Well, good
morning. Good morning.
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How many of you
were here last night?
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Okay, did you
receive a blessing?
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Yes. Okay, now last night...
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Dwight Hall spoke to us
about the valley of dead trees.
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You remember that?
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And this morning
we're going to speak about
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the valley of dry bones.
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Now how many of know
what I am talking about
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when I say the
valley of dry bones?
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Okay, a number of you do.
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It actually is
picked up from a story
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in the Bible in Ezekiel 37.
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And I was talking
with David Berthiaume
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before this rally started.
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And he said, you know,
the valley of the dry bones.
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We were trying to
think of a title something
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that would grab
people's interest,
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you know, "What kind
title can we give it,
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valley of dry bones
sounds kind of plain."
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"And I said how about
Middle East massacre?"
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And you'll see why I
chose that in a minute
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but David didn't think
that would be the best idea.
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So I said you pick the title
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and we stuck with
valley of dry bones.
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But in fact,
that's exactly what we see
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when we open the
Bible to Ezekiel 37.
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And before we do
that, I'm going to kneel
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and ask God's special
blessing on this time we have.
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And I'm going to ask you
to kneel as far as possible.
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And I'll tell you
there's two reasons for that.
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The one reason, it's
not the primary reason
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is that it helps our circulation
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so we stay awake,
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that's really not
the primary reason.
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The primary reason is that
when we kneel before the Lord,
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it reminds us
that we're the creature
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and He is the creator.
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It reminds us that
we're here to learn of Him.
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And it reminds us and
it reminds me as a speaker
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that if I'm speaking my words,
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it's not going
to do you any good.
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We want the Lord's presence.
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We want His words
spoken this morning.
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So if you will do that
kneel as far as possible with me
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as we invoke the
Lord's blessing this morning.
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Our gracious Heavenly Father,
Father we want to praise You
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that we can come together
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and open our
Bibles this morning.
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We think of Africa
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where so many don't have Bibles.
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There are other
parts of the world
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where people
don't have the Bibles
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and the freedom that
we have here this morning.
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Father, now may
we take advantage
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of these Bibles that we have,
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of this freedom to
worship that we have,
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we pray that your Holy
Spirit would be present.
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And as we open Your Word
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that that Spirit
that inspired the Word
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would inspire our
hearts and minds today.
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And we ask and pray this
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in the all
powerful name of Jesus,
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and for His sake.
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Amen.
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You know, the main
reason for these rallies
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is the Bibles
for Africa project.
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And I think, you
know, some people may say,
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"We know in Africa there
are a lot of needs over there."
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Of course, Dwight mentioned
last night the AIDS epidemic.
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There are physical
needs that may need to be met,
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and people may
say, "Well, why Bibles?
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I mean you could send a
number of things over there.
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I'm sure the people in
Africa need lots of things,
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why Bibles?"
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Let me tell you something.
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The Bible can do
what nothing else can do.
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We talked about
miracles last night,
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the greatest miracle,
the greatest miracles,
00:04:06.61\00:04:09.28
the miracle of a
transformed life.
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And I want to
tell you this morning
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that the Word of
God can change lives.
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And that's our hope and desire
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because if people in
the continent of Africa
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can hear the Word
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can have their
lives transformed,
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they have an eternity with Jesus
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and something far better
than this world can ever offer.
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And we're going to see that
transforming power of the Word
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if you go with me
to the book of Ezekiel
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in the Old Testament.
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Ezekiel, if you take your
Bible and open it in the middle,
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most Bibles come right around
some of the book of the Psalms
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or in the book of Isaiah.
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If you were come to
Isaiah, which is a pretty book
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to find the Old Testament,
after that you have Jeremiah,
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then Lamentations, then Ezekiel.
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And we're going
to go to Ezekiel 37,
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Ezekiel chapter 37
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and starting
with the first verse.
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Incidentally,
throughout this weekend,
00:05:03.47\00:05:06.50
you know, we want
you to give your Bibles
00:05:06.53\00:05:08.54
and donate Bibles
00:05:08.57\00:05:09.90
but please keep one for yourself
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and bring it because
we want you to be a...
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You know, that
one preacher said...
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I'm sure there
are other preachers
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that have said the same thing.
00:05:17.81\00:05:19.15
"You got to know your
Bible well enough to know
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if your minister
is misquoting it."
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We've got to have our Bibles
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and we'd be
following along in the Bibles
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because it's the
Word that changes lives.
00:05:25.89\00:05:27.92
Now Ezekiel 37:1,
this is how it starts,
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"The hand of the
Lord came upon me
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and brought me out in
the Spirit of the Lord.
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And set me down in
the midst of the valley
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and it was full of," what?
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Bones. "Full of bones.
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Then He caused me to
pass by them all around
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and behold there were
very many in the open valley
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and indeed they were," what?
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Very dry. "Very dry."
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Now get the picture,
here is the Prophet Ezekiel.
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God brings him
out into this valley
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and these bones are scattered.
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In fact, it's says there...
What was that in verse...
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in verse 2 it says,
00:06:05.36\00:06:06.70
"There were very
many in the open valley."
00:06:06.73\00:06:09.63
The New American
Standard Bible says
00:06:09.66\00:06:11.67
they were on the
surface of the valley.
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There had been a massacre.
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There had been a
war and, you know,
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when there were these...
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This was a time of war
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when people
would fight and battle,
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they didn't bury all the dead,
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the enemy soldiers
didn't go bury all the dead.
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They laid on the
surface of the ground.
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Ezekiel comes on the
scene, and he sees these bones.
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There's no rotting
flesh on the bones,
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these bones are
dry, they're very dry.
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They have been
there for a long time.
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And then the Lord asked
the question in verse 3,
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"And He said to me,
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'Son of man, can
these bones live?'
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And so I answered,
'Oh, Lord God, You know."'
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He comes and sees a
valley of bones of dead people,
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these bones are sun bleached.
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They have been there
for a long, long time.
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And God says,
"Ezekiel, can these bones live?"
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What would you say?
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Can these bones live?
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Some of these people have
been dead for a long time.
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"Lord, only You know."
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And then the Lord says, verse 4,
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"Again He said to me,
'prophesy to these bones."'
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Now you know what
it means to prophesy?
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To prophesy means to
speak the Word of the Lord.
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When a prophet would prophesy,
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he was simply giving a
message from God to the people.
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God says, "Ezekiel,
I want you to prophesy
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to these bones and say to them,
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'Oh, dry bones, hear
the Word of the Lord."'
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You know,
there's a lot of time...
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Many times go by
probably in your life
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you've experienced it, in
my life I've experienced it,
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where the Lord wants to send you
00:08:01.41\00:08:02.74
and share the good news
of salvation with somebody.
00:08:02.78\00:08:05.48
And you say, "Lord,
these bones can't live."
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God says, "Ezekiel,
prophesy to the bones."
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Now I'm a minister,
and I'm thinking to myself,
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"How would I feel
if God were to tell me
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to go speak to a pile of bones?
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There's a waste of time,
a colossal waste of time.
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Here is a big pile of
bones." "Yes, speak to these."
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"Okay, Lord, whatever You
say." Ezekiel goes for it.
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God says, "Prophesy to
them, speak My Word to them.
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Tell the dry bones
hear the Word of the Lord."
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Okay, Lord, I
guess I'll go ahead
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and do what You say.
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But I don't know how
this is going to work.
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Verse 5.
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"Thus says the
Lord God to these bones,
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'Surely I will
cause breath to enter you
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and you shall live.
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I will put sinews on you
and bring flesh upon you,
00:08:51.23\00:08:55.23
cover you with skin
and put breath in you.
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And you shall live.
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Then you shall know
that I am the Lord.'
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So I prophesied
as I was commanded.
00:09:04.47\00:09:07.74
And as I
prophesied, there was a noise
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and suddenly a rattling
00:09:10.01\00:09:12.01
and the bones came
together, bone to bone.
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Indeed as I looked, the sinews
and the flesh came over them.
00:09:16.22\00:09:19.65
And the skin was
covered over them
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but there was
no breath in them."
00:09:21.86\00:09:24.86
Verse 9.
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"Also He said to me
prophesy to the breath,
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prophesy, son of man.
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And say to the breath,
thus says the Lord God,
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'Come from the
four winds, O breath,
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and breathe on these
slain, that they may live.'
00:09:39.34\00:09:42.81
So I prophesied
as He commanded me,
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and breath came into
them, and they," what?
00:09:44.88\00:09:47.92
"And they lived and
stood upon their feet,
00:09:47.95\00:09:50.65
an exceedingly great army."
00:09:50.69\00:09:55.36
Verse 11, "Then He said to me,
00:09:55.39\00:09:58.49
'Son of man,
these bones are," what?
00:09:58.53\00:10:03.10
"The whole house of Israel.
00:10:03.13\00:10:06.03
They indeed say,
'Our bones are dry,
00:10:06.07\00:10:08.74
our hope is lost, and
we ourselves are cut off.'
00:10:08.77\00:10:14.48
Therefore
prophesy and say to them,
00:10:14.51\00:10:17.01
thus says the Lord
God, 'Behold, O my people,
00:10:17.05\00:10:20.18
I will open your graves
00:10:20.22\00:10:22.12
and cause you to
come up from your graves
00:10:22.15\00:10:24.25
and bring you into
the land of Israel.
00:10:24.29\00:10:26.19
Then you shall
know that I am the Lord
00:10:26.22\00:10:28.52
when I have opened
your graves, O my people,
00:10:28.56\00:10:31.89
and brought you
up from your graves.
00:10:31.93\00:10:33.90
I will put My Spirit
in you and you shall live.
00:10:33.93\00:10:39.50
And I will place
you in your own land,
00:10:42.04\00:10:44.87
then you shall
know that I, the Lord,
00:10:44.91\00:10:47.54
have spoken it
and performed it,'
00:10:47.58\00:10:49.44
says the Lord."
00:10:49.48\00:10:52.15
Fascinating little
passage of scripture.
