The Raising of Lazurus - a sermon for All Saints Sunday

Text: John 11.32-44.

Here’s a little conundrum…what is John’s story of the raising of Lazurus doing as our Gospel reading for All Saints Sunday?  All Saints is an opportunity to think about, and celebrate, the promise of eternal life for all those who trust in God, and who receive his freely-offered gift of life.  It’s a Sunday when we are reminded of the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ in the heavenly places with the risen and ascended Lord.  Orthodox believers would remind us that it’s an opportunity to remember that while we celebrate this Eucharist on earth, Jesus eternally celebrates it in heaven with ‘all the Saints who from their labours rest’.

So with all that heavenly imagery, why does the Lectionary invite us to consider the story of the raising of Lazurus?  There are, after all, many other passages which might have been chosen, with a much more heavenly-focus.  What, for example, about that passage which is read at so many funerals, from John 14, when Jesus says that he is going to make a place for us in his ‘Father’s house of many mansions’.  Or what about Jesus’ promise to the repentant thief on the cross that ‘Today you will be with me in paradise?

The raising of Lazurus, by comparison to these eternal mysteries, seems somewhat of a let-down, doesn’t it?  After all, Lazurus was not carried off into heaven to be with all the saints.  Neither was he resurrected with a new body, as was to happen to Jesus (the first born from the dead).  The story of Lazurus is a story of resuscitation.  Not resurrection.  Lazurus was restored to his previous life.  He would still go on to die, just like all of us.

But this is no ordinary resuscitation.  And it is on that fact that we are invited to dwell, for a few moments.  First of all, Lazurus had been dead for many days, by the time Jesus got there.  In fact, Jesus took his own sweet time to get there…not exactly hurrying…precisely to allow enough time to pass.  We know this because when he commands the stone to be rolled away, Martha protests: ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days’.  (Incidentally, I rather like the Authorised translation of that line:  ‘Lord, he stinketh!’).

All this detail is given to us, by John, to make sure that there can be no doubt of the impossibility of what Jesus is about to do.  Human beings can be resuscitated after death, as we know only too well in our modern world of defibrillators and first aid training.  Quite possibly, even at the time of Jesus, a few people had been revived (after drowning, perhaps).  But not after four days! What Jesus is about to accomplish is beyond any human understanding.  He has the power to revive a body which ‘stinketh’ – in which the break-down of matter has already begun in earnest.  John wants us to see that Jesus can interrupt this process, and even reverse it.  He can bring back a man who was terminally sick, and whose body is corrupting, completely back to life!

Jesus himself gives us another clue as to what he is doing.  Praying publically to his Father in heaven, he says “have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me”.  Jesus wants everyone to see, witness and record his complete mastery of even the normal process of death.  More than that, he wants this moment to be a moment that builds faith.  He wants everyone to believe that God has sent him.

So that’s why we are asked to contemplate this story on the Festival of All Saints!   All the stuff about heaven, and the glorious but incomprehensible pictures of angels and saints in eternal Eucharist is all very nice – but it’s not something we can really relate too.  We know, instinctively, that all the metaphors of houses with many mansions, and heavenly Jerusalems coming out of the sky, streets paved with gold and days in paradise are just that: metaphors.  They are images which help us to see, poetically, beyond the veil of our physical existence into a dimension that we are not yet equipped to understand at all.

But Jesus raising a stinking corpse from the grave.  That we can see, through John’s eyes as our reliable witness.  That we can understand.  That gives us something solid and tangible to hold onto.  As Jesus says in chapter 14 of the same gospel, he is the way, the truth and the life.  Our hope of heaven is given real and tangible form through observing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is on Jesus that we pin our own hopes to join the heavenly feast. It is through Jesus that God offers us the ‘sanctification’ by which we also can become ‘sancti-ficavit’ – which means, ‘made holy’:  that is ‘made saints’.  And his raising of Lazurus, surrounded by witnesses, recorded for our benefit by John, gives us hope – real and tangible hope – that in Jesus we can trust, and that we too, by God’s grace alone, may one day be counted among All the Saints.  Amen.

Halloween – it’s not all bad!

 A few days ago, the staff of our charity shop received a drubbing from one of their customers, because of the window display, featuring some Harry Potter imagery, marking Halloween.  It is, I’m afraid, common among certain branches of the church to condemn Harry Potter and other such tales because of the references to magic, and to evil.  Sadly, many who criticise it, especially from within the Christian Community, have only a scant understanding of the content of the books – which are essentially about the great struggle between good and evil, set within a fantastical framework.  They miss the fact that Harry Potter is a good guy, a good guy who ultimately gives up his life for his friends, following the example of Jesus Christ, in order to defeat evil.  One wonders whether such critics of Harry Potter would also condemn the Bible, because of its inclusion of stories about the Devil!

