Homily | March 22, 2026 | Taking Away The Stone That Keeps You Numb (Episode 064)

There's a moment in today's gospel that changes everything.

Jesus stands in front of the tomb, a sealed, dark, hopeless place, and he cries out, Lazarus, come out.

And the dead man walks out.

If you hear this just as a miracle story, you've missed it.

This is not just about Lazarus, this is about all of us.

For the past three weeks the church has been leading us somewhere.

Not randomly, not accidentally, very intentional.

Two weeks ago you'll remember we heard about the Samaritan woman at the well.

The theme was thirst.

A woman trying to satisfy everything in her life and still came up empty.

Last week the man born blind.

The theme was blindness, a man unable to see what was right in front of him.

And today the rising of Lazarus, the raising up of Lazarus.

The theme is death, not physical death, spiritual death.

Here's the uncomfortable truth.

Most people we know, maybe someone here, most people, they're just existing.

They're functioning.

Day to day one day bleeds into the next.

They're busy, but are they spiritual?

They could be dead, alive on the outside, but disconnected on the inside, going through the motions, but no real life of God within them.

And we become very good at hiding it.

We dress it up, we distract ourselves, we fill our schedules to the brim.

We are constantly scrolling through social media.

We work hard, we achieve, we entertain, but underneath it all there's this silence, almost a numbness, a distance from God.

Jesus walks into that reality today and he does something shocking.

He doesn't avoid the tomb, he goes straight up to it.

And then he says something that should shake us, take away that stone.

Do you hear that?

He doesn't try to remove the stone himself.

He tells them to do it.

Because before resurrection there has to be exposure.

Before life there has to be honesty.

And Martha resists, Lord, by now there must be a stench.

He's been dead for four days.

What that translates into is don't go there.

It's too far gone.

It's too embarrassing, it's too broken.

And if we're honest, that's all of us.

There are areas of our life we don't want God to touch, at least not yet.

Old wounds, hidden sins, patterns we've made peace with.

We say, Lord, not that.

But here's the thing, you can't experience resurrection if you keep the tomb sealed.

And then comes that line, Lazarus come out.

Jesus does not negotiate with death, he commands it.

And Lazarus comes out.

But notice one thing.

He comes out still bound.

Hands are tied, feet tied, face covered, alive, but not yet free.

And Jesus is something most people overlook.

Untie him and let him go.

That's the spiritual life.

Christ raises you, but then you have to be freed.

Because it is possible to be alive and still live like you're dead.

Still bound to habits, still bound to fear, still bound to those sins.

And here's where the gospel becomes very direct.

Because Jesus is not just showing his power, he's asking for your response.

He says to Martha, do you believe this?

Not, do you understand this?

Not do you somewhat agree with what I'm saying?

No, he says, do you believe this?

Because belief is not intellectual.

Belief is surrender.

This is where everything comes together.

From the last three weeks, thirst, blindness, death.

We are thirsty for meaning, and we search and search and search.

We're blind to the truth.

He's standing right there in front of us.

And without Christ we are completely dead.

Jesus is not one option among many.

He's not a helpful addition to your life.

He's not a spiritual upgrade.

He is the answer that you are searching for.

The only one who can satisfy the thirst.

The only one that can give you clear sight.

The only one who can tell you to come out of that tomb finally.

That's why the church gives us this gospel just before Easter.

Why?

Because you cannot celebrate the resurrection if you're still living in that cave, in the tomb.

Not theoretical, but a real challenge.

What is that stone in your life that's blocking you from exiting that tomb?

What have you sealed off?

What are you avoiding?

What are you justifying?

What have you decided, well, this is just how I am?

Why?

Because Christ is standing there right now saying, take away the stone.

And then he's saying, come out.

Not tomorrow, not when it's convenient, not when you have all the answers, not when you feel ready.

No, right now.

Come out.

And maybe for some of you, that first step is going to confession.

The confession you've been putting off, avoiding, making excuses.

Oh, I can just confess my sins to the big man upstairs.

But you can't stay in that cave, in that tomb.

Can't stay in that tomb and expect to feel alive.

Maybe for others it's prayer.

Real prayer.

A real connection with the Lord, spending the time that the Lord asks of you in communion with Him.

Not on the surface, but actually letting in and dedicating the time to Him.

Maybe for others it's a relationship that you've let go, a relationship that you know that you should heal and you don't.

Maybe for you it's that habit, a bad habit that you keep falling into over and over again.

Or maybe a pattern that is killing your soul.

That one sin that you go to that is killing your soul.

And you know what it is.

And whatever it is, this gospel's not asking you to admire Lazarus, it's asking you, will you come out of the tomb?

Because Christ is calling you.

Not in theory, not in general, but by name.

And if you respond, if you actually let him in, your life will change.

Not slightly, not gradually, I promise you, your life will drastically change, radically change.

Because when Christ enters the tomb, death does not get the final word, he does.

So don't just stand there.

Don't delay.

Don't pretend not to hear him.

Come out.

And once you're out, don't go back into the tomb.

Because the life he offer you offers you is not survival, it's resurrection.

Lazarus, come out.

Hear your name.

And today he's calling you.

Amen.