JOHN 11: 1-45

Jottings on John…Lent 5…2017 

J.A. Swanson’s bright cover for William Willemon’s ‘The Intrusive Word’¹, is a vibrantly coloured illustration of the scene in the cemetery at Bethany. A kind of icon. A crowd of people is wending its way to Lazarus’ grave via different paths. Carrying arms full of bright flowers. The tomb is in the foreground. Nearby, singers & musicians are playing, & no doubt, wailing. Children are climbing on top of the tomb for a better view of what’s going on here. 

Men have rolled the great stone seal to one side. Martha & Mary are there of course, comforting each other. Jesus & Lazarus are hugging. Lazarus, a grey-looking figure, still bound in grave cloths. Jesus, in bright gold, looks to be using His free hand to remove His friend’s head cloth! 

This vivid portrayal is brimming with life. Brings the whole scene alive. As Jesus brings Lazarus to life. As Jesus is Resurrection & Life. For us, too. As Sign (the 7th JN records) of Who He Himself is. As foretaste of what God will prove Himself capable of doing for Jesus in a few days time. (After three days, compared with Lazarus’ fourth day, but what’s a day with God!) This one picture has brought the story of Lazarus alive for me more than any sermon I’ve heard - or preached!

Can we preach this passage so it speaks to us of the moment, rather than as a history lesson? So it becomes truly powerful for us? Vividly, vibrantly, colourfully? No more shades of grey when resurrection’s in the air! ! Could we make not only Lazarus, but the story, come alive as this picture does? Bringing everyone in it, bringing us all, as well as Lazarus, back to life? Help us all find ourselves in the picture in a today version of the story? Discern how Jesus can raise us from any deadness we’re experiencing? Now. No need to wait for any raising up on some ‘Last Day’! Discern how God in Jesus frees us from whatever binds us & keeps us dead & ‘grey’ - for any number of days? 

The above ‘icon’ also illustrates the way our lives are all inter-linked: family, birth, life, suffering, death. With the colourful & not so colourful all linked with, caught up one way or another with everyone & everything going on. Life-giving, or not. Even those doubtful, or merely curious! What role are we playing in today’s new version we’re painting with our lives? Where do we find God, where does God find us, alive in our new picture?

¹ Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1994

JOHN 9: 1-41

Jottings on John…Lent 4…2017 

Are longish passages like this in the liturgy (as distinct from in studies) a ‘turn-off’ instead of the ‘switch on’ we hope they will be? David Lose¹, in a recent reflection, suggests reading only the Gospel that day; is this worth considering if it is seen as a problem? Or is that too ‘out of court’?

Today’s passage centring on Jesus & Reuben (let’s give him a name & a face!) has me pondering ‘taking the initiative’ in the Lenten & Passion-tide Gospels. Holy Spirit takes the initiative in leading / driving (MK) Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. Next, it’s Nicodemus taking it. Then, Jesus asking ‘Samara’ for a drink at Jacob’s well, in giving Reuben his sight, & raising Lazarus. Jesus then sets in train the events of Palm Sunday, & lets the authorities take the initiative on the evening of Maundy Thursday, & in His being tried, condemned, & crucified on ‘Good’ Friday.

God takes back the initiative at Easter, but who’s taking the initiative in the events we’re hearing & preaching about today? Jesus, then ‘neighbours’, Reuben, some Pharisees, Reuben’s parents, Reuben again, who weathers abuse, & confesses faith in Jesus as Messiah. Pharisees try to re-take the initiative, but instead Jesus retakes the initiative that gave Reuben his physical & deep spiritual sight now.

Isn’t it odd that people who know Reuben well as a blind person, can’t - or won’t  - recognise him now he can see! Scene after scene builds up to make a real-life parable for us all. Are there people we know whom we define by their disabilities, shortcomings, or perceived failure to meet some standard we set instead of seeing the possibilities of God taking the initiative in them & their situations? 

No matter our faith or church membership, are our inner eyes wide open to the Deep Wisdom of God & initiatives God may want to take in our own lives, or, with His blessing, in someone else’s? Are we as aware, as Reuben becomes, that the Messianic age has come in Jesus; that it isn’t something only to be looked forward to? Which raises the issue of letting God take the initiative in overcoming our human obsession with clocks & calendars. 

Does the mud - earth + water - bit ring any bells in the evolution of new & spiritual life for Reuben & us?

However we choose to preach this passage, it needs to become a story of now rather than then! Our story, in whatever form it takes, as well as Reuben’s.

¹ On his site: ‘In the Meantime’