John 11:38-44 (New Living Translation)
38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”
40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
I love my job! I truly love my job.
Youth ministry is probably one of the most rewarding occupations you can have if you just stop for a moment and think about the blessings that you see every day.
I have been in youth ministry for over going on 13 years and each day presents new challenges, pain, rewards, and opportunities for spiritual and personal growth.
One of the most rewarding experiences I get to be a part of is when youth experience the unwrapping of new life.
The lives our youth live is unbelievable at times. The youth of our future are faced with some horrific pasts and they are paralyzed in the present. Gone are the times where we need to worry about our youth getting in with the "wrong crowd". Now I am faced with helping youth cope with life changing decisions their parents are making, I am teaching youth to be spiritual leaders in their homes, I am helping teenagers figure out how to overcome some major addictions and heart wrenching pasts.
Its not only about sex, drugs, and rock n roll.... its about abuse, neglect, pressure, and youth learning how to be teenagers and not the heads of their households.
This isn't just one or two youth in my youth group..... it is a whole generation of youth that I am privileged to minister to.
The scripture we are focusing on right now is only 7 verses... but with in those 7 verses is a freedom that we may never really take advantage of.
Mary, Martha, and angry Jesus (still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that Jesus was angry), are standing at Lazarus' tomb. Jesus was ready to unveil his miracle and stated to the sisters "take away the stone". Their response.... what about the decaying stench Jesus?
We do that don't we?
We pray for a miracle. We pray for change. We pray for healing.
And then when it is game time....
We worry. We panic. We start second guessing. We limit God. We don't trust.
We say we want freedom from our past... but when it comes time to act... we worry about the stench.
We get stuck in the dysfunction of our lives because we are unwilling to acknowledge that Christ is in control.
Jesus gave glory to God and called Lazarus out of the tomb... and the death became new life wrapped in cloth.
There is nothing more rewarding than to see youth discover that there is new life in Christ. Leading them to the tomb of new beginnings and new life is an amazing experience. Lazarus didn't just run out of the tomb jumping up and down in a new robe and toms shoes... there was a process of unwrapping.
We are called to put our past lives to death and unwrap our new beginnings. Christianity is a constant cycle of new beginnings. Lent is about new beginnings. Life is about new beginnings.
There is freedom in the process of unbinding our new lives.
There is joy in the process of unbinding our new lives.
I am so honored to be in ministry with youth and adults who are unbinding their new lives on a daily basis. Putting to death their pasts of disfunction and unbinding their new life of freedom and faith.
What is in your tomb?
What new life is awaiting your unbinding?
What new beginnings are in front of you?
Are you willing to risk the stench of death to smell the sweet fragrance of new beginnings?
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