feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dear Family,

As we continued our meditation in John 11 this Sunday, having looked at the first half of the story that focused on MAN’S ASKING, we looked at the second half about GOD’S ANSWERING. We considered the different responses to this situation from Mary and Martha, from the disciples and from the crowd. I think we could relate to them. You’ve done your asking, you’ve ceased your asking. It’s too dangerous to go back there, it will stir up too much trouble and pain. It’s too difficult anyway. It’s too disappointing, too distressing to think about other possibilities, especially when hope has taken a beating. It’s too embarrassing to be unanswered – I’m feeling shame in my situation and circumstances. The faith I once had is looking stupid right now. It’s too bad, too late, and any other good outcome is too good to be true. I know the doctrines, and like Martha, I do actually believe them but I’m having a hard time connecting with them right now, or should I say, they don’t seem to be connecting with my reality, anymore than Jesus’ mention of the resurrection connected with her dead brother.

But what about the responses of Jesus? Into this tangle of groans and moans, into this wreckage from the asking that hit the wall unanswered, into this ruin of remorse and regret comes Jesus. Allow me to note some of his responses. They are made up of two statements, three questions of his own, three commands and a very short asking prayer. Like surgical scissors, these cut through the Gordian knot of grief. I will summarize these under three headings:

A PROMISE: “Your brother will rise again.” (v23) His first response to what he sees and hears is simply a softly but firmly spoken promise. He had already said that this would not end in death. He must see something we don’t see, know something we don’t know, desire something we’ve long since given up on. Dear-heart, the promises of God, though seemingly un-cashable at the moment of deepest debt, unhelpful at the time of greatest need, remain non-negotiable and the sure basis that the one who saved us will give us all we need for life and godliness and will procure for us the needful provision for what His will has prepared for us to do and be. The promises of God remain foundational for our assurance and succor. He is a present help in time of trouble. He is present at the graveside of this buried hope. The promises were not about make-believe but make-better. He said whoever came to him he would not turn away – especially if they came in a coffin. He does not come to bury with empty promises.
A PRONOUNCEMENT: “I am the resurrection and the life.” The promise is followed by a pronouncement, a proclamation if ever there was one. This was not resurrection wrapped up in the wording of a doctrine, of a catechetical statement, of a line from a liturgical creed. This was not resurrection as a proposition but as a person. “I AM…” Suddenly the issue has less to do with what I know about my problems: my death, or my sin, or my prison, but about how much I know about who He is in relation to it: savior for my sin, deliverer for my prison, life for my death. Where the doctrine did not relate, where the theologizing failed, he insists on relating personally and presently.
A PROOF: “Where have you laid him?...Come and see Lord.” It’s an interesting feature of this entire story that Jesus is always engaging others in what needs to happen. He did some asking of his own. He asked the obvious. He still does. He seeks our confession, our admission, our invitation. His question and their answer cut right to the chase. Where is the problem? Where is the source of the grief, of the loss: loss of joy, loss of worth, loss of personhood, loss of integrity, loss of dignity, loss of hope, loss of direction, loss of calling, loss of love. Right here Lord. Maybe we could have argued that this was the time for Jesus to do one of his “say the word from a distance” kind of miracles. Civilized distance would be preferable – does he have to reveal the corpse, the source of sorrow and hopelessness, defeat and despair? Do we have to get our hands this dirty? Do we have to face the effects of this, the consequences, the realities that are better left where they are, out of sight all the time and out of mind some of the time? The text tells us that Jesus “came to the tomb.” (v38) He does not come to read the inscriptions or simply to leave flowers. His interest is not to beautify our gravesite – give us a veneer of respectability. This is such a wonderful picture, moving footage, of the way that Jesus insists on approaching the off-limits of our desolation. Then the unbelievable, impossible to anticipate instruction: “Take away the stone!” Notice again that there is no abracadabra here. No “Hey presto.” Human will, human choices to participate and co-operate with Him were necessary. At this point there is a delay of a different kind. This time it is Martha ironically doing the delaying, having once tacitly accused Jesus of being responsible for tardiness. Well might she step in between Jesus and the problem. “By this time there is a bad odor.” The consequences of our dead works and our dead sins do have an after-smell, an after-taste. We’ve commented on the divine YET. Here is its companion it would seem: the human “BUT LORD!” That root of bitterness, that chronic attitude, that secret sin, that intractable bondage, that unresolved anger, that withheld forgiveness – they should not be exposed to sunlight. Equally and eerily familiar are the interventions that block his healing progress, his delivering intent. And then there are still the wretched stones that have to be moved, that he insists on being moved simply because they obstruct and hinder his engagement. What are our stones? What deceit, what fear, what avoidance, what denial, what suppression, what hypocrisy, what delay? Maybe I can put it this way. As Martha stands with her arms outstretched barring Jesus’ way toward the tomb, she is defending life as it is. The truth is she is actually ending up defending death as it is. But thankfully and gloriously, there seems to be a simple principle at work here. If we do the rolling, he will do the resurrecting. Our confession, our invitation, our rolling of the stone surrenders access to Jesus. Others may be shocked by what is revealed; we may be surprised by the extent of the decay. The crowd may draw back but Jesus never flinched, never turned his face, never held his nose.