00:10:52.18\00:10:56.18
And we're going to
expound on this this morning
00:10:56.22\00:11:01.32
and see what lessons we can draw
00:11:01.36\00:11:04.53
from this experience
of the Prophet Ezekiel.
00:11:04.56\00:11:07.43
Now the first
thing I want to touch on,
00:11:07.46\00:11:10.77
and it may or
may not be necessary,
00:11:10.80\00:11:12.60
but we're going to
touch on it anyway.
00:11:12.63\00:11:15.30
There are a
couple things in here,
00:11:15.34\00:11:16.81
God says of course in
verse 11 that we just read,
00:11:16.84\00:11:19.11
"Son of man, these
bones are the," what?
00:11:19.14\00:11:22.31
"Whole house of Israel."
00:11:22.34\00:11:23.98
And I just have to put something
00:11:24.01\00:11:25.35
to rest in the
event that anybody here
00:11:25.38\00:11:26.72
has not gotten the picture yet,
00:11:26.75\00:11:28.85
some people read this
00:11:28.88\00:11:30.22
and I know that there are people
00:11:30.25\00:11:31.59
who read this
today and they say,
00:11:31.62\00:11:32.95
"Well, this is an
interesting prophecy
00:11:32.99\00:11:34.32
but it has nothing
to do with us today.
00:11:34.36\00:11:36.73
The only thing it
has anything to do with
00:11:36.76\00:11:38.63
are people that live in Israel
or who are natural born Jews."
00:11:38.66\00:11:44.40
It's speaking to the
whole house of Israel.
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.00
I mean God goes on there
to say in verses 13 and 14,
00:11:46.03\00:11:49.40
"I'm going to bring
you into your own land."
00:11:49.44\00:11:53.84
Actually 12 to 14, He says,
00:11:53.88\00:11:55.94
"I'm going to bring you
into the land of Israel."
00:11:55.98\00:11:58.61
Verse 14 says,
"I'm going to bring you
00:11:58.65\00:12:00.08
into your own land,
place you in your own land."
00:12:00.12\00:12:04.09
And I want you to understand
00:12:04.12\00:12:05.45
what the Lord is
really trying to say here.
00:12:05.49\00:12:07.72
Now we're there in chapter 37,
00:12:07.76\00:12:09.66
I want you to notice
again the wording that God uses.
00:12:09.69\00:12:15.00
In verse 11, He says,
"These bones are the," what?
00:12:15.03\00:12:20.67
"The whole house of Israel."
00:12:20.70\00:12:23.81
Now on the one hand,
you have to understand
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.51
that Israel had been divided.
00:12:26.54\00:12:30.05
Prior to this, Israel had
been divided into two kingdoms,
00:12:30.08\00:12:32.71
the Northern kingdom
that was made up of 10 tribes
00:12:32.75\00:12:35.15
and then you have the
Southern kingdom of Judah
00:12:35.18\00:12:36.89
that was the remainder.
00:12:36.92\00:12:38.45
But I want you to
see something interesting
00:12:41.42\00:12:43.02
in the same book of Ezekiel.
00:12:43.06\00:12:45.56
Chapter 36, just
go back one chapter
00:12:45.59\00:12:48.73
and look at verse 8
with me, chapter 36:8.
00:12:48.76\00:12:51.50
Notice what the Lord says here,
00:12:56.04\00:13:00.88
"But you, O mountains of Israel,
00:13:00.91\00:13:04.01
you shall shoot
forth your," what?
00:13:04.05\00:13:05.88
Branches.
00:13:05.91\00:13:07.25
"Branches and yield your," what?
00:13:07.28\00:13:08.75
Fruit. "Fruit."
00:13:08.78\00:13:10.12
And that's going to
become significant in a moment.
00:13:10.15\00:13:11.69
"To my people Israel,
for they are about to come,
00:13:11.72\00:13:16.69
for indeed, I am for you."
00:13:16.73\00:13:19.53
I want us to pause there
and I want to us remember
00:13:22.33\00:13:24.20
something this morning.
00:13:24.23\00:13:25.57
The Apostle Paul says
in the book of Romans,
00:13:25.60\00:13:27.07
"If God is for
us, who can be," what?
00:13:27.10\00:13:29.54
Against. "Against us."
00:13:29.57\00:13:31.51
For neither life, nor
death, no principalities,
00:13:31.54\00:13:33.01
powers, or anything else
00:13:33.04\00:13:34.38
can separate us
from the love of God.
00:13:34.41\00:13:37.25
Something we have to
remember as Christians
00:13:37.28\00:13:40.48
is that God is for us
00:13:40.52\00:13:43.52
because there are
times in your life
00:13:43.55\00:13:44.89
where you will feel like
God is not going to be willing
00:13:44.92\00:13:46.55
to help you even if
you were to ask Him.
00:13:46.59\00:13:49.72
It says here in
verse 9, "For indeed,
00:13:49.76\00:13:53.60
I am for you and
I will turn to you
00:13:53.63\00:13:58.10
and you shall be
tilled and sown."
00:13:58.13\00:14:00.24
Notice verse 10, "I
will multiply men upon you
00:14:00.27\00:14:06.34
all the house of
Israel, all of it.
00:14:06.37\00:14:11.25
And the city shall be
inhabited and ruins rebuilt."
00:14:11.28\00:14:15.52
"I will multiply men to you."
00:14:15.55\00:14:17.42
Now keep that in mind,
00:14:17.45\00:14:21.12
as we go to the book of Isaiah.
00:14:21.16\00:14:23.59
Go back before
Ezekiel, before Lamentations,
00:14:23.63\00:14:27.90
before Jeremiah, and
to the book of Isaiah.
00:14:27.93\00:14:29.80
We're going to Isaiah 56.
00:14:29.83\00:14:31.60
Isaiah 56:6.
00:14:39.01\00:14:40.94
Now Dwight had done,
00:14:46.78\00:14:48.48
I'm not even
going to pick on Dwight.
00:14:48.52\00:14:50.09
But sometimes I've been
in this habit of saying,
00:14:50.12\00:14:52.49
you know, if
you're there, say amen.
00:14:52.52\00:14:54.72
And what people
have let me know is that
00:14:54.76\00:14:57.36
it's always the fast people
that get there and say amen.
00:14:57.39\00:15:01.06
And so I say if
you're there, say amen,
00:15:01.10\00:15:02.66
and a couple of
people say amen, I say okay,
00:15:02.70\00:15:04.03
let's start reading
and the rest of the people
00:15:04.07\00:15:05.47
are flipping their pages.
00:15:05.50\00:15:08.20
So I've tried to go
away from asking people
00:15:08.24\00:15:10.11
if they are there, say amen,
00:15:10.14\00:15:11.54
and just listening for the pages
00:15:11.57\00:15:13.01
to stop turning
so you can get there.
00:15:13.04\00:15:16.81
We're in Isaiah 56,
and I want you to notice
00:15:16.85\00:15:21.08
what the Lord says in verse
6, "Also the sons of the," what?
00:15:21.12\00:15:27.06
Stranger.
00:15:27.09\00:15:28.42
"Stranger or foreigner,"
00:15:28.46\00:15:29.79
it says foreigner
in my translation here.
00:15:29.82\00:15:31.56
Now God is speaking about Israel
00:15:31.59\00:15:33.50
but now He is speaking
of those beyond Israel,
00:15:33.53\00:15:35.43
the foreigners to Israel,
00:15:35.46\00:15:36.80
the strangers to
Israel i.e. the gentiles.
00:15:36.83\00:15:40.44
"Also the sons of the foreigners
00:15:40.47\00:15:41.80
who joined themselves
to the Lord to serve Him
00:15:41.84\00:15:44.47
and to love the name of
the Lord to be His servants.
00:15:44.51\00:15:47.78
Everyone who keeps
from defiling the Sabbath
00:15:47.81\00:15:50.25
and holds fast my
covenant even them I will bring
00:15:50.28\00:15:54.02
to my holy mountain
00:15:54.05\00:15:55.48
and make them joyful
in my house of prayer."
00:15:55.52\00:15:58.25
Who's He going to
bring into His holy mountain?
00:15:58.29\00:16:01.29
The gentiles, the foreigners,
the strangers to Israel.
00:16:01.32\00:16:06.23
The Old Testament is full
of promises to the gentiles.
00:16:06.26\00:16:10.93
Incidentally, how many are
natural born Jews here today?
00:16:15.60\00:16:20.38
Okay, I don't see any hands.
That means we're all gentiles.
00:16:20.41\00:16:23.35
That means this is
good news for me and you.
00:16:23.38\00:16:25.58
Amen.
00:16:25.61\00:16:26.95
Because otherwise we have
part in the blessings of God.
00:16:26.98\00:16:29.65
This is why I
want to review this
00:16:29.68\00:16:31.05
because if we have no
parts in the blessing of God,
00:16:31.09\00:16:33.25
Ezekiel 37 has
nothing to do with us
00:16:33.29\00:16:35.62
because it's to the
whole house of Israel.
00:16:35.66\00:16:37.29
Now notice what
He goes on to say.
00:16:37.33\00:16:38.66
Verse 7, "Even them I will bring
00:16:43.33\00:16:45.47
to My holy mountain
00:16:45.50\00:16:46.84
and make them joyful
in My house of prayer.
00:16:46.87\00:16:48.34
Their burnt
offerings and their sacrifices
00:16:48.37\00:16:50.24
will be accepted on My altar.
00:16:50.27\00:16:51.87
For My house shall be called
a house of prayer for," what?
00:16:51.91\00:16:56.01
"All nations.
00:16:56.04\00:16:57.38
The Lord God who gathers
the outcast of Israel says,
00:16:57.41\00:17:01.28
'Yet I will gather
to Him that is Israel,
00:17:01.32\00:17:05.02
others besides those
who are gathered to Him."
00:17:05.05\00:17:09.72
That is a promise
where God is saying
00:17:09.76\00:17:11.59
I'm going to take
those from the outside
00:17:11.63\00:17:13.26
and I'm going to
bring them in too.
