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29th March 2020 

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent 

 

Song “I’m leaning on you” 

 

https://youtu.be/ZokSGsGDum4 

 

Opening sentences 

 

The wilderness and the dry lands shall blossom 

The wasteland will be cultivated 

It will bring forth flowers like a rose. 

The desert will flood with water 

The scorched earth will become as a lake 

And the parched land, spring with water. 

 

Hymn: "In Christ Alone”  

 

https://youtu.be/RCeSOY5tisI 

 

Prayer 

 

A moment of quiet to reflect upon the week  

 

On this Sunday morning in the multi coloured company of your church, we celebrate your creation, your life, your death and resurrection, your interest in us. So to you we pray; 

 

Lord bring new life where we are worn and tired, new love, where we have turned hard hearted, forgiveness, where we feel hurt and where we have wounded, and the joy and freedom of your Holy Spirit where we are the prisoners of ourselves. Amen. 

  

 

Lords Prayer in your own language 

 

Share your Good News 

 

 “I am a City on a Hill”  

https://youtu.be/lTEadEftdnM 

 

 

Reading: Psalm 130 God's Rescue Package 

 
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, 
 more than those who watch for the morning. 

 

John 11v1-45  

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[f] Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah,[g] the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” 

 

Song ‘Jesus Christ”

 

https://youtu.be/btY5WUBhc0I 

 

Reflection : "From death to Life" 

 

 

Hymn “Santo, Santo”  

https://youtu.be/LYyFRD175RU  

Prayers of intercession 

 

Hymn ”I the Lord of sea and sky” 

 https://youtu.be/aMGTLGd4ryo 

 

Blessing 

 

The eyes of the blind will be opened 

The ears of the deaf will be unstopped 

The lame shall leap like a deer 

And the tongue of the dumb shall sing. 

 

The Blessing 

 

https://youtu.be/uZ55mDL7dA0 

 

John 11v17-44 

 

Johns gospel is built around the "I ams" and "signs and wonders".  His teaching along with the miracles in the gospel, show that he is Jesus the bread of life, the water of life, the light of life. In chapter 11, John is showing is that Jesus really is the Resurrection and the Life because he raised someone from the dead! 

 

Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, has fallen ill and Jesus was asked to go to Bethany to help him. Strangely Jesus waited two days until Lazarus has died before setting off for Bethany to heal him. There is a right time to do things, say things, despite our impatience, a kairos moment. God’s timing is not our timing. When Jesus arrived at Bethany he was met by a family in mourning, so Jesus met with the two sisters Mary and Martha before he went to Lazarus's tomb. He was already in a tomb! 

 

An aside; The name Lazarus in the Greek form of the Hebrew, Eleazar means "God helps."  

 

John identifies Mary as "this" Mary, the woman who anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the Leper, (Mk.14:3-9), with her hair. Mary loved Jesus and the woman who we never forget because the story in John is always “in memory of her”. John 14v9 

 

But here Mary is pleading for a miracle to save her brother Lazarus. Jesus was convinced that Lazarus sickness was not terminal. He wasn’t going to die. Lazarus had fallen asleep, a euphemism we still use for death, but he will get better.  

 

Thomas who was part of the group with Jesus thought they were all going to die. It’s a hostile situation, as it still is today in that part of the world.  

 

Lazarus has been buried for four days. He is really dead! Jews of the time thought that the soul remained with the body for three days after death. 

 

Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem, which explains why so many other people were also at the scene, acquaintances, Jewish officials, relatives, neighbours, friends, and people who had come from the city. The details add to the authenticity. Eye witnesses. 

 

When Martha heard Jesus had come, she went out to meet him and Mary stayed at home, mourning. Martha regrets that Jesus had not come before and her brother has died because she believed Jesus could have healed him. So Jesus went into the village, where he finds Mary weeping and it distressed him so much that he also started to cry. So he asked where have they buried Lazarus? People standing around started grumbling, (Jesus always has grumblers in the crowd). They said, "He gives sight to the blind. Why couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?" 

 

The tomb was a cave, possibly a deep, vertical hole. There was a stone rolled over the entrance to keep animals away from the body. Jesus commanded them to take away the stone. They warned him that there was a smell because the Jews did not mummify the dead, which was lucky for Lazarus, for if he had been mummified, they would have thrown away some of the organs, like the brain. The usual anointing of the body would not cover the smell of decomposition. Lazarus was certainly dead.  

 

Jesus looked up, praised God and called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man walked out, wrapped in grave cloths, the clothes which would normally be round his head. 

 

Some of the Jews who had seen what happened immediately believed in him... but some of them went to the Pharisees and Jewish authorities and told them what he had done-namely raised someone from the dead! And that was a crime in their eyes! People divide not just between believers and unbelievers when good is done, but there are those who will simply hate goodness and want to destroy it. Such is the darkness of human nature. 

 

The pivot of the story is around Jesus compassion for Lazarus. He feels for Mary and Martha and he grieves for Lazarus. Jesus is displaying his humanity here.  

