SERMON: EAGERLY WAITING

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Psalm 13:1-6

 

Psalm 13:1How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?

    How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

 

3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

    my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,

    for he has been good to me.

 

            -- I have a confession this morning – I don’t know about you, but I hate to wait – I hate to be forced into a situation where I have no control – where I’m relying on someone or something else to respond and do their job – and there is nothing that I can do about it

            -- I feel this way at red lights – it seems like when I am in a hurry, I catch all the red lights in town – and so, I pull up there and stare at that red light and I can’t do nothing more than just wait – and it seems like it takes forever before that light changes and I can go again – I watch the green light on the side and wait in anticipation for it to turn yellow because that means I’m almost free – but, invariably, the other side of the traffic will start to move before me and there I am – stuck and waiting for my turn

            -- I feel this way at the grocery store or at the department store – you get there and there is always a line and you dutifully fall into your place – but it always seems that you got the slowest cashier in the store – or the person in front of you has a complicated order – or they can’t get their card to work – or they can’t find their money – and you wait and wait – you look over at the other lines and try to see if you can jump line, but you know from experience, if you do that, it will slow down, too – so there’s nothing more you can do but just sit there and wait and get more and more frustrated

            -- right now, we’re trying to get some repairs done on our home before the warranty runs out – and I called four times to the office before someone finally responded – and when they did, they told me that they would have the maintenance tech give me a call and schedule the appointment to come out – that was five days ago, and I haven’t heard a word – and so I’m just stuck once again in the waiting

– I can’t go on with life because it seems like I’m always waiting for something to happen – I saw a quote on the internet the other day that said that the adult life is simply saying, “Once we get past…fill in the blank…then things will slow down – then things will get better – then we can get on with our lives” – but there’s always something in that blank that makes us wait and wait and long for the future

-- we see that in the world around us, too – we look at what’s going on around us – politically – economically – socially – culturally – we see how people are to each other – we see the sin and violence and injustice all around us – and we think, “God said that He was going to come back and make all things right” – but it’s not happening – and we’re stuck just waiting for the promise to come to pass

 

            -- It seems like God’s people are always waiting – just look at this Psalm here – scholars believe that David wrote this Psalm after he was anointed by Samuel to be king of Israel – but at this time, Saul is chasing David around the countryside and trying to kill him

            -- all the promises that God made to David are just distant – they’re just out there on the horizon – and David looks around and says here in verse 1, “How long, Lord? – How long is this going to last – are you going to forget about me forever?”

            -- David is caught in the waiting – and it feels like the promise is never going to happen – it feels like God has forgot about him – that nothing is ever going to change

 

            -- look at verse 2

 

Psalm 13:2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

 

 

            -- you can feel the frustration in David’s words there – you’ve probably experienced something similar – especially, if it’s something major – like waiting to get better after a long illness – waiting for a family member to turn their lives around – waiting for a prodigal child to come home again

            -- it just feels like it’s never going to happen – and so, we just cry out like David, “How long, Lord? – How long is this going to go on” – how long will we have to wrestle with our thoughts and have sorrow in my heart day after day after day – how long will evil win and our enemies triumph over us?

            -- the waiting is hard – the waiting is not fun – the waiting is extremely difficult – and a lot of the time, we just don’t understand why – and we can get lost in the waiting and find ourselves in sadness and despair, like David

-- in his book, “Reaching for the Invisible God,” Phillip Yancey tells a story about a person who found themselves so lost in the waiting their faith had begun to falter – Yancey says this person was raised in a Christian home and had absorbed the Christian faith along with other family values from their parents -- But one day, they faced a crisis that tested their faith in God – and they found themselves waiting on Him to respond – and when He didn’t, they felt lost and abandoned

-- and this wasn’t someone who was new to the faith or who didn’t know God in a real and personal way – they had experienced God’s grace throughout their lives -- They had been saved and baptized -- They prayed and read the Bible and attended church on a regular basis – they did all the things we are told we are supposed to do

-- And at times, they had really felt close to God and experienced Him working in their life – but now, all of a sudden, that sense of closeness disappeared – it felt like God was gone – when they prayed – when they went to church -- they felt nothing -- they began to doubt their past experiences with God – did they really happen? – were they real?

-- waiting for God in that season caused their faith to falter and they wondered if they had been living under an illusion, walking with a myth -- In the depths of their soul they cried out, "Does God really exist?  Is He really out there?"          

