Known

“Peace be with you.”

Let’s Pray.

“Father may your will be done for us, Jesus may your word be proclaimed to us, Spirit may your work be accomplished in us. Amen.”

I. Introduction: Dreams and Realities.

Today at 1:30 a dream will become reality here at Harvest Pointe. For many years Pastor Marshall has prayed and had a vision of this building being used by various kinds of ministries. There is one specific vision he hoped would come to fruition, which is this building being used by Spanish-Speaking Church. Today at 1:30p TIR will be meeting for their first worship service in this building!

It is exciting to see our dreams become realities. Our biggest hopes and desires coming to fruition.

Over the last few weeks our students have learning about relationships through a Song of Solomon study and I have encouraged them to write in their journals the qualities and character they want in a future spouse, so that it can serve as a reminder what they ought to be looking for and hold them steady in waiting for their spouse. I have shared with them the thrill of when that page in their journals becomes a reality.

We all dream, we all have hopes, and we all would love to see them become reality.

But have you ever stopped to think about why we do this? Have you ever considered where this ability comes from? I believe that our ability to imagine and our desire to see it happen comes from God. In fact, I think it is a gracious gift from God that we can dream and imagine. For through dreaming and the use of our imagination we are able to attempt to see what lies ahead of us, which can encourage us to endure, and stir us to hope.

I remember all the dreams I had growing up. I had a very active imagination and would day dream often. In fact, my imagination was so active that when I was going to the bathroom I would get lost in another episode of defending Castle Grey Skull from the evil forces of Skeletor. I would use whatever I could find in the drawers of the sink and begin imagining entire storylines and acting them out. I probably would stay in there for hours, but these episodes would be interrupted by someone pounding on the door telling me to come out of the bathroom.

I am not here today to lift before the dreams or visions of Pastor Marshall, myself, or anyone else. What I hope pave a way for is This passage that we read in Ezekiel 37 as a dream of God’s that He is sharing with us, so that when He brings it to reality we will come to be thrilled about it.

I have to confess that I was looking forward to Ezekiel 37, the Valley of Dry bones, because it has offered the most stimulating imaginative scene my mind has ever contemplated. It immediately sweeps you away and takes you right into the scene like when Mary Poppins and the kids jump right into one of Bert’s Sidewalk chalk paintings. And naturally, I was looking forward to emphasizing dead things coming to life, and the theological concepts of resurrection. But As I was studying it I found something else about this passage I have never considered before but yet it is all over the text.

The Valley of dry bones is a vision- a dream that God has for his people. The more you get into this dream you realize that it isn’t just another dream. It is THE DREAM that God has throughout all of scripture and he is sharing it with Ezekiel, who in turn preserves it for us and now we get to listen and watch as God tells us about a dream He has about us.

Listen as God shares His dream...

Ezekiel 37:1–10 NASB95

1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’ 5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. 6 ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.” ’ ” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Did you catch that? Where you able to pick up on what God dreams about us? It happens right in the center at the end of verse 6, “and you will know that I am the Lord.”

II. God’s Dream.

A. In God’s dream no one knows Him. (v. 1-3)

1. People- God’s people are dead and they are dead because they do not want to know God.

2. Prophet- Ezekiel (v.3) doesn’t know God because he doesn’t know for sure if The bones can live again.

B. In God’s Dream He wants to be known. (v.4-6)

This is more clearly seen throughout the context. For this refrain of his is repeat over and over.

(Eze. 36:23, 36, 38)

(Eze. 37: 6, 13, 14)

C. In God’s dream He is known through:

1. Preaching (v.7-8)- God talks to his people and makes them new.

2. Praying (v.9-10)- His people talk to Him and asks to make them live.

III. God’s Dream comes true in Christ.

1 John 5:20 NASB95

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

1-Those who think they know but don’t.

Matthew 7:21-23 “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

Titus 1:16 “16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”

1 John 2:4 “4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;”

1 Samuel 2:12 “12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the Lord”

2- People who Know God.

People who have eternal life.

John 17:3 “3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

People who Act.

Daniel 11:32 “32 “By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”

People who obey his commands.

1 john 2:3 “3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

People who brag about what they know about God?

Jeremiah 9:24 “24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”

People who seek God face to face and who find comfort in being known by Him.

1 Corinthians 13:12 “12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

People who continue to grow- can’t get enough.

2 peter 3:18 “18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”