Our readings
this morning both end with new life,
with resurrection,
with hope for a future.
with resurrection,
with hope for a future.
But the readings don’t start out in
such a hopeful place.
In the Gospel reading, Lazarus, the brother
of Martha and Mary is very ill, but Jesus doesn’t come and heal him.
Lazarus dies, and is buried.
Lazarus dies, and is buried.
Finally, Jesus arrives 4 days after
Lazarus has been buried….
The tomb is opened.
Jesus calls Lazarus to come out of the tomb
Then asks those assembled to help free Lazarus from the burial cloths.
The tomb is opened.
Jesus calls Lazarus to come out of the tomb
Then asks those assembled to help free Lazarus from the burial cloths.
A few verses later in the John reading,
we see the outcome of the raising of Lazarus, it was the final straw for the
religious leaders, and they started to plan the arrest of Jesus.
Do you feel like you are bound and in
a tomb?
What will it take for you to be free?
What will it take for you to be free?
In the reading from Ezekiel, the people
of Israel are in exile in Babylon, and the news from home is about the destruction
of temple and cities.
Would they ever return home?
And if they did what would be waiting
for them?
The image of the dry bones, that is
bones that have long had all their life bleached out of them. Dry bones are not
like the bones we get in our steak. Bones left exposed to the elements, wind and
rain and sun, bones get very dry and hard.
The bones are a metaphor for the life
of the people of Israel:
- they have no
future – their land is in ruins and they are in exile
- they are living
in a land where people worship other gods, and the reality of everyday life means
there is a ‘blurring between the pure and the impure.’ [i],
and dead bodies, and therefore bones are impure.
Over the past 4 weeks we have heard
stories of the impact of Jesus on the lives of people:
What if we talk about the experience
of a conversation with Jesus
that then transforms you from a woman rejected,
to a witness of God’s love
as a resurrection event.
that then transforms you from a woman rejected,
to a witness of God’s love
as a resurrection event.
What if we talk about the experience
of Jesus putting mud on your eyes
so that you might see you are a sheep of Jesus’ fold
as a resurrection event.
so that you might see you are a sheep of Jesus’ fold
as a resurrection event.
What if we talk about the experience
of hearing your name being called
to come out from the darkness of your tomb
as a resurrection event.[ii]
to come out from the darkness of your tomb
as a resurrection event.[ii]
What if we talk about our own experience
of transformation
of receiving God’s grace
of being welcomed by Jesus
as a resurrection event.
of receiving God’s grace
of being welcomed by Jesus
as a resurrection event.
One of the articles I read this week,
put it like this: If you have not been resurrected, well, it’s awfully hard to
believe that it’s true.[iii]
…
Shortly we will hear a song based on the
Psalm for the day, Psalm 130 – out of the depths I cry to you O God.
Where are we living in despair:
as a nation,
as a congregation and
as individuals?
as a nation,
as a congregation and
as individuals?
Do we cry to God for help or do we sit
and complain:
about unemployment
violence
poverty
war
hunger
about unemployment
violence
poverty
war
hunger
Where are ‘the depths’ for you?
Are you willing to ask God for resurrection?
are you willing to have your life changed?
are you willing to have your life changed?
Just as the breath of God enlivened
the dry bones,
the breath of God, the Holy Spirit,
can bring new life to the world,
and the church
and each one of us.
the breath of God, the Holy Spirit,
can bring new life to the world,
and the church
and each one of us.
Because God’s activity will change us,
it will comfort some and threaten others.
Even the promise of new life,
comes only as good news
to those who recognizes
that the old life is not enough.
The promise of new life,
threatens or upsets
those who don’t want to change. [iv]
it will comfort some and threaten others.
Even the promise of new life,
comes only as good news
to those who recognizes
that the old life is not enough.
The promise of new life,
threatens or upsets
those who don’t want to change. [iv]
As we listen to this song, I encourage
you to consider where your life needs renewing.