-- the same thing that David is doing here in this Psalm – maybe the same thing you have done in your life in the past

 

-- it’s hard to live in the waiting – it’s hard to have the promise – to hold on to faith in the promise and faith in God – when nothing seems to happen

-- the Israelites understood that more than anyone else – their whole life was wrapped up in the waiting

-- it’s in the Book of Genesis that we first see the promise of the Messiah as God tells Adam and Eve that He is going to send His Seed to crush the head of the serpent and deliver mankind from their sin

-- and Adam and Eve waited – and waited – and waited – and nothing happened

-- for thousands of years – across thousands of generations – the Israelites waited for the promise to be fulfilled – they longed for the Messiah – they looked for Him with the birth of every new Jewish boy – but for thousands of years, nothing happened – and the Israelites and all of creation cried out to God, “How long, Lord? – How long until He comes to make all things new?”

 

-- David is experiencing that same frustration and despair here in Psalm 13 as he waits for God’s promise to come to pass in his life – look at verse 3

 

Psalm 13:3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 

 

-- David is crying out to God with all his heart here and saying, “Answer me, God – Look at me and tell me what is going on – I don’t understand – give light to my eyes – reveal to me the truth – or I am going to just give up and let my enemy kill me and rejoice over my fall”

-- what do we do in the wait? – how do we survive the waiting – the despair – the sadness – of not seeing God do anything – of not seeing the promise come to pass?

 

            -- a lot of people give up – just think about Zechariah the priest that we read about in Luke 1 – Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were faithful followers of God – the Bible says they were righteous in the sight of God – observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly – but they found themselves losing hope and losing faith as Elizabeth remained childless and as the couple grew older and older

            -- it seemed like the promise – their hope in a child – in the blessing of God – would never come to pass – and although they remained faithful and righteous, they gave up hope that God would ever bless them in this way – they found themselves in the waiting, despairing of ever having a child, surviving only through their faith

            -- but God chose to bless them in a miraculous way – allowing Elizabeth to have a son in her old age, who would be the one to make straight the path for the Messiah – to bear John the Baptist, who would come in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the way for the Lord

            -- faith is the only way to make it through the waiting – and when we don’t give up – when we remain faithful – when we trust in God, despite our fears and worries and despair – miracles happen – just like it did for Zechariah and Elizabeth

            -- the promise always happens, but it happens in God’s timing and God’s ways and not ours – we see the same thing with David here

 

            -- verse 5-6

 

Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

    my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,

    for he has been good to me.

 

            -- David is known as the man after God’s own heart – his faith was strong – his heart was always turned to the Lord – and even though he experienced times of sadness and despair – even though he experienced moments in his life when he started to doubt, his faith buoyed him – his faith kept him afloat

            -- after crying to God in pain and despair – How long, Oh God, how long? – David finally rests on the promise and on his faith in the God that he has known his whole life

            -- he reaches the point where he resigns himself to just trust in the Lord – to not demand his own way – to not demand that things happen in his timing or in the way that he wants – and David bows his head and in humility proclaims, “But I trust in your unfailing love”

            -- God has been good to him in the past – he has seen and experienced God’s grace and mercy in his life – he has felt the hand of God leading him – and so, David bows down and says, “I don’t understand – I don’t like this – but I am going to trust You because I know that you love me and that You only have good planned for my life”

            -- and we know the end of that story – it didn’t happen immediately – it didn’t happen the way David thought it would – it was years later that Saul and his sons were killed in battle with the Philistines – and David was raised up by the entire nation of Israel to be their king, in fulfillment to the promise that God had given David when he was a child

 

            -- and in the same way, we find ourselves in this Advent Season in another period of waiting – Jesus rose from the dead nearly 2000 years ago – having offered Himself – His body and His blood – as an atonement for our sin

            -- and He promised us at that time that He was going to come again – that He was going to prepare a place for us – and that He would return and bring us with Him, so that we might live with Him forever

            -- for 2000 years, we have been waiting in anticipation of that day – for 2000 years, we have been stuck – looking around us as the world has grown darker and sin and violence and injustice surrounded us – and crying out, “How long, O God, how long until you come again and make all things right?”

