Br. Luke Ditewig Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 Psalm 46:1-8 John 5:1-18 What’s the vision? How does it help living now? After Jerusalem was conquered, the temple destroyed, and people taken far away in exile, amid much loss and grief, God sent prophets to renew and prompt the people. God gave Ezekiel a five-chapter detailed vision of the Temple restored, where God dwells. The vision prompts looking with faith to what cannot be seen, God restoring all. As we heard tonight, it’s not just a restored building or dwelling but water flowing from it, water that expands and deepens into a large river ankle-deep, knee-deep, waist-deep and beyond. Water, the source of life, in the desert where it is most valuable. A living river that brings the dead to life. It flows into the Dead Sea where most fish and plants can’t live and changes it into fresh water “where every living creature that swarms will live . . . and everything will live where the river goes.” Not only live but thrive and far more than usual. Healthy trees along the river bear fruit and not only in harvest season but every month. Fruit for food and leaves for healing. It’s a bountiful, glorious vision. God will dwell in a restored temple from which living waters flow bringing new and abundant life. What image comes to your mind for such bountiful vibrancy where everything will live where the river goes? Ezekiel pulls from imagery like the Garden of Eden and like Psalm 46: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.” Jesus goes to a man who had been ill 38 years near a pool of water known for healing. “Do you want to be made well?” He replies: I have no one to take me to the water. Long-suffering. Resignation. Trapped. Despair. How have you experienced this? Jesus goes to people personally and directly with mercy and compassion asking, listening, and freely giving. “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” How have you experienced such mercy and compassion? Like water soaking into parched ground. Like fresh water entering stagnant water and restoring it fresh. “Everything will live where the river goes.” Psalm 46 says: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Jesus comes personally with mercy. Asking, listening, and freely giving. God comes amid our loss and grief, ravaged in exile. What’s the vision? God will heal and restore all. Cling to the vision as one way of experiencing refuge and help. We believe in the restoration! God will heal and restore all. Like water soaking into parched ground. Like fresh water entering stagnant water and restoring it fresh. “Everything will live where the river goes.”