When he (Jesus) had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Unbind him, and let him go."
1.) Burlap on table
2.) A mound of a darker shade of burlap in middle of table
3.) Long strips of linen
4.) A clear bowl of very salty water (representing God's tears)
5.) A pottery plate filled with salt (representing our salty tears)
We are all familiar with "Jesus wept" or "Jesus began to weep" in these Scriptures. It seems important to allow people a time to remember that God's tears truly do intermingle with our own. At the close of this service, the congregation was given a time to come forward, to take a pinch of salt (their own tears) and mix them in the salty water (representing God's tears). And/or dip their finger in the salty water and place God's tears on their cheek. (This was loosely borrowed from Thom Shuman's "Longest Night" worship service).
This is too beautiful and perfect to be left out of this week's offerings to you. "And Jesus wept".
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