The Lutheran Hour
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"Dead Men Tell No Tales"
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Text: John 12:9-11
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! 2,000 years ago sin, Satan, and the devil rejoiced as Jesus was placed into His grave. Today there are those who wish to do the same. Answering their will and wish, a living Lord comes and says, “Whoever believes in me will never die.” By God’s grace may this be our belief and our future. Amen.
“Arrrrrr. Dead men tell no tales.” From what I’ve been able to tell, for the most part, pirates are a singularly unquotable group of people. The exception to that rule was a man by the name of James Jeffers, who was also known as Charles Gibbs. One of the last of the Caribbean pirates, Jeffers was a great believer in the line, “Dead men tell no tales.” When Jeffers and his crew captured a vessel, they made sure the officers and crew of that ship would never testify against them in court. By his own admission, Jeffers confessed to having executed more than 400 such unfortunates. Jeffers work was wasted because he was eventually captured, tried, and sentenced to death. He was hanged on Ellis Island on April 22, 1831. According to the novelists who recorded his life, Jeffers, shortly before he died, is supposed to have said, “Dead men tell no tales.”
The line might have died with Jeffers had it not been for the assistance of British writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson put those words into the mouth of Long John Silver, one of his more memorable villains. Dead men tell no tales. It is a good pirate line, but even so the expression might have been forgotten if it had not been for Walt Disney. The Disney studios took the line and have used it in its animatronic extravaganza, “Pirates of the Caribbean.” There, each day, anyone who takes that dark ride hears a skull say the words, “And mark well me words, mateys, Dead men tell no tales! Heh heh heh…”
Dead men tell no tales. Right about now I would imagine you are probably disagreeing with the line. After all, we are smart people living in a sophisticated age. We’ve all seen programs like CSI Miami, CSI New York, CSI Here and CSI there. We’re used to having dead bodies give enough evidence to locate and convict their murderers. Experience watching those programs has given you the courage to say: “Don’t those shows prove that dead men can indeed tell tales?” To which I would reply, “No, not really. The evidence may do the talking, but the dead folks are just as silent as they have ever been.”
Although we may want it to be otherwise, the truth still stands: dead men tell no tales. And we do want it to be otherwise, don’t we? We want dead men to reveal their secrets. Almost since time began humans have hoped someone would return from the grave to give some evidence of an afterlife, some description of what might be seen and what will be experienced after death. Mary Todd Lincoln, Mark Twain, and Harry Houdini all attended séances where they hoped a dead loved one might be convinced to return and tell a tale of the afterlife.
Even the Savior, Jesus Christ, referred to this human desire to hear from the dead. In Luke 16 you can read the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Without going into the entire story, the dead rich man, whose eternity was going to be spent in hell, begged for equally dead Lazarus to be given permission to visit his brothers on earth. The rich man was convinced that a visit from a dead person would be sure to move his brothers to mend their ways and escape the torments which he was enduring. The story concludes with the rich man being informed that if his brothers didn’t listen to the clear witness of Moses and the other Old Testament prophets, they’re not likely to be convinced or changed even if someone returns to them from the dead.
Now it’s more than likely you may disagree with that heavenly position. You may be among the many who think a face-to-face conversation with a certified dead man might be a pretty convincing thing. You may be among the many millions who are unsure of religion or the afterlife. If you are, you’re probably thinking, “While I might not be touched by a pastor or a preacher who I’m pretty sure is pushing his own opinions, I might be convinced if a dead man could tell me his tale.
Well, if that is what you’re thinking, I’ve got good news. In the parable the Lord turned down the rich man’s request to have a dead man return for a visit. Yes, He turned down the rich man’s request but He has decided to honor yours. That’s right, in His great desire to save you from the fires of hell; God has decided to let a dead man tell you a tale. It’s true. I’m not making it up. Turn to the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John and you can read the story of Lazarus, a real man who, with his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were close, personal friends of Jesus. If you don’t know the story, let me give you the highlights.
It seems that one day, on a day when Jesus was not in the town of Bethany where His friends lived, Lazarus became ill, deathly ill. Although the physicians were helpless to affect a cure, the sisters were convinced Jesus would have no such human limitations. Since they knew Him to be the Son of God, and because they had seen and heard about so many other spectacular miracles Jesus had performed in the past, the girls were absolutely convinced Jesus would be able to help and heal their brother… that is if they could get Him there before it was too late. Not daring to leave their dying brother’s side for an instant, the concerned sisters sent a messenger to find the Lord. The messenger was to deliver a simple, poignant plea, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” The Savior was found and the message was delivered. Even so, by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had died and was buried. Indeed, Jesus’ friend had been buried for three days.
Now it doesn’t make much difference if you live in Jesus’ time or today… the death of a well-known and probably wealthy person like Lazarus makes the news. Today we turn on our televisions and the evening news shares how some long ago movie star or some once-powerful politician has succumbed to an illness. It was no different in the case of Lazarus. Word quickly spread. Lazarus was gone, his story was ended, his tale had been told. There was nothing more to be done. After all, dead men tell no tales, do they?
