In our gospel readings for the First Sunday in Lent, Jesus comes across as heartless to his disciples, Mary, Martha, the Jews, Caiaphas, and Judas. But it's not a result of a lack of caring on Jesus' part, it is a result of focusing on the plan of salvation. And in fulfilling this plan of salvation, Jesus proves he cares for us....more than we could ever know....
What do you do these days if there is a politician you detest, who insists on promoting policy that is reasonable, logical, and fair? You denounce his policy for NOT CARING... not caring about... insert marginalized group here. Our politicians can be idiots, no problem. Our politicians can be partisan hacks, that's to be expected. Our politicians can be corrupt, they're entitled to their entitlements. But WOE to the politician who doesn't seem to CARE. We all remember what happened when Stephen Harper's response lacked empathy to the picture of a Syrian child dying on a beach half way around the world. It's when followers come to the conclusion, false or true, that their leader doesn't CARE, that's when they walk away.....
In our first reading today, Jesus gets the news of the illness of his friend Lazarus. And much to the surprise of the disciples, Jesus doesn't seem to care. He stays on the east side of the Jordan river for two extra days.
And then, after Lazarus was dead, Jesus makes plans to go to Bethany, right next to Jerusalem, where Jesus and by association, his disciples' lives were threatened with stoning. And much to the surprise of the disciples, Jesus doesn't seem to care. He wants to visit Lazarus' corpse, and Thomas blurts out, “I guess we'll all be corpses shortly.”
And then, on his arrival, Martha and Mary confront Jesus with their feelings of betrayal at Jesus' absence - “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” And Martha even implies a way for Jesus to make it up to her, “I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” But much to the surprise of Martha, Jesus doesn't seem to care. “Your brother will rise again, what's the big deal?”
And then, in our third reading, Jesus goes to the tomb and demands that it be opened. Martha has to remind Jesus that due to his lollygagging, Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days, and it would be undignified to open the tomb now with the stench that would ensue. Much to the surprise of Martha, Jesus doesn't seem to care. Jesus gives the exasperated reply, “do you want to see the glory of God, or not?”
And then, when Caiaphas' informants relayed the information to the council, that Jesus had performed another of Messiah's signature miracles, raising someone four days dead, the council freaked. “If Jesus keeps doing these signs, he will convince the people, and the Romans, that he is the Messiah, and the Romans will then crush us.” And much to the surprise of Caiaphas, Jesus doesn't seem to care. In fact, the only way to prevent the nation of Israel's destruction is to cause the destruction of Jesus.
And finally, in our fourth reading, Jesus allows Mary to douse his feet with a year's wages worth of high-end perfume. Judas rightly points out that this is a horrible waste - a lot of starving mouths could have been fed for that kind of cash. But much to Judas' surprise, Jesus doesn't seem to care. “There will always be poor people,” Jesus says cynically, “Mary thought I deserved this luxurious treatment.” It's not mentioned here in John's gospel, but in Matthew's gospel, this is the exact point when Judas goes rogue. And no wonder, his leader Jesus doesn't seem to care.
We have our occasions as well. “Lord Jesus, you know how much I enjoy this particular sin, how the temptation to it is so very strong. Jesus, I need an exemption, please tell me it's not really a sin.” Much to your surprise, Jesus didn't seem to care. “Lord Jesus, I need these family members in my life, you simply have to make their disease go away.” Much to your surprise, Jesus didn't seem to care. “Lord Jesus, all you needed to do at Tumbler Ridge was jam the gun, just jam the gun.” Much to your surprise, Jesus didn't seem to care. “Lord Jesus, in this, the 40th year of our national church, we are a tiny fraction of the church we were when we started. We needed your revival.” Much to your surprise, Jesus didn't seem to care. And if we ever get to the point...if Satan can bring us to the CONCLUSION that Jesus doesn't care...that's when WE will go rogue as well....
There's a phrase I've used 11 times so far this morning - “seem to care.” Because it's not that Jesus DOESN'T care, it's that there is something more important than our FEELING of his care....I know, crazy, right? In each circumstance, Jesus chooses what is most caring FROM THE BIG PICTURE OF SALVATION. He lets Lazarus die so that more people are drawn to him by raising Lazarus from the dead. He receives Mary's perfume to enable Judas to start the process of his death. And even if we don't know the big picture behind the times Jesus has seemed uncaring to us, we give Jesus the benefit of the doubt.
Because, to reorder Winston Churchill's quote a little bit, Jesus PROVES his caring for us with tears, sweat, and blood. Jesus sheds tears for Lazarus, or more accurately, he sheds tears for the pain Mary and Martha have gone through, even though he was minutes away from restoring Lazarus to life. Jesus sweats out his final prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, releasing his life for his Father's plan to reconcile us to himself. And Jesus bleeds at the hands of the Romans, as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
I am confident that Jesus sheds tears at our failures and losses, just like I am confident that Jesus shed tears at Tumbler Ridge, for the pain our country experienced, even though in a few short decades, centuries, or millennia, he will raise those who died to the new life of resurrection. I am confident that Jesus is doing the sweaty leg work of preparing new people in our midst to enter the kingdom of God, as well as around the world. And I am confident that next Sunday, Jesus will offer us his blood as a sign of the new covenant, for the forgiveness of our sins.
Gracious God, we thank you for the love you have shown us through the blood, sweat, and tears of your Son Jesus Christ. Help us through those times when we cannot understand the big picture, and help us to release our feelings of abandonment, in Jesus' name, amen.