Seek God for NEW LIFE through faith

In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! Amen.

Seldom do we appreciate life as a gift. Occasionally, some life events do bring us to our knees and compel us to pray and contemplate life’s purpose and meaning.  When Jesus talks about life, he means the fullness of human experience and a sense of “aliveness” in God which is in itself a gift of grace. The Hebrew word used in our OT lesson is wind, spirit or breath. In my commentary it is said that It’s difficult to know how to translate it, but the Hebrews don’t have to. They understand that the Prophet Ezekiel was commanded to call upon the wind, [which also stands for the breath of God or the breath of life] saying: “Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again!” This incredible vision of Ezekiel brings a vivid image of first death, and then, life. It was a vision of a valley of scattered dry bones. When Ezekiel was asked if the bones can live, he had no answer. Of course, for Ezekiel, the image of scattered & bones was a representation of a nation dead in its sin, and scattered in exile, but even more so, a representation of humanity without faith in God, a lifeless humanity. There is a sense of separation of us from our creator. The story of Adam and Eve shows a similar path where this separation from God included death and a series of other consequences. Yes, separation from God is indeed sad and tragic, but there is Good News! God does not desire utter destruction of us. God desires to bring total healing, wellness and wholeness. All of which is “Salvation.”  In Ezekiel’s vision, bones were brought together into skeletons; flesh and skin were added but there was no breath in them. Here God breathed life into them in the same way that He breathed life into Adam in the beginning. I am saying that God is the source of life and breath, a life lived to the fullest experience like we were meant to be. Sadly, we live in a fallen world with its own tragic experiences, yet even so we are meant to triumph by faith as children of the Most-High God.

Like Adam and Eve, we, also have sinned and entered the sad state of separation from God. The consequences are far reaching…Regardless, sin or not, the truth is that, we all experience the fallenness of our world: wars and diseases… Psalm 130 is a plea for one who knows firsthand separation from God: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.” Been there? Cried out to God for one reason or the other? Yes. Surprisingly, the word of God informs us that even if there is death, life will surely burst out. Jesus proved it with his own life by defeating death on the cross and coming back to life again three days later. The event that redeemed humanity once for all: The Resurrection.  

Ezekiel’s vision is a promise of new life. There was bad news all around them: The Babylonians had devastated their country in 586 BC, the temple was destroyed, they thought there was no future. The Prophet’s words were comforting because God was saying, He would return his people to life through an outpouring of His Spirit. God would not leave them in this state of separation, God promised that even though they were scattered, that he would bring them back together. God proved that even though the situation looked dire and there seems to be no hope, He shows us that there is life and hope for those who would believe.

Certainly, our Gospel Lesson is the very manifestation of that: The raising of Lazarus to life! What’s death before our God! THINK about it! Is there anything difficult for our God? These words from the Nicene Creed come to life for me: “We believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come!” Essentially Jesus called Lazarus from the other world, to wake up back into our world. Yes, Jesus uses the word sleep but the truth is that, Lazarus sleep was a much deeper sleep meaning death, not a coma, but death. Lazarus was dead. After four days, there was no doubt: Lazarus was dead. Jesus knew that it would leave no doubt in their minds that Lazarus had come back to life from the dead. That’s the specialty of our God: Bringing LIFE! Is there anything difficult, hopeless for you? The Bible encourages us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Seek God for new life through faith!