00:17:13.29\00:17:15.80
Salvation is not just going
to go to natural born Jews,
00:17:15.83\00:17:19.00
it's going to
extend to everyone.
00:17:19.03\00:17:22.24
Are you
following me so far? Yes.
00:17:22.27\00:17:24.27
Now let's take
some of the virtues
00:17:24.31\00:17:25.97
we looked at
there, we're going to go
00:17:26.01\00:17:27.34
to the New
Testament, book of Romans.
00:17:27.38\00:17:29.08
Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, Acts, Romans
00:17:33.58\00:17:36.48
in the New
Testament, Romans chapter 11.
00:17:36.52\00:17:39.55
Romans chapter 11,
00:17:39.59\00:17:44.39
and we're going
to begin in verse 21.
00:17:44.43\00:17:48.90
Now in Romans 11,
00:17:48.93\00:17:50.37
God is portraying
the nation of Israel
00:17:50.40\00:17:55.20
as a tree with
branches and fruit.
00:17:55.24\00:18:00.84
Did we just see that?
00:18:00.88\00:18:02.44
In Ezekiel 36, He
talks about the tree
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.91
and the branches and the fruit.
00:18:05.95\00:18:07.58
Now notice what the
Apostle Paul does here.
00:18:07.62\00:18:09.68
Verse 21, "For
if God did not spare
00:18:16.46\00:18:21.43
the natural branches, He
may not spare you either."
00:18:21.46\00:18:25.63
Now we're kind of in the
middle of His presentation
00:18:25.67\00:18:28.70
but what He is saying here is
00:18:28.74\00:18:30.31
that they are the
natural braches of the tree,
00:18:30.34\00:18:32.01
those are the
natural born Israelites.
00:18:32.04\00:18:35.01
But, you know, the natural
born Israelites were cut off
00:18:35.04\00:18:38.41
when they
refused to accept Christ.
00:18:38.45\00:18:41.82
And so the gentiles are saying,
"Hey, now salvation is to us."
00:18:41.85\00:18:44.29
And Paul is just
saying, "Hey, you gentiles
00:18:44.32\00:18:45.69
don't get too big for branches,
00:18:45.72\00:18:47.06
if the natural born
branches got cut off,
00:18:47.09\00:18:48.82
you could get cut off too."
00:18:48.86\00:18:52.09
Verse 22, "Therefore
consider the goodness
00:18:52.13\00:18:55.10
and severity of God,
on those who fail severity
00:18:55.13\00:18:58.10
but toward you,
gentiles, goodness.
00:18:58.13\00:19:00.77
If you continue
in this goodness,
00:19:00.80\00:19:02.50
otherwise you
also will be cut off.
00:19:02.54\00:19:04.97
And they also,
00:19:05.01\00:19:06.74
if they do not
continue in," what?
00:19:06.78\00:19:08.98
Unbelief. "Unbelief."
00:19:09.01\00:19:10.88
Unbelief of what?
Unbelief of Jesus Christ.
00:19:10.91\00:19:14.82
Listen to me.
00:19:14.85\00:19:16.18
There is not going to be
anybody saved, you or gentile,
00:19:16.22\00:19:18.95
who don't
believe in Jesus Christ.
00:19:18.99\00:19:21.49
The Bible says in Acts
4:12, "There is only one name
00:19:21.52\00:19:24.26
given under heaven among
men, whereby we must be saved."
00:19:24.29\00:19:27.56
I've had people today tell
me whether it's a Jew, or Jews,
00:19:27.60\00:19:29.93
or natural born
Jews, they should be saved.
00:19:29.96\00:19:31.70
Some people say,
"Well, Buddhists and Hindus,
00:19:31.73\00:19:34.00
I mean they are sincere people
00:19:34.04\00:19:35.37
and they are going to be saved."
00:19:35.40\00:19:36.74
Look there is one name
given under heaven among men.
00:19:36.77\00:19:40.14
Amen.
00:19:40.18\00:19:41.51
You know what that
ought to prompt us to?
00:19:41.54\00:19:43.08
That'd prompt us
with a burning desire
00:19:43.11\00:19:46.05
to let people know about
Jesus who don't know about Him.
00:19:46.08\00:19:49.08
They need to hear the name.
00:19:49.12\00:19:50.49
Paul says, "If those Jews
who didn't believe in Jesus
00:19:53.79\00:19:58.79
don't continue
in their unbelief,
00:19:58.83\00:20:01.43
they too can be saved.
00:20:01.46\00:20:03.37
For they will be grafted in,
00:20:03.40\00:20:05.03
God is able to
graft them in again."
00:20:05.07\00:20:08.24
Remember He is
talking about a tree,
00:20:08.27\00:20:10.01
and that tree is Israel.
00:20:10.04\00:20:11.47
And those who have been cut off,
00:20:11.51\00:20:12.84
they can be
grafted into that tree.
00:20:12.87\00:20:14.28
They are natural branches
and they can become part again.
00:20:14.31\00:20:18.65
Verse 24," For if you,"
speaking of the gentiles,
00:20:18.68\00:20:22.98
"Were cutout of the olive
tree which is wild by nature,
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.96
and you were grafted contrary
00:20:26.99\00:20:28.86
to nature into a
cultivated olive tree,"
00:20:28.89\00:20:31.49
That is the nation of Israel.
00:20:31.53\00:20:33.03
"How much more will these,
who are the natural branches
00:20:33.06\00:20:36.13
be grafted into
their own olive tree?"
00:20:36.16\00:20:38.73
Verse 25, "For I do
not desire, brethren,
00:20:38.77\00:20:42.14
that you should be
ignorant of this mystery,
00:20:42.17\00:20:45.17
lest you should be
wise in your own opinion
00:20:45.21\00:20:47.38
that blindness in
part has happened to Israel
00:20:47.41\00:20:50.45
until the," what?
00:20:50.48\00:20:52.21
Fullness.
"Fullness of the," who?
00:20:52.25\00:20:54.32
Gentiles.
"Gentiles has come," what?
00:20:54.35\00:20:56.58
In. "In," Where?
00:20:56.62\00:20:59.15
Into where?
00:20:59.19\00:21:02.36
Israel, the tree, right?
00:21:02.39\00:21:04.89
Paul says very plainly
here that God is waiting
00:21:04.93\00:21:08.40
for the fullness of the who?
00:21:08.43\00:21:10.47
Gentiles to come
into Israel and then...
00:21:10.50\00:21:15.34
And this is the kicker verse 26,
00:21:15.37\00:21:17.24
and maybe you've
heard this before,
00:21:17.27\00:21:18.61
I've people telling
me this all the time.
00:21:18.64\00:21:20.31
"And so all," what? Israel.
00:21:20.34\00:21:23.61
"Israel will be saved."
00:21:23.65\00:21:24.98
I've people that
come to me and say,
00:21:25.01\00:21:26.35
"Well, Bible says all
Israel will be saved."
00:21:26.38\00:21:27.72
Yes, it does.
00:21:27.75\00:21:29.08
Right before
that, who is all Israel?
00:21:29.12\00:21:31.95
Israel includes the
fullness of the gentiles.
00:21:31.99\00:21:35.62
Now the only reason we look
at this is simply to say that
00:21:35.66\00:21:38.29
when we're going through
these Old Testament prophecies
00:21:38.33\00:21:40.16
and somebody wants to
say, "Well, that only applies
00:21:40.20\00:21:41.90
to the nation of
Israel," guess what,
00:21:41.93\00:21:44.00
Paul says in the
book of Galatians,
00:21:44.03\00:21:45.63
"If you're Christ,
then you're Abraham's seed."
00:21:45.67\00:21:49.30
Amen.
00:21:49.34\00:21:51.37
Those who believe in Jesus
00:21:51.41\00:21:52.97
are brought into the
common wealth of Israel.
00:21:53.01\00:21:56.34
When we're reading Ezekiel 37,
God is speaking to all of those
00:21:56.38\00:22:00.85
who would believe
on the name of Jesus.
00:22:00.88\00:22:03.35
And when God is
speaking to the dry bones,
00:22:03.39\00:22:05.39
He is not only talking about
His people in ancient times,
00:22:05.42\00:22:08.26
the nation of Israel but
He is speaking to you today
00:22:08.29\00:22:10.96
and He is speaking to me today.
00:22:10.99\00:22:12.86
Are you following me on that?
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.06
Let's go back to Ezekiel 37,
and let's pull some things out
00:22:15.10\00:22:18.40
of that fascinating prophecy.
00:22:18.43\00:22:20.70
Ezekiel 37.
00:22:24.47\00:22:28.34
Now I want to
draw your attention
00:22:28.38\00:22:30.21
to one part of this prophecy,
00:22:30.25\00:22:35.28
specifically verse 11 again.
00:22:35.32\00:22:38.65
"Then He said
to me, 'Son of man,
00:22:38.69\00:22:41.26
these bones are the
whole house of Israel.'
00:22:41.29\00:22:44.99
They indeed say,
'Our bones are,'" what?
00:22:45.03\00:22:48.26
"Dry, our hope is lost
and we ourselves are cut-off."
00:22:48.30\00:22:53.60
Now I want to
give you the setting
00:22:53.64\00:22:56.10
of the vision of Ezekiel 37.
00:22:56.14\00:22:59.31
I already shared with you that
there are 12 tribes of Israel.
00:22:59.34\00:23:03.61
Israel was split
into two kingdoms.
00:23:03.65\00:23:05.45
The Northern kingdom went
up into the area of Samaria
00:23:05.48\00:23:08.42
and that kingdom had been
taken captive by the Assyrians
00:23:08.45\00:23:12.69
over 100 years
prior to this vision.
00:23:12.72\00:23:14.79
It was no more.
00:23:14.82\00:23:16.96
Ten of the
twelve tribes were gone.