The communications that follow are rapid and concise, from “Take away the stone!” to “Take off the graveclothes!” Either get the CD to re-consider this sequence or do your own fresh meditation on these statements of deliverance. They present the proof of his promise and pronouncement. I hope that over these two messages, you have grasped something of both the directness of Christ’s answering work, but also the non-linear nature of our asking. There is no cookie-cutter here, but there are truths that are sure. He does love, he does hear, he does answer, he does act – in accordance with the greater outcome of the greatest glory.

The very next chapter records something of the follow-up to all this. How Jesus must have enjoyed that dinner party in Bethany! Well might Lazarus laugh as he reclined next to Jesus. And suddenly, from stage left, comes Mary, who some would strongly argue is one and the same as Mary Magdalene, that being once her escort name at the Roman Officer’s club. She breaks open a bottle of alabaster that was a year of good wages for a high-class prostitute. So intense was the relieved outpouring of her soul, of her love for and gratitude to Jesus, that in a moment of unself-conscious devotion and adoration, she broke not only the stingy rules of the thieving Judas, but also the conventions of social decorum, and loosed her hair, as only adulteresses were wont to do. It was the sign of fallen-ness. But in this case, the loose hair echoes the loose grave-clothes, as it is transformed in its flowing lines as a sign of freeing forgiveness. In a single moment again, we are reminded that there is room in Jesus’ inner circle for the one who was once dead. John records two breakings: of the seals of a tomb and of a perfume jar. Brokenness could not be avoided. But as unstoppable as was the stench, so unstoppable was the fragrance. This is what I want you to know above all else this Palm Sunday, as like the crowd you wave your palms, whether branches or hands. Because of what happened at Bethany, because of this extraordinary preview of what was about to happen to destroy the power of death once and for all, we know that his love is committed to still take us from the stench of our death to the fragrance of our recovered devotion. Where death said it’s over, the resurrection and the life said, Behold, I make all things new. “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Blessed is he who comes to my tomb, to my problem, to my house, to my family, to my marriage, to my city, to my church!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

HOLY WEEK SPECIAL SERVICES:

Maundy Thursday—April 1, 7:00pm—Service conducted by Church of the Resurrection
Good Friday—April 2, 7:00pm—Joint service conducted by COSC and Church of the Resurrection. Child care for children 5 and under will be provided.
Easter Sunday—April 4, 10:00am. Easter breakfast fellowship prior to service at 9:00am.

WOMEN’S RETREAT: Registration for the annual Women’s Retreat has begun! The dates are May 1-2 and the cost is $80. See us at the table in the lobby after service to register and contact Trudy Sharp at trudyrsharp@gmail.com if you have any questions.

LUNCH AFTER CHURCH: Melissa Wallace and Chris Tynes will be leading a group lunch after Church this Sunday at Old Siam, 406 8th St. SE. Look for Melissa or Chris outside in front of the church or meet them at the restaurant.

NIGHT OF PRAYER: The next Night of Prayer will be on Apr. 10, from 7-9pm. Please join us as we pray for our church, city and nation.

RIGHTEOUS RENOVATIONS: Care Company and Gatepost Ministries are having their third demolition day to make space for a new Anacostia Café and job-training center for at risk teens, April 10 from 9-2pm. Contact Monique ASAP if you would like to participate, monique@carecompanydc.org.

PORCH FUNDRAISER: On April 7th, from 6:30- 8:30pm, at Washington Community Fellowship (Maryland Ave. & D St. NE), the Porch will be hosting a pancake dinner at to raise funds for the ministry. The suggested donation is $5.

FREQUENT FLIER MILES: If you are someone who travels frequently and have frequent flier miles that you would be willing to make available to others in the church who have emergency travel needs, please contact the church office.

HEALING PRAYER CONFERENCE: Judith MacNutt, of Christian Healing Ministries, will be leading a healing prayer conference at the Falls Church on May 5-6. For more information, visit www.thefallschurch.org/healing.

For general questions or building use inquiries, send an e-mail to office@christourshepherd.org.

To communicate updates for the pastoral letter and/or the church bulletin, send an e-mail to ben@christourshepherd.org. The church bulletin will be completed by end of day on Thursdays.

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HOUSING AVAILABLE: Room on Capitol Hill, looking for a CF for a group house with women in early 30’s. $650 + utilities. House is located a block from Stanton Park and in walking distance of Union Station and Eastern Market. Looking to fill room by April 1st. If interested, please email Laura at grazier_1@yahoo.com.

VOLUNTEER NEEDED: The ‘859 House’ is an after school meeting facility for about 17 boys ages 8-17, a space used for fellowship and mentoring. They are looking for a Computer-wise volunteer to help with computer maintenance. Youth frequently use their out-of-date computers for homework and other activities. Contact Dorothy Logansif interested, dorothy.logans@gmail.com.

NONPROFIT SEMINAR: Nancy chan will be teaching a 5-hour non-credit seminar on program evaluation for nonprofits through NYACK’s Community Development Program here in DC, Sat. May 8 from 9am-3pm. The course will provide and overview of essential elements for outcome-based program evaluation gear towards the use of nonprofits. Please email Nancy nhchan@gmail.com for more details, including cost and registration