 

At the end of this chapter in verse 47 and 57, we are told that Jesus actions in healing a dead man precipitate his death. We have to be very careful that we have no part in such destructive behaviour! Jesus is challenging the old order. The only other time we witness his grief is over Jerusalem. He knew Lazarus was not dead as he knew prophetically that Jerusalem had crossed a line (Luke 19v41).  

 

In our society today many lines have been crossed. We pray that unlike Jerusalem we are not beyond redemption. Today this is especially true as we face COVID19. How people respond shows their true self. People divide and there is a right and a wrong side. History will show us where truth lies. We must be wise and feel for those who suffer, because in feeling, empathising, grieving we have a platform for Gods healing.will  

 

We follow a man who brought people back to life after they had been dead for four days! That is something that makes me very excited! In the same way we as a country and many deaths and perhaps the death of a way of life. What will God resurrect after this terrible time? What will God bring back to life? Stay safe and look after your loved ones. Amen. 

 

John 11v17-44 

 

ਜਦੋਂ ਮਾਰਥਾ ਨੇ ਸੁਣਿਆ ਕਿ ਯਿਸੂ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਣ ਲਈ ਬਾਹਰ ਗਈ ਅਤੇ ਮਰਿਯਮ ਸੋਗ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੋਈ ਆਪਣੇ ਘਰ ਠਹਿਰ ਗਈ। ਮਾਰਥਾ ਨੂੰ ਅਫ਼ਸੋਸ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਯਿਸੂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਇਆ ਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਭਰਾ ਮਰ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਯਿਸੂ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਚੰਗਾ ਕਰ ਸਕਦਾ ਸੀ. ਇਸ ਲਈ ਯਿਸੂ ਉਸ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਿੱਚ ਚਲਾ ਗਿਆ ਜਿੱਥੇ ਉਸਨੇ ਮਰਿਯਮ ਨੂੰ ਰੋ ਰਹੀ ਵੇਖਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਬਹੁਤ ਉਦਾਸ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਿ ਉਸਨੇ ਵੀ ਰੋਣਾ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਤਾਂ ਉਸਨੇ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ ਕਿ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਨੂੰ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਦਫ਼ਨਾਇਆ ਹੈ? ਆਲੇ-ਦੁਆਲੇ ਖੜ੍ਹੇ ਲੋਕ ਬੁੜ ਬੁੜ ਕਰਨ ਲੱਗੇ, (ਯਿਸੂ ਨੇ ਭੀੜ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਬੁੜ ਬੁੜ ਕੀਤੀ). ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ, “ਉਹ ਅੰਨ੍ਹੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਕਿਉਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਨੂੰ ਮਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਰੋਕ ਸਕਦਾ ਸੀ?” 

 

ਕਬਰ ਇਕ ਗੁਫਾ ਸੀ, ਸੰਭਵ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਇਕ ਡੂੰਘੀ, ਲੰਬਕਾਰੀ ਮੋਰੀ. ਜਾਨਵਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਰੀਰ ਤੋਂ ਦੂਰ ਰੱਖਣ ਲਈ ਪ੍ਰਵੇਸ਼ ਦੁਆਰ 'ਤੇ ਇਕ ਪੱਥਰ ਵੜਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਸੀ। ਯਿਸੂ ਨੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੱਥਰ ਹਟਾਉਣ ਦਾ ਹੁਕਮ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਚੇਤਾਵਨੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਕਿ ਇੱਕ ਗੰਧ ਸੀ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਯਹੂਦੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਮਰੇ ਹੋਏ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਹੀਂ ਦੱਬਿਆ, ਜੋ ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਲਈ ਖੁਸ਼ਕਿਸਮਤੀ ਸੀ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਜੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਚੁੱਪ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ, ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਦਿਮਾਗ ਦੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਕੁਝ ਅੰਗਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੁੱਟ ਦਿੰਦੇ. ਸਰੀਰ ਦਾ ਸਧਾਰਣ ਤੌਰ ਤੇ ਮਸਹ ਕਰਨ ਨਾਲ ਗੰਧ ਦੀ ਗੰਧ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਂਦੀ. ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਜ਼ਰੂਰ ਮਰ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ. 

 

ਯਿਸੂ ਨੇ ਉੱਪਰ ਵੇਖਿਆ, ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਦੀ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਕੀਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਉੱਚੀ ਅਵਾਜ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੁਕਾਰਿਆ, “ਲਾਜ਼ਰ, ਬਾਹਰ ਆਓ!” ਮੁਰਦਾ ਆਦਮੀ ਕਬਰ ਦੇ ਕਪੜਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਪੇਟਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਕੱਪੜਾ, ਜਿਹੜਾ ਆਮ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਉਸਦੇ ਸਿਰ ਦੁਆਲੇ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਸੀ ਬਾਹਰ ਨਿਕਲ ਗਿਆ. 