That is the common belief, isn’t it? When death comes for us mere mortals, no matter how much we or those around us wish it would be otherwise, the ending is always final and complete. But Jesus is not a mere mortal. As the sinless Son of God, He knows no human limits. That is why, even though Lazarus had been dead for three days, a newly arrived Jesus asked to be taken to his friend’s tomb. When the Savior gave orders for the tomb to be opened, there were some serious objections voiced. The heat of that ancient land would have already begun the decomposition of Lazarus’ body. Reflecting that decay, the one old translation of the Bible says Jesus was told: ‘Master, he stinketh.’ More recent translations are a bit more circumspect. They say, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor.” No matter how you translate the verse, the fact is plain: Lazarus was dead. Indeed, he was not only merely dead, he was most assuredly dead.
In spite of all objection, the stone which shut the tomb was moved away. Then Jesus, having made a prayer of thanksgiving, called into the tomb. He called into the tomb and commanded, “Lazarus, come out.” In the course of my ministry I have buried over 300 people. No matter the story of their lives, without fear of contradiction, I can tell you all of those bodies, unless they were moved by someone else, are still exactly where they were placed on the day of their funeral. Never again did they walk, or talk, or visit, or share, or love, or do any of the things you still are able to do. That’s because dead is dead.
At least usually dead is dead. You see, that day, the day Jesus called into the damp darkness of Lazarus’ tomb an exception was made. Still confined by the customary mummy-like wrappings, Lazarus, a living Lazarus, shuffled out of the tomb. The crowd stood in shocked amazement. They stood there until Jesus gave the command for his friend to be set free from the burial clothes. It was a unique moment in history. At the command of God’s Son a dead man had returned from his grave and now, for the first time, an ex-dead man would be able to tell his tale. He would be able to lay to rest all the discussions about what lay on the other side. He would be able to share what he had experienced. He would be able to describe the happiness of heaven or the fiery flames of hell. Seeing Lazarus standing there, I, like you, would have been filled with a million questions. I would have wanted, been eager to hear this ex-dead man tell his tale.
And do you know what Lazarus said? Do you know what wisdom the Bible tells us he imparted, what questions he answered; what wonders he revealed? Hang on, you’re not going to believe when I tell you; you’re going to be shocked and surprised when I share: Scripture doesn’t tell us. Yes, you heard me rightly. The Bible quotes not a word. Nothing about white lights, or streets of gold, or a place where there was no crying or sighing, or bleeding, or dying, or pain, or problems. Indeed, Scripture doesn’t list a single thing, not a single syllable spoken by Lazarus. It would seem that once again, a dead man has told no tale.
If that’s the way it seems to you, then let me set the record straight. Anything which Lazarus might have said is inconsequential to the fact that he was alive. While Scripture doesn’t reveal the musings of Lazarus, it does share the far-reaching reactions, the repercussions which came about because of this miracle performed by Jesus. I can sum up all those reactions in two short, simple sentences. Oh, before I do that, you should know one of those reactions was NOT that of disbelief. Friend or foe, nobody could deny that something remarkable, something unprecedented had happened that day at the tomb. Everyone had to concede a dead man had been raised to life … but after that there were differences. The first group believed and was overjoyed that God’s Son had come to earth and performed such a great and gracious thing. The second group also believed Jesus had performed a miracle, but this group was upset at an event which disturbed their world view and the way they wanted things to be. But there’s more. The first group believed and worshipped the Christ while the second group believed and did all they could to erase that event from their lives and the lives of all those who believed differently than they did.
Would it surprise you if I told you that these two responses are still the same reactions people have when they see the Savior and all He has done? Yes, you my friend, you and all the rest of the world, fit into one of those two groups. Turn on the evening news, read your newspaper and you will see what I mean. Today, even as I come to you with the Triune God’s words of salvation and eternal life there are great religions of the world who would use threats and violence to stop broadcasts like this from reaching the ears of their people. There are governments who have put laws on their books to prevent any mention of Jesus and His mission of salvation from being heard by their citizenry; there are men, supposedly wise men who wish to deny humanity’s need to have a Savior. In spite of wars and rumors of wars, in spite of hatred and prejudice; in spite of ongoing inequities and injustice, they would have you believe that you and this world are fine just the way you are.
But we’re not fine, are we? The world is not fine and we aren’t either. If humankind, on its own, could have changed the deplorable state of things, it would have. But thousands of years of good intentions have not been able to reverse the sin and evil which permeates the world and hearts of humankind. We need a Savior and in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Mary and Son of God, we have been given a One and Only. 2,000 years ago God’s Son called one man out of his grave and back to life. Someday that same Savior will summon hundreds of millions of others, believing, forgiven others to an eternal life in heaven.
Know well the success and power of His call to life will not depend upon a few words spoken beside our graves. No, the forgiveness and eternal life which is given to believers is a reality because the Savior has first given Himself to win our salvation. Jesus entered this world to do all that we were incapable of doing. Each day of our lives we sin, but all of Jesus’ days were spent without breaking a single one of God’s commands. Look back at your life, you will see numerous times when outside temptations seduced you to do that which was wrong, that which was hateful, immoral, vicious, cruel, and callous. Not once did Jesus fall or fail as we have. From start to finish, from beginning to end, Jesus did that which was right so that we might be made right before our Divine Judge. And, because Jesus has succeeded, all those who believe on Him are forgiven and saved.
