Resurrection Life

 Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14  • Psalm 130  • Romans 8:6-11  • John 11:1-45

From Ezekiel's valley of "dry bones," to St. Paul's testimony of the life giving Spirit which raised Christ, to this week's gospel account in John of the raising of Lazarus, and as Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem and the cross, we learn something of resurrected life. Jesus tells us that he, who is the bread of life and whose blood is the cup of salvation from which all who drink will never thirst again, is "the resurrection and the life, and that all who believe in [him], even though they die, will live."

What is the resurrected life? See "Resurrected Hopes," by Craig Barnes.  

Read James Liggett's powerful "Death." He says we are told first that death is stronger than we are and that we have neither knowledge about nor power over death. And then we are told that Jesus is Lord, Lord of all—Lord of life and of death. He says we have a choice as we face death. We must choose to despair or to trust; to give up or to go on; to abandon hope, or to let go in faith.

In Liggett's words, "For we see all that the world sees, and yet we see more. We see that the dry bones, even our dry bones, can live once more. And we see that the word of Jesus has power. “Come out,” the Lord calls. “Come out” into different life, into new life. “Come out” into life unknown and unexplained. “Come out” in trust and in hope."