church revitalization #2

Since I’ve been here for over six years I have performed almost 2 dozen funerals.

I have seen a lot of different, gut-wrenching ways that people process and grieve the loss of a loved one,

but the actions of one particular woman who had

lost her spouse sticks out in my mind.

She fell on the casket and started shaking her deceased husband

trying to get him to wake up,

a living picture that captured the limitations of our humanity.

As God’s image bearers we have the potential to accomplish great things,

but some thing that even the strongest man in the world

can never do is wake up a dead person.

There are some things that are impossible for us as human beings to do in this life.

here are some things that are impossible for us as human beings to do in this life. But nothing is impossible with God. God‘s power is so great, he can do anything. God can even raise the dead. The prophet Ezekiel reminds us of this great truth by revealing what only God and his great power can do. Arguably there is no clear demonstration of God‘s life giving power then in .

But nothing is impossible with God.

God‘s power is so great, He can do anything.

God can even raise the dead.

The prophet Ezekiel reminds us of this great truth by

revealing what only God and His great power can do.

Arguably there is no clear demonstration of God‘s life giving power then in .

The preceding chapter, , vividly describes one of the greatest promises

in the OT, the new covenant.

God promised his rebellious and hurting people,

who were in exile, that a day would come when

God would make a new covenant with them that would

that a day would come when God would make a new covenant with them that would transform them from the inside out. Among the benefits God promised in this new covenant were:

transform them from the inside out.

Among the benefits God promised in this new covenant were:

The indwelling of God spirit and cleansing from impurity and a new heart

The indwelling of God’s Spirit and

cleansing from impurity and

a new heart

As wonderful as this new covenant promise is in , one can be left with a nagging question by the end of the chapter – Howard got accomplish this? God had made a promise, but how could Israel know if God can or would deliver on this promise? How could I know that God has the power and the means to do what he said he would do?

As wonderful as this new covenant promise is in ,

one can be left with a nagging question by the end of the chapter –

How is God going to accomplish this?

God had made a promise, but how could Israel know if God can or would deliver on this promise?

How could I know that God has the power and the means to do what he said he would do?

This is why easy keel 37 is so important. The valley of dry bones is one of the most well-known images and all of Scripture, but it is its context and placement that makes it especially powerful to read as it explains how God says he will do what he promised. It shows that God has the power to do the impossible – even raise the dead. Dying churches are no exception.

This is why easy keel 37 is so important.

The valley of dry bones is one of the most well-known images and all of Scripture,

but it is its context and placement that makes it especially powerful to read

as it explains how God says He will do what He promised.

It shows that God has the power to do the impossible – even raise the dead.

Dying churches are no exception.

This chapter seeks to demonstrate the power of God vividly displayed in the vision valley of dry bones.

It is an exposition of that seeks to answer this question,

“how does God revitalize a dying and divided church?“ And here’s the answer:

A church is revitalized by

the power of God through

the Spirit of God at work through

the word of God

by means of a faithful Shepherd of God.

reveals that God is powerful enough to do what our dying and divided a church needs:

breathe life where there is no life and

unite those who cannot be united.

By breathing life where there is no life.

The first half of is a vision that reeks of death and despair and

it leaves the sense that this valley is

too far gone for any life to exist again. (read )

God ass Ezekiel a pressing question that drives this whole chapter and vision.

God by His Spirit sets Ezekiel down in the valley full of dry bones and asks, “Son of man, can these bones live?“

Since God knows everything, He is not asking because He doesn’t know the answer,

but to make a point.

The point is made in Ezekiel‘s response, “Lord GOD, only You know.” vv3-4

We can understand Ezekiel‘s response as not just, “God, you know…“

But an affirmation that

only God knows and

only God could make these dead, dry bones live.

From this question and answer, God proves this dialogue to be true –

God is the only one who can breathe life where there is no life.

God through His word by His Spirit is the catalyst to bring this life.

God brings life by declaring His word.

God commands Ezekiel to prophesy over these bones and declare His word to those bones,

4 "He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 "This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.” ()

In the power of God, God spoke all creation into existence when nothing existed.

Now in the power of God, He says, I will take these dead, dry bones, put flesh back on them and breathe life into them all that you may know that I am the Lord.

6 "I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”” ()

God breathes life by fulfilling His word.

The power of God is not simply seen in His declaration, but

in the fulfillment of it.

God declares His word, but we find that word fulfilled just as He says,

7 "So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.” () 10 "So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.” ()

God breathes life by explaining His word.

The vision is spoken to God’s people Israel who are in exile, suffering, and

living out the consequences of rebellion against God.

A pressing question after hearing the promise of the new covenant could be, ‘so how does this happen?’

The explanation of this vision in vv 11-14 answers that nagging question.

11 "Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 12 "Therefore, prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them, my people, and lead you into the land of Israel. 13 "You will know that I am the Lord, my people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 "I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it. This is the declaration of the Lord.’ ”” ()

These bones are the whole house of Israel that is dried up and hopeless.

This vision is a picture of what God promised to do with

His spiritually dead,

rebellious people,

behold I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves... Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I do this… I will put my Spirit within you and you will live [come to life].“

Gods people were so far gone that they were without hope.

They have as much hope to save themselves and give themselves life as

that grieving spouse trying to shake her husband awake at the funeral.

According to the book of Ezekiel Gods people are in such a place of hopeless despair that

only God and his power and might can do what we cannot.

What can God even do?

In one of the places and all the OT we are reminded that God is so powerful that

so powerful that He can’t even raise the dead. That is so powerful that he can do what is impossible for any of us humans to ever do – breathe life into that witch is dead. The point of this strategically placed chapter in Ezekiel is this: it is with this power that only comes from God that God can fill the promise of a new heart, a new spirit that dwells in us people, change them, cleanse them, and bring them back to life (). The same is true for dying churches

He can even raise the dead.

That He’s so powerful that He can do what is impossible for any of us humans to ever do

– breathe life into that witch is dead.

The point of this strategically placed chapter in Ezekiel is this:

it is with this power that only comes from God that

God can fill the promise of a new heart,

a new spirit that dwells in us people,

change them,

cleanse them, and

bring them back to life ().

The same is true for dying churches