Ezekiel 37:1-14 The Valley of Dry Bones
The movies show a crowd of life-less zombies walking along without a light in their eyes. They are attempting to frighten by offering a vision of dead people who are somehow, not dead. We hide our head under the pillow until the hero with the anti-zombie cure comes and makes the world safe for us once again. We trudge off to try to our own beds to attempt to sleep, muttering something like “stupid movie,” all the while knowing that we are going to lie with eyes wide open until our own death-like slumber overtakes our thoughts of the zombie movie.
I recently spoke with a UMC pastor who shared that he and his spouse were watching TV when a commercial for the United Methodist Church aired. He said the commercial had a bunch of folks walking over a pasture hill like zombies. The story line was simple that the people of the UMC has opened our doors, our hearts, and our minds to the world. The point was to be that this huge group of people were marching toward some sense of unity in Christ Jesus. What this couple experienced was a commercial that reminded them of the zombie march of a group of life-less people. He was bent over in laughter telling the story. Maybe you have seen the commercial, I have. But now, I will look for a light in the eyes of the group of folks walking over the hill toward a new day.
My point is that just perhaps my pastor friend is right. Perhaps the UMC looks like a bunch of life-less zombies to a world of folks overtaken by the passions of worldly knowledge. Just perhaps the church is so out of touch with reality and life itself that we appear dead. What does it mean to be alive? Are we walking like dead people, not seeing, not hearing, not responding to the opportunities to share God’s blessings with a hurting world?
I expect to make some folks uncomfortable this week. Are you alive in Christ? Give me evidence; prove it. I also expect to bless some folks this week. The Spirit has power to offer life. And it is in the life of Jesus Christ alone that we will together walk the path a little closer to home. Buckle your seat belts for this one. Or not.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-6
Sermon Title: “The Living Dead”
