Lazarus arise!

John 11 is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It is a story much too long to reprint here, so we will just post the parts of the story that were read in worship on Sunday. The other parts of the story are amazing as well and we recommend that you grab a Bible and read the story on your own. Like this painting, it is a complex and wonderful story, full of the full range of human emotion and the human experience.

The artist is Gerry Mitchell. We met him through an article in the Daily Progress on February 1, 2007. Gerry is a kind, generous, gentle person who's art is alive with color, power, and passion. It is been a delight to know Gerry and to call him a friend. And we are exceedingly thankful for his willingness to participate in this project. The article makes it clear why we asked Gerry to paint for us the story of Lazarus.

"When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to him, 'I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming in to the world.' . . .

"Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, 'Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.' Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?' So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, 'Father I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe you sent me.' When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out.' The man who had died came out, his hands and his feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.'

We invite your relfections and comments on this scripture and this art. What do you see in this painting? How does it speak to you?