Sunday, March 22, 2026 - Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45
On this day, as we gather in worship, I invite you to open your hearts to a message of hope, of renewal, and of the quiet, unstoppable power of God’s spirit at work in our lives. Our readings today—Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of dry bones, the heartfelt plea of Psalm 130, the promise from Paul’s letter to the Romans, and the powerful story of Lazarus—each remind us that God’s word brings life, even into the bleakest places.
Ezekiel’s Vision: Hope in a Valley of Despair
Ezekiel lived during one of Israel’s darkest times—exiled in Babylon, far from home, hope crushed beneath the weight of loss. The people felt abandoned, certain their failures had severed them from God’s blessing. It’s in this place of despair that God gives Ezekiel an astonishing vision: a valley scattered with dry bones, lifeless and forgotten. Imagine the silence, the sense of finality. To human eyes, all was lost. Yet, God asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel, honest and humble, replies, “O Lord God, you know.”
God then commands him to prophesy, to speak life into death: “I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” This isn’t a command to fix things by human effort or to offer empty platitudes; it is a promise. God’s spirit, God’s very breath, will renew and restore. Sinews stretch over bone, flesh covers form, and finally, the breath of God animates what once was lost. “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live,” God declares.
Bringing the Vision Home: A Story of Renewal
Ezekiel’s vision isn’t just an ancient story; it’s a mirror for our own lives. Who among us hasn’t stood in the valley of dry bones—facing circumstances that feel lifeless, dreams that seem dead, relationships that appear beyond hope? I’m reminded of a story from my friend Bob Hoss, who worked with people to understand their dreams. One academic, offered a job in a field he hadn’t touched in years, felt his old talents were gone for good. “There’s no way I can resurrect what I’ve lost,” he thought.
During this struggle, he dreamed of wandering through a desert, finding an old, rusty car with a motionless man inside. Urged by a companion to rouse the man, he resisted—what was the point? But finally, he tried. And as he shook the man, both the man and the car sprang to life. The car transformed, renewed. This dreamer, like Ezekiel, discovered that what seemed beyond hope could, by a word and a touch, be revived.
Jesus and Lazarus: The Power and Compassion of God
Our gospel reading presents another scene where hope is gone: Lazarus is dead, his body sealed in the tomb for four days. The finality is overwhelming—grief fills the air, tears flow freely. Even Jesus, who waited until death had claimed his friend, is deeply moved. “Greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved,” the text says. Jesus weeps.
Yet out of this place of sorrow, Jesus raises his voice: “Lazarus, come out!” With just a word, God’s spirit floods the tomb, bringing life where none could be found. Lazarus staggers forth, alive once more. Here is the same spirit from Ezekiel’s vision, now moving through Jesus—God’s word rewriting reality, hope rising from the darkest depths.
The Psalmist’s Cry: Waiting for Hope
Psalm 130 captures the ache of our human journey: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord… I wait for you, O Lord; in your word is my hope.” We’ve all been there—crying out from the depths, longing for a sign, for something to shift. And yet, the psalmist reminds us that waiting on God is not in vain. God’s word, God’s promise, is our anchor even in the night.
Paul’s Assurance: New Life in the Spirit
Paul, writing to the Romans, draws a line between life “in the flesh” and life “in the spirit.” This isn’t about dismissing our humanity, but about what animates us. Life in the flesh is living for ourselves, cut off from God’s dream for us. Life in the spirit is being aligned with God’s purposes, moved by God’s breath within us. Paul says, “You are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Because Christ lives, we are promised a renewal that outlasts even death. Not a temporary resuscitation – like with Lazarus – but a resurrection—life abundant and everlasting.
Finding Hope Today: God’s Spirit Brings Renewal
So where does this leave us? Maybe you’re in a season where all seems lost—a relationship that can’t be healed, a dream that’s faded, a heart weighed down by grief or regret. God’s word to you today is the same as to Ezekiel, as to Lazarus, as to the Roman church: “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.” God’s breath still moves through the dry valleys of our lives. Hope is not wishful thinking; it is trust in the One who speaks life into death, who brings restoration even when we see only ruins.
The message isn’t that we must fix everything ourselves, nor that pain and loss are simply illusions. Rather, God meets us in our depths, weeps with us, and with just a word, offers new beginnings. The invitation is to listen—to wait and hope for God’s spirit to move, to receive the promise of renewal, and to have courage to act when the call comes.
So this week, as you face your own valleys, remember Ezekiel’s vision. Remember the psalmist’s cry. Remember Jesus’ compassion and power, and Paul’s assurance of the Spirit within you. God is always at work—breathing hope, calling us out of despair, raising what we thought was dead. May you walk in the light of this promise: God’s spirit brings life, even now, even here.
May you be open to that renewing breath, and may you carry hope to others as you go in peace. Amen.
