Garrett Vickrey 5 Woodland Baptist Church 3.13.16 San Antonio, TX “When Good Things Happen to Good People” Psalm 126, John 12:1-8

Not everyone is happy when one that moves forward to the someone comes back from the cross. dead. There will always be those who brood, even when good things The Australian coat of arms has a happen to good people. Even picture of two animals: an emu and when it is said among the nations a kangaroo. These animals were the Lord has done great things, chosen because they share a some will scoff. Those whose characteristic that appealed to the influence is sustained by the forefathers of that country. Both specter of death prefer restoration the emu and kangaroo can only to resurrection. Restoration is move forward, not back. The something we can control; it’s safe. emu’s three-toed foot causes it to It’s going back again. God has fall if it tries to go backwards, and more planned than the author of the kangaroo is prevented from Psalm 126 could ever imagine. moving in reverse by its large tail. Living in resurrection faith has This is a good image for us (as a consequences but it is how we find church and as individuals). You our true self— the one God has can’t go back. And the more you created us to be. move forward in faith the more you will discover all that God is Jesus last miracle has put him in creating you to be. That’s the risk grave danger. We just read a story Jesus took, and it is the risk he of great generosity in John 12, but invites us to take today. John 11 tells a story of great risk. It tells of Jesus risking everything for Jesus gets word that his friend the sake of his friend. And it is in Lazarus has died. Jesus knew that light of this risk that Mary responds he was sick, but it wasn’t with her act of grace. There’s no supposed to be a life-threatening going back now. There’s no way to illness. Nonetheless, Lazarus is put the perfume back in the bottle. dead. He’s dead four days before No way to put Lazarus back in the Jesus can get to him. When grave. The only path now is the Martha heard Jesus was coming she sprinted out to meet him on 1 the road into town. She wanted to happy when someone comes back give him a piece of her mind and from the dead. It didn’t take long as she does she has a change of for the sadducees and the heart. Martha says, “Lord, if you’d pharisees to get together. They been here he wouldn’t have died.” didn’t really care for each other— Anyone here ever prayed like that? these 2 rival groups. But, it’s Lord, if you’d been here. If you amazing how a common enemy actually loved me. If you’d been brings people together. They here. If. Martha was angry, hurt, plotted to kill him. John tells us that confused, and desperate. She was Jesus left the city and went out into ripe for the confession of faith that the wilderness. He was no longer came next. Jesus said to her, ‘Your active in Jerusalem because they brother will rise.’ Martha assumes were looking for him. But, it was he is talking about the last days, almost time for the — the end of time. And Jesus said when people went from the those days are here now; I am the countryside up to Jerusalem to resurrection and the life. And she purify themselves through ritual said, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you washing before the Passover. are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.” But, During such a pilgrimage the she couldn’t have imagined the people would come singing songs kind of healing that was about to and chanting scripture. It’s happen. believed that they would have sung Psalm 126 as they went. Mary met them at the tomb. And Psalm 126 is one of the Songs of Jesus began to cry. And he Ascent— “Songs of Going Up.” prayed. And he shouted, “Lazarus, Jewish scholars equated these 15 come out.” Lazarus, gets up and with the 15 steps to the walks out still bound and wrapped Temple1. Psalm 126 is one of in burial clothes. And a dead man these psalms of preparation and walked away. But, I’m not talking anticipation pilgrims would sing on about Lazarus; he was alive. The the way to celebrate the passover dead man who walked away was in Jerusalem. These are songs of Jesus. At least, he was as good as going up to meet God, and it is this dead. There was a crowd there, kind of pilgrimage that lays ahead and when the people saw this it for Jesus. was the last straw. Not everyone is 2 Sure enough, six days before the moment he began to commiserate Passover Jesus returned to with those poor lambs. Bethany to the house of Lazarus. The scene of the crime. He It’s tragic irony. The Jewish leaders returned to the place of the event were worried that Jesus through that set off the firestorm. Jesus the power of resurrection from the had been out in the wilderness dead would set off a revolution after that training and teaching the against Rome. They feared the disciples. He was preparing them people rising up with Jesus against and himself for the road ahead. Rome, and they knew what would Bethany is on the doorstep to happen. Rome would crush them Jerusalem; it’s less than 2 miles and destroy everything they had away. And Mary knew what Jesus built. Judea itself would be the was doing. She knew what this lamb to be slain for the sin of revolt meant. against Rome. For Jesus, resurrection wasn’t a weapon; it So I wonder if Psalm 126 was on was the way. Death brings crosses Jesus’ lips as he set out from the for us all in one way or another. wilderness and headed down that Sometimes too soon, as was the long, lonesome road to Jerusalem. case with Lazarus. Resurrection Did he pray that though he sows in wasn’t the way to get even, it is the tears, he might one day reap a way God makes things right. The harvest with shouts of joy? Did he religious leaders in Jerusalem pray that those who go out to tell were worried about a revolt Jesus his story would one day come back didn’t want. The irony of it all is with bushels of grain and shouts of they paid Judas (the man who did joy? On that road to Jerusalem did want such a revolt) to get them the he remember how God had been prince of peace, Jesus. faithful to his people in the past? He was going to the passover As Jesus ascended toward celebration, after all, surely he Jerusalem he prayed that God thought about how God provided a would be faithful this passover like way and saved the from he was the first. God would make bondage in Egypt. Maybe he a way. However that way was not thought about the blood of the to avoid death, but to go through it. lambs on the doors of Israelites in Egypt that fateful night, and in that 3 Mary has been hanging on to his sacrifice of her own. There’s no every word. She seems to know going backward. Who he is and that he is the lamb to be sacrificed what he is called to do are coming this passover. So she takes the into conflict with his pound of nard, a perfume that cost surroundings… identity and call about a year’s salary and poured it often do come into conflict when out on him. This gives Judas the they each are well defined and opportunity to get on his high resist the tyranny of passing horse… nothing like a thief opinion. That’s why every leader preaching fiscal responsibility. faces opponents. It’s why every “That’s a waste, that could be sold church that stands for the gospel and the money could be given to faces internal conflicts. Identity and the poor,” he said. Jesus quotes call are ambiguous until we set out Deuteronomy right back to him, on the road, until we like him pick “You will always have the poor up our crosses and begin to hum among you…” That passage goes that song of ascent saying God do on to say so open your hand for us now what you did for them generously. Perhaps the difference back then. For us to know what to between Mary and Judas here is do we first need to know who we one refuses to recognize the need are. at hand. Mary recognizes the needs of Jesus and gives much It’s like an old story I heard once: A more than he needed. And three-toed sloth and a bunny rabbit remember: this is the gospel of decided to be honest with each John. The gospel of grace upon other. Neither had seen its own grace where Jesus turns water into reflection so they didn't know 200 gallons of wine, feeds 5,000 what they looked like. So, they people in a field, and instructs the decided to tell each other what disciples to throw the nets on the they looked like. The sloth went other side thereby reeling in so first. He told the bunny rabbit that many fish the nets almost break. he had a soft cottony tail, long ‘Judas,’ Jesus is saying, ‘there is floppy ears, pink twinkling eyes, enough.’ and a twitchy little nose.

