Resurrection: Lectionary notes for March 9

Eric's thoughts on this Sunday's texts: The Old Testament, Gospel, and Epistle readings all nicely cooperate to proclaim "God resurrects his people!" And beyond a spiritualized sense of resurrection - that our souls come alive spiritually, or a people group like Israel will resume life in a Promised Land someday - the example of Lazarus and Paul's words in Romans 8:11 point to a time when our physical, "mortal", bodies will be full of life again. Martha was not expecting that yet (see John 11:24); she believed in resurrection ultimately, "at the last day", but Jesus surprised her, Mary, Lazarus, and everyone else, by raising Lazarus from the dead, bodily, and giving all a glimpse of the hope we have in God. God really, truly, has conquered death.

Questions for our youth and young ones:
How must Ezekiel have felt, taken to a Valley of Dry Bones in a vision? How must Mary and Martha have felt, losing brother Lazarus?
Why did Jesus weep? After all, didn't Jesus know that he would raise Lazarus from the dead? What does this teach about Jesus' emotions, about God's feelings concerning death and our "mortal sorrow"?
Have you lost a loved one to death?
Do you expect resurrection?
What is it like, to face death - our own or the death of someone close to us - with knowledge of resurrection?
How do we see glimpses of resurrection, new life, as the Spirit breathes new life into us? Do we see it in others, in our church, etc.?
Why didn't Jesus perform more miracles like this one, or Jesus' disciples, for that matter; i.e., why must our bodies still die (note Romans 8:10)?

Anyone with thoughts about possible games, arts & crafts, etc., reply away....