 

ਕੁਝ ਯਹੂਦੀ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਇਹ ਵੇਖਿਆ ਸੀ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਉਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ ... ਪਰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਕੁਝ ਫ਼ਰੀਸੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਯਹੂਦੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਕੋਲ ਗਏ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਉਸਨੇ ਕੀ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ। ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਨਜ਼ਰਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਇਕ ਜੁਰਮ ਸੀ! ਚੰਗੇ ਕੰਮ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ 'ਤੇ ਲੋਕ ਨਾ ਸਿਰਫ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਅਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਵਿਚ ਵੰਡਦੇ ਹਨ, ਪਰ ਇੱਥੇ ਕੁਝ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਲੋਕ ਵੀ ਹਨ ਜੋ ਭਲਾਈ ਨੂੰ ਨਫ਼ਰਤ ਕਰਨਗੇ ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਖਤਮ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ. ਇਹ ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਸੁਭਾਅ ਦਾ ਹਨੇਰਾ ਹੈ. 

 

ਕਹਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਲਈ ਯਿਸੂ ਦੀ ਦਇਆ ਦੇ ਦੁਆਲੇ ਹੈ. ਉਹ ਮਰਿਯਮ ਅਤੇ ਮਾਰਥਾ ਲਈ ਮਹਿਸੂਸ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਹ ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਲਈ ਦੁਖੀ ਹੈ. ਯਿਸੂ ਇੱਥੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਮਨੁੱਖਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਤ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ. 

 

ਇਸ ਆਇਤ ਦੇ 47 ਅਤੇ 57 ਵੇਂ ਅਧਿਆਇ ਦੇ ਅੰਤ ਵਿਚ, ਸਾਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਯਿਸੂ ਇਕ ਮਰੇ ਹੋਏ ਆਦਮੀ ਨੂੰ ਚੰਗਾ ਕਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ ਨੂੰ ਰੋਕਦਾ ਹੈ. ਸਾਨੂੰ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਵਧਾਨ ਰਹਿਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਵਿਨਾਸ਼ਕਾਰੀ ਵਿਹਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਡਾ ਕੋਈ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਨਹੀਂ! ਯਿਸੂ ਪੁਰਾਣੇ ਆਰਡਰ ਨੂੰ ਚੁਣੌਤੀ ਦੇ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ. ਸਿਰਫ ਇਕ ਹੋਰ ਵਾਰ ਜਦੋਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਉਸਦਾ ਸੋਗ ਵੇਖਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਯਰੂਸ਼ਲਮ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਹੈ. ਉਹ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਲਾਜ਼ਰ ਮਰਿਆ ਨਹੀਂ ਸੀ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹ ਭਵਿੱਖਬਾਣੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਯਰੂਸ਼ਲਮ ਇੱਕ ਲਕੀਰ ਨੂੰ ਪਾਰ ਕਰ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ (ਲੂਕਾ 19v41). 

 

ਸਾਡੇ ਸਮਾਜ ਵਿਚ ਅੱਜ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਲਾਈਨਾਂ ਪਾਰ ਹੋ ਗਈਆਂ ਹਨ. ਅਸੀਂ ਪ੍ਰਾਰਥਨਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਯਰੂਸ਼ਲਮ ਤੋਂ ਉਲਟ ਅਸੀਂ ਮੁਕਤੀ ਤੋਂ ਪਰੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਹਾਂ. ਅੱਜ ਇਹ ਖਾਸ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਸਹੀ ਹੈ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ COVID19 ਦਾ ਸਾਹਮਣਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ. ਲੋਕ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ ਉਹ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਅਸਲ ਆਪਾ ਦਿਖਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ. ਲੋਕ ਵੰਡਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਇੱਕ ਸਹੀ ਅਤੇ ਗਲਤ ਪੱਖ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ. ਇਤਿਹਾਸ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਦਰਸਾਏਗਾ ਕਿ ਸੱਚ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੈ. ਸਾਨੂੰ ਦੁਖੀ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਬੁੱਧੀਮਾਨ ਹੋਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਮਹਿਸੂਸ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਭਾਵਨਾ, ਹਮਦਰਦੀ, ਸੋਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਨੂੰ ਚੰਗਾ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਮੰਚ ਹੈ. 

 

ਅਸੀਂ ਇੱਕ ਆਦਮੀ ਦਾ ਅਨੁਸਰਣ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਜਿਸਨੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਚਾਰ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਮਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਿਆਇਆ! ਇਹ ਉਹ ਚੀਜ਼ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬਹੁਤ ਉਤਸਾਹਿਤ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ! ਉਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਇੱਕ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਮੌਤਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਇਦ ਜੀਵਨ ofੰਗ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ. ਪਰਮੇਸ਼ੁਰ ਇਸ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਸਮੇਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਕੀ ਜੀਉਂਦਾ ਕਰੇਗਾ? ਰੱਬ ਕੀ ਜੀਉਂਦਾ ਕਰੇਗਾ? ਸੁਰੱਖਿਅਤ ਰਹੋ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਅਜ਼ੀਜ਼ਾਂ ਦੀ ਦੇਖਭਾਲ ਕਰੋ. ਆਮੀਨ. 

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