A Turn of Events

March 21, 2021 • Fifth Sunday in Lent •
Reading: John 11:25-36 NKJV
Rev. Rae Karim, guest preacher

Grief. Loss.
Mourning.
Heavy words.
Uncomfortable experiences.

We question God about them. Rightfully so. We cry.
We scream. We shake our fists. We stomp our feet. We furrow our brows. We bow our heads. We grit our teeth. We tense up our bodies. We pray. We worry. We hurt. We feel. We feel.
The Son feels with us. The Spirit feels for us. We are not the first as many stories within the sacred text speak to this.

This is a familiar text we don’t take into enough consideration before arriving at what we deem the “good” part…before we get there, let’s go here…

Jesus: had a conversation with Martha in v25 about the triumphant triad:
Resurrection & Life and death: the 1st two attributes are His Holy nature.
Yet beforehand He established His existence as I AM.

Jesus: declared more of His Divinity in v26 as Eternal Life informing Martha that those who believe in Him never die.

Jesus: Martha calls Him Christ & Son of God who came into the world in v27. Consider that saying He came into the world is saying He came from another world & another acknowledgment of His Divinity.

Jesus: Martha’s Teacher in v28. One who teaches concerning the things of God & the duties of man. She would know as she just had an invaluable lesson.

The next few verses alter the affirmative presence in the air.

Martha informs her sister Mary that Jesus called for her.

Jesus: friend of Martha & Mary. Not a social media friend, but a pre, mid & post pandemic friend. We all know some only befriend us for what we can do or what they can get. This was a tried & true friendship.

As quickly as Mary enters the scene she exits her home to go see Jesus, with eagerness that lacked delight.

She arose quickly. Yet resurrection was in her sister’s lesson.
She arose quickly answering the call with a prepared message for the Master.
She arose quickly in the midst of her pain.
She arose quickly to re-place it…before we go there let’s go here…

Jesus affirmed Himself. Martha affirmed Him too. Her affirmation was not for His validation but for her comprehension & the construction of our salvation.

Contrary to popular belief we don’t always speak because we like to hear ourselves. We do so because someone else needs to understand who we are & ignite courage to be who they are…

When Mary arose quickly to meet the Master, she rearranged the airs of affirmation. Just as quickly as she arose, she re-placed her pain on Jesus: scapegoat; villain; the person responsible for her brother’s death. Her words weren’t of disrespect but of disappointment. Her words weren’t new to Jesus’ hearing. Martha spoke the same earlier in the chapter. Yet Jesus utilized that moment as a movement into space of spiritual knowledge. Sure Jesus was here now but where was He then? Where was He who is the Resurrection & Life when the friend whom He loved was sick?

Be careful not to ascribe guilt & shame to Mary & Martha, because we’ve been in those shoes: Pointing to God as the reason. Questions! Blame! Anger! Doubt! Fury!  Vows that we’ll never again because God did & didn’t…because God allowed & prevented.

Some translations in v28 have Martha call Jesus Master, others Teacher. They both mean the same as earlier stated: one who teaches concerning things of God & duties of man. How does this relate to He who is I AM, the resurrection & life, eternal life, Christ, the Son of God?

It is here we see the turn of events. Though not explicitly named, we see another side of Jesus:
Wholly & holy human…Without partiality, packaged w/emotion & feeling: joy, laughter & peace…pain, sorrow & grief….

Grief is more than a word. It’s an experience we don’t explore enough. We leave it under the rug, on the table & so far behind closed doors it becomes as invisible. Here it’s at the forefront, in plain sight. Before we go there, let’s go here…and delve into this turn of events.

Teachers teach the duties of man.

In this turn of events, the duty is feeling.
The man is Jesus, the teacher, not with words but through action.
Jesus: Who in v33 groaned & was troubled as He felt the grief Mary: sister, friend, caretaker, community member held & that of those who supported her.

Support your people when they grieve. Why they grieve isn’t nearly as important as your support.
Questions to prequalify your presence does more harm than good.
Simply support them. Show up. Do. Socially distant. Order meals through a delivery service.
Send groceries, a card, a text. Support them.

Teachers teach the duties of man.

In this turn of events, the duty is feeling.
The man is Jesus, the teacher not with words but through feeling, something we don’t like especially when it’s unpleasurable.
Yet Jesus taught as Jesus felt when Jesus wept.
Wept – weep: weeping as the sign of pain & grief for the thing signified.

The pain & grief is Lazarus’ physical absence through death.

The thing signified is Lazarus… Brother. Friend. Protector. Confidant. Supporter. Community Member. The thing signified is Lazarus meaning whom God helps. Whom God helps now, but what about 4 days ago before sickness overtook his body… 4 days ago when Lazarus’ sisters would’ve appreciated the attributes God’s presence would afford…or how about a little more than 365 days ago when the world was still active…when we could see hope through smiles & feel love through embrace…when masks were only for hospitals…when children could enjoy the breeze of recess air & the only space between us was the grocery buggy or cart or organic arm’s length.

It’s been said Jesus didn’t weep for His friend Lazarus, but for the pain of the people…He was grieved by their grief. It’s both. As Holy, He wept for humanity. As human, He wept for His friend. How else could He in Hebrews 4:15 be touched with the feeling of our infirmities if in fact He didn’t feel our pain & grief, in His own experience?

It’s both and…as wholly & Holy human…as the Master & Teacher taught a lesson on the liberating power of feeling in this turn of events.

The turn: Jesus felt. Jesus wept. He wept for them. He wept for Himself.

He weeps before us. He weeps for us. He weeps with us.
When the diagnosis is given. When loan application is turned down. When domestic terrorism rears its ugly head.
When no is once again heard. When names & reputations are slandered. When hearts are broken; when the last breath is taken;
When the final dollar is spent…when the door is closed; When pain is overwhelming…and when and when and when….

The turn: Jesus felt. Jesus wept. He wept for them. He wept for Himself. In His wholly human state, Jesus remained I AM, remained the Resurrection & Life, remained Eternal Life, remained Christ & the Son of God…

The turn: Jesus felt. Jesus wept. He wept for them. He wept for Himself He provided illustration of the holiness in humanity; wisdom in weeping; majesty in mourning…when He released His feelings through tears.

Jesus didn’t just cry. Jesus wept. As He wept, He released feelings through tears and He released:

-       Grief because His friends Mary & Martha & their friends grieved
-       Intense emotion and physical tension.
-       Oxytocin and endorphins to ease the emotional pain

Jesus didn’t just cry. Jesus wept. As He wept, He activated the parasympathetic nervous system & restored balance to His body; balance necessary for what was to come. He gave His body permission to relax. He reset His system so He’d be fully available for what was to come.

Even in that there was a turn of events:
Psalm 30:5 Weeping endures for a night and joy comes in the morning;
Psalm 126:5 They who sow in tears reap in joy.
The association: for joy to be received, pain/grief/hurt must be released.

I often give my congregation this illustration:
If you make a fist with your hand, nothing that can get into your hand as long as you have the fist. In order for joy to be received, you have to release (slowly opens hand) pain, hurt and grief.

In this turn of events, Jesus strengthened His divine nature by way of human action. He released His tears resulting in Lazarus’ resurrection.

If He had not cried for Lazarus in death, would He have been able to cry Lazarus’ name aloud to call him to life?

To hold in pain is to hold up progress.
When was the last time you cried?
Wept?

Turn the event and do so now.

(c) 2021 Rae Karim
All rights reserved.

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