Sometimes you are along for the ride

15Jul
by Jon Swanson

I just realized something. Lazarus never says anything.

I mean, Martha and Mary both have speaking roles. They both talk with Jesus, Martha several times. But Lazarus? Not a word.

The more I think about it, he never does much of anything, either. First he dies. Then, when Jesus tells him to come out of the tomb, he walks out. With his legs wrapped and face covered, that probably wasn’t too smooth. Then, at the banquet for Jesus celebrating Lazarus’ resurrection, he’s just sitting there (or, as they say,  “reclining at the table.”)

For all his trouble, Lazarus gets included as target in the plot to kill Jesus. Many people were trying to see him (“See the man, once dead, now walking”) and were realizing that Jesus had done something amazing (“I want to know that Guy”). The leaders decided that he had to die, too (“Maybe he’ll stay dead this time.”)

We’re laughing a bit at his utter passivity, but I’m realizing that there is nothing that Lazarus could say that would be nearly as compelling as his sheer presence. Apart from some interesting insights into what it would be like to be dead (“I saw a bright light. I started walking toward it.” “Wow! Did you see God?” “Absolutely. As soon as they took the cloth off my face, I looked right at him.”) what of significance could he say other than, “I was dead. Jesus spoke. I was alive.”?

I’m thinking that dead people walking would still be compelling. Dead marriages growing, dead dreams waking, dead relationships forgiving, dead churches breathing.

I have a feeling that there is still a voice saying, “Lazarus (and you and you) come out.”

I’m curious, though. Could he have said, “I’m comfortable dead, I don’t want the Pharisees to kill me”?

7 thoughts on “Sometimes you are along for the ride”

  1. Rich Dixon's avatar

    Rich Dixon

    Your closing question haunts me. Lazarus was presumably in God’s presence–why leave that glory for a bunch of smelly rags? Because Jesus asked, I guess. I wonder if I’d choose that sacrifice?

    Makes me think about yet another unique aspect of Jesus’ death.

    When I die, I will be in eternal communion with God. Whatever that means, it’ll be better than anything I can imagine.

    But I’ve always thought that Jesus’ death somehow separated Him from His father, however briefly, because He took on my sin and its consequences. If that’s remotely close to right, then the only man who loved and obeyed God perfectly went to hell for His efforts, just because He loves me.

    Wow.

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    1. Jon Swanson's avatar

      Jon Swanson

      You know, Rich, whether it was hell as in going there (Apostles Creed), or preaching there (! Peter 3:18-19), or having that time of separation (“Why have you forsaken me”), you are right about the love. We were looking at 1 John 4 last night, a group of us, where love is defined as Jesus dying for us. Sacrifice of the Divine for the bumbling dolt in my mirror. That’s love.

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  4. Joseph Ruiz's avatar

    Joseph Ruiz

    There is a “burning bush” yep really a plant! Outside my window. It has lot’s of bright green leaves but this year there are some noticeable dead ones. For me “coming out” is a realization that in the midst of my life there are some dead things that need to be “put off old dead smelly stuff” so I can come forth fully alive not just “existing” in what I think is a safe and secure place. It’s a Joshua call to be strong and courageous.

    Thanks Jon I too was caught off guard by the end in a good way!

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