Jesus is facing up to the moment "Hurray," cried the bunny rabbit, ‘'I where call is meeting sacrifice and am who I thought I was--a bunny Mary meets him there with a rabbit!" 4 good person, but that’s not the But then the rabbit was afraid, whole truth either. And it’s the wondering whether he should tell denial of our own darkness that the funny looking sloth the truth keeps us in exile listening to the about what he looked like. But he shouts of joy outside. Judas spoke had promised. of the poor but gave nothing. It’s easy to speak faith, much more He said, “The ease of your every difficult to walk in faith. Our lives move says you rule the world. You are lived somewhere between v. 3 have a quaff of fur on top of your and 4 of Psalm 126. We live in the head that rests like a crown. You space between remembering what have beady eyes and a big mouth God has done for us in the past that never seems to shut. And little and hoping for God’s mending fingers at the end of your long ahead. arms.” Good things happen to good "Oh no," the sloth screamed. "Here people, but not only good things I've spent my whole life thinking I happen to good people. Bad things was a three-toed slot, now too. Living has its risks; and even I realize that I’m Donald Trump.” resurrection has its critics. But, we have hope as we move forward. Facing up to who we are and what Because, Jesus ascended the we are called to do is never easy. road to Jerusalem and in Frederick Buechner once said, confronting the injustice and evil at “During Lent, are the heart of the sacred city he supposed to ask one way or confronts injustice and evil another what it means to be everywhere. And he outlasts it. He themselves.”2 This is the time walked a godforsaken path so that every year we set aside to ask no one has to walk that path alone ourselves tough questions. It’s ever again. Even when bad things spring cleaning for the soul; a time happen they happen to people and Christians get dirt under their nails God together. That is our hope. doing the spiritual work that needs And that is a hope that’s meant to to be done. This is a time to face give us courage and strength to yourself for who you are and who live out the identity and calling God you are not. It’s not a lie to look in is giving us in spite of the risk. We the mirror and say to yourself I’m a are called to get out on the road as 5 a pilgrim walking in God’s grace. that we have so that our nothing We move forward together will be transformed into something. humming a psalm all the way. If we truly believe in him, isn’t that what we should be doing?

Years ago, the singer Beyonce and her family were being interviewed by Katie Couric. At the time Beyonce was in the group Destiny's Child. At one point in the interview, Katie Couric turned to Beyonce's father, Matthew Knowles, and said, "You know, you're an African-American male. African-American men often have more difficulty making it in the world, but you did. You were earning a six-figure salary. You were very successful. Yet one day, you walked into your boss's office and said, 'I am going to leave my position. I am going to manage the singing careers of my daughters.' They must have thought you had lost your mind. Was that difficult to do?”

He answered, "Yes, it was difficult. But you see, I believe in these ladies.” That’s extravagant; that’s willing to give up everything for love. Faith is risky. It demands everything of us, because the stakes are so high. To receive everything— grace upon, grace— we must be willing to pour out all 6 1 The Mishnah m. Mid. 2:5, 1993

2 Frederick Buechner, Whistling in the Dark: A Doubter’s Dictionary, (Harper Collins, San Francisco, CA: 1993) 82.

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