April 10 2011    Reading:  John 11.1-44

Text: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I say this for the sake of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." John 11.41-42

When I was part of a team of ministers in Paisley, one of my colleagues went off to speak in Edinburgh, at a youth fellowship. A great honour to be asked to come from Paisley to speak in Edinburgh ! Anyway, off he went, to speak on prayer at this youth fellowship. And he began by saying ‘You know, prayer is one of the most important things we read about in the Bible, perhaps the most important for our lives..........’ At the end of the talk, he asked if there were any questions, and a young guy said ‘Yes, I’ve got a question - why is it that every speaker that comes here always says - whatever the topic - ‘This is the most important thing in the Bible ?’ (I can’t remember what my friend answered.........!)

There is a prayer here, however, in John’s gospel. And here, I think, the gospel reveals to us with depth and light and power what perfect prayer is like.

What is this perfect prayer ? It is the perfect prayer of our beloved Lord Jesus !

What was the situation in which He said this prayer, what were the circumstances ?

Well, a few days before Martha and Mary, who lived with their brother in the busy little village of Bethany, just two or three miles from Jerusalem, had sent a message to the Lord to come quickly, as Lazarus, their brother was ill, he had fallen ill very suddenly. I am sure we will know that situation when a loved one falls ill, and we begin to contact the family, and friends, each one drops all non essential tasks and comes. So Jesus and the disciples do come, but by the time they arrive in Bethany, the moment the sisters were dreading has arrived. It is too late. Their brother Lazarus, who worked so hard every day to earn enough to keep his two sisters and himself going, has died.

Martha and Mary’s world has changed. Perhaps we will remember what that is like, the numbness, how we seem to be living in a kind of dream. So, while the villagers get on with their daily tasks in the morning sunshine, some down at the well, drawing water, some heading for the market, others chatting on the doorsteps, children laughing in the street. For Martha and Mary - their lives are overcast, overwhelmed in loss, in sorrow, touched by darkness, their brother Lazarus has died............... an experience all of us will know, of grief, sorrow and loss.

There is a strange thing that happens in times of bereavement like that - some, perhaps many are hesitant, afraid to speak to those grieving, afraid to get in contact, because they are afraid, don’t know what to do, grief seems so overwhelming. But we read in the gospel that Jesus was there........ Martha says simply and quietly to Mary, “The Teacher is here, and is asking for you.” John tells us of the conversation between Jesus and the two sisters, as they speak of their loss, and grief to Him. Jesus, the Lord Jesus always so ready to listen……. in compassion. But now, in the midst, even of this mourning and grief, a drama begins............ Jesus, in words of the most utter and profound authority says to Martha Your brother will rise again. But neither Martha nor Mary will have been able to understand what Jesus was talking about. But now, the drama, as I have said begins. The Lord leads the way through the streets of the village, to the very tomb where Lazarus lies, with that great stone rolled across, closing the entrance, sealing the tomb in darkness. That great stone, a symbol of the hard reality and darkness of life closed to Lazarus. And with a vast crowd watching…He asks those nearby to roll the stone away from the entrance - and then Jesus looks up to heaven and prays, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I say this for the sake of the people standing here, that they may believe..........."

Now here is a prayer. One of the shortest in the whole of the Bible........ but a prayer that stands in such sharp focus. Here is a perfect prayer......... what do we see in it ?

Let’s take these words first............"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me........

See how Jesus trusts His Father in heaven completely. There is no sign here of embarrassment - Jesus does not say ‘If you don’t mind, shall we pray ? or Perhaps God will hear us......... No in full trust, in perfect confidence in prayer to His Father He says: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.”

You see Jesus commits everything to His Father. He places Himself, trusting, committing Himself to the Father’s power and love. In prayer. The gospel shows us Jesus at the tomb………….. with a crowd watching…………. and as it does so - we see so wonderfully, so clearly, Jesus - the Son’s complete trust in the Father........ in the prayer before the tomb............... And it is then that Jesus calls, Lazarus, come out ! Lazarus, comes out, and steps forward into life. Can’t you see ? Here is the power of the prayer. The power of the prayer of Jesus to our Father in heaven. He prays, then calls, and Lazarus, alive, steps into the light, the morning light, raised by the Father’s power.

This shows us a second thing:

That God the Father has heard Jesus His Son, and has answered His prayer. So many times in the gospels we see God’s love for Jesus, and the way that Jesus trusts so deeply and lovingly in His Father’s love. When Jesus was baptised from heaven the Father said ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’. On the mountain top at the Transfiguration, the Father spoke in deepest tenderness to the disciples and said: ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him’. And now when Jesus says "Father, I thank you that you have heard me” Lazarus, come out ! The Father moves in power and raises Lazarus to life. See how the Father loves His beloved Son Jesus !

Often we neglect prayer, often we don’t pray, and we wonder why our life is barren and empty. But look at Jesus - prayer to His Father in heaven flows up and rises up out of His very life and soul. ............ in perfect loving trust....."Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me........

But now listen to what Jesus then says....... in this prayer....... Standing in front of the tomb, surrounded by the crowd He said: I say this prayer for the sake of those standing here, that they may believe ......... Do you see what the Lord is doing ? Jesus is showing the crowd, what prayer is, showing them trust in the Father in heaven...surrounded by the crowd He says: I say this prayer for the sake of you standing here, that you may believe .........

Jesus is showing the crowd and us what prayer is, that we can place all our trust in our Father in heaven and lift up all our needs, and our troubles, our worries, our cares, our joys, our hopes....... to Him, and He will hear us, and answer us. This is what our Father in heaven is like - Jesus shows us this...... our Father hears and answers prayer.

The Father hears and answers prayer. We’ve heard this morning how Jesus trusts everything to His Father’s care....... "Father, I thank you that you have heard me” Jesus said, and then called Lazarus, come out ! and Lazarus stepped out of the tomb and into life. The Father hearing His Son Jesus, answers, and Lazarus, raised up by the Father’s power Lazarus stepped out of the tomb and into life.

Well now, listen, the last words of Jesus from the Cross are a prayer, ........ in those last, His dying moments, Luke tells us, Jesus said, whispered, this prayer.... Father into your hands I commit my spirit. Once again, this last time, even in these last moments He commits all to His Father, in His last breath, trusting, Himself to the Father’s love. This is the most perfect loving trust in God this dark world has ever seen. It was then that Jesus died, stepping into the realm of death, the darkness of death, Himself.

The last words of Jesus from the Cross a prayer, to His Father. What happened ? Was that prayer answered ? What happened was this. On the third day, the Father, in mighty power, raised Jesus from the dead ! The Father took His own Son, the One who had lived such a perfect, lowly, loving life, the One who cared for the scattered sheep, the One who loved the outcasts, and the sinners, the One who healed, sought and saved the lost..... the Father took His own Son, yes, in His arms........ and raised Him from this dark, sinful, earth........ raised Him to life ! So, it must be - it must be, it must be ---- for Jesus is the Father’s beloved Son ! and the Father’s beloved Son is Jesus. And the Father answers prayer...........

The Father answers prayer - here, would be a fitting place to end......... ....but not yet, not just yet. After all we have heard in these past moments, about the Father who loves us, and who answers prayer........ let us hear the word of Jesus to us, about prayer:

For Jesus says......... The Father, the Father will give you whatever you ask Him for...... in my name....... ask and you will receive.

AMEN...... AND TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY..........