00:23:16.99\00:23:21.83
And now just one year
prior to the time Ezekiel
00:23:21.86\00:23:25.20
sees his vision in
chapter 37, the Southern kingdom
00:23:25.23\00:23:29.34
had been taken
captive into Babylon.
00:23:29.37\00:23:32.47
So Israel, as a
nation, was gone.
00:23:32.51\00:23:36.01
They were swallowed
up by their enemies.
00:23:36.04\00:23:40.18
God had promised them
these great and wonderful things
00:23:40.22\00:23:43.12
and here God's people
are thinking the ten tribes,
00:23:43.15\00:23:46.86
the Northern kingdom is
gone, the Southern kingdom,
00:23:46.89\00:23:49.29
we're captive in
Babylon, so many of our people
00:23:49.32\00:23:52.39
are dying and
dead, our hope is gone.
00:23:52.43\00:23:59.20
There is nothing left for us.
00:23:59.23\00:24:00.97
Have you ever felt
that your hope is gone?
00:24:03.74\00:24:06.98
Have you ever found
yourself in a situation
00:24:07.01\00:24:09.04
maybe it's in your job,
maybe it's in your home,
00:24:09.08\00:24:11.81
it could be in your marriage,
00:24:11.85\00:24:13.18
it could be in
your family situations
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.32
where you feel
your hope is gone,
00:24:15.35\00:24:16.69
it's just where
else are you going to go.
00:24:16.72\00:24:19.82
I spoke to a young
lady just this week,
00:24:19.85\00:24:22.26
she has struggled in her life.
00:24:22.29\00:24:25.16
She has been
baptized and re-baptized.
00:24:25.19\00:24:28.96
She has been
re-baptized two times.
00:24:29.00\00:24:31.27
I asked her if she wanted
to liver her life for Jesus.
00:24:31.30\00:24:33.70
She says, "You know,
00:24:33.74\00:24:35.07
I've been re-baptized two times,
00:24:35.10\00:24:36.50
isn't that the limit?"
00:24:36.54\00:24:39.14
And she was serious.
00:24:39.17\00:24:41.81
She really thought that
she had just gone so far
00:24:41.84\00:24:44.55
that God could not do
anything more for her.
00:24:44.58\00:24:46.92
Two rebaptisms, I
mean how many more times
00:24:46.95\00:24:49.85
is God going to take you back.
00:24:49.88\00:24:51.25
You may remember
in the New Testament
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.16
where Peter comes
to Jesus and he says,
00:24:56.19\00:24:57.63
"Hey, Jesus, if
somebody does me wrong,
00:24:57.66\00:24:59.69
how many times
should I forgive him?"
00:24:59.73\00:25:01.06
Seven times?
00:25:01.10\00:25:02.43
'Cause seven
times is good, you know,
00:25:02.46\00:25:03.80
some people don't forgive at all
00:25:03.83\00:25:05.23
and some people
maybe two or three times."
00:25:05.27\00:25:06.97
Peter says seven times you said
that was a good round number,
00:25:07.00\00:25:09.34
perfect number in the Bible.
00:25:09.37\00:25:10.77
Seven times, have I
forgiven seven times,
00:25:10.81\00:25:12.37
Jesus says to Peter,
"How about 70 times 7?"
00:25:12.41\00:25:16.41
Our hope is cut
off, our hope is lost,
00:25:19.95\00:25:22.85
rather they say, "We're cut off,
00:25:22.88\00:25:24.22
we don't have any more
future as God's people."
00:25:24.25\00:25:27.09
This was the picture,
this was their understanding,
00:25:27.12\00:25:29.96
and this is why God
says, "Therefore, Ezekiel,
00:25:29.99\00:25:31.89
go and I want you to
speak My Word to them,
00:25:31.93\00:25:33.86
prophesy to them.
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.80
These bones can live."
00:25:35.83\00:25:37.60
Further down, it
says in verse 13,
00:25:41.87\00:25:46.27
"You know that I'm the Lord
when I've opened your," what?
00:25:46.31\00:25:49.34
"Graves," well, before
there weren't any graves,
00:25:49.38\00:25:51.35
bones were scattered on
the surface of the ground.
00:25:51.38\00:25:55.48
The simple point being
that God is not addressing
00:25:55.52\00:25:57.85
as much the physical
death as the spiritual death.
00:25:57.89\00:26:02.39
His people weren't all dead,
00:26:02.42\00:26:04.49
they were in captivity
here, they were scattered there.
00:26:04.53\00:26:07.86
He wanted His people
to know there was hope.
00:26:07.90\00:26:12.50
Do you want hope this morning?
00:26:12.53\00:26:16.81
I want to show you
a couple of passages
00:26:16.84\00:26:18.47
in the scripture
on this idea of death.
00:26:18.51\00:26:20.61
Go with me to the New
Testament book of Colossians.
00:26:20.64\00:26:25.55
Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, Acts, Romans,
00:26:25.58\00:26:27.62
first and second Corinthians,
00:26:27.65\00:26:28.98
Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians,
00:26:29.02\00:26:31.85
and then you come to
the book of Colossians.
00:26:31.89\00:26:33.46
Chapter 2, notice verse 13,
00:26:33.49\00:26:38.19
Colossians 2:13.
00:26:38.23\00:26:42.56
See I was just about to
ask if you were there with me
00:26:42.60\00:26:44.93
and some of you
would have said amen.
00:26:44.97\00:26:46.63
And then I would
hear the pages turning
00:26:46.67\00:26:48.00
from the frustrated people
00:26:48.04\00:26:49.37
who didn't get
there fast enough.
00:26:49.40\00:26:50.74
So I'm trying to
listen for the pages.
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.64
Colossians 2:13,
00:26:52.67\00:26:57.21
notice what the
Apostle Paul says here,
00:26:57.25\00:26:59.08
"And you being," what?
00:26:59.11\00:27:00.55
Dead. "Dead in your," what?
00:27:00.58\00:27:02.58
Trespasses.
00:27:02.62\00:27:03.95
"Trespasses and the
uncircumcision of your flesh."
00:27:03.99\00:27:06.19
He says you're dead
in trespasses and sins,
00:27:06.22\00:27:08.72
and He is speaking of
Christ, and He says, He, Christ,
00:27:08.76\00:27:11.43
have made you
alive together with Him
00:27:11.46\00:27:13.26
having forgiven
those trespasses.
00:27:13.29\00:27:16.33
Paul says that we
can be dead in our, what?
00:27:16.36\00:27:20.24
In our sins.
00:27:20.27\00:27:21.60
Now I want to show
you something that I think
00:27:21.64\00:27:22.97
is even more to the point.
00:27:23.00\00:27:26.04
In the book of 1 Timothy,
00:27:26.07\00:27:27.74
just keep on going
there right past Colossians.
00:27:27.78\00:27:31.31
And you'll come
into the T books.
00:27:31.35\00:27:33.92
And all the T books are there
right in alphabetical order
00:27:33.95\00:27:36.45
which is very nice.
00:27:36.48\00:27:37.82
We're going to 1
Timothy chapter 5:6.
00:27:37.85\00:27:44.79
1 Timothy 5:6, notice
what the Bible says here.
00:27:48.63\00:27:53.37
"But she who lives," what?
00:27:53.40\00:27:56.87
"In pleasure is
dead while she lives."
00:27:56.91\00:28:03.75
He says in Colossians,
00:28:03.78\00:28:05.41
we can be dead
and trespasses in sin,
00:28:05.45\00:28:07.38
He goes further to say
that if we're living our lives
00:28:07.42\00:28:10.59
for the pleasure we can get here
00:28:10.62\00:28:12.09
and now, we're dead
00:28:12.12\00:28:13.59
even as we're
walking on our feet.
00:28:13.62\00:28:18.53
I want to tell you
something this morning,
00:28:18.56\00:28:20.06
brothers and sisters,
that there are many of us
00:28:20.10\00:28:21.76
who may even profess
to be servants of God
00:28:21.80\00:28:24.07
but we live for pleasure.
00:28:24.10\00:28:27.50
On a regular basis,
and I hate to say it,
00:28:27.54\00:28:30.41
but on a regular basis,
I hear from one over here,
00:28:30.44\00:28:33.07
and one over
there, and one over here,
00:28:33.11\00:28:34.84
"Pastor, it's just too
hard to live the Christian life.
00:28:34.88\00:28:38.95
It's just too hard to
do what God wants me to do.
00:28:38.98\00:28:41.98
It's a struggle. It's a fight."
00:28:42.02\00:28:44.89
We are cursed
to live in a nation
00:28:44.92\00:28:47.66
where everything is handed
to us on a silver platter.
00:28:47.69\00:28:51.46
Just like
Dwight said last night,
00:28:51.49\00:28:53.26
the poorest person in America
00:28:53.29\00:28:55.23
would be the
richest person in Africa.
00:28:55.26\00:28:58.27
But we whine and moan
over the littlest things.
00:28:58.30\00:29:00.90
We want to live for pleasure,
we want to live for the here
00:29:00.94\00:29:03.24
and now, "I want everything now,
00:29:03.27\00:29:04.94
I can't deal
with these struggles."
00:29:04.97\00:29:06.41
Little do we know
that those struggles
00:29:06.44\00:29:07.94
that we're
dealing with are God's way
00:29:07.98\00:29:09.78
of answering the prayer
00:29:09.81\00:29:11.15
that we want a
character like Christ's.
00:29:11.18\00:29:13.15
Amen.
00:29:13.18\00:29:15.68
We go to work out, you
don't work out at the gym,
00:29:15.72\00:29:17.95
you know the
saying, "No pain, no gain."
00:29:17.99\00:29:23.32
Your muscles don't grow
00:29:23.36\00:29:24.69
if you don't work
them till they hurt.
00:29:24.73\00:29:27.20
Your spiritual life,
you know, the Bible says
00:29:27.23\00:29:30.07
in the book of Romans
00:29:30.10\00:29:31.43
that tribulation works patience
00:29:31.47\00:29:37.11
in Romans chapter 5.
00:29:37.14\00:29:39.44
And patience works character.
