is nothing to fear in death anymore.
There is an answer to death, it’s questions and its pains – It is Jesus, the resurrection and the life!
AMEN
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