Opening Prayer

Dear God, this week you showed us that you are stronger than death. Thank you for your Word that makes dead things alive. Help us remember what we learned. Amen.

Scripture: Ezekiel 37; Psalm 130; Romans 8; John 11

This week we heard four stories from God’s Word, and every single one of them said the same thing.

On Monday, God took Ezekiel to a valley full of dry bones — bones so old and dry that nobody could fix them. But God spoke, and the bones stood up alive.

On Tuesday, a man was stuck at the bottom of deep, deep water — drowning in his sins. He cried out to God, and God heard him. God forgave him. And the man waited for God the way a watchman waits for morning — sure that dawn was coming.

On Wednesday, Paul told us that we can’t make ourselves good enough for God. We just can’t. But the Holy Spirit — the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead — has moved in and lives inside us.

On Thursday, Jesus stood in front of his friend Lazarus’s grave. Lazarus had been dead for four days. It smelled terrible. And Jesus was angry — not at the people, but at death itself. Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And a dead man walked out of his grave.

What This Means

Do you see what connects all of these? In every single story, someone is dead — and they can’t fix it. The bones can’t put themselves back together. The drowning man can’t swim to the surface. We can’t make our hearts obey God. Lazarus can’t unwrap his own grave clothes.

And in every single story, God does the work.

He speaks to the bones — they live. He forgives the man in the deep — without being asked to earn it. He sends his Spirit to live inside us — not because we invited him, but because he wanted to come. He calls Lazarus by name — and death has to let go.

That’s what God is like. He doesn’t stand on the edge and say, “Come on, you can do it! Try harder! Swim faster!” He dives in. He goes to the valley of bones. He hears the cry from the deep. He moves into our hearts. He walks right up to the stinking tomb and shouts.

This is what happened to you in baptism. You couldn’t come to God on your own — no more than dry bones can stand up. But God spoke your name over that water. His Spirit entered you. He called you out of death and into his family.

And here’s the promise that ties it all together: the same God who raised those bones, who heard that cry, who sent his Spirit, who called Lazarus out — he will raise you too. On the last day, he will speak your name, and you will stand up alive forever.

Let’s Talk About It

Eberley: All four readings this week show someone who is dead or helpless, and God doing all the work. Why do you think God keeps showing us this same pattern? What does it say about him — and what does it say about us? Can you think of something in your own life where you had to stop trying to fix it yourself and let someone else help?

Sonja: We heard about dry bones, deep water, a Spirit who moves in, and a man who walked out of his grave. Which story was your favorite this week? Why? If you could ask Jesus one question about any of these stories, what would you ask?

Dahlia & Freddy: This week, did God make dead things alive? (Yes!) Can we make dead things alive by ourselves? (No!) Who does all the work — us or God? (God!)

Remember This

God does what we cannot — he makes dead things alive, and he does it all by himself.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for this whole week. Thank you that you don’t wait for us to be good enough. You come to us — in valleys of bones, in deep water, in our hearts, and even at the grave. Thank you for speaking your Word over us in baptism. Thank you that your Spirit lives in us right now. And thank you for the promise that one day you will call our names, and we will stand up alive forever. We love you. Amen.

Memory Verse

“I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live.” — Ezekiel 37:14