Here at the end of the Lenten observance (well, almost the end anyway), we have hints of Resurrection. We have “a foretaste of glory divine”. As if the lectionary preparers knew that we would need something to help us through the next couple of weeks. As if they knew that without this reminder, we would find it a very hard road as we made our way stumbling behind Christ who suffers and dies for us. Come, let us worship God!
5th Sunday of Lent
Scriptures: Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, and Ezekiel 37:1-14.
Message; “Dry Bones”
Psalm 130
(1) Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord ;
(2) O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
(3) If you, O Lord , kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
(4) But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
(5) I wait for the Lord , my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
(6) My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
(7) O Israel, put your hope in the Lord , for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
(8) He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Romans 8:6-11
(6) The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; (7) the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. (8) Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
(9) You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (10) But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. (11) And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Valley of Dry Bones
(1) The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. (2) He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. (3) He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD , you alone know.”
(4) Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD ! (5) This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. (6) I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ “
(7) So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. (8) I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
(9) Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” (10) So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet-a vast army.
(11) Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ (12) Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. (13) Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD , when I open your graves and bring you up from them. (14) I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ “
This is the word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
Whenever I read this passage from Ezekiel, it makes me want to start singing,
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.
Now hear the word of the Lord.
You remember that song, don’t you? Many of us have learned that in our youth.
The toe bone connected to the foot bone.
Foot bone connected to the leg bone.
Leg bone connected to the knee bone.
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!
Knee bone connected to the thigh bone.
Thigh bone connected to the backbone.
The backbone connected to the neck bone.
The neck bone connected to the head bone.
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!
I thought about asking our choir to sing and dance as they returned to their seats in the sanctuary. But there are probably some here today that believe we shouldn’t dance in church on Sunday mornings. But there are some things even in worship that make your heart want to dance.
That’s the feeling we ought to have when we read this story from the book of Ezekiel. The nation of Israel, the holy city of Jerusalem and the magnificent Temple all lay in ruins. It was a tragic scene. But the prophet Ezekiel had a vision. In his vision he sat in the middle of a valley where there was nothing but old dried-up skeletons. Bones were everywhere. It was a scene of total desolation and despair. A valley of dry bones.
The Psalmist in writing Psalms 130 may have been feeling as though he was nothing but “Dry Bones” when he wrote, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord ; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord , kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:1-3)
Paul in his writings in Romans 8:6 reminds his readers, “The mind of sinful man is death, “in other words a sinful mind is in the valley of death, the valley of “Dry Bones”.
Have you ever been in the valley of Dry Bones? Some of you have, and probably didn’t think about it this way. You’ve been in the midst of a bad marriage. One day you woke up and all around you were dead bones where a loving relationship had once been. There had been happier times, times when you thought this marriage was made in Heaven. But now it’s closer to Hell. “Dry Bones”.
Some of you go to work . . . and you’re surrounded by “Dry Bones”. Your job certainly doesn’t match up to the dreams and aspirations of your youth. You’re in the midst of “Dry bones”.
Or it happens when you ponder your health or your relationship with your kids. Just a few years ago, life seemed so promising. But one by one your dreams have died. Now you sit there surrounded by those bones. And you don’t know what to do.
For many of us, it happens as we age. The pundits are right . . . aging is not for sissies. Your strength falters. You spend an inordinate time waiting in doctor’s offices. “Dry Bones”. Or perhaps you’re caring for an aging parent. You tell yourself you don’t mind, not really. After all, you love your mom, you love your dad, but the stress never lets up. And it’s beginning to affect your health and well-being. “Dry Bones”.
Ezekiel, he looked around at all those “Dry Bones” and he understood that those bones represented his people, the people of Israel, scattered and without hope. He knew that only a miracle could bring together his people again and restore them with vitality and purpose. Only a miracle would make his people live again.
So as Ezekiel gazed upon those dry bones scattered on the floor of the valley, he heard the voice of the Lord asking him, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
Now there’s a question worth asking? In other words, is there any hope? For that nation, for that relationship, for your family, for your future? Is there any hope?
Well Ezekiel answered, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” And that’s true. Only God knows. Ultimately only God has an answer for our pain. Then God said to Ezekiel, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!’”
I love that sentence. The word of the Lord is a powerful word. At the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 1:3, God said; “Let there be light!” and there was light. The earliest manuscript of a New Testament text is from the Gospel of John and John began his account by stating, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:1-5)
This being the 5th Sunday of Lent, we need to remember the words of Jesus telling all who would hear: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”, (John 8:12). The word of the Lord is a life-giving word.
So, when God said to Ezekiel: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: ‘I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel prophesied as he was commanded. And as he was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
The toe bone connected to the foot bone.
Foot bone connected to the leg bone.
Leg bone connected to the knee bone.
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!
Knee bone connected to the thigh bone.
Thigh bone connected to the backbone.
The backbone connected to the neck bone.
The neck bone connected to the head bone.
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!
Ezekiel looked, and suddenly tendons and flesh appeared on all those bones and skin covered them. It was a miracle. But still there was no breath in them.
