Resurrection Lutheran Church, St Catharines

At some point during the illness of Lazarus things began to look serious. The sisters called for the Healer, but Jesus did not come. As both time and disease progressed there came the moment when they realized that this was going to mean death. It is a common life experience. It has happened to someone you know and it may happen to you as well. Something shows up on the medical scan, a spot or a shadow or a mass, and that is it. You have been marked for death. There will come a time when the doctors can do nothing other than try to make you comfortable as death takes you.

 

Even though there was no advanced medical imaging technology in Jesus’ day, Lazarus’ sisters seem to have known in some way that their brother was marked for death. There are some illnesses that leave a visible mark, an outward indicator that it is already too late for any kind of treatment, a certain kind of rash, a bad colour to the eyes, the bluing of fingers and toes, a lump, a fever, a cough, revealing that something is dreadfully wrong internally with infection or the failure of vital organs, or the circulation of blood and oxygen. At some point it becomes obvious that is too late for any kind of intervention. Mary and Martha had appealed to their Lord. But Jesus did not come before it was too late. Death came to Lazarus before Jesus did and the sisters could only conclude that there was nothing more to be done.

 

Like receiving the news from the doctor that they did not catch the cancer soon enough, sometimes it feels like it is too late to do anything about it. Death is coming. We are all marked for death because of our sins, and there is that threat lying in the words of Scripture that a day of judgment is coming, for which many will not be prepared. And we also have the looming threat of death that may arrive suddenly and catch us off guard. “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). We have all been marked. We have been marked for death because of our sins.

 

Once the mark appears that our death is immanent, once the signs become detectable and obvious, it will be too late to do anything about it. Is it already too late for us to make up for all of the sinful things we have done throughout our life? Once we are convinced that death has come around the corner for us, will it be too late to call for the pastor to say a prayer, to receive absolution and Holy Communion?

 

It is not entirely unhealthy to have this mind among us. We need something to drive us to repentance. Our sinful condition does not allow us to get to that point on our own. We need a harsh word, a wake-up call, a startling diagnosis in order to shape up, or it will be too late. We will die in sin, having neglected so great a salvation. Yes, you are marked for death. Each and every one of you. Just like on Ash Wednesday when the black cross on your forehead proclaimed, “You are dust, and to dust you will return.” It may happen today. It may happen in only a week’s time. It may happen at any time, but it will happen.

 

“Marked for death” is also a phrase that came about during World War I when aerial warfare was first introduced. There came the ability to fly overhead and drop bombs on the enemy in order to kill them or to halt their advance. Strategic locations were selected for bombing raids and anyone who happened to live in the area were tragically, marked for death, on the military map. Because of the sin of the one man, Adam, death entered into the war. We were all marked for death. The same was true about Lazarus. At some point during this illness Lazarus heard the bombers of death approaching. At that point his sisters called out for help.

 

They had realized that no matter how faithfully Lazarus had lived his life before God and man, death was coming for him. He knew there was no time left for him to work off the price of his sins before God, to make everything absolutely right between him and his sisters, to repay Jesus for every kind word and action He had extended to their family. Time was running out and quickly. Lazarus would appear before the LORD of heaven and his eternal destiny would be determined.

 

If only Jesus would come, He could give more time. He could heal and allow Lazarus more opportunity to do good, to love his sisters, and to honour God. If only Jesus would come, He could hear Lazarus’ plea for mercy and intercede for him with the heavenly Father, pleading for grace. “Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD. O Lord, hear my voice, let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy. If You, O LORD, should mark iniquity, O Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:1-3).

 

And then the bomb fell and death hit its mark. Death had not only left its mark upon him, but claimed him, taken him. With laser sight precision death took out the sinner Lazarus, the dear brother Lazarus, the beloved friend Lazarus. It took him out with a direct hit. So the sisters cried and called the friends and relatives and wrapped the body of their brother and put it in the ground. Death took his life and was decaying him such that there was a stench already from the flesh and organs rotting away.

 

We have all been marked for death because of our sins. That means that we will never have enough time to work off its penalty with good deeds. We will never be able to make things completely right with those we love whom we have offended. We will never be able to claim a place in heaven among the saints and angels. We are marked for death and we cannot reach around to pull the target off of our backs—not if the LORD marks iniquity; not if the LORD counts our sins against us. We are marked for death because of them.

