In John 11, the Gospel for this fifth Sunday in Lent, we hear how Jesus calls his friend Lazarus out of the tomb and restores him to life. When he came out of the tomb, Lazarus was bound in bandages. Jesus told the others to unbind Lazarus and set him free.
Pastor Beth reminded us the story of Lazarus is a foreshadowing of Jesus’s own resurrection. Jesus tells Lazarus’s sisters Martha and Mary that he is the resurrection, and that “those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”. Jesus gives us ever-lasting life when we believe in him.
As Lazarus was bound by strips of cloth, we are bound by fear, guilt, addiction, judgement. As Jesus called to Lazarus, so he calls to us to “come out”, and to unbind ourselves. Even more, Jesus calls us to help others unwrap what is binding them…by holding a hand, by filling a backpack with food, by extending friendship to someone who needs a friend.
This week, Pastor Beth asks us to consider how we can reach out and help unbind another child of God.
To hear the Gospel in its entirety, and listen to Pastor Beth’s sermon, click below.