K Karpen: "Back From the Dead: A Collective Resurrection" (Sermon for March 22, 2026)

As Lazarus emerged from the tomb, Jesus told the crowd, "Unbind him, and set him free." - John 11:44

If it has meaning, resurrection is always a collective experience. We are all involved in the process of moving beyond the fear of death, and the denial of death, even the worship of death, into God's powerful way of loving and living.

We see this in the story of Ezekiel in the valley, this story that has been accompanying our experience of Lent this year. Ezekiel prophesies to the dry bones, but the knitting of flesh to flesh and the coming of ruach (Hebrew for breath, wind, spirit) is something the people experience together. Until they "stand on their feet, a vast community"!

We see it in the story of the raising of Lazarus. When news comes to Jesus of the death of his friend, his disciples determine to go to Bethany with him, an extremely risky thing to do, given that Jesus has twice narrowly escaped getting stoned to death in that same area. And when Jesus asks Lazarus's sisters to show him the tomb, the whole community of women comes along to assist and to witness.

We see it in ourselves. If resurrection only happens to me, without you, it's not resurrection. And if it happens just to Jesus and not to me, I'm not sure I'm that interested.

We rise together, or not at all,
K