Ezekiel 37:1-14
Hope Gold
When I was young, my parents had an oversized Bible on their coffee table. It had lovely artistic renditions of different stories in the Old and New Testaments. There was actually a two page spread for this passage- of walking and moving skeletons coming back to life in a barren field. I remember how terrifying those images were when I discovered that page as a child. I sat, mesmerized, in morbid fascination at the idea of skeletons coming back to life, and why God would want them to do so.
As I read this passage as an adult, and then reread it several times over, I am struck by several thoughts. First, Ezekiel prophesies against a lot of folks, and most of his prophesies are negative. He tends to prophesy against other people- leaders of other nations, wrongdoers, the like- and he feels led to tell them the myriad ways that God plans to destroy them. Secondly, Ezekiel is concerned with the resurrection of Israel as a nation, or a tribe (group of tribes) and so much of his focus is on how they can reclaim some lost existence or glory. Why does this matter so much? I asked my husband. He is my resident Jew at hand.
He said that Jews believe in heaven (not hell), and that to get to heaven, you have to be Jewish. This is done by being born Jewish, or converting and following Mosaic Law, and /or Jewish customs. There is no proselytizing, no need to make others Jewish too so they can get to heaven. If you want to convert, that would be great. If you don’t, that’s your path and it’s all good, so to speak.
So why would Ezekiel and God be so concerned that Israel be resurrected? Is God lonely and wants the Jews to succeed on Earth so they can join him in heaven someday? Other passages in Ezekiel do mention right living (so does Buddha for that matter), and that being noble and moral leads to a better life, and a better relationship with God- i.e. entry to heaven. If you’re not living morally, then you will suffer the consequences, whatever they may be.
Can we expand the idea of resurrecting Israel, and putting together bones, sinews, muscle, and skin on bodies so that God breathes life back into them, making them functional souls, not just moving vehicles, to the resurrection of all humankind? I’d like to really stretch this idea to imagine that we are all full of failures, shame, mistakes, and imperfections. We can resurrect ourselves, through God, or a higher power, if we can move past the suffering of the past into a future full of conscious intent to evolve. We can wake up each new day a new “body,” or, dare I say it, “born again” by choosing to “do better when we know better.” (That's a Maya Angelou phrase Oprah uses a lot, by the way).
God as vindicator? I’m not really feeling that. Jesus didn’t either. God as healer and the breath of life? God as the spark that lights the flames inside of us, calling each of us to shine in the beauty that is inherently ours as human beings? Works for me.
John 11:1-45
Rev. Bryan Jackson
All you need is a miracle.
Mike & The Mechanics recorded a song by that title in the 1980’s. Catchy, and true—provided one accepts the premise of the miraculous.
The 11th chapter of John is loaded with themes such as light, resurrection, life, believing—all concepts that feed the notion of something special forthcoming. Arguably, the most powerful verse is “Jesus began to weep.” (11:35, NRSV) The image of Jesus crying in response to Mary’s own tears is moving regardless of what one believes. Has your congregation ever seen you cry?
Being a light to the people of God works well when things are good. When things are not going so well—your daughter’s teeth need braces, your son gets expelled from school, your dog gets sick, your spouse hates you today—the light goes dim rapidly. Yet, it is interesting how, at times such as these, someone often steps forward from the congregation to support and defend you. All you need is a miracle. (And a few parishioners with cojones can be helpful).
What do you really believe about God? What do you really believe about God’s people? Is God hard of hearing? On some days—no doubt. Are God’s people a pain in the neck? On many days, without question! Has verse 37 (“Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”) been restated in your own life as “Can this pastor, who is ordained and special, not save us?”
Careful, now. They scream out on a regular basis to be saved and yet don’t actually want to be saved, and you can’t save them anyway, so get over it. But you can shed light. You can walk with them in the light. You can smile when they won’t. You can pray when they cannot. Unbind your people, and let them go.