So, today, on Halloween, let’s ponder this celebration that many of us know well, but few really undertand. Halloween has become synonymous with costumes, sweets, and eerie decorations, but behind such paraphernalia lies a rich history - and an opportunity for thoughtful reflection for Christians.

The roots of Halloween go back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sown” by celtic speakers today).  ‘Sown’ marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. For the Celts, this was a time when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing spirits of the dead to return. To protect themselves, people would wear costumes and light bonfires to ward off any harmful spirits. 

When Christianity spread through Celtic regions, the Church adopted elements of Samhain and incorporated them into its own traditions – essentially ‘hollowing’ them:  giving them a holy, or hallowed purpose. So, November 1st became All Saints’ Day, a day to honour all the saints and martyrs who had gone before. In old English, they were the ‘hallowed’ ones – the holy ones.  The night before, October 31st, became known as All Hallows’ Eve (or Even) eventually shortened to “Halloween.”  This blending of practices is a recurring theme in Christianity’s history: it’s a willingness to embrace aspects of cultural traditions and to imbue them with new meaning.  The date of Christmas is another very good example – coming at the winter solstice, when the days begin to lengthen, Christians took the ancient feast of Saturnalia, and hallowed it by reference to the Light of Christ coming into the world…defeating the darkness.

In modern times, Halloween has evolved into a secular holiday in many parts of the world. Children dress up as superheroes or monsters, families carve pumpkins, and households open their doors to trick-or-treaters. For some, Halloween is just harmless fun, but for others, it can feel at odds with Christian values. All those ghosts, skeletons, and witches, coupled with the focus on fear and death, may seem to glorify the dark and the supernatural.

Yet as Christians, we’re encouraged to look beyond surface-level interpretations and ask deeper questions. Could Halloween be an opportunity for us to reflect on our mortality, on good and evil, and on our own Christian calling? How might we approach Halloween in a way that honours our faith?

Halloween, for all its frights, reminds us that life is fleeting. This isn’t a theme unique to Halloween; scripture too reminds us of our limited time on earth. In Psalm 39:4 for example, we read, “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days.”  Halloween, then, can be a cultural moment to acknowledge our human limits and even the inevitability of death—not to be morbid, but to gain a sense of perspective, gratitude, and humility. In reflecting on our mortality, we can also embrace our hope in the resurrection, for as Christians, death is not the end. Halloween can be a time to remind ourselves that we believe in a God who conquers death.

Then there’s the aspect of good and evil. Through costumes and stories, Halloween often dramatizes the struggle between light and dark, good and evil. This can be a teachable moment: we know that our faith calls us to live in the light and to love one another. Ephesians 5:8 encourages us, saying, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Halloween can serve as a playful reminder of this, showing us that although we may be surrounded by symbols of darkness, we are called to walk in the light, girded with all the armour of God, as the letter to the Ephesians goes on.

Instead of seeing Halloween as something inherently “bad” or to be avoided, I suggest that Christians might see it as a chance to participate in community, to practice hospitality, and to celebrate creativity. When we open our doors to trick-or-treaters, we create moments of kindness and welcome. When we decorate or join in costume-play, we join in the cultural expression of playfulness and imagination. 

And, as we reflect on the themes of Halloween, we can also seek to educate others gently. We can explain that while we may dress as “scary” characters, we do not celebrate or promote darkness. Instead, we can embrace Halloween as a time to remember that God’s love shines even in the darkest places, that our faith calls us to kindness and compassion, and that, ultimately, we have nothing to fear.

Perhaps you’re wondering how to celebrate Halloween in a way that’s both fun and mindful?  Well, here are a few suggestions:

1. Engage with Gratitude: Use Halloween as a moment to reflect on the saints and loved ones who have passed on. Consider lighting a candle or saying a prayer of thanks for those who have come before you.

2. Practice Generosity: When giving out treats or participating in community events, use it as a chance to practice generosity. Halloween is a wonderful time to model kindness in our neighbourhoods.

3. Offer Positive Alternatives: If some traditional Halloween imagery doesn’t feel comfortable, consider offering alternative symbols. Pumpkins, harvest themes, and costumes of positive role models are just a few ways to keep Halloween fun and uplifting.

4. Hold onto Hope: Remind yourself and others that, even as we face symbols of death, fear, and darkness, our faith is one of hope and love. Jesus himself reminded us in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In conclusion, then, Halloween need not be a source of worry for Christians. Instead, it can be a chance to embrace our faith’s themes of light, life, and hope. We can remember that our God is with us in all things, even in times of fear, and that we are called to reflect that light to others. By choosing to engage thoughtfully and generously, we can make Halloween a time of welcome, reflection, and joyful connection in our community.  Which is why I’m 100 per cent behind our charity shop manager – even if she is my wife!

