This Week in Worship
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Apr 6, 2025: There’s Life in the Wilderness
John 11: 1-45

Rev. Dr. Leslie Taylor, preaching

We don't expect life in the wilderness. It is easy to think of the wilderness as empty, barren, and dead. But the truth is: there is life in the wilderness, in the desert, in the arctic. In every place we dismiss as hopeless, there is life.

Just as the resurrection of Lazarus changed the perspective of those who witnessed it, this account of the miracle begins to introduce us to one of the central ideas of Christianity: death does not have the final word. Most of us have heard the story of Christ's resurrection our whole lives, and we run the risk of forgetting the miracle of it because it has become so ingrained in our lives. But this telling of the resurrection of Lazarus can bring us back to the wonder. The miracle is preceded by lengthy descriptions of Lazarus’ illness and death, conversations with those in mourning, and even a discussion about what will happen if you open the tomb that holds the body of a person who died four days prior. The details of Lazarus’ death are clear, and so is the message: there can be life even where you least expect it.

But part of the beauty of this story is that it does not erase our mourning. Sometimes we want to skip over grief — our own or the grief of others — to get to the promise of resurrection and new life. We use the promise of life to try to erase the pains of death, but this passage shows us that we can hold both at the same time. Through the whole story, Jesus has plans to resurrect Lazarus, but still weeps when he witnesses and experiences the pain of his friend's death. This reading holds the tension that life springs forth from unexpected places, and the pain of loss is still real — a tension many of us grapple with in our lives.

The way we worship is the way we live.

Worship is the work of the people, bringing together our fullest selves in a communal act of love and gratitude.  Each voice is important; each person is valued as the Spirit draws out our authentic gifts and talents, shared in the ever-widening circle of God’s people.  We hope you’ll join us this week as we gather to worship the God of extravagant welcome.