Roger Lynn
March 14, 2021
Fourth Sunday In Lent
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Back in 1981 (40 years ago) Stephen Spielberg made the first Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It was a return to the adventure films of the past, with the added excitement of modern special effects techniques. It was a fun movie, but in all honesty it must be admitted that in the interest of making an exciting movie, Spielberg played rather fast and loose with scripture and the power of God.
The interesting thing is that scripture is plenty exciting and full of “special effects” all by itself, without any embellishment from Hollywood screenwriters. Take, for example, the two scriptures which were read a few moments ago. What more could Spielberg want than a script filled with bones that come back to life or corpses that emerge from tombs alive again?
The theme for this season of Lent has been one of journeying through the wilderness of our lives. We have talked about journeying with Christ as our guide. And we have talked about the need to begin this journey fresh, with none of our old baggage. The theme which we find in both scripture lessons for today is death. More specifically, it has to do with what God does with dead people. Our journey continues.
Whatever else might be said about it, Ezekiel’s vision, as reported in the 37th chapter of the book bearing his name, is bizarre and a little bit disquieting. We find a valley filled with dry bones which are called back to life. This is more than just the re-animation of a dead body. This is full-scale reconstruction. The bones come back together – muscle and tendon and sinew are added – skin forms to cover it all – and then there are people, where before there was only the last reminders of death long since past. Life out of death – indeed, almost life out of nothing – and it happens because life is called forth in the name of God.
Jesus receives word that his friend, Lazarus, has died. When he arrives in Bethany Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. Jesus cries, but is not detoured from an amazing confidence in the power of God. He calls Lazarus forth from the tomb – and Lazarus comes! Life out of death – in the name of God!
In the end, however, we are still left with the question, what’s it all about? Surely it is more than merely the stuff of which Hollywood films are made. The point is something more than bones that dance and corpses that come back to life. What we are really talking about is God’s power and ongoing desire to bring life to even the most hopeless of situations.
In the case of Ezekiel’s vision, the bones did not represent actual physical death. They were the dead faith of the people of Israel. The spark of life had gone out of their faith and Ezekiel was sent by God to call them back to the path which leads to life. God is more powerful than dead faith.
In the case of Lazarus, we find ourselves faced with actual physical death. Here we find ourselves presented with a preview of the resurrection. The message would seem to be that even death, in all of its frightening, and even smelly, reality, is not beyond the reach of God’s grace.
The season of Lent reminds us that such journeying through the wilderness of our lives can be dangerous. For Jesus it was a journey which led to death on the cross. When we choose to follow him, we receive no promises that our journeys will be any different. But the message of Ezekiel and the message of Jesus with Lazarus is that death is never the final word with God. It is by God’s grace that we move through such reality to the deeper reality of life by the power of God.
Whether it is the death of our faith or the death of our bodies which we face, we are reminded that we can look beyond such lifelessness to new life which comes from God. And we are reminded in the final verse of the passage from John that we do not discover such new life alone. We are called to do so within community, helping each other to receive this new life. When Lazarus emerges from the tomb, he carries with him the old wrappings of the dead. It is to Lazarus’ sisters and friends that Jesus says, “Unwrap him – set him free!” It’s up to each of us and all of us together to support each other along the way.
From what death in ourselves can we allow God to free us? What old graves clothes can we allow our friends to help us remove? And to whom are we called to announce this amazing gift of new life? Who are we called to set free from the burdens which bind them? May such questions ring in our ears as we continue our journey through this wilderness towards the Light of new life!
Back in 1981 (40 years ago) Stephen Spielberg made the first Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It was a return to the adventure films of the past, with the added excitement of modern special effects techniques. It was a fun movie, but in all honesty it must be admitted that in the interest of making an exciting movie, Spielberg played rather fast and loose with scripture and the power of God.
The interesting thing is that scripture is plenty exciting and full of “special effects” all by itself, without any embellishment from Hollywood screenwriters. Take, for example, the two scriptures which were read a few moments ago. What more could Spielberg want than a script filled with bones that come back to life or corpses that emerge from tombs alive again?
The theme for this season of Lent has been one of journeying through the wilderness of our lives. We have talked about journeying with Christ as our guide. And we have talked about the need to begin this journey fresh, with none of our old baggage. The theme which we find in both scripture lessons for today is death. More specifically, it has to do with what God does with dead people. Our journey continues.
Whatever else might be said about it, Ezekiel’s vision, as reported in the 37th chapter of the book bearing his name, is bizarre and a little bit disquieting. We find a valley filled with dry bones which are called back to life. This is more than just the re-animation of a dead body. This is full-scale reconstruction. The bones come back together – muscle and tendon and sinew are added – skin forms to cover it all – and then there are people, where before there was only the last reminders of death long since past. Life out of death – indeed, almost life out of nothing – and it happens because life is called forth in the name of God.
Jesus receives word that his friend, Lazarus, has died. When he arrives in Bethany Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. Jesus cries, but is not detoured from an amazing confidence in the power of God. He calls Lazarus forth from the tomb – and Lazarus comes! Life out of death – in the name of God!
In the end, however, we are still left with the question, what’s it all about? Surely it is more than merely the stuff of which Hollywood films are made. The point is something more than bones that dance and corpses that come back to life. What we are really talking about is God’s power and ongoing desire to bring life to even the most hopeless of situations.
In the case of Ezekiel’s vision, the bones did not represent actual physical death. They were the dead faith of the people of Israel. The spark of life had gone out of their faith and Ezekiel was sent by God to call them back to the path which leads to life. God is more powerful than dead faith.
In the case of Lazarus, we find ourselves faced with actual physical death. Here we find ourselves presented with a preview of the resurrection. The message would seem to be that even death, in all of its frightening, and even smelly, reality, is not beyond the reach of God’s grace.
The season of Lent reminds us that such journeying through the wilderness of our lives can be dangerous. For Jesus it was a journey which led to death on the cross. When we choose to follow him, we receive no promises that our journeys will be any different. But the message of Ezekiel and the message of Jesus with Lazarus is that death is never the final word with God. It is by God’s grace that we move through such reality to the deeper reality of life by the power of God.
Whether it is the death of our faith or the death of our bodies which we face, we are reminded that we can look beyond such lifelessness to new life which comes from God. And we are reminded in the final verse of the passage from John that we do not discover such new life alone. We are called to do so within community, helping each other to receive this new life. When Lazarus emerges from the tomb, he carries with him the old wrappings of the dead. It is to Lazarus’ sisters and friends that Jesus says, “Unwrap him – set him free!” It’s up to each of us and all of us together to support each other along the way.
From what death in ourselves can we allow God to free us? What old graves clothes can we allow our friends to help us remove? And to whom are we called to announce this amazing gift of new life? Who are we called to set free from the burdens which bind them? May such questions ring in our ears as we continue our journey through this wilderness towards the Light of new life!
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