Advent Listening: Ezekiel

Let the Advent trumpet blow, let the walls of our defenses crumble, and make a place in our lives for the freshness of Your love, well-lived in the Spirit, and still given to all who know their need and dare receive it.

SONGS: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Glory (Let There Be Peace)

Advent Candle: PEACE

Gratitude - giving - hamper update?? Last week to fill our pantry! Want to help fill the hampers? Get details from Libby!

Advent Listening

During a season which is often full of noise and lists and errands and travelling or connecting long distance, we are going to seek to slow down on Sundays during Advent.

We are going to seek to slow down.

To take time to listen. To hear the Scripture read, as we always do in our Sunday worship gatherings, but then to stop and listen again. And again.

To slow down and pause. To hold space for ourselves and for one another. To ask God to speak to us, and then to have the audacity to practice listening - and to do this together.

We’ll hear the text read three times. And we’ll take a slightly different posture during each of the three readings. The first time, we will just listen. Try to simply hear the text as its read and to hold a posture of attentiveness.

We’ll leave some quiet space just to help us with the whole slowing down thing. Just a minute or two…to just sit. To ask God to speak to you through this text…and to tell God that you’re listening.

Then, we’ll read it a second time - and don’t worry, I’ll remind you of what’s happening. During the second reading, we will pay special attention to whether a word or phrase catches our attention. This time, if something does stick out to you, go ahead and “get stuck” there… write down the word or phrase - and we’ll take a moment after the second reading to share our word or phrase with one another, if you’re comfortable.

Finally, we’ll listen a third time, and during the final reading, we’ll ask God whether there might be an invitation for us in the text. Is there something we sense that God wants us to take with us?

Holy listening, you might call this. It’s one way that we can enter into Advent and intentionally SLOW DOWN, take time, and refuse to add to the noise and sense of busy-ness that often is a reality in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Listening to Ezekiel

Jeremiah and Ezekiel are both writing at the beginning of the exile. J from Jerusalem to those in Babylon and E from Babylon to those who are still in Jerusalem and Judah.

Both prophets are wrestling with questions and with the implications of exile.

But Ezekiel in particular is wrestling with the question…

Why did god let the temple be destroyed. And how could God’s presence LEAVE the temple. That was going to be the dwelling place of God.

The whole book of Ezekiel wrestles with the questions of why isn’t God where we expect God to be. And why is God showing up where we don’t expect. God’s presence and absence are the main themes of the book.

The idea of Ezekiel seeing God is controversial because everyone knows you can’t see God. But even more controversial is that Ezekiel sees God in Babylon. Why is God showing up in the place of exile? And why isn’t Gd present anymore in the Temple. Ezekiel challenges the assumptions that God’s people have about God’s presence - and God’s absence.

Now, Ezekiel’s visions are strange and complex. He does a lot of what biblical scholars call ‘sign acts’ but what sound a lot more like messed up performance art.

The book, a total of 39 chapters can be broken down into three sections… oracles against Judah & Jerusalem, oracles against the nations and then in a turn towards hope, the final section is about restoration for Israel and judgement for the nations.

Our reading today comes from chapter 37. The Valley of Dry Bones.

This is a passage that is read by different church traditions at various points in the year. Sometimes it’s a Lenten passage, sometimes an Easter passage and yet other times, it’s considered a text for Pentecost.

Why?

Because it captures the dead-ness dry-ness of our souls that we examine during a season like Lent.

Because it is a text about resurrection. Dead things comes to life. A community of people who are no more are being raised to new life.

And because all of this comes to pass when the SPIRIT, the breath of God is breathed into the bones that have been placed back together, covered with the sinews and muscles and skin… but those bodies that are put back together don’t LIVE until the breath comes, until the Spirit breathes into them.

Which should then remind us of one more part of our “big story” - we can see how this text connects to Lent, to Easter and to Pentecost.

But it also mirrors the creation story… for when God makes humans, do you remember what Genesis 2 says? Genesis 2:7

Genesis 2:7 CEB

7 the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life.

So, before we hear this text… a couple of things to keep in mind. A couple of warnings, really.

This is first and foremost an experience that Ezekiel has for the benefit of those who are in exile, and for those left behind in Jerusalem, but all of those to whom Ezekiel speaks have this in common. Their hope is dead. Dry as dust. God has not done what they expected. And instead of things getting better, they only appear to be getting worse. Where is hope now? What would peace even look like?

2. The dry bones aren’t what’s left of one life… they represent the dried up hope of God’s people. Their collective dashed hope.

3. Hope and Peace. Nice things to think about during Advent, right? Well, they’re pretty revolutionary things to contemplate, actually.

