Yesterday, we were blessed with the preaching and teaching of The Rev. Jim Steen. His sermon on the raising of Lazarus stuck with me all through yesterday and into today. He shared he was most struck by the verse where Jesus tells the people to go to Lazarus (who has just emerged from the tomb) and “Unbind him, and let him go.” This verse, Jim preached, speaks to those in Lazarus’ life who will want him to be the person he was before. We don’t know what Lazarus’ reaction to being raised from the dead was, nor do we know how he lived his life from that point on. One thing is sure, he was not the man he was before he died and rose again.
It was my niece’s birthday yesterday and we decided to go to a movie, her pick. She chose Soul Surfer. I’d not heard of this movie, but discovered that Fr. Jim’s message continued to work in my mind as I watched the film. It is the story of a young woman, a surfer (big surprise), who loses her arm in a shark attack. She is no longer the person she was before. The movie is about her response to the situation, as well as the response of others. Those people are asked to do what Jesus commanded – unbind her. Let her go. Let her live into this new life.
Life is ever changing. When we face a change, a difficult situation, something that changes us, are we able to unbind ourselves? Let the old self go? It’s something to think about as we approach Holy Week and Easter, when Jesus gives us the ultimate gift of new life.
Peace,
The Rev. M.E. Eccles, LPC+
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