00:29:39.47\00:29:42.31
So many of us look at
the easy path and we say...
00:29:46.82\00:29:50.92
We look at that
broad road and we say,
00:29:50.95\00:29:52.52
"I don't want to go.
00:29:52.55\00:29:53.89
I don't want to deal
with the difficulties of life.
00:29:53.92\00:29:55.66
I don't want to make
those decisions to follow God
00:29:55.69\00:29:57.86
that would be difficult."
00:29:57.89\00:30:00.30
Those who live in pleasure
are dead while they live,
00:30:00.33\00:30:03.47
unlike what the
Bible says about Moses
00:30:03.50\00:30:05.37
in the book of
Hebrews, the faith chapter.
00:30:05.40\00:30:08.80
It says, "Moses
chose to suffer affliction
00:30:08.84\00:30:12.04
with the people of
Israel, the Hebrews."
00:30:12.07\00:30:16.85
Moses was the heir
00:30:16.88\00:30:18.68
to the throne of
the world empire.
00:30:18.71\00:30:24.12
He had wine, women, and
song, and he's beckoning,
00:30:24.15\00:30:26.89
all the money he
could ever possibly want.
00:30:26.92\00:30:29.39
And yet he chose
to suffer affliction.
00:30:29.42\00:30:32.83
Why?
00:30:32.86\00:30:36.30
Because the Bible says
he looked to the reward.
00:30:36.33\00:30:40.30
He didn't live in
today, he looked to tomorrow.
00:30:40.34\00:30:44.94
He didn't live
for the here and now.
00:30:44.97\00:30:46.98
He realized that the
pleasure here and now
00:30:47.01\00:30:50.75
may have
consequences in the hereafter.
00:30:50.78\00:30:57.65
And as a pastor
I've had the privilege,
00:30:57.69\00:31:00.79
if you want to
call it a privilege,
00:31:00.82\00:31:02.76
of meeting people who
have lived for pleasure.
00:31:02.79\00:31:06.26
When you're young, you can
live for pleasure and enjoy it.
00:31:06.29\00:31:09.36
And then the aches
and pains of old age come
00:31:09.40\00:31:12.53
coupled with the results of
all those years of pleasure.
00:31:12.57\00:31:16.64
And you've thrown your life away
00:31:19.47\00:31:23.65
because you lived
for the here and now.
00:31:23.68\00:31:26.95
You've got a
valley of dry dead bones.
00:31:26.98\00:31:31.05
Bones that could
represent God's people
00:31:33.59\00:31:36.86
who are dead in
trespasses and sins,
00:31:36.89\00:31:39.63
bones that could
represent those who have not yet
00:31:39.66\00:31:41.53
heard the name of Christ,
00:31:41.56\00:31:42.90
who are dead and
trespasses in sins.
00:31:42.93\00:31:45.00
What's fascinating
to me is God's solution.
00:31:45.03\00:31:50.17
What do you do for
these people who have no hope?
00:31:50.21\00:31:54.78
You send them to
a self-help seminar.
00:31:54.81\00:31:58.85
What do you do for them?
00:31:58.88\00:32:01.22
He says, "Ezekiel,
preach My Word to the bones."
00:32:01.25\00:32:04.65
And Ezekiel did the same thing
that so many of us do today,
00:32:04.69\00:32:08.29
just preach the
Word like the Bible
00:32:08.32\00:32:10.59
is going to fix their problems.
00:32:10.63\00:32:12.43
Isn't that a
little bit simplistic?
00:32:12.46\00:32:15.70
Yes. Praise God for it.
00:32:15.73\00:32:19.73
See, we look at everything
from a humanistic standpoint.
00:32:19.77\00:32:22.90
"Well, it's just a book."
00:32:22.94\00:32:24.91
It's not just a book. Amen.
00:32:24.94\00:32:29.54
The Apostle Peter says
00:32:29.58\00:32:30.91
in the book of 2 Peter chapter 1
00:32:30.95\00:32:32.85
that "Through the
promises of the Word of God,
00:32:32.88\00:32:36.22
we can actually
become part takers
00:32:36.25\00:32:38.25
of the divine nature."
00:32:38.29\00:32:41.36
That means that the
power of God is in His Word,
00:32:41.39\00:32:44.39
that when we apply
God's Word to our lives,
00:32:44.43\00:32:46.90
it will bring
the very power of God
00:32:46.93\00:32:49.73
into our lives to transform us.
00:32:49.76\00:32:52.43
It's not just a book.
00:32:52.47\00:32:55.14
If people are down and out,
00:32:55.17\00:32:56.81
the best solution
God says is the Word.
00:32:56.84\00:33:01.48
"Prophesy to them,
00:33:01.51\00:33:02.94
Ezekiel, preach My
Word to the bones."
00:33:02.98\00:33:07.85
And Ezekiel said like we said,
00:33:07.88\00:33:09.28
"Lord, this isn't going to work.
00:33:09.32\00:33:10.75
These people got big problems.
00:33:10.79\00:33:12.15
That's not
going to help them out
00:33:12.19\00:33:13.72
but at your bidding."
00:33:13.76\00:33:15.09
And he tells them,
00:33:15.12\00:33:16.46
he begins to preach to the bones
00:33:16.49\00:33:17.83
and what happens,
the bones come together.
00:33:17.86\00:33:19.19
They form skeletons.
00:33:19.23\00:33:20.60
And then the
sinew comes upon them,
00:33:20.63\00:33:22.60
and the muscle, and the skin,
and there they stand, bodies...
00:33:22.63\00:33:28.27
Without breath.
00:33:31.97\00:33:36.61
Now this is interesting to me.
00:33:36.64\00:33:39.58
Their connection with the Word,
00:33:39.61\00:33:42.25
their experience
from hearing the Word
00:33:42.28\00:33:44.59
has brought the
form of bodies together.
00:33:44.62\00:33:47.69
But the work is not finished.
00:33:47.72\00:33:49.62
And I wish I could say
that most people could see it
00:33:54.23\00:33:57.63
when they got to that point.
00:33:57.67\00:33:59.00
But I want to tell you that
I think there are multitudes
00:33:59.03\00:34:02.04
who profess to follow Christ
that have gotten to the point
00:34:02.07\00:34:04.57
where the bodies and
assemblance of people,
00:34:04.61\00:34:06.78
but they are lacking the
vital power of godliness.
00:34:06.81\00:34:10.11
As the Apostle Paul talks about
00:34:10.15\00:34:11.55
those in the last days, he says,
00:34:11.58\00:34:12.95
"Who have a form of
godliness but deny the power."
00:34:12.98\00:34:17.05
There's something
missing in the picture,
00:34:17.09\00:34:19.39
they have the look
of being, but God says,
00:34:19.42\00:34:21.96
"They are not done yet, Ezekiel.
00:34:21.99\00:34:24.39
Now prophesy to
the breath and say,
00:34:24.43\00:34:25.89
'O breath, come
into these bones.'"
00:34:25.93\00:34:29.30
And the Bible
doesn't say that they live
00:34:29.33\00:34:32.27
until the breath comes.
00:34:32.30\00:34:33.74
You know, the Bible
tells us that the Word of God
00:34:45.01\00:34:47.95
is living and
powerful, living and powerful.
00:34:47.98\00:34:53.72
Go with me to the
book of Isaiah chapter 55.
00:34:53.76\00:34:59.09
I want to tell you this morning
00:34:59.13\00:35:00.46
that these are no idle
tales that I'm telling you.
00:35:00.50\00:35:03.77
What we're going
to read in Isaiah 55,
00:35:03.80\00:35:05.97
what we've read elsewhere,
00:35:06.00\00:35:07.34
these are the
very words of the God
00:35:07.37\00:35:09.04
with the power
of God behind them.
00:35:09.07\00:35:12.81
When God speaks,
00:35:12.84\00:35:14.71
our biggest
problem isn't hearing
00:35:14.74\00:35:16.95
what He says but believing it.
00:35:16.98\00:35:19.61
Listen to what He
says in Isaiah 55.
00:35:19.65\00:35:21.78
Isaiah 55:10.
00:35:24.62\00:35:26.92
"For as the rain comes
down and the snow from heaven
00:35:29.86\00:35:35.46
and do not return
there but water the earth
00:35:35.50\00:35:38.33
and make it," what?
00:35:38.37\00:35:40.54
"Bring forth and bud
00:35:40.57\00:35:43.07
that it may give
seed to the sower
00:35:43.10\00:35:44.64
and bread to the eater.
00:35:44.67\00:35:46.07
So shall My word be
that goes out of My mouth."
00:35:46.11\00:35:51.98
God said, "My Word
going out of My mouth,
00:35:52.01\00:35:54.12
it's going to like the
rain and effect that it has."
00:35:54.15\00:35:56.38
Now I was talking
with David Berthiaume,
00:35:56.42\00:35:57.79
we were talking about
this just recently about
00:35:57.82\00:35:59.52
how we kind of
liked it for a long time
00:35:59.55\00:36:01.46
over the summer,
there was a drought,
00:36:01.49\00:36:03.73
we weren't getting any rain.
00:36:03.76\00:36:06.36
Somebody said in prayer meeting,
00:36:06.39\00:36:07.73
they said, "Oh,
praise God for the rain days.
00:36:07.76\00:36:09.16
Like well, you
know, I'm kind of glad
00:36:09.20\00:36:10.53
that it hasn't
rained because my lawn goes
00:36:10.57\00:36:12.10
dormant tonight and I
don't have to mow it."
00:36:12.13\00:36:15.10
Have you noticed that?
00:36:15.14\00:36:16.47
I'm with him on that, you know,
that's just one more thing do.
00:36:16.50\00:36:20.24
So, you know,
the grass, it's fine,
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.64
it will come back
when the rain comes again,
00:36:22.68\00:36:24.38
but notice, when
it stops raining,
00:36:24.41\00:36:26.51
the grass doesn't grow.