And how do I know He succeeded? I know He succeeded because three days after He was crucified; three days after His life was poured out upon a Roman cross for the redemption of a dying world, Jesus showed Himself alive and better than alive. Now a living Lord Jesus comes to you, me, the world, and He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” That’s the question, Jesus put to the family of Lazarus before He raised that man from the dead. It is the all-important question He places before you. He wants to know: “Do you believe In Him as your Savior?” I pray you do … I pray you believe the words and works of God’s Son Who has returned from the dead. I pray you believe so when the Day of Judgment comes, He may call your name and He will call it to eternal life. To that end, if we can help you, if we can retell this tale of this ex-dead Man, please call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers)
April 10, 2011
Topic: A Weak Faith?Announcer: Stay with us now for questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer, here with our speaker emeritus, Pastor Ken Klaus.
Klaus: And hello to you, Mark. So, what do we have today?
Announcer: This comes to us from a lady who worries about many things.
Klaus: Don’t we all?
Announcer: Maybe. But in this case, our listener has gone to several doctors and they’ve told her that her anxiety is actually based on a medical problem. It seems her brain is not producing enough of a certain chemical and that deficiency is contributing to her anxiety.
Klaus: So, good news and bad news. Good news–because she knows what the problem is, and bad news because-she has a problem! Is there any treatment?
Announcer: Well, yes, but that’s also part of what makes this difficult. Both doctors have prescribed medication that could help to bring the anxiety under control.
Klaus: More good news, right?
Announcer: She doesn’t see it that way. In the Bible, Jesus said He would take care of our problems that we bring to Him in prayer. And, the Bible also says that with faith, we could move mountains.
Klaus: So she’s thinking she doesn’t have enough faith?
Announcer: Right. And that’s adding to her worries. She thinks that if her faith were stronger, she’d be able to overcome this without resorting to drugs. And if she takes the medications, isn’t that setting a poor example for others?
Klaus: How would that be?
Announcer: Well, that they would see her relying on medication for her problem instead of trusting God to help her.
Klaus: OK, I’ve got it. She sees those drugs as a second-rate crutch.
Announcer: Right. A substitute for God.
Klaus: So, let’s see if we can help her find some peace of mind.
Announcer: I’m sure she’d appreciate that.
Klaus: OK, Mark, first of all, I noticed, last January, when the temperatures outside got to around 10 degrees Fahrenheit-you, my friend, wore a heavy winter coat.
Announcer: But, everybody wore a coat then.
Klaus: But did you not think that coat was a crutch? That if you had a stronger faith, you could have managed to withstand the cold without it?
Announcer: That thought never occurred to me …
Klaus: All right. How about this? Yesterday, on your way home, your wife had you stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things for supper.
Announcer: Right?
Klaus: But, Mark, don’t you remember how the Lord said He feeds the birds of the air, even though they don’t worry or plant gardens or harvest crops? Didn’t it occur to you that by going to the grocery store, it showed a lack of faith on your part? Faith that God would provide?
Announcer: And, once again, that thought never crossed my mind.
Klaus: OK. One more time. Mark, tax time is almost here. When the disciples and Jesus had their taxes were due, Jesus sent them out to retrieve a coin from the mouth of a fish they’d caught. I suppose you’re going to be going to the bank and setting aside some dollars for what you owe the government?
Announcer: I really don’t think my wife would believe me if I told her I had to go fishing in order to pay our taxes.
Klaus: Well, maybe, but isn’t that showing a lack of faith? Won’t the Lord provide for you when that time comes?
Announcer: Well, He will, but I think He’s also given me the resources to do that.
Klaus: He most certainly has. The Lord gave you the resources of a warm coat to help you battle the winter cold. The Lord gave us farmers and food stores to help us ward off hunger, that’s a resource from God. The Lord gave us the financial resources to cover your tax bill and other expenses.
Announcer: And”,,?
Klaus: And the Lord has blessed the world with medicines which, if properly used, and not always, but if properly used, can make a great difference in our health. He has entrusted surgeons with skill to perform operations. He has given us medical tests so we can diagnose our maladies”” And in the case of this lady, He has given us medicines that can help her. In taking this drug, she is not showing a lack of faith in God … she has reason instead to thank Him for His mercy and kindness. Jesus performed many miracles of healing, but He has also given us doctors and the wonders of modern medicine. It’s not quite the same thing, but they are nonetheless His gifts and His way of helping us.
Announcer: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selection for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow” arranged by Henry Gerike. Used by permission.
“Prelude on Hyrfrydol” arr. Alan Mahnke. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ” by J.S. Bach. From Orgelbuchlein & More Works by
J.S. Bach by Robert Clark & John David Peterson (© 1997 Calcante Recordings, Ltd.)