Courage
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[April 07, 2011]
--"Then after this he
said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples
said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and
are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve
hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble,
because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at
night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this,
he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going
there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has
fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been
speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring
merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For
your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But
let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his
fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.'"-John
11: 7-16
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If you haven't read the story of Jesus and Lazarus lately, you
really should. It composes all of the Gospel of John's 11th
chapter, and is stunning in its theological depth, nuance and
power. The section I have pulled out is less discussed and
occurs early on in the story. Jesus has been summoned to the
town of Bethany because a friend of his, Lazarus, has become
gravely ill. The man's sisters, Mary and Martha, believe Jesus
can help their brother, but Jesus is in no hurry. Finally, he
decides to head for Bethany despite the protests of his
disciples, who fear he will be killed if he goes there. They
also fail to understand that Lazarus is already dead, but, once
they do get it, Thomas offers his cryptic prediction that they
will all end up dead as well. It is a tough moment.
This aspect of the story is overshadowed by what happens when
Jesus arrives; his conversation with the sisters, his tears, his
resurrection of the dead man, but this passage sets the stage.
And it sets the stage for all of us who are called to follow
Jesus. When we figure out that we are being called to do
something, and we discern this with regrettable infrequency, we
should remember this passage. Here Jesus knows what he must do
to glorify God, he must go to the dead man, but his disciples
want little part of it. They know it will be danger, and indeed
believe it may lead to their own death. But they go. And that
is the important thing. We often wonder what Jesus will do for
us in our lives, or where he was when we suffered, but the truth
of things is that we often overlook or ignore that which we are
supposed to do for him. Following Jesus often means going
places that we are uncomfortable or even afraid to go, places
which will challenge and test us. Jesus is not our servant, he
is our master, and we should understand the difference. For
when we can overcome our fear and follow our savior, we show
others and ourselves the glory of God.
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Prayer: Holy God, help me to hear Christ's call in my
life, and to follow Jesus this week. I ask that I may have courage
to go even to those places of which I am afraid. I pray in Jesus'
name. Amen.
[Phil Blackburn, First Presbyterian Church]
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