00:36:26.55\00:36:29.38
But when the rain comes,
00:36:29.42\00:36:33.25
then the grass
starts to grow again
00:36:33.29\00:36:37.09
as I realized yesterday
as I was mowing my lawn.
00:36:37.13\00:36:43.10
In fact, when the rain comes,
the grass can't help but grow.
00:36:43.13\00:36:49.14
God says, "So shall My Word
be that goes out of My mouth."
00:36:49.17\00:36:53.58
He goes onto say,
"It will not return
00:36:56.34\00:36:58.65
to Me void or empty
00:36:58.68\00:37:00.08
but it will
accomplish what I please
00:37:00.12\00:37:02.55
and it will prosper in the thing
00:37:02.58\00:37:04.29
for which I sent it."
00:37:04.32\00:37:06.12
Do you believe that? Amen.
00:37:06.15\00:37:07.79
Do you believe when
you open the Word of God,
00:37:07.82\00:37:09.52
and God promises
something to you,
00:37:09.56\00:37:11.83
do you believe
that you can bank on it?
00:37:11.86\00:37:14.26
Amen.
00:37:14.30\00:37:17.90
Now let me tell you
something this morning.
00:37:17.93\00:37:19.27
I have a neat
little way of knowing
00:37:19.30\00:37:22.04
whether you believe
those things or not,
00:37:22.07\00:37:23.41
your pastors do by the way.
00:37:23.44\00:37:26.24
You know, how I know?
00:37:26.27\00:37:28.71
You practice it. Amen.
00:37:28.74\00:37:31.38
You see the people who
don't practice the Word
00:37:31.41\00:37:33.38
and make excuse for
practicing the Word,
00:37:33.42\00:37:35.98
deep down inside
don't believe it's possible.
00:37:36.02\00:37:39.75
I have had people tell
me, "It's just too difficult."
00:37:39.79\00:37:42.36
Yeah, for you maybe.
Is it difficult for God?
00:37:42.39\00:37:46.19
God says, "My word
won't return to Me void."
00:37:51.17\00:37:56.50
You know, the Bible contains
00:37:59.11\00:38:00.44
such preaches
instructions and direction.
00:38:00.48\00:38:04.61
We live in a generation
that is biblically illiterate.
00:38:04.65\00:38:07.28
Did you know the Bible
gives us instruction on health,
00:38:07.32\00:38:11.89
on family, on
marriage, parenting, work,
00:38:11.92\00:38:17.76
work relations, how
to deal with our boss.
00:38:17.79\00:38:20.70
I mean, the Bible
gives practical instruction
00:38:20.73\00:38:23.30
that if we would
simply put it into practice.
00:38:23.33\00:38:27.20
You'll say,
"Well, wait a minute,
00:38:27.24\00:38:28.57
Pastor, if I went to
put that into practice,
00:38:28.60\00:38:30.61
I mean, I'm not able to do it."
00:38:30.64\00:38:32.37
No, but God is.
00:38:32.41\00:38:34.34
You step forward in faith
00:38:34.38\00:38:35.71
and the power of
God is in that Word.
00:38:35.74\00:38:39.75
It will transform your life.
00:38:39.78\00:38:43.69
"Ezekiel, preach to the bones."
00:38:43.72\00:38:45.15
There they were
standing on their feet
00:38:45.19\00:38:47.22
with the flesh and the muscle,
00:38:47.26\00:38:48.59
but they were
void, they were empty,
00:38:48.62\00:38:50.66
there was no life in them.
00:38:50.69\00:38:52.39
I was reading this story.
00:38:59.63\00:39:03.14
It was printed in
the September 20 issue,
00:39:03.17\00:39:05.67
2004 of MacLean's Magazine.
00:39:05.71\00:39:09.18
It tells about a
man named Jim Sulkers,
00:39:09.21\00:39:12.21
he was a municipal
worker from Winnipeg.
00:39:12.25\00:39:16.45
Fifty three years old,
went home, went to bed,
00:39:16.48\00:39:18.95
climbed in his bed, died in bed.
00:39:18.99\00:39:21.36
And wasn't found
until two years later.
00:39:25.93\00:39:32.10
Of course, he was a
very responsible person,
00:39:32.13\00:39:35.97
he had his checks,
his retirement checks
00:39:36.00\00:39:39.61
going into his bank account
00:39:39.64\00:39:41.94
and then he had
automatic payment setup,
00:39:41.98\00:39:43.61
so all his bills
were still being paid.
00:39:43.65\00:39:45.78
Apparently, he had
a medical condition
00:39:45.81\00:39:48.15
that kept his
body from decomposing,
00:39:48.18\00:39:50.02
they found him
a mummified state.
00:39:50.05\00:39:51.65
For two years,
00:39:51.69\00:39:53.25
people thought
this man was alive
00:39:53.29\00:39:55.76
but he was dead.
00:39:55.79\00:39:59.26
I wonder how many
of us, how many people
00:39:59.29\00:40:02.03
that are name the name of Christ
00:40:02.06\00:40:03.43
that sit in our
churches with the name
00:40:03.47\00:40:05.13
that they are alive
but spiritually inside,
00:40:05.17\00:40:06.97
they are empty, they are dead.
00:40:07.00\00:40:08.67
The Lord says, "Ezekiel,
prophesy to the breath."
00:40:12.64\00:40:15.74
I want you to see something
with me in the book of Matthew,
00:40:19.38\00:40:21.38
chapter 12.
00:40:21.42\00:40:23.08
To me, this is one of
the most important parables
00:40:26.65\00:40:30.83
that Jesus told.
00:40:30.86\00:40:34.86
Matthew 12:43.
00:40:34.90\00:40:37.63
Matthew 12:43.
00:40:44.71\00:40:48.41
Jesus says,
"When an unclean spirit
00:40:51.65\00:40:53.85
goes out of a," what?
00:40:53.88\00:40:55.22
A man.
00:40:55.25\00:40:56.58
"A man, a person, he
goes through dry places."
00:40:56.62\00:41:02.92
Other translations say
erred places, desert places.
00:41:02.96\00:41:08.56
"He goes through dry places
seeking rest and finds none.
00:41:08.60\00:41:14.54
Then he says, 'I will return
to my house from which I came.'
00:41:14.57\00:41:19.67
And when he comes,
he finds it," what?
00:41:19.71\00:41:23.98
"Empty, swept, and
garnished," or put in order.
00:41:24.01\00:41:29.12
Okay?
00:41:29.15\00:41:30.49
His house, this
evil spirit's house
00:41:30.52\00:41:32.35
that he left,
00:41:32.39\00:41:33.72
what was the house that he left?
00:41:33.76\00:41:35.09
A person. It was a person.
00:41:35.12\00:41:37.76
He leaves the person.
00:41:37.79\00:41:40.76
He is looking for
places, evidently that person
00:41:40.80\00:41:43.30
had made a
decision in their life
00:41:43.33\00:41:44.77
that caused
evil spirit to leave.
00:41:44.80\00:41:47.74
There was only one
problem, when that evil spirit
00:41:47.77\00:41:50.94
couldn't find
anywhere to go, he says,
00:41:50.97\00:41:52.44
"Well, maybe I can find
occupancy at my old house."
00:41:52.47\00:41:55.01
And he goes back, and
how does he find the house?
00:41:55.04\00:42:00.08
He finds it swept and in order.
00:42:00.12\00:42:05.35
It looked nice, but
there was nothing inside.
00:42:05.39\00:42:11.39
This is what
Ezekiel is talking about.
00:42:11.43\00:42:14.26
You've got the people
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.46
that are standing on their feet,
00:42:16.50\00:42:17.83
they have got the flesh,
they have got the muscle,
00:42:17.87\00:42:19.47
but there is no breath in them,
there is no spirit in them.
00:42:19.50\00:42:23.24
Outwardly, they profess to be
these stellar servants of Jesus
00:42:23.27\00:42:26.94
but inside there's nothing.
00:42:26.98\00:42:29.04
How is it in your experience?
00:42:35.88\00:42:37.49
Do you feel like you have
to put your church face on?
00:42:40.59\00:42:43.16
Do you feel like you have to
00:42:46.19\00:42:47.60
put on a front
to be a Christian?
00:42:47.63\00:42:49.86
That in your heart,
00:42:52.87\00:42:54.20
you're really
desiring other things
00:42:54.24\00:42:55.57
and maybe even
sitting here this morning
00:42:55.60\00:42:57.07
there are things that
you hold in your heart,
00:42:57.11\00:42:59.27
lies, directions
that you were going
00:42:59.31\00:43:01.14
that are in contrast
with the religion of Christ,
00:43:01.18\00:43:03.85
and yet nobody knows.
00:43:03.88\00:43:07.25
I bet somebody does.
00:43:07.28\00:43:09.78
See you can fool me
and you can even fool
00:43:09.82\00:43:11.15
your pastors but
you can't fool the Lord.
00:43:11.19\00:43:13.29
And maybe in that condition,
you find yourself in no hope.
00:43:17.43\00:43:19.83
Maybe you find
yourself, you say,
00:43:19.86\00:43:21.40
"You know, the
reason I'm that way
00:43:21.43\00:43:22.76
is because I don't
know the way out of it."
00:43:22.80\00:43:24.20
Listen, can these bones live?
00:43:24.23\00:43:26.40
Amen.
00:43:26.43\00:43:28.40
No matter how down and out,
there is sun bleached bones,
00:43:30.74\00:43:33.84
they have been dead for years.
00:43:33.88\00:43:36.31
Can these bones live?
00:43:36.34\00:43:39.81
There was no case
that it's so far gone
00:43:39.85\00:43:42.48
that God can't revive you
if you'll simply come to Him
00:43:42.52\00:43:47.96
and ask Him for that revival.
00:43:47.99\00:43:51.73
Hear, O bones, hear
the Word of the Lord.
00:43:51.76\00:43:55.40
There are multitudes today
who take comfort in the fact
00:44:01.17\00:44:04.47
that their name is
on some church role.
00:44:04.51\00:44:08.18
They are joined to the church
but are they joined to Christ?
