Fifth Sunday in Lent Year A 26th March 2023
Lectionary Readings: Ezekiel 37 v1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8 v6-11; John 11 v1-45.
The breath of Life.
Life comes from God. He created us and gave us breath. Today’s readings echo the creation stories found in Genesis. In the second creation story; The Lord God took a handful of soil and made a man. God breathed life into the man and the man started breathing. (Genesis 2 v7).
The first creation story starts, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was barren with no form of life. It was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness. But the Spirit of God was moving over the water. (Genesis 1 v1,2).
God’s Spirit and breath are referenced again in the story of the prophet Ezekiel and his vision of God breathing life into dry bones. Ezekiel lived during the exile in Babylonia. The people of Israel had lost their way. Their faith in God’s promises was waning and they felt cut off from God.
The Lord said: Ezekiel, the people of Israel are like dead bones. They complain that they are dried up and that they have no hope for the future. (Ezekiel 37 v11). (Say to the people) “My Spirit will give you breath and you will live again. I will bring you home and you will know that I have kept my promise. I the Lord have spoken.” (Ezekiel 37 v14).
In the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, John sets up the story with Jesus telling his disciples that “Lazarus’ sickness won’t end in death. It will bring glory to God and his Son.”
(John 11 v4).
Later on, when Jesus meets Martha after the death of her brother Lazarus, Jesus says, “Your brother will live again. I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die.” (John 11 v23, 25).
In his letters, the apostle Paul explains that those who have faith in Jesus as the Son of God, will be blessed with the Holy Spirit that will live within them, granting them eternal life.
Paul said, Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. (Romans 8 v10a, 6).
Hymn writer Bryn Rees, reflects on our journey with God, (Singing the Faith 466).
Have faith in God, my heart, trust and be unafraid;
God will fulfil in every part each promise he has made.
Have faith in God, my mind, for when your light burns low;
God’s mercy holds a wiser plan than you can fully know.
Have faith in God, my soul; his cross for ever stands;
and neither life nor death can pluck his children from his hands.
Lord Jesus, make me whole; grant me no resting place,
until I rest, heart, mind and soul, the captive of your grace.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.