 

Our loved ones will be left mourning with Mary and Martha: “Lord, if You had been here, our brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). But he has died. He was marked for death. What can change that now? Mary and Martha knew that God could change that and would change that on the last day, the day of resurrection and judgment. The Lord will hear our prayers and answer us even from the depths of death and the grave. We have only to wait.

 

Yes, wait. The very thing we loathe to do. Out of the depths we cry to the LORD and our souls wait for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning (Psalm 130:1, 5). But it is not like calling customer service on the phone and waiting for someone to pick up your line. It is not a waiting in doubt, not sure if anyone will ever have the time to address you. It is not waiting without knowing if they are able or willing to solve your problem. It is waiting for someone who is able and willing; someone who has asked you to call; someone who has already done everything needed to address your concern.

 

The LORD who takes your call is Jesus Christ Himself. He is a Lord merciful and gracious and full of compassion. Mary and Martha called to Him when Lazarus became ill, and they waited for Him to come; and they thought that it was too late, that He could no longer do anything for their brother. They did not understand fully upon whom they had called. Perhaps they should not have bothered calling at all. Perhaps next time they might consider calling someone else. Perhaps they ought to give up all hope that there is any help for those marked for death.

 

But Jesus revealed to them that they did indeed call upon the right person, and that even calling from the depths of grief and despair, it is not too late. Lazarus their dead brother became the demonstration that even our cries from the depths of death are heard; even when the body has been decaying for four days in the tomb; even if the valley is full of dry bones that are crumbling to dust (Ezekiel 37). They will rise again in the resurrection, and Jesus is the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in Him will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in Him will never die (John 11). At Jesus’ cry Lazarus came out of the tomb, restored after four days of death and decay.

 

Jesus Christ Himself rose from the dead on the third day after giving His life for the sins of the world. He was marked for death, not for any sins of His own but for your sins. He was bruised by slaps and punches. He was striped by whips and scourges. He was pitted by thorns and pierced with nails. He was punctured by a spear. All of these marked Him as dead. There was no life left in Him. His body turned grey as the oxygen left it. His eyes clouded as the humors congealed. The blood ceased to flow when His heart stopped pumping. His chest stopped heaving when He breathed His last.

 

There was no reflex when the Roman spear was thrust into Him. His limp and lifeless body was taken down from the cross, hastily wrapped in spices so it would not stink too much for those who would visit His grave site after the Sabbath day. He was laid in the cold earth and a stone covered the opening. It was sealed with the mark of the Roman Empire, and a squad of soldiers was stationed so that no one could disturb the finality of His death.

 

Therefore taking the marks of death for our sins did not end in futility for our cries from the depths. The resurrection of Lazarus showed that Jesus Himself is the life that defeats death. And by taking the mark of death for our sins, Jesus has marked us for life. The sign of the holy cross upon which death left its marks upon Him, is marked upon us so that we are assured that His death was the one for which our sins have marked us.

 

“If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O LORD who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). Jesus stands. He is the resurrection and the life in His very Person. Whoever believes in Him shall live, even though he dies. And whoever lives and believes in Him shall never die (John 11:25). Just as sin has marked us for death, faith in Christ Jesus has marked us for life. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

 

“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). Jesus lives. Lazarus lives. Those who have been marked for death can yet live. When Jesus was first informed of Lazarus’ grave illness, He said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). And after four days when death had hit its mark upon Lazarus, Jesus said, “Our fried Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him” (v. 11). Jesus declared that the mark of death upon Lazarus must give way to the mark of life that rested upon him because of his faith in Jesus, the Son of God.

 

And so it is with all who share that faith. Our sins have marked us for death, but with the Lord Jesus there is forgiveness. He took the marks for our sins when He died upon the cross for us. And He has given to us the mark of His life. We are marked with His holy cross through our baptism into His name and His life. “If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O LORD, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness” (Psalm 130:3).

 

We have the forgiveness of sins through our Lord Jesus Christ. And we shall stand, just as Lazarus stood again after death had hit its mark; just as Jesus stood again after His death for us had inflicted its marks. We will stand because faith in Him marks us as those who believe and will never die. We will move from death to life. And our wait will be as those who wait confidently, expectantly, and certainly for the dawn of the day of resurrection.