We are gathered today on the occupied territory of the Sana and Tonkawa People who have stewarded this land for generations.
Treehouse Living Room Worship
“Untie”
Welcome to worship. God welcomes you here, as does this community. In tonight’s worship, you will be invited to offer a song, poem, essay, reflection, photograph, story, or letter (no more than one minute) around the theme of “Untie” Be brave! We are all enriched by your sharing.
Opening song – When Peace Like a River
Prayer
Compassionate God,
the wind of your Spirit is the very sign of life
for all who long for you.
One breath from you and we are rescued
from the arid valley of dry bones,
given muscles and sinews and joy with which to praise you,
and filled with the holy hope you grant to all your faithful children.
Let our whole lives be filled with the life-breath of the Spirit,
that what has lain dormant may burst into bloom,
and what looks to us to be death
may be revealed as but sleep
before the emergence of new life.
Amen.
Reading: John 11:32-44
32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” 38 Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. 39 Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.” 40 Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” 41 So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Time of Sharing
Tonight’s reading has Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, but still needs others to untie Lazarus and let him go. Who have you untied, or how have you worked to untie people?
Song – Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ
Prayers
Communion
Closing Song – Take My Life that I May Be
Blessing
Come out! Jesus commands,
And calls us from the tombs of our existence
into the brightness of a new day.
Come out! Jesus cries,
And unbinds us from the chains of our past.
Come out! Jesus calls,
And entices us into a world filled with grace and possibility.
So:Go out!
Into a world that needs our life, our breath, our spirit!
Go out!
Into a world that needs the Spirit of God,
carried on our lips and in our loving arms.
Go out!
Into the world to live as God’s resurrected people!
Go out: and go on the breath of God’s holy wind!
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