Lazarus is dead. There’s nothing you can do about it. Jesus wept. Not much you can do there, either. The “Marthas” of your flock are not always helpful. “If only you had done this….” Your next Martha will smell the stench (v 39) on you, and she will tell you about it—make book on it.
But that isn’t your problem. What she smells on you is none of your business. The “Marys” out there are not perfect, either (v 33). All it takes, though, is one Mary in your world on one of her better days to wash the stench with her tears. You, too, can be unbound, and set free.
All you need is a miracle.
Kristen McClure
When I first read through this, I thought, what is Jesus trying to prove here? Seriously. Mary wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair, and now he won’t even come and perform the miracle that she needs and deserves. Why is he always doing these baffling things?
Jesus tells us to be patient. He supposedly knows what he's doing even though it seems to us like he should run to help Mary.
When his disciples say "What are you crazy? Going back to Judea after they tried to stone you?" Jesus says "Have a little faith, I am Jesus for Christ's sake. I walk in the light."
As a therapist, I tell my clients all the time that they need to have faith that they have the capacity to heal themselves. Have a little faith in the universe. Have a little faith that if you do the best you can to be a good person, your life will be worthwhile. Have a little faith in yourself and your ability to get through the tough times.
When Jesus finally shows up, Martha and Mary are both pissed off. "If you had just come and stopped this from happening, we wouldn’t have to go through this.” "Still,” Martha says, "I have faith you can fix this. You are Jesus after all."
Mary continues to weep, though. She is so filled with sadness that Jesus figures it’s time to stop playing around. He had to use a little tough love to get his point across, but now it’s time to illustrate it.
Sometimes we have to fall on our faces, and we have to let those we love fall in order to prove to them that they can handle it. We need to be allowed to fail, to make the mistakes and know that the love that is in us, and surrounds us, is enough to get us through challenges safely. We need to forgive ourselves and our loved ones when we fall asleep.
When we are sad and angry, jealous or afraid, we have to feel and process these emotions. They aren't permanent and they don't destroy us. Mary and Martha both experienced these difficult emotions, but at their core they were strong enough to have these contradictory emotions and still have faith. A good life is not necessarily a pain free easy life. When things get tough don't abandon your hope or values.
So just what is Jesus trying to teach us with the resurrection in this story?
You may suffer many times, or fall asleep, or get off the path. There is support and love all around us and within us. At any moment, rebirth is available. You just have to open your eyes, wake up and let it in.
Supposing you have tried and failed again and again.
You may have a fresh start any moment you choose,
for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.
- Mary Pickford
Romans 8:6-11
Rev. Dr. Chris Ayers
and the
Bible Miner
“To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)
The “flesh is bad” passages in the Bible are worthy of deeper thought.
You preach to human beings who have bodies. You preach to people who are sexual beings. You preach to individuals confused by the church and texts like this one to point their sexuality and matters of intimacy produce shame and dysfunction.
What’s with God? Is God obsessed with humans not doing what we were clearly designed to do: engage in intimacy.
Paul is rather straightforward. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). Clearly, there should be some guidelines regarding intimacy (i.e. It is never okay to forcibly try and make someone be intimate with you), but isn’t this statement a little overboard?
Is our God like a parent who just can’t be pleased? Does God give us a body that turns out to be a trap? Isn’t that cruel?
Your congregants need to be informed about Paul’s meaning of the word “flesh.” In his book Forged: Writing in the Name of God – Why the Bible’s authors Are Not Who We Think They Are Bart Ehrman points out that Paul does not call the body the “flesh.” “On the contrary the ‘flesh’ meant something completely different for Paul. It meant that part of human nature that is controlled by sin and is alienated from God.” (p. 77) Unfortunately, “this somewhat technical understanding of the term ‘flesh’ came to be lost in later orthodox Christianity, when theologians began thinking that flesh and body were the same thing.” (p. 77)
Use your sermon time to educate people who may in great need of intimacy, including sexual intimacy.