Then the voice of God said to him, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”
So, Ezekiel prophesied as he was commanded, and breath entered those newly formed bodies, and they came to life and stood up on their feet a vast army.
Can you see it in your imagination? For a generation fascinated by the idea of zombies and cyborgs, this picture from the scriptures ought to be exciting.
Doesn’t it make you want to dance? That which was dead will be brought back to glorious life. That which was without hope or promise will be restored to vitality and purpose. Dem Bones. Dem Bones. Dem Dry Bones. O, hear the word of the Lord.
Don’t ever call any situation hopeless not as long as you are a follower of Jesus Christ. This is a world in which we are never beyond hope. Those “Dry Bones” can yet come together and live once more.
I was reading recently a humorous story coming out of the Social Security Administration. It seems that of the 2.8 million deaths reported to the Social Security Administration last year, approximately 14,000 people’s names were incorrectly entered in their online database as dead. That many people, 1 out of 200 entries, were reported as dead when they were very much alive and well. That’s 38 life-altering mistakes every day.
The story went on to say. One day, Laura Brooks, a 52-year-old mother of two, suddenly stopped receiving disability checks. Then, her loan payments and rent checks bounced. She went to the bank to find out what was the matter, and the representative told her that her accounts had been closed because she was dead. They would only reopen her accounts if she could prove she was alive.
Wouldn’t it be a shock to most of us if one day our bank declared that we were dead and refused to honor our checks? That would be most inconvenient. But there are many individuals who are dead not physically dead, but spiritually dead, emotionally dead, relationally dead people on whom their families and friends and society in general have given up. Is there any hope for them? “Dry Bones”, Hear the word of the Lord!
God is the God of New Life! That’s the Good News for the day! God is the God of New Life! That’s what Christ, death and resurrection was all about! Giving us the opportunity for a New Life! New Beginnings! Fresh starts! Doesn’t that make you want to dance!
When you think your life is hopeless, that your marriage is hopeless, that your future is hopeless. When you look at the “Dry Bones” of your life, your marriage, your future and you despair that anything good could ever happen to you again. Well, hear the word of the Lord. Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones, dem bones can rise again! Well, hear the word of the Lord!
God is still doing miracles in people’s lives today. There would be reason for us to despair if we were simply discussing ancient history. But Christ is still touching people’s lives today.
Just imagine what God can do in the lives of people who will trust Him and give themselves to Him. Ezekiel heard the voice of the Lord asking him, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
Ezekiel answered, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
Maybe you’re asking that question about your life or the life of someone you love. God’s word tells us, Jesus said, “I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” in Luke 15:10. Why do they rejoice? Not because they’re surprised, but because a great victory has been won!
Hear the word of the Lord as the Psalmist wrote: “I wait for the Lord , my soul waits, and in his word, I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord , for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption” (Psalm 130:5-7).
This Lenten season remember what Paul wrote in Romans 8:8-11. “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”
So, as we leave here today, preparing ourselves for Palm Sunday to come, open your Bibles and your hearts prophesying, to all who will hear the Good News! Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones, dem bones can rise again. Oh, hear the word of the Lord!
Amen!
In His Service.
Pastor Joe
Listen To Audio: Sermon 20230326
Listen To Audio: Service 03262023
Call to Worship:
L: Welcome pilgrims on the way to the cross.
P: We are learning to follow Jesus.
P: We are learning to follow Jesus.
L: The journey is long, and the burden of our sins and struggles feels so heavy.
P: Yet we will hope in God because with God, there is steadfast love
P: Yet we will hope in God because with God, there is steadfast love
L: Pilgrims on the way, come let us worship God!
P: We come to worship God as we learn to live inside out!
Prayer of Confession: We seek your forgiveness, dear God, because we have lied to our brothers and sisters, saying that we love them when, in fact, we have segregated. Dear Jesus, help us love one another regardless of race or tribe. Teach us to love unconditionally. Teach us to know that through Jesus Christ we are one tribe, one race, and one in Christ. We thank you, Lord, that you loved us first. May your grace enable us to love one another. In Jesus Christ’s name, we pray. Amen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Joe will be available at the church on Thursday afternoon from 11 to 1. If you need to speak to him, contact Pastor Joe at 570-267-4570 (cell) or Email: joe.s.travis@gmail.com
One great hour of sharing continues during lent.
Loose change goes to General Fund
Sunday School starts at 8:30am
Choir practice will be on Thursday at 1:00! Please come and join us in singing praises to Jesus!
Newsletter Deadline – Tuesday, March 28th, 2023.
The Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April 1st, at 11:00 am on the church grounds, Ages 1-12
Monday, April 3 at 9:00am PW will be cleaning the community building.
Good Friday service at 7:30pm on April 7th.
Easter Sunrise Service at the White’s at 7:30. Easter Breakfast at 8:00 A.M. in the Community Building.
Easter Morning Worship at 9:30.
PW meeting April 13 at 10:30.
Men’s Breakfast April 19 at 8:00.
Easter Egg Hunt supplies- small wrapped candies and small (egg sized) trinkets are welcome. There is a donation basket in the rear of the church.
