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Sermon Lent 5a March 9/08

Preamble:
Ezekial’s vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones (Ezekial 37:1-14) and the Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45) are so much alike: what humans believe see as dead can be brought back to life by the breath of God!

Vs 14: “I will put my spirit within you and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken and will act”, says the Lord.

The vision to Ezekial of the valley of dried up bones: complete desolation – no human possibility for life (not just dried up land or crops that we might hope to somehow revive if we could find enough water….)
In the Gospel, Lazarus had been dead 4 days – starting to smell/rot, no hope of human life, Jewish belief that soul lingered for 3 days …
Dramatic revival to make a point of God’s power and glory – another of John’s ‘signs’ of Jesus’ divinity, we’ve been following these past few weeks…

What can we take from these readings? How can they speak to us this morning as something more than stories from the past?
1) First on a personal level - Are there parts of your life that have dried up? Have our hearts dried up with sadness, disappointment, fear, hurt…God can restore you! God can breathe new life into you!
Who has not felt, at some point of hurt or loss or despair that his/her life was over?
I feel confident in saying that each of us here has felt ‘dead’ at some point - felt like we would never smile or dance or sing or feel ‘truly alive’ again. And yet …. I have seen you all do that! I know you are alive! I know God has breathed new life into that part of you that had died – restored you, just as Ezekial saw the dried bones coming to life again – just as Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, just as God raised Jesus from death on the cross.
They were all situations of NO MORE HOPE – The END.
And the beautiful thing is that God offers us that new life, over and over again … “new every morning is the love” (words of John Keble, early 1800s) – Grace – new life – fullness of life – life where we thought there was only death…

It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Life throws some awful ‘deaths’ at us – and even Jesus wept, wept for his friend. But we have God’s promise of new life – of resurrection from that which deadens us – kills our very souls…. That’s our faith … wonderful mysterious Faith …

2) and what about as a community? Have we died? Do we feel dried up? Where is the life in us? Are we alive here on Sunday morning? Are we alive as a community during the week? Do people look at us and say – see how much they love one another? In both our stories today the bringing back to life was clearly to be a sign of God’s power and glory – to lead people to glorify God, to believe in God. Is that what we do here?

Well, I think that our wonderful summer breakfasts and strawberry festival do that – People look at the work that is done by a very few and they are amazed. They come – they flock to the doors of the hall, and enjoy hospitality and friendship. Those are things of God! We’re doing well – we seem to be alive. ;)

But I want to suggest that we might be more effective for God if we did it in a different spirit… not focusing on how much work it is and what will happen when we can’t manage any more, but do it intentionally – with the intent of bringing glory to God!
As a thanksgiving for the gifts we have: life and health and strength – a cozy hall – friendship that draws people to work together. God’s abundance! J
This is not something to be hoarded – to be greedily kept for ourselves – this is to be shared! This opportunity to give thanks – to give glory to God: that’s our sole purpose, you know – that is ALL that we were created for: to glorify God!

I’ve been inviting you since Christmas to pray and listen for God’s instructions for us here. As soon as the weather permits, we’re going to get together at the hall, and count our blessings, and tell the stories of this community, and see how God wants to breathe new life into us … revive us to glorify him. Dream about what it might look like when our dried ole’ bones come together and receive the life-giving ‘ruach’ – the breath of the Spirit. And whatever it looks like, it will glorify God. It will bring others to believe – (just as the raising of Lazarus did) to see the breadth of possibility for new life when we open ourselves to God’s Spirit … when we let it blow over us and into us. I’m calling you to faith – I share Ezekial’s vision J

And now I want to teach you a very special prayer this morning…a prayer that I think helps us to receive this enlivening Breath. I’ve mentioned it before. It’s definitely my favourite – Thomas Merton’s prayer. We’ll go through it a couple of times so that you can really get the ‘feel’ of it, cause that’s what’s important.

So, I’d like you to stand up now, please – give yourselves a bit of room – almost arms length apart – there’s lots of space in here!
v Start with hands together – bow head – address God
v Bow to earth – acknowledge gifts for life – Mother Earth
v Open ourselves – really open, like ready to receive a BIG hug! Imagine child, grandchild, long lost friend running toward you – open arms WIDE!
v Hug yourself – enfold all those gifts – that new life, breath, Spirit, into yourself. Stay for a moment – feel God’s breath and love nourishing you, warming you, filling you up, strengthening you ….
v Send it out now as a gift to the world! Extend your arms as if offering something out in a large and generous gesture. Share your abundance. Share the life God has given you! There’s lots more where that came from! Don’t worry about scarcity. “It is in giving that we receive” (prayer of st francis)
v Bow again – in thanksgiving
X 2 – and then actually pray it.
Don’t feel uncomfortable – no one’s watching- we can all face same way… Towards sun?

I want you to try this again someday, by yourself. Don’t worry if you forget the words –you’ll remember the actions. Have you ever walked into a room and felt the warmth of the sunshine fall on you? Or stepped outside – especially these days when the sun is really feeling warm? Stop, right there when you feel that, and do this prayer. Open your arms WIDE – feel your lungs expand and your body warm with God’s love. Experience the breath of God filling you with Life – and give thanks!
Amen.