5th Sunday of Lent - 29-03-2020
St Cuthbert’s Anglican Church – Tweed Heads
Ezekiel 37: 1-14 The valley of dry bones resurrected
Psalm 130 With the Lord there is forgiveness
Romans 8:6-11 The Spirit gives life to those who believe
John 11: 1-45 Lazarus raised from the Dead
Intro
During the last 3 weeks we have had 3 long readings from John’s Gospel.
- Samaritan Woman
- Man born Blind
- This week – Lazarus
Today I’d like to talk about :-
- Jesus claims about himself.
- How Jesus expects a response.
- How all who accept Jesus have the Holy Spirit
Jesus Claims
Many people look at Jesus as a good teacher.
But what did Jesus say about himself?
Lets look at some of the things that Jesus says about himself:-
John 6:35 I am the bread of life
John 8:12 I am the light of the world
John 10:7 I am the Gate for the Sheep
John 10:11 I am the Good Shepherd
John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life
John 15:1 I am the true vine, my Father is the gardener
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches
Today in John’s Gospel 11:25,26 we hear Jesus talking to Martha, and this is what he says:-
“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Response to Jesus
Just as Jesus say’s to Martha – Do you believe this?”
Jesus asks the same of us today.
To respond is primarily – to have Faith in Him.
A Faith that is not merely believing he exists, but a faith that
“Worship’s Him Wholeheartedly”
How we come to faith can vary widely.
How is not critical – the fact we have faith is.
Jesus gives His Spirit to those who believe
The Ezekiel and Roman’s reading today points to one of the things that happens to us as we place our faith in Jesus.
We will be filled with God’s Spirit.
The Holy Spirit gives Renewal:-
The reading from Ezekiel is a Vision of Dry Bones. It is an analogy for the renewal of Israel.
Faith in Jesus brings spiritual renewal.
The reading from Romans makes it clear that the gift of the Spirit is for all who have faith in Jesus.
11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Conclusion
So as we place our faith in Jesus, we can be assured of God’s Spirit within us to help us.
We may not physically have our sight restored like the man born blind from last weeks gospel reading, we might not be physically raised from the dead dramatically like Lazarus was, but having faith in Jesus assures us of a full life. Not only in this world, but also in what lies beyond it.
This lent, are you placing all of you faith, and all of your hope, and all of your trust in Jesus?