If you had been here

In 2007, a small key with a postcard sold at auction for a staggering £90,000. This wasn’t just any key – it belonged to Second Officer David Blair of the ill-fated Titanic. Reassigned at the last minute, Blair inadvertently took with him the key to the crow’s nest’s binocular locker. Without these crucial tools, the lookouts were blind to the looming danger in the dark waters ahead. A simple oversight cascaded into one of history’s greatest maritime disasters.

This haunting tale of the Titanic key isn’t just a historical curiosity – it’s a stark reminder of how profoundly the presence or absence of someone can alter the course of events. It beckons us to ask: What if someone had been there? What if that key had been where it was supposed to be?

Now, let’s pivot from the icy Atlantic to the dusty roads of Bethany. Here, we encounter another story of absence and its consequences – but with a radically different ending.

Lazarus, the beloved friend of Jesus, lay gravely ill. His sisters, Mary and Martha, sent an urgent message to Jesus, their hearts pounding with hope and fear. But Jesus, in a move that must have seemed cruel at the time, deliberately delayed His arrival. “He stayed two more days in the place where He was” (John 11:6). Can you imagine the sisters’ anguish as they waited, watching their brother slip away?

This divine delay unveils a profound, often perplexing truth: God’s timeline rarely aligns with ours. His purposes often diverge radically from our desired outcomes. We cry for healing; He plans resurrection. We beg for comfort; He forges unshakeable character. In this economy of grace, our job isn’t to dictate outcomes but to trust the process – even when it feels like God has forgotten the key.

When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Martha rushed to meet Him. Her words were a poignant mix of faith and accusation: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even nowGod will give you whatever you ask,” (John 11:21). In this moment, we witness Martha wrestling with two profound realities: her unwavering trust in Jesus’ power and her confusion about His timing. How often have we found ourselves in this same tension, believing in God’s ability yet questioning His timing? Martha’s struggle mirrors our own when we cry out, “God, I know You can, but why haven’t You yet?”

Jesus’ response to Martha is nothing short of revolutionary. “I am the resurrection and the life,” He declares, shifting the focus from what He can do to who He is. This is the crux of our spiritual journey: learning to seek not just God’s hands but His heart. It’s about finding our satisfaction not in His gifts, but in His very being.

As we approach the climax of this story, Jesus stands before Lazarus’ tomb and commands, “Take away the stone” (John 11:39). Don’t miss this crucial detail: before performing the miracle, Jesus invites our participation. What stone might He be asking you to remove today? What act of obedience is He waiting for before He displays His power in your life?

When Martha hesitates, Jesus reminds her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). Notice the order here – believe, then see. In our instant-gratification world, we often want to reverse this order. But faith means trusting God’s character even when we can’t trace His hand.

Then, after calling Lazarus forth from death to life, Jesus instructs the community, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” (John 11:44). Even in the aftermath of the miracle, Jesus involves others in the restoration process. This is a powerful picture of the Church at its best – a community where we help unwrap each other’s grave clothes, where we participate in each other’s resurrection stories. Who is God asking you to help ‘unwrap’ today, to step into their new God-given reality? And equally important, are you allowing others to help remove the ‘grave clothes’ in your own life?

This story serves as a powerful reminder: our relationship with God is meant to be personal, but it’s not meant to be private. We are called to a communal faith, one in which we both receive and extend the grace of God.

Here’s the heart-stopping truth: Everything happens for a reason, but that reason isn’t always what we expect. People often say, “Everything happens for a reason,” but they often miss the most important part – the reason is solely for the glory of God. In the story of Lazarus, Jesus explicitly states, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).

The God who raised Lazarus is the same God who is intimately involved in your life. He sees your pain, hears your cries, and is working even now – perhaps especially now, in your moments of deepest doubt – to bring about a greater glory than you could imagine. Every delay, every struggle, every seemingly unanswered prayer is an opportunity for God to display His power and receive glory in ways we can’t foresee.

When God seems absent, when His timing doesn’t make sense, when you’re tempted to believe He’s forgotten the key to your situation, remember this: He is the resurrection and the life. He doesn’t just solve problems; He overwhelms them with His power and presence, all for His glory.

“If you had been here…” These words, once a lament of absence, now become an invitation to presence. What if you were fully present in your relationship with Christ, aligned with His purposes, and ready to participate in His miraculous work? The truth is, you are here now, and so is He. Jesus is calling you to step out of whatever binds you and into His unfolding story of redemption. Remember, you can’t alter your past, but you can bring your past to the altar. What area of your life feels like a sealed tomb? Where have you lost hope? Dare to believe that even now, Jesus is calling you to new life and partnership in the miraculous.

Your story isn’t over, and God hasn’t forgotten you. He’s working all things together for your good and His glory. Will you trust His timing, seek His heart, and be fully present in your faith? Remember, you are here, and so is He. Step into His presence and watch as He transforms your moments of deepest despair into testimonies of His incredible power and glory.

Watch the full sermon here.