Rev. Sandy Lacey
March 22, 2026 – 5th Sunday in Lent
One of the things I still miss about living in the state of Kentucky is the change of seasons. To be honest, during the winter season (in particular the months of February, March, and sometimes part of April), I disliked living there much like I struggle living here during the hot and humid months of June, July, August, and September. Every year while we were in Kentucky, today’s Biblical texts were graphically demonstrated. Appearances can be deceiving is a lesson I learned while living in KY. It can look like the trees are dead, that all the grass and vegetation is dead, and that spring will never arrive. But each year I was reminded that contrary to what my eyes were seeing and what my mind was imagining, death had not won – new life was right around the corner. Sure, the ground might be frozen and the trees might be bare; however, little jonquil flowers and tulip tree blooms push through the cold and the snow to clearly whisper all is not dead and lost. I love it when nature reminds us of larger truths.
In today’s Hebrew passage the prophet Ezekiel writes during a time of exile of the Hebrew people. Their country, their Temple, their holy city of Jerusalem has been destroyed. The leaders of their people have been captured and forced into a journey – their own “Trail of Tears” from Jerusalem to the country of Babylon for a time of exile. And there was no end of this exile in sight. If you want to know their state of mind and heart, read Psalm 137. (Read Psalm 137:1-4.) The people are saying all is lost, our God has abandoned us and is not with us; our hearts and hopes are dead. In fact, the prophet Ezekiel has an interesting vision that describes the people as a valley of dry bones – that there is no life in them and there is no expectation for anything better to happen in their future. Their hearts and minds resembled a dry, winter wasteland – no life, no hope, no future.
The prophet Ezekiel seems to have a flare for the dramatic in this passage and really all throughout his writings. He could rival any teenager or street preacher I have known. Ezekiel and his contemporary Jeremiah are prophets who lived before and during Babylon’s destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E. He, like Jeremiah, prophesied that his country would be destroyed by the country of Babylon and later, just like Jeremiah, he also prophesied that the people and country would be restored. Ezekiel’s prophecy, though, is unlike Jeremiah in that his prophecy is marked by unusual/strange visions and dramatic visual effects to communicate God’s message to the people. I guess he felt he had to do something rather extreme to get the people’s attention. Today’s text is probably the most memorable of Ezekiel’s visions and demonstrations, for it includes dead people, voices, and a wind that comes from the four corners of the earth to breathe life into a people who were dead.
Similarly, we find that death is front and center in today’s Gospel text. Jesus received word that his friend, Lazarus, was ill and he was requested to go to Bethany to provide assistance. Confoundingly, Jesus chose to delay his journey to Bethany by a couple of days and Lazarus died before Jesus got there. Lazarus was wrapped in his burial clothes and put in a burial tomb. And his sisters, Mary and Martha are left to wonder why Jesus did not come sooner or if they had somehow misunderstood the nature of their relationship with Jesus. Either way, there is a lot of weeping and mourning going on when Jesus finally arrived. Like Ezekiel’s vision, the people’s hearts and minds resembled a winter wasteland with no life, no hope, no future.
This is the last of Jesus’ signs (or miracles) in the Gospel of John and it is the sign which cements the violence that will happen to him by the power brokers and religious leaders of the day. Because nothing instills fear, distrust, suspicion, and anger like a laborer or street preacher who has more power than you, the kind of power that brings what was dead back to life.
And just like Ezekiel was asked to participate in bringing life back to a dead people, Jesus asked the bystanders to participate in restoring Lazarus to life by unbinding his death clothes from him. That is a great teaching tool, don’t you think? For instance, you can show me how to do Algebra all day long and it will help me a little bit, but when you have me try it and attempt to do it myself – when I must participate in my own learning process, that is when I really learn something. The same is true for quilting and fishing, two other examples. Jesus asks for our participation so that we can learn something through practice.
Ezekiel was asked to participate by preaching, prophesying, telling the truth that God is in charge and that not all is lost. And then Ezekiel was asked to participate by calling the wind of God from the four corners of the earth to enliven the people so that they may live and breathe and recognize God’s presence in their midst again. And because Ezekiel agreed to participate, he made a difference. God did the restoration and yet, Ezekiel was a witness and a participant.
Likewise, Jesus did the work of resurrection/restoration for Lazarus. The bystanders, however, were asked to participate by unbinding him from his death clothes into the clothes of new life. We are not mere bystanders for God’s amazing work. We are asked by God to discover what it is that binds people to death, and then do something about it.
Occasionally in our Tuesday evening prayer meeting via Zoom, we do an ancient spiritual practice called, Exammen, in which we are invited to recall those things that were life-giving for us this past week, followed by recalling those things that were life-draining for us. As we recount those things that were life-draining (hear death-giving), we are asked to reflect what we learned from them and how we might turn them around for the future. So that if I recalled that I over-indulged in alcohol this past week because of increased stress, I might reflect that I really did not feel any better after the numbness wore off, but in fact, felt worse. I might choose a different coping mechanism, then, in the future. It is all about determining what gives you energy and life, rather than depression and hopelessness. We can never be simple bystanders as followers of Christ. We are always asked to discover what brings energy and life to us and to others – and then do it!
Lastly, God seems to be all about the test. God tests Ezekiel by asking a very poignant question: “Can these bones live?” It is as if God asks, “Who is in charge here? Can I change the circumstance? Am I in the restoration business? What do you think, Ezekiel? What kind of God do you think I am?” And, of course, Ezekiel responds rather innocuously, “O Lord, you know.” Now that is “hedging a bet” if ever I have heard one. “I am unable to comprehend all that you can do, Lord.” Not really an answer in my mind, but maybe inviting God to demonstrate . . .
Likewise, Jesus seems to test Martha when he asked her, “Do you believe that I am the resurrection and the life?” What kind of Messiah am I? Do I love you, your sister, and your brother? Is God really with me? And Martha says, “yes, I believe.” So, how about it, has God tested you lately? Have you been asked to identify who it is you serve? Or have you been too busy sewing your death clothes?
This sign that Jesus performs points toward the full disclosure of who Jesus is and the nature of God’s way in the world. Yes, it is true that Lazarus was resurrected this day only to live again and die another day. Jesus did not change the fundamental nature of humankind. It is the nature of who we are as God’s creation. We will die, but that does not mean that we have to wear death clothes while we are living. Consider what is life-giving for you and gives you energy and joy. Then consider what is life-draining for you or others around you. Friends, you are God’s children, created and loved by God with a purpose: to recognize abundance and life all around you, and then to participate in it! Even in times of political turmoil, like the one we experience these days.
In Jesus’ day there were those who were determined to wear death clothes, and it is also true in our day. There are some people in our day who will resort to violence to get their way because some people prefer death to living a life of gratitude and service.
In response, I would remind you that there is strength in community, in numbers. May we be surrounded by the community of faith anytime we encounter someone wearing death clothes, and may we do our best to support one another as we help to unbind them. Because Ezekiel, these bones can live! And Martha, do you believe it to be true? Do you? AMEN.