‘Teach me O Lord, the way of thy statutes’ - Bible Sunday 2024

‘Teach me O Lord, the way of thy statutes’.  Which statutes, though?  Do we mean the ones about not wearing two kinds of cloth, or the one about not planting two types of crop next to each other.  How about the prohibition on eating pork – no more sausages?  Or shellfish (there goes the Emsworth Oyster-beds!). How about the statute about stoning your child to death if he blasphemes the law.  It turns out that identifying which of the Bible’s statutes are divine, and which are man-made, is a tricky business.

According to one survey, the Bible has sold more than 6 billion copies in more than 2,000 languages and dialects. Whatever the precise figure, the Bible is by far the bestselling book of all time.   On the other hand, the Bible is also the least read book in the world!  Very few Bibles ever get opened.  They are often given as gifts.  But, unfortunately, they often remain as pristine as the day they are given.

            Why is this? There are a number of reasons.  Sometimes the translations of the Bible are just too difficult, and too archaic for modern minds to grasp.   Other people find that they do try to start reading the Bible.  But they soon get lost in a sea of numbers and laws. 

            In my experience, if that’s YOU, you will undoubtedly be a good Christian. You will be someone who tries to follow Jesus every day. And yet, you will be carrying around this weight of guilt that you never actually open your Bible.

            So, how am I to respond to this fact? How would you expect me to react? Perhaps I should pull myself up to my full height and call you all 'Sinners!'? 

            Hmm...I'm not sure that would help very much, would it? Because, actually, if you are one of those who finds the Bible difficult to read...I agree with you!  The Bible is not a novel. It's not even a newspaper. Some people have described the Bible as 'the Maker's Instructions'. But for many, it’s the kind of instructions which come with those packages we sometimes get from foreign countries:  ...like this bit of helpful instruction from a computer hard-drive I recently purchased:  "More simple under USB interface, it only can do until the 3rd step and deleted is present channel”.  And let’s be honest – that’s how some of us hear the Bible.  I know – I watch those eyes glazing over!

            But the Bible is not an instruction manual. Neither is it a well-planned novel from a single writer, who sets out to tell a story. Instead, it is a collection of writings, 66 letters and books, assembled over a period of about 1,600 years. (The word Bible itself means ‘library’ – and is a word preserved by the French ‘biblioteque’ for those who remember their O level French!).  It contains legal codes, songs and poetry, prophecy, myths, history, stories and some pretty complex and sometimes competing theological ideas. Sometimes these different genres are separate. Sometimes they are all woven into just one of the books!

            At this morning’s service, Bishop John Hind offered a very fruitful analogy – that of a garden.  He described how the Bible, like a garden, has some beautiful flower borders, but also some wild patches, a few weeds, and even a compost heap.  Each one of them contributes to the overall beauty and diversity of the garden.  But some parts of it, should be entered with care.

            So should we just not bother with the hard work of reading the Bible? No. One of the things that the Protestant Reformation gave us, was access to the precious pages of Scripture for ourselves. With that access comes the chance to grow daily in our understanding of God. 

But, the church Fathers of old were right about one thing. They knew that, unless properly understood, the Bible can be so easily mis-interpreted, mis-used and manipulated.  That’s why many of the church leaders at the time of the Reformation were very worried about the advent of the printing press.  Direct access to Scripture is why the quote "you shall not suffer a witch to live" was used so mercilessly throughout the Middle Ages.  It's why the letter to Philemon was used for so long as a justification for slavery.  It’s why the letters of St Paul are still used to silence women’s voices in some church leadership circles, and to denigrate people of minority gender identities or sexual orientations.  It is too easy to take a line or phrase from one of the Bible’s many competing voices to justify your personal biases and prejudices.

            The underlying problem is that in some very loud quarters of the church, the Library of books, stories, myths, laws, poems and theology we have inherited has gained a status which it does not claim for itself.  Some of the loudest voices declare that the ‘Library’ is ‘the Word of God’…as if God had personally written down his thoughts for us, as fully- formed instructions for us to follow slavishly. 

            Well…I might be about to shock you now.  My view is that the Bible is NOT the word of God.   Rather, it is a collection of writings – Scriptures - which point us towards the actual Word of God – the Logos, the wisdom, the statutes of God – who is Jesus Christ.   

            For it is in Jesus Christ that the Scriptures find their target, and their fulfilment.  In that one divinely inspired man, who embodied the very essence of God, we find the inspiration and the focus of the whole Library of writings we call The Bible.  He is both the author and the perfector of our faith – the first and the last.  He inspired the writers of the Bible, like a beautiful mountainside inspires a painter. The painter will never be able to record the deep reality of the mountain in his view.  He’ll never know how many blades of grass there are, or how many insects are buried in its soil.  But the mountain may inspire the painter to create a facsimile, a shadow, and an accurate impression of it.  And through his teachings, his life, his death and his ongoing inspiration – Jesus, inspires us ever up the mountain to the sun-lit uplands of our Faith.  Amen.