The Gospel text for the Fifth (and final) Sunday in Lent is the resurrection of Lazarus. There are several places in this story where we are encouraged to look forward to the events of Easter.
The one I would like to pick up on this morning is Jesus' delay in going to see about Lazarus.
When told that Lazarus is ill, Jesus does not immediately drop everything and go running. He has other work to do. He goes about that work for several days. Then, he is the one who announces that Lazarus has died.
This is not a point which had been missed by the sisters of Lazarus. They remind him, "If you had been here Lazarus would not have died."
It is not that Jesus doesn't care. Within this story is the verse every contestant at a Bible verse competition loves the most. It is that short verse, "Jesus wept." He cares about Lazarus; he simply didn't make preventing Lazarus' death the most important event.
Doing the work of God, is the work which remains important. Making known God's love and grace, is the task which comes first in Jesus' life.
Death is always feared. Death is to be avoided. But in this story we are reminded that Death is not the worse of possible events. Far worse would be to loose touch with God's grace or God's hope for our lives. Christ comes among those who are sick and ill; Christ becomes one with those who are facing death and assures that not even death will be able to separate us from the love of God.
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