The Lord and Giver of Life

Ezekiel’s vision of a valley of dry bones. DEATH

Ruach = Spirit, wind, breath

Ruach tells him to prophesy to the bones: “ruach will enter you, give life & flesh”

Rattling & wind, bones come together, flesh

Coming of Spirit is end-times prophecy: “I will raise you from your graves”

Ezek 37:14 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Valley of dry bones reminds me of Walking Dead (actually people!)

As much potential as a pile of bones in our relationship w/God

Spiritually blind, dead, enemies of God. >Zombies!

Live as morally depraved people in a morally depraved world

Disdain God’s design for us, how we should live

Look forward to an eternity worse than death (hell to pay)

God of justice who wants vengeance for all evil

WE are walking dead, dry bones (need ruach)

Point of Pentecost: Recognize the Spirit BECAUSE He is Lord/Giver of Life

Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, 2017 Edition The Third Article

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.

In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.

On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.

This is most certainly true.

NEW ERA: Ruach, Lord/Giver of Life is HERE, fulfilling Ezekiel’s end-times prophecy!

Acts 2:15–18 ESV

15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

Acts 2:21 ESV

21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Spirit gives us Ruach, Life, Resurrection in Promised Land

Pentecost means you are filled with the Spirit

Before Pentecost, people had same faith in Messiah, resurrection to come

Mystery of Gospel made known: Filled w/ruach, connect you to death/resurrection of Jesus (faith!)

Ruach transforms you from walking dead/dry bones to saint

Right relationship w/God: new world order! “Rehumanized” in Image

Pentecost means Spirit gives His people life by His Word

Wind/Ruach rushes upon disciples to preach Gospel to world (Ezekiel!)

Fire above heads (burning bush!)

Ac 2:9–11 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians” heard disciples telling in own languages the mighty works of God!

Gal 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Pentecost=UnBabel: Spirit makes new people (church) by His Word

Pentecost: birthday of the church (baptism=2nd birthday)

Pentecost means you are sealed for the resurrection

Baptism white cloth: “stand w/o fear before judgment seat of Christ” (Early church used to gift milk & honey)

Ezek 37:14 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land” New Creation=Promised Land

Church is colony of New Creation, resurrection people today

Live like we will there, in Spirit, by His Word

Ruach makes us resurrection people in world of walking dead

As Christians, we live by the Lord & Giver of Life as His new people for a New Creation