            -- and all we can do is stand on the promise like David did – and trust in God and His love for us – and believe with all our hearts that Jesus is coming back again – as we look forward to the fulfillment of the promise

 

            -- Romans 8:28 says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose"

-- this verse tells us, "Don't doubt -- trust God,” when we find ourselves in the waiting

-- even though Jesus has not come back yet – even though the blessing has been delayed -- even though the healing hasn't come -- even though the thing we most desire and most earnestly seek in our lives hasn't happened, doesn't mean that God isn't going to do it – it just means it hasn’t happened yet

            -- God’s promises are always true – God’s promises will always come to pass – and He will always answer our prayers -- He will always work for the good of those who love Him -- if answers to your prayers are not coming, then one of three things is going on -- either you are asking for the wrong thing -- or it is just not God's timing -- or He is using your situation to mold you and make you into a better Christian

-- when God answers prayers, you can be sure that it will be in a way that brings glory to Himself -- our task is to trust and believe in God and His promise -- to pray fervently and to trust that God not only can, but will, work in our lives to bring good out of all situations

 

            -- a lot of us find ourselves lost in the waiting in our lives today – not just for Jesus to come back – but for God to work in our lives to help us through times of trial and trouble

-- we understand what it was like for David – he had waited a long time for the promise to come to pass – he had lived in fear for his life as Saul sought to kill him – it looked like he would never become king as God had promised – the waiting had become unbearable

-- we understand how Zechariah and Elizabeth felt -- Luke tells us in Luke 1:7 that they were both “well along in years” – they were old – too old to have children -- Elizabeth's womb had closed – it seemed like the waiting had gone on too long

            -- and we understand what the people of Israel felt like as they waited for the coming of the Messiah -- for generations and generations, the people had suffered through persecution and oppression – they had seen the Promised Land fall under the rule of Gentiles – and it felt like the waiting would never end -- as the years went by and God remained silent, their hearts and faith began to fail and they were left only with empty religious practices and no real hope of the Savior who was to come – all they had was the waiting

            -- and sometimes we feel like that, too – when the sickness lingers – when the bank account dwindles – when storms destroy our lives – when families break apart – and we look at the promise and we cry out to God, but we don’t see anything happening

            -- it’s in those moments that we must live on the foundation of faith – that we must put our full faith and trust in God, just as David did – just as Zechariah and Elizabeth did – just as the nation of Israel did

            -- because we are told in God’s word that He will never leave us or forsake us – and that all His promises will come to pass – we have to trust in Him and put our faith in Him and just bear through the waiting for the miracle and the glory to come

 

III.  Closing

-- I read a story about a pastor who was very successful in his ministry, which included traveling around the country to speak to other churches and spiritual conferences

-- one time, while he was on a long flight, he started getting worried when the warning light flashed up and the flight attendant told everyone to fasten their seat belts – this was out of the ordinary – and he started to get a little alarmed

-- a few minutes later, the flight attendant spoke again over the intercom and said that they would not be serving beverages at this time because they were expecting a little turbulence and to make sure their seat belts were securely fastened

-- As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. -- a short while later, the flight attendant spoke through the speaker again -- "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us." 

-- And then the storm broke -- you could hear the thunder and the noise of the wind and the rain above the roar of the engines -- Lightning lit up the dark skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean -- One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air -- the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash. 

-- The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him -- He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed -- Some were praying. – some were holding on to their seats with all the strength they had -- The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm

--  And then, across the aisle, I saw something amazing – there was this little girl sitting on her seat without a care in the world -- She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat and was reading a book -- Everything within her small world was calm and orderly -- Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would open them and start reading again -- every now and then she would straighten her legs -- but worry and fear were not in her world

-- even as the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm -- when it lurched this way and that -- as it rose and fell with frightening severity -- when all the adults were scared half to death -- that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." 

-- The minister could hardly believe his eyes – he had never seen such peace in someone in the midst of a storm -- when the plane landed and all the other passengers were rushing off into the airport, the pastor hung around to speak to the girl that he had watched for such a long time

-- he commented about the terrifying storm and how the plane was being knocked about and how the flight was so rough and so dangerous -- and then he asked her why she didn't seem afraid -- the little girl replied, "Sir, my Dad is the pilot, and he promised me that we were going home” 

 

            -- sometimes life gets hard – we find ourselves tossed and turned by the storms of life – we find ourselves in the midst of trials and troubles – just waiting for God to move – waiting for God to responding – waiting for the promise to come to pass

-- and there is choice for us to make when we face times like that – we can approach them like most of the people on that plane did – in fear and in panic – in frustration that we’re waiting and nothing seems to be happening

-- or we can face it like David did – like Zechariah and Elizabeth did – in faith and in trust that God is going to do what He promised us He would do – that He will respond to us and take care of us and lead us home in the end