00:44:08.21\00:44:11.31
Turn with me back
to the book of Ezekiel.
00:44:18.25\00:44:20.86
Chapter 37.
00:44:25.99\00:44:28.00
Look at verse 13 with me.
00:44:40.01\00:44:41.51
The Lord says here,
00:44:46.75\00:44:48.58
"Then you shall know
00:44:48.62\00:44:54.62
that I'm the Lord."
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.79
I want you to notice...
00:44:56.83\00:44:58.16
That the point being made here
00:45:03.57\00:45:05.20
is not that you'll
know that there is a God.
00:45:05.23\00:45:09.37
A lot of people know about God,
00:45:09.40\00:45:11.17
even church
members know about God.
00:45:11.21\00:45:13.07
They know what it
says in the Bible,
00:45:13.11\00:45:14.44
they can tell you
the Bible stories.
00:45:14.48\00:45:16.91
But when He says,
00:45:16.95\00:45:18.28
"Then you shall
know that I am the Lord."
00:45:18.31\00:45:19.88
What He is saying is,
00:45:19.91\00:45:21.25
"Then you'll have
an experience with Me,
00:45:21.28\00:45:22.65
a real enough
experience that you'll know
00:45:22.68\00:45:24.65
from your own experience
that I am the life-changing,
00:45:24.69\00:45:28.19
all powerful God of heaven."
00:45:28.22\00:45:29.92
Hallelujah. When will we know?
00:45:29.96\00:45:32.13
"Then you'll know
that I'm the Lord,
00:45:32.16\00:45:33.83
when I have
opened up Your graves,
00:45:33.86\00:45:35.83
O my people
00:45:35.86\00:45:37.20
and brought you
up from your graves.
00:45:37.23\00:45:40.54
I will put My," what?
00:45:40.57\00:45:43.00
"Spirit in you
and you shall live.
00:45:43.04\00:45:47.48
And I will place
you in your own land."
00:45:47.51\00:45:50.71
Jesus says in John chapter 14,
00:45:54.22\00:45:59.15
"Let not your hearts be troubled
00:45:59.19\00:46:02.62
neither be afraid
for in My father's house
00:46:02.66\00:46:07.13
are many mansions.
00:46:07.16\00:46:10.03
If it were not so, I
would have told you."
00:46:10.07\00:46:13.80
Jesus isn't a liar, is He?
00:46:13.84\00:46:16.44
He is gone to
prepare a place for us.
00:46:16.47\00:46:20.01
He goes on to tell His disciples
00:46:20.04\00:46:21.68
that where I am, you maybe also.
00:46:21.71\00:46:25.11
It His greatest desires
00:46:25.15\00:46:26.48
that we can live
in eternity with Him,
00:46:26.51\00:46:29.12
free from the struggles
and trials of this earth
00:46:29.15\00:46:31.45
if only in the here and now,
00:46:31.49\00:46:36.12
we will fight the
good fight of faith.
00:46:36.16\00:46:37.79
We will take Him in His Word
00:46:37.83\00:46:40.76
through good times and bad times
00:46:40.80\00:46:42.66
if you can only trust the
Lord that through His power,
00:46:42.70\00:46:46.40
He can transform our lives.
00:46:46.43\00:46:48.34
He will bring us
into our own land.
00:46:48.37\00:46:51.31
He has prepared a place.
00:46:51.34\00:46:53.04
Then verse 14,
right in the middle,
00:46:57.01\00:46:59.91
"Then you shall
know that I, the Lord,
00:46:59.95\00:47:02.35
have spoken it
and performed it,"
00:47:02.38\00:47:04.65
says the Lord.
00:47:04.69\00:47:06.25
What's more difficult?
00:47:12.06\00:47:14.86
To resurrect the dead
or to change your life?
00:47:14.90\00:47:18.27
I think of what Jesus asked,
00:47:18.30\00:47:19.70
remember He
went to heal the man.
00:47:19.73\00:47:22.87
Actually the man
who was lowered down
00:47:26.34\00:47:27.78
from the ceiling,
00:47:27.81\00:47:29.14
he told him his sins
were forgiven, they said,
00:47:29.18\00:47:30.51
"Hey, who are
you to forgive sins?
00:47:30.55\00:47:34.02
The man with the withered hand,
00:47:34.05\00:47:35.38
you have all these
different examples,
00:47:35.42\00:47:36.85
who are you to forgive sins?"
00:47:36.89\00:47:38.22
Jesus said, "Let
me ask you a question,
00:47:38.25\00:47:39.59
what's more difficult?
00:47:39.62\00:47:41.09
To forgive sins or
to heal the whole man?"
00:47:41.12\00:47:44.03
But that you may
know that the Son of man
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.66
has power on
earth to forgive sins.
00:47:45.69\00:47:47.60
And He tells the man,
"You rise up and walk."
00:47:47.63\00:47:51.03
I think about that here
with the prophecy of Ezekiel.
00:47:54.67\00:47:57.11
I mean, what's more
difficult? To change a...
00:47:57.14\00:47:58.81
If God can take dead
sun bleached dried out bones
00:47:58.84\00:48:02.68
and bring them to life again,
00:48:02.71\00:48:05.65
certainly He can
change your life,
00:48:05.68\00:48:08.08
certainly He can give you
hope and victory in your life.
00:48:08.12\00:48:11.95
Don't you believe that? Amen.
00:48:11.99\00:48:15.99
Why does He want to do this?
00:48:16.02\00:48:18.03
Why does God bring us
into situations in our lives?
00:48:18.06\00:48:20.50
I mean, as I said,
we may be sitting here,
00:48:20.53\00:48:23.06
maybe we have
challenges in our homes,
00:48:23.10\00:48:26.84
maybe we have
challenges in our jobs,
00:48:26.87\00:48:28.74
maybe we've lost loved ones,
00:48:28.77\00:48:31.37
maybe it's in our
Christian experience
00:48:31.41\00:48:33.14
and we just seem
like we struggle,
00:48:33.17\00:48:34.51
and struggle, and struggle,
00:48:34.54\00:48:35.88
why does God allow
us to go through it?
00:48:35.91\00:48:39.85
Because God
knows that those things
00:48:39.88\00:48:44.75
that we have to face
will drive us to Him,
00:48:44.79\00:48:48.22
will teach us more and
more how to trust in Him.
00:48:48.26\00:48:50.63
And listen to me, it is only
00:48:50.66\00:48:54.23
when we're put in
a position of need
00:48:54.26\00:48:58.40
that we can begin to
appreciate the power of God,
00:48:58.43\00:49:01.74
not in everyone's
life but in my life.
00:49:01.77\00:49:05.11
I mean, I know people that say,
00:49:05.14\00:49:06.47
"Well, Jesus
came into the world,
00:49:06.51\00:49:07.84
I know Jesus died for sin."
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.51
But they can't believe
that He died for theirs.
00:49:10.55\00:49:14.05
"I believe that
Jesus can give victory,
00:49:14.08\00:49:17.25
but you have to
understand, pastor, for me,
00:49:17.29\00:49:19.09
I'm just too far gone."
00:49:19.12\00:49:22.66
God puts us in
difficult situations
00:49:22.69\00:49:25.23
that as we face them
00:49:25.26\00:49:26.59
and wrestle with them
and go to Him for help,
00:49:26.63\00:49:28.83
we can see His deliverance.
00:49:28.86\00:49:30.60
"And then you will
know that I'm the Lord
00:49:30.63\00:49:32.67
when I've brought
you out of your grave,
00:49:32.70\00:49:34.30
when I've put My Spirit in you.
00:49:34.34\00:49:36.57
Then you'll know by experience."
00:49:36.60\00:49:38.67
And when people
want to challenge you
00:49:38.71\00:49:40.04
and argue with you about
your religious experience
00:49:40.08\00:49:42.18
and your God and say
that's a bunch of nonsense,
00:49:42.21\00:49:45.28
you say, "No, I know
in whom I've believed."
00:49:45.31\00:49:48.02
Amen.
00:49:48.05\00:49:49.72
And I'm persuaded that
He is able to keep that
00:49:49.75\00:49:52.22
which I've committed to Him.
00:49:52.25\00:49:54.16
I want to share one
more thing with you.
00:50:06.43\00:50:08.20
On the one hand, as I
read through Ezekiel 37,
00:50:11.24\00:50:16.75
I see myself as dry
sun bleached dead bones
00:50:16.78\00:50:22.02
that need the life
that comes from Christ.
00:50:22.05\00:50:24.32
On the other hand,
00:50:28.39\00:50:31.19
I see myself not just
because I'm a minister,
00:50:31.23\00:50:35.33
I see myself and I
see you as Ezekiels,
00:50:35.36\00:50:39.83
who God has called to
prophesy to the dry bones.
00:50:39.87\00:50:45.77
There are people
you meet in your life.
00:50:45.81\00:50:50.25
There are people
you come in contact with
00:50:50.28\00:50:53.78
and the Lord urges you
through His Holy Spirit,
00:50:53.82\00:50:55.75
and says, "Go and
speak to this person.
00:50:55.78\00:50:58.35
Speak to them the words of life,
00:50:58.39\00:50:59.72
witness to them."
00:50:59.75\00:51:01.09
And you say, "Lord,
can these bones live?
00:51:01.12\00:51:05.49
This person wouldn't be
interested in religion."
00:51:05.53\00:51:10.90
The Lord has shown
me in my experience
00:51:10.93\00:51:12.60
that oftentimes it's the people
00:51:12.63\00:51:14.50
that I would think
are the most hardened
00:51:14.54\00:51:16.67
against religion
that are most open.
00:51:16.71\00:51:20.64
And so what does the devil
do, he comes and he tells us,
00:51:20.68\00:51:22.78
"Well, no, no, no,
00:51:22.81\00:51:24.15
don't even
bother with that one."
00:51:24.18\00:51:27.28
But what does the Lord say?
00:51:27.32\00:51:28.68
"Ezekiel, can these bones live?"
