By: Jeff Harris
I do not recall when I first heard the story of Lazarus, but for as long as I can remember, the mention of the name “Lazarus” sends chills into my heart and soul, causing me to shudder.
This story in the gospel of John comes just before the plot to destroy Jesus. It is part of the Greatest Story Ever Told, and demands my attention. The drama is high! Here again is Martha and Mary; it is their brother Lazarus who has died, and for whom Jesus has come too late. “If only you had been here, our brother would not have died,” they cry. But Jesus tells them he will rise again, to which Martha replies, “Yes, yes, I know he will rise again at the last day in the resurrection.”
The stage is set for these words from Jesus:
“I Am The Resurrection And The Life! He Who Believes In Me Will Live Even Though He Dies.” It shakes the ground under my feet, and I wonder again what does it mean to LIVE as I visualize Lazarus walking out of the tomb.
For years, the Easter Sunrise service at St. Catherine’s has closed with Ray Repps’ “I Am The Resurrection.” It continues to move me and challenge me to believe in the unbelievable; to truly live as if I have just come back from the dead, from the tomb, so that I might live in a new way… “If you believe, then you will live.”