The Fifth Sunday in Lent. Ezekiel 37.1-14; Romans 8.1-11; John 11.1-53.
All three lessons for Judica Sunday (“Judge me, O God” as in “Deliver me”) record how God brings life where there was only death, especially where death ruled so that people had no hope, where people were certain that no life could ever be known again.
God showed the prophet Ezekiel a valley of dry bones. How dry? Way too dry to offer any hope of life. Such is the condition of human nature since the failure of Adam. God demonstrated His will and power by raising all those bones to life by His Word spoken by the prophet.
Paul explained to the Romans that the mind of the flesh we inherit from Adam is set on things of the flesh, which is death. God’s Word and Spirit raise up a regenerated soul in each of us which lives and thrives free of the law of sin and death.
John records how Jesus stayed where He was and only came to where Lazarus was until everyone gave up home for Lazarus to live – just like Israel was convinced they had no hope – just like everyone grieved because they thought their hope in Jesus died with Jesus on Good Friday.
What life or peace or hope can we have if we are always bound by the mind of the flesh that thinks it is too late for God to help? God very characteristically and regularly does the impossible, like sending His Son into our flesh to give life where there was no life or hope of any. God who created everything out of nothing by His Word, who gave children to people who could not have children, who makes all things work together for good, IS the God who gives us a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.