00:51:28.72\00:51:30.29
And Ezekiel
says, "I don't know."
00:51:30.32\00:51:33.25
And the Lord says, "Ezekiel,
you don't need to know,
00:51:33.29\00:51:36.73
just do what I told you to do."
00:51:36.76\00:51:39.73
Jesus says, "He is going
to put His Spirit within."
00:51:39.76\00:51:41.86
That's right here in
Ezekiel and in the book of Acts,
00:51:41.90\00:51:44.27
He said, you tell your Jerusalem
00:51:44.30\00:51:46.60
until the Spirit comes upon you,
00:51:46.63\00:51:48.20
"You're going to receive power
when the Spirit comes upon you
00:51:48.24\00:51:51.07
and you shall be
witnesses unto Me."
00:51:51.11\00:51:53.58
Amen.
00:51:53.61\00:51:56.18
If we're to receive the Spirit,
00:51:56.21\00:52:00.48
we can't receive the Spirit
00:52:00.52\00:52:02.35
and not be witnesses for Christ.
00:52:02.38\00:52:05.89
You know, I tell my
congregation all the time,
00:52:05.92\00:52:07.72
everyone of you is a witness.
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.79
You're either a good
witness or a bad witness.
00:52:09.82\00:52:12.86
You may not
think you're a witness,
00:52:12.89\00:52:14.23
you may not want to
be a witness, you are.
00:52:14.26\00:52:16.06
When we take the name of Christ,
00:52:16.10\00:52:17.43
we're witnesses.
00:52:17.47\00:52:18.80
And God has asked us
when the Spirit comes upon us,
00:52:18.83\00:52:20.47
He says, "I've given you
power to be witnesses for Me.
00:52:20.50\00:52:23.74
Speak My words to the people."
00:52:23.77\00:52:26.61
Even those who
seem to be impossible,
00:52:26.64\00:52:29.61
even those that it looks like
00:52:29.64\00:52:31.01
they will never make a
decision for Jesus Christ.
00:52:31.05\00:52:33.18
"Can these bones
live?" "Lord, I don't know."
00:52:33.21\00:52:35.35
"Prophesy to them."
00:52:35.38\00:52:37.42
The Word of God can
transform the lives.
00:52:37.45\00:52:41.72
Turn with me to the
book of Philippians,
00:52:47.96\00:52:49.56
and we will close
with this passage.
00:52:49.60\00:52:53.84
I find this
particular passage fascinating.
00:52:53.87\00:52:56.57
After you go through
the first few books there,
00:52:56.60\00:52:59.61
Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, Acts, Romans,
00:52:59.64\00:53:00.98
1 and 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians,
00:53:01.01\00:53:03.21
we're going to
Philippians chapter 3.
00:53:03.24\00:53:05.28
Philippians 3:8.
00:53:09.45\00:53:16.42
The Apostle Paul says,
"Yet, indeed, I count," what?
00:53:28.04\00:53:33.81
How many things? All things.
00:53:35.44\00:53:37.35
"All things lost
for the excellence
00:53:37.38\00:53:40.62
of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus, my Lord."
00:53:40.65\00:53:45.59
I'm going to tell you,
Paul had an aspiring future,
00:53:45.62\00:53:51.19
he was very well educated,
he was very well esteemed,
00:53:51.23\00:53:54.53
he gave everything
away, counted it all as loss,
00:53:54.56\00:53:57.80
so he could serve Christ.
00:53:57.83\00:54:00.30
When we don't see that
everything in this world
00:54:03.14\00:54:07.64
that we would seek for,
00:54:07.68\00:54:09.74
that all the
acclaim of this world
00:54:09.78\00:54:11.91
that we would seek
for, when we don't realize
00:54:11.95\00:54:13.88
all the pleasures of this
world that we would seek for,
00:54:13.92\00:54:16.15
when we don't
realize that that's nothing,
00:54:16.18\00:54:21.62
we've not seen Christ,
00:54:21.66\00:54:23.16
we've not had the view of Christ
00:54:23.19\00:54:26.59
that God wants to give us.
00:54:26.63\00:54:27.96
Why?
00:54:28.00\00:54:29.33
Too often it's
because we haven't
00:54:29.36\00:54:30.90
let the Word
speak to our hearts.
00:54:30.93\00:54:34.84
You know, prophesy, Ezekiel.
00:54:34.87\00:54:37.07
Well, you know
what, the Word of the Lord
00:54:37.11\00:54:38.57
can't get to you if
you don't spend time in it.
00:54:38.61\00:54:42.61
And even if you
spend time in it,
00:54:42.64\00:54:43.98
if you're not
putting it into practice,
00:54:44.01\00:54:45.41
it can't transform your life.
00:54:45.45\00:54:47.35
Paul had taken God's
Word, and even as it cut across
00:54:47.38\00:54:50.55
the grain of
everything that he was,
00:54:50.59\00:54:52.02
he said, "I die daily.
00:54:52.05\00:54:55.72
I am crucified with Christ.
00:54:55.76\00:54:57.36
I don't live
anymore. I no longer live."
00:54:57.39\00:54:59.23
He says here,
"I count all things
00:54:59.26\00:55:01.06
as lost for the Excellency
00:55:01.10\00:55:03.87
of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus, my Lord,
00:55:03.90\00:55:06.17
for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things
00:55:06.20\00:55:09.87
and count them as
rubbish that I may gain Christ."
00:55:09.90\00:55:13.38
Notice verse 9 and 10,
00:55:13.41\00:55:16.88
"And be found in Him,
00:55:16.91\00:55:18.51
not having my own righteousness
which is from the law
00:55:18.55\00:55:20.98
but that which is
through faith in Christ,
00:55:21.02\00:55:23.08
the righteousness
which is from," who?
00:55:23.12\00:55:25.75
"From God by faith."
00:55:25.79\00:55:27.26
Verse 10, especially note this,
00:55:27.29\00:55:30.26
"That I may know
Him and the," what?
00:55:30.29\00:55:33.50
Power. Power of what?
00:55:33.53\00:55:36.23
"His resurrection
00:55:36.26\00:55:38.93
and the
fellowship of His sufferings
00:55:38.97\00:55:41.27
being conformed to His death."
00:55:41.30\00:55:43.24
Verse 11, "If by any
means, I may attain to," what?
00:55:43.27\00:55:49.38
"The resurrection of
the dead." What's his point?
00:55:49.41\00:55:52.58
Notice, he separates two things,
00:55:52.61\00:55:54.55
the power of His resurrection
00:55:54.58\00:55:56.35
and being
resurrected from the dead.
00:55:56.38\00:55:59.49
In other words, Paul says,
00:55:59.52\00:56:00.86
"If I ever want to be
resurrected from the dead,
00:56:00.89\00:56:03.12
when that day comes,
00:56:03.16\00:56:04.49
I must first know
00:56:04.53\00:56:05.86
the power of Christ's
resurrection in my life."
00:56:05.89\00:56:09.80
Again, the same
apostle in Galatians 2:20 says,
00:56:09.83\00:56:12.03
"I am crucified with Christ.
00:56:12.07\00:56:13.57
I no longer live but
Christ lives in me," why?
00:56:13.60\00:56:15.80
Because when we're
crucified with Christ,
00:56:15.84\00:56:17.34
we need to experience
the power of His resurrection
00:56:17.37\00:56:19.87
breathing that breath into
us and coming to spiritual life.
00:56:19.91\00:56:23.98
Paul said, "If
there's one thing,
00:56:24.01\00:56:25.61
I count all things as
lost, if only I can know
00:56:25.65\00:56:29.25
the resurrecting
power of Christ in my life."
00:56:29.28\00:56:31.59
If only I can experience
the living Christianity
00:56:31.62\00:56:35.19
that makes me a
Christian not on one day a week
00:56:35.22\00:56:38.03
when I come to
church in the morning
00:56:38.06\00:56:39.39
and sit with my friends
but every day of the week,
00:56:39.43\00:56:41.96
every moment in my home,
every moment in my workplace
00:56:42.00\00:56:44.90
that I may know
the power of Christ's
00:56:44.93\00:56:46.47
resurrection in my life
00:56:46.50\00:56:47.94
and that Christ
may be seen in me.
00:56:47.97\00:56:49.37
Amen.
00:56:49.40\00:56:51.31
"Prophesy to the bones, Ezekiel.
00:57:00.42\00:57:04.72
And say to them, 'O dry bones,
00:57:04.75\00:57:08.06
hear the Word of the Lord,
00:57:08.09\00:57:12.19
hear the Word of the Lord.'"
00:57:12.23\00:57:14.13
Brothers and
sisters, this morning...
00:57:14.16\00:57:18.17
may we all have faith to believe
00:57:18.20\00:57:22.30
that Jesus Christ
can transform our lives,
00:57:22.34\00:57:28.41
that through our
exposure to His Word,
00:57:28.44\00:57:31.15
we may experience the
power of Christ's resurrection
00:57:31.18\00:57:35.32
and that Christ
may be seen in us.
00:57:35.35\00:57:38.02
Amen? Amen.
00:57:38.05\00:57:39.82
Let's bow our heads together.
00:57:39.85\00:57:42.89
Father in heaven, O
Father, I just pray this morning
00:57:42.92\00:57:48.60
that as we hear the
words of Ezekiel the prophet,
00:57:48.63\00:57:53.03
as we hear Your
words speaking through him,
00:57:53.07\00:57:56.10
as we feel that
our hope is gone,
00:57:56.14\00:57:57.77
that we are cut off,
00:57:57.81\00:57:59.14
Lord, help us to realize
that nobody is so far gone
00:57:59.17\00:58:01.61
that You can't save them.
00:58:01.64\00:58:03.78
Lord, if only we
will receive Your Word
00:58:03.81\00:58:06.18
and believe it and
accept it for Jesus' sake.
00:58:06.21\00:58:10.02
Father, it's in His name
that we pray these things,
00:58:10.05\00:58:12.35
Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:58:12.39\00:58:15.06