John 11:1-16 "Let us go to die"

It's tragic that Thomas, whose name I somewhat share (Thomas is my middle name) gets his reputation from one story at the end of the Gospel of John. I would much rather have my reputation come from this story than the moment of doubting (although I think there is more to that story, too, but we will get there in a few weeks).

What's the threat in going to see the sick (and dying) Lazarus?

Ignorance plagues the human race. Ignorance is a powerful and pervasive sin which often ends up deadly. This morning, stories of the death of a young teenager named Trayvon Martin are all over my facebook page. Trayvon Martin is a 17-year old who was shot in the street by a neighborhood watch volunteer. Trayvon was visiting his father in a gated community in Florida, and this volunteer (ignorantly) assumed that he was there to commit a crime. After hounding Trayvon, this volunteer ended up shooting Trayvon. Outrage is only the beginning of one's response to such a crime. It should horrify us that we live in a world where this happens.

The story of Jesus is similar. Jesus wasn't welcome in every neighborhood. Jesus couldn't walk just anywhere. Bethany, the neighborhood Jesus visited, was dangerously close to Jerusalem, the power center of the people who were out to get Jesus. And if Jesus performed a miracle in that neighborhood, especially a resurrection, Jesus would be hounded and pursued. Eventually, "God watch" volunteers would catch up to Him, surround Him, and pervert the legal system to leave Him dead. And this was all done out of ignorance.

What would you do? What if you were asked to go into a neighborhood where your friends weren't welcome? Would you go, or would you say "Maybe we should send a card to Lazarus? Maybe you should do a long distance healing and just stay away?"

Nope. If you follow the way of Thomas, you stand beside and walk with. The way of Jesus calls us to stand beside and walk with Jesus in all circumstances, even if that means risk. May our walk echo Thomas and follow Jesus today.