-- here in this Advent season, we are eagerly waiting and anticipating the coming of Christ, just as other faithful Christians have done over the past 2000 years – Christ hasn’t come back yet – and it would be easy to give up – to lose hope – to start to doubt if He is really coming again or not

-- and that’s when we have to trust in Him and in His promise – He promised to never leave us or forsake us – He promised us eternal life and victory over sin and death through His very body and blood – He promised that He is going to prepare a place for us and that He is going to come again and take us to be where He is

-- He promised that He will make all things right – that there will be a new heaven and a new earth and that He will live with us forever in a place where there will be no more tears and no more crying

-- and even though He hasn’t come yet, we need to wait in faith and not lose hope – because we know that God will do what He said He would do – just like the father of that little girl on the plane, God has promised us that we are going home – and we have to wait and trust in His promise in faith until it happens

 

-- so, let us live lives of eager anticipation of the coming of Christ – let us faithfully wait for Christ’s return – let us never get tired of the waiting – but let us live in faith and in hope for the day that Jesus comes again

            -- as Christians who have experienced the presence of the Christ who came at Christmas, we should be getting up every morning thinking, “This might be the day!” -- we should be breathlessly awaiting the coming of Jesus again -- His second coming when He will come in power and majesty to set up His kingdom on earth

            -- every morning for us should be like Christmas morning to a child -- because we know that this could be the day that we see the redemption of the world

            -- to do that, we must prepare our hearts -- we have to be living for God -- we have to be in a right relationship with Him -- living holy and devout lives of faithfulness -- and we have to be ready for His coming by enduring the waiting in faith

 

            -- so, let’s rejoice in the waiting this morning as we prepare to celebrate again the coming of Jesus -- let us prepare our hearts to receive Him anew -- let us look forward to His coming with anticipation and excitement -- and let us commit to living lives of righteousness and faithfulness for Him today and all the days to come       -- let us pray

SERMON: THE PROMISE OF A HOME

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to 1 Chronicles 17:1-14

 

1 Chronicles 17:1 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

 

2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

 

3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

 

4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. 5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

 

7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

 

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”

 

            -- in 1942, a dream was born in rural south Georgia – while studying God’s word, the eyes of a young man were opened to the reality of social and economic injustices and inequalities in the south – instead of adopting the ubiquitous racism of his society, Clarence Jordan began to see how the culture and society of the south at that time were not congruent with the message of God’s word

            -- and while recognizing that he could not change society as a whole, he could do one thing – he could take the resources that he had been given, and seek to make a difference in his community – and with that vision and with a goal of emulating Christ’s kingdom on earth, Clarence Jordan created what he called the Koinonia Community – “a place where everyone — no matter race, gender or wealth — would be welcomed”

            -- working side-by-side with his poor black and white neighbors alike and in the face of sometimes extreme opposition and persecution, Jordan’s vision grew and the 400-acre farm became profitable, changing the trajectory of the lives of those involved as they tried to implement biblical principles into their overall lives together

            -- when economic realities took over and the younger members of the community decided to leave to seek better economic opportunities elsewhere, Jordan looked at the dwindling membership at Koinonia and realized that more than just community was needed – people needed to be able to transform their beliefs into tangible economic realities that would sustain them in the future – and part of that was improving their living conditions

            -- partnering with Millard Fuller, “they developed the concept of “partnership housing” — whereby those in need of adequate shelter would work alongside volunteers to build affordable houses. The houses would be built at no profit. Homeowners would pay no-interest loans over a 20-year period. Those payments, along with money earned by fundraising, would create “The Fund for Humanity,” a revolving fund which would enable the continual construction of homes for more families.”

            -- this movement would eventually become the heart of the ministry, and Habitat for Humanity was born – an international ministry that works to provide housing to the most needy and to help them transform their lives – economically – materially – and spiritually – by helping them realize their greatest hope – a home of their own¹

 

            -- the greatest hope and dream of most people today is having a home – a place of their own – a place of safety and security in the midst of the storms of life – a place where you can go and be safe from the evils of the world outside

            -- it’s always nice to travel – to go out and see new places and meet new people – but one of the best things about a trip is when you come home – when you unload the car and you take your bags inside and you set them down – for in that moment, there is a sense of peace – a sense of belonging – a sense that everything is right and secure again – home means something special

            -- and in a very real sense, this hope is the promise of the gospel – for through His atoning death on the cross and the resurrection, Christ has given us the promise of a home with Him in eternity – and it is this promise of home that gives us hope and that sustains us through our lives here on earth today

