Today's sermon is by The Rev. Thomas Squiers of Fort Worth, Texas. He is the co-director of Guadalupe House in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel and is also the current chaplain of Integrity Fort Worth, working ecumenically with the Episcopal Church. Father Squiers is also the webservant for the AOCC.
Today's readings are interesting in that each of are about resurrection and a glimpse of eternal life. It is not so much about the ressurrection of Christ that we see in today's readings, but that of our own.
In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah says, "Thus says the Lord God: O my peope, I will open your graves and have you rise from them..." This section then goes on to read "...I will put my spirit in you that you may live...." If we look at the Epistle for today, we see an interesting comparison in which St. Paul is telling the Church in Rome that "...you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you."
It is interesting to note that Isaiah is telling us that God will place his spirit in us and yet Paul is indicating that we already have the Spirit in us. But look closely at how spirit is used. At one point, we see the word spirit in small caps and when Scripture refers to the aspect of God, the word is then capitalized. So, 'spirit' then would refer to a regeneration or a movement of being while 'Spirit' would refer to that personality of God, also called the Holy Ghost who is part of the Trinity.
So what does all of this disection have to do with anything? It is important to understand how to apply the usage of language and words especially when dealing with Scripture. We already know that Christ, the Human aspect of God IS resurrection, for He says "I am the Ressurection and the life..." But we BECOME part of that resurrection when the Spirit of God regenerates the spirit or the soul that we were born with. So then we see that these graves that shall be opened are perhaps not plots in a graveyard, but are the daily trappings of life that keep us from our God. Daily, God sends us the Holy Spirit to breathe life in us, refresh us, and bring about restoration. It is like that which Acts 17:28 reminds us: "...in Him we live and move and have our being...."
In today's Gospel, it is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. We've already seen Jesus raise others from the dead. What is so special about this story? Because it is a story of hope. It is a story of resurrection. Jesus calls to Lazarus from the tomb to wake and come forward. And Lazarus does just that! The miracle is that Lazrus rose from the dead as God's Spirit regenerated the spirit in Lazarus to life.
Today, Jesus is standing at the tombs of life, the very places where we are dead. He stands near those areas where we have gone astray, where we have lost our place. He calls us to awaken and be filled with the Spirit of God. He calls us to hope and to life in His Spirit. Each day is day of new life in Christ as our souls and spirits are regenerated by the charge and electricity of the Holy Spirit.
Come and let us be reminded of the words of our dear friend and brother, Father Don Dunavant of San Angelo, Texas, who often says "We are Easter People!" Let us be resurrected this day and always! Amen.
In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah says, "Thus says the Lord God: O my peope, I will open your graves and have you rise from them..." This section then goes on to read "...I will put my spirit in you that you may live...." If we look at the Epistle for today, we see an interesting comparison in which St. Paul is telling the Church in Rome that "...you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you."
It is interesting to note that Isaiah is telling us that God will place his spirit in us and yet Paul is indicating that we already have the Spirit in us. But look closely at how spirit is used. At one point, we see the word spirit in small caps and when Scripture refers to the aspect of God, the word is then capitalized. So, 'spirit' then would refer to a regeneration or a movement of being while 'Spirit' would refer to that personality of God, also called the Holy Ghost who is part of the Trinity.
So what does all of this disection have to do with anything? It is important to understand how to apply the usage of language and words especially when dealing with Scripture. We already know that Christ, the Human aspect of God IS resurrection, for He says "I am the Ressurection and the life..." But we BECOME part of that resurrection when the Spirit of God regenerates the spirit or the soul that we were born with. So then we see that these graves that shall be opened are perhaps not plots in a graveyard, but are the daily trappings of life that keep us from our God. Daily, God sends us the Holy Spirit to breathe life in us, refresh us, and bring about restoration. It is like that which Acts 17:28 reminds us: "...in Him we live and move and have our being...."
In today's Gospel, it is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. We've already seen Jesus raise others from the dead. What is so special about this story? Because it is a story of hope. It is a story of resurrection. Jesus calls to Lazarus from the tomb to wake and come forward. And Lazarus does just that! The miracle is that Lazrus rose from the dead as God's Spirit regenerated the spirit in Lazarus to life.
Today, Jesus is standing at the tombs of life, the very places where we are dead. He stands near those areas where we have gone astray, where we have lost our place. He calls us to awaken and be filled with the Spirit of God. He calls us to hope and to life in His Spirit. Each day is day of new life in Christ as our souls and spirits are regenerated by the charge and electricity of the Holy Spirit.
Come and let us be reminded of the words of our dear friend and brother, Father Don Dunavant of San Angelo, Texas, who often says "We are Easter People!" Let us be resurrected this day and always! Amen.