Hope enables us to envision the wholeness of true peace. It’s more than optimism. It’s crazier than optimism.

Craig T. Barnes in an article called Resurrected Hopes

How foolish this must have looked. The Lords prophet, standing in the middle of a pile of dead bones, is telling them not to give up hope. If I was Ezekiel, I would have gently suggested that the Lord first bring these bones back to life, and then I’ll do a little preaching. "See," I’d say, "See what God can do?" But that is not the way of God, who calls us to believe without seeing. That is because the Lord’s words always make room for hope. And it is the hope that brings us back to life. Hope rises up from our bones, and chooses to believe in spite of how it is. Craig T. Barnes in an article called Resurrected Hopes

Let’s listen to the text now. And a reminder that this first time, just try to take it in. Let it paint pictures in your mind and see it from beginning to end. Linda, would you come and read for us?

Ezekiel 37:1–14 CEB

1 The Lord’s power overcame me, and while I was in the Lord’s spirit, he led me out and set me down in the middle of a certain valley. It was full of bones. 2 He led me through them all around, and I saw that there were a great many of them on the valley floor, and they were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Human one, can these bones live again?” I said, “Lord God, only you know.” 4 He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, Dry bones, hear the Lord’s word! 5 The Lord God proclaims to these bones: I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again. 6 I will put sinews on you, place flesh on you, and cover you with skin. When I put breath in you, and you come to life, you will know that I am the Lord.” 7 I prophesied just as I was commanded. There was a great noise as I was prophesying, then a great quaking, and the bones came together, bone by bone. 8 When I looked, suddenly there were sinews on them. The flesh appeared, and then they were covered over with skin. But there was still no breath in them. 9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, human one! Say to the breath, The Lord God proclaims: Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into these dead bodies and let them live.” 10 I prophesied just as he commanded me. When the breath entered them, they came to life and stood on their feet, an extraordinarily large company. 11 He said to me, “Human one, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely finished.’ 12 So now, prophesy and say to them, The Lord God proclaims: I’m opening your graves! I will raise you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to Israel’s fertile land. 13 You will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people. 14 I will put my breath in you, and you will live. I will plant you on your fertile land, and you will know that I am the Lord. I’ve spoken, and I will do it. This is what the Lord says.”

Silence (set timer for 2 minutes?)

Invite to listen and notice this time whether a word or a phrase stands out to you or calls for your attention. And, like last week, if you feel comfortable, we’ll take a few minutes to share these with one another after this second reading.

Invitation to the Table

Jesus calls us to the well,

inviting us to drink of the Living Water,

and the life eternal.

Jesus calls us out of the shadows,

out of the graves,

to be entirely known,

and entirely filled with God's presence.

Jesus calls us all:

all who were made in God's own image,

all who breathe the breath of God's spirit:

the Spirit of Life.

Jesus calls us to the table,

to the meal that nourishes our bodies

and binds our dry bones into one Body,

living in Christ.

Jesus calls us, here and now.

Come to this table, you who are beloved in Christ.

Come, not because you must, but because you may.

Friends, let us remember that it was the night of the Passover, and Jesus and his friends were sharing supper together. While they eating he told them that one of them would betray him. They were appalled and protested saying, ‘Not I Lord, I would never betray you.’ Jesus took some bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them saying, ‘Take this and eat. This is my body.’ He took the cup of wine and after giving thanks passed it among them, saying as they drank, ‘This is my blood of the covenant. It is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. I will not drink again until the day comes when I drink with you in my father’s Kingdom.’

Creating and redeeming God,

we give you thanks and praise for your covenant of

grace:

a covenant expressed

in sinful people who know forgiveness,

the weary who are refreshed,

the hungry who are nourished,

the captives who are set free

and the oppressed who experience liberation.

Thank you that you chose to make us a part of your

story.

Thank you for Jesus Christ

who revealed your love in his death and resurrection

and who continues to share his life with us

through bread and wine.

Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit

who sustains us in our walk together,

helping us to watch over each other,

to pray for one another,

and to work together for justice and truth.

As we eat this bread and drink from the cup, may we be empowered to serve boldly wherever you may call. Accept these prayers and our heartfelt thanksgiving in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

servers

third reading

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Source of life, and breath, and being,

breathe into the dry dust of our existence.

Nourished in body by bread and juice,

may we strive for the nourishment of all bodies:

may we work to end hunger in this creation that provides amply for all.

Nourished in spirit by the Body which is within our own,

may we strive for the incorporation of all:

may we work to break the barriers

that divide us from one another and from you.

In the love that sustains us, and the Spirit that animates us,

may we give all thanks and praise to you, O God of all. Amen.

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