March 29, 2020
Sermon by Carolyn King
(Ezek. 37:1-14; Ps. 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45)
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to God.
We’ve come to the last Sunday in lent. I hope that throughout this Lent, because of the worries about the Corona virus, or in spite of them, you were able to take time to pray, and meditate, to listen, and reconnect with God. This is something we all need to do, over and over again. Remember: it’s never too late – not with God.
Today’s readings all have to do with new life, RE-newed life. Ezekiel is shown to a valley filled with bones. Old, dry, brittle bones. God asks ‘can these bones live’, Ezekiel answers ‘you know’. Then God tells him to prophesy to the bones, so he does, and then watches as God brings flesh upon them and breath into them. But God tells him, “These bones are the whole house of Israel” and it is they to whom Ezekiel must prophesy, so that they will return to God and live again.
Paul tells us, in the letter to the Romans, Do not set your mind upon the flesh, for that is a kind of death. But rather, to set our mind upon the Spirit of Christ and live. We are children of the Spirit, for the Spirit of God lives in us.
The raising of Lazarus is a familiar Gospel story. Jesus is called to come to Lazarus’ sick bed by Martha and Mary. But Jesus does not go at once, but waits, so that ‘ the Son of God may be glorified’. When Jesus finally arrives, knowing that Lazarus has already died, the women gently rebuke him: “He would not have died if you had been here.” But their faith is stronger than that, they take Jesus to the tomb. When he tells them to remove the stone, they make only token objections. Then they do take the stone away, opening the tomb, as Jesus has asked. Jesus calls Lazarus forth. And he comes alive again, whole again, to God’s glory, and to glorify his Son.
We are the dry bones. Caught up in the worries of the flesh, we become lost because we turn away from God’s Spirit. We are Lazarus in the tomb, dead in sin. But the Spirit of the Lord is in us, and Jesus calls us forth: Carolyn Come Forth! John Come Forth! Mary Come Forth! Jesus calls each of us, by name, to come out of our tomb, out of the death and darkness of sin and fear, to walk into Christ’s glorious resurrection light, to dwell in His Spirit, and live, truly live.
Amen