            -- the Israelites certainly understood the hope that was inherent in a desire for a home – for generations, they lived with the hope of the Promised Land – as they were captives in Egypt – as they were exiled in Assyria and Babylon – as they were scattered throughout the world – their hope was always in home – in returning to a place that would be their own – established for eternity as promised by God

            -- this desire – this longing – for a home is something that God has placed in all of our hearts – all humans, everywhere, have this desire and longing – and the homes that we all enjoy – the homes that we all will return to after this service – are but a picture of the eternal home that God has promised us in His word – this is our hope – this is the promise of Christmas

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (1 Chronicles 17:1-14)

            -- as we continue on in our Advent season and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, I wanted us to look at a passage from the Old Testament where God implicitly links the promise of home with the Messiah

            -- if you would, look back with me now at 1 Chronicles 17:1-2

 

1 Chronicles 17:1 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

 

2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

 

 

            -- as this chapter opens, we find David firmly established in Jerusalem as the king of all Israel – the civil war within Israel was over, with Saul and his sons having been killed in battle by the Philistines, effectively ending his pursuit and jealousy of David – recognizing God’s anointing of David and his military prowess, the people of Israel gathered at Hebron to make David king of all Israel – and he made Jerusalem the seat of his government

            -- it was shortly after this that David had the Ark of the Covenant moved to Jerusalem and the tabernacle – the tent that God had Moses prepare in the wilderness – set up in Jerusalem as the official place of worship for all Israel

            -- one day, as David is relaxing in his palace, the thought came to him that God had blessed him with a house and a home, and he desired to do the same for God – to build for God a permanent structure where God’s presence could reside among the people of Israel

            -- it seemed like a good idea – and initially, Nathan the prophet agreed with David to press forward with his goal – but later that night, God spoke to Nathan in a dream

 

            -- verse 3-6

 

1 Chronicles 17:3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

 

4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. 5 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. 6 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

 

 

            -- as you know, the Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of God for the Israelites – it was there – above the Ark in the Holy of Holies – that God would meet with the High Priest and the Shekinah glory of the Lord would be manifested

            -- it was there that atonement was made for the people on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement – the one day of the year when the High Priest was allowed through the veil and into the presence of God to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people

            -- for over 400 years -- ever since the people of Israel had been redeemed from Egypt and brought across the Red Sea during the exodus, the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant had moved with them – as they had wandered in the wilderness and as they had entered into the Promised Land, God had the tabernacle move alongside them – His presence going with them wherever their feet might trod

            -- and God reminds Nathan here in this dream or vision that at no point during this wandering had He commanded anyone to build Him a permanent home – a house of cedar where the Ark might reside permanently

            -- I think there was a reason God did that – I think there was a reason God chose not to establish a permanent home among the Israelites up to that point – you see, our hope is in eternal life with God – our hope is in an eternal home with God – a permanent dwelling place with Him in heaven

            -- by having the tabernacle move and the presence of God on earth move with it, God was reminding the Israelites that this world was not their home – that even the Promised Land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem was not their home – and the Holy of Holies where the Ark and His presence resided pointed to the hope of a permanent home with God in heaven forever

            -- this wandering was to keep the eyes of the Israelites fixed on their true hope – not a land in which they could dwell – but a home with God forever

 

            -- verse 7-10a

 

1 Chronicles 17:7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10a and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

 

 

            -- the main difference between the nation of Israel and the nations around them was how they related to their gods – Israel knew the One True God – Yahweh – the Lord God Almighty – who had called out to Abram in Ur and given him the hope of a home in the Promised Land – who had called the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob His own – the chosen – the ones that He had elected out of all the world to be the bearers of His name – the race through which His Word and His Messiah would come

            -- and the Israelites recognized that all they were and all they had came from the hand of their God, Yahweh – it was He who blessed them – it was He who had done such great and wonderful things for them – God had called them and chosen them by His grace to be His people – and this was different from the way the other nations looked at their gods

            -- in their religions, their gods had called them and created them to serve – because their gods were not capable of doing all things on their own, the people were created to meet the needs of their god – they were created to serve and provide for their god – and their worship of idols and sacrifices they made were ways to appease their god and provide for them what they needed

 

            -- God affirms that difference here in these verses – He tells Nathan to remind David of the blessings that God had given David – that it was God who took David from the pasture and anointed him as the ruler of God’s people Israel

            -- it was God who empowered David to lead the armies of Israel to victory against their many enemies – it was God who blessed David and made his name great

            -- it was God – omnipotent – omnipresent – omniscient – all