April 11, 2011
Christ United Methodist Church
“Christ in the Heart of San Diego”
3295 Meade Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 284-9205
Pastorgraphs: “Where there is Spirit, there is life”
Easter is all about resurrection and life.
The dual stories of Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones and Jesus calling his friend Lazarus from the tomb form a perfect prelude to Easter. If we read between the lines, these stories tell us much about life, death, and resurrection.
We don’t like thinking about death. We use such words as “passed away” to soften the reality of death. The Bible confronts death head on, for it is the ultimate destination of us all. But it is not the end of us all.
In the valley of dry bones, God showed Ezekiel that even long dead skeletons can live again. Notice that even after the bones were rejoined and covered with tendons and flesh, they were still dead until God breathed into them His Spirit.
I suspect Jesus’ delay in arriving at Lazarus’ tomb was to emphasize his old friend was really dead, not in a coma. Jesus let Lazarus die in order that God might be glorified in his resurrection.
It is easy to fall into thinking these stories mean we should go about calling every dead thing back to life.
Nathan Nettleton, the Australian Baptist preacher whose sermons bless me, said:
“Some things that die are best left dead. Much of what we have known as church over the last century is clearly dying as we look at it, and while fear would have us wanting to rush in and save it, we need the courage to do what Jesus did with Lazarus - wait, let it die, and then listen to see if God is actually calling us to prophesy to the bones and call on the Spirit to breathe new life into them. The Spirit will only breathe new life into that which can serve the cause of life, into that which makes for peace and justice and hope, so don’t waste your breath calling for life from that which, though familiar and comfortable, might be better off dead.”
I shared in yesterday’s sermon that this is a timely message for Christ Church. As a congregation, we are about to go through a period of transition…(there I go, using metaphors to soften the blow)…about to go through death. Old Christ Church will die. But fear not, for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is new and abundant life. The new Christ Church will be better than the old, ready to serve the cause of new life, into that which makes for peace, justice and hope.
If a congregation has the Spirit of God breathing within, death doesn’t have a chance!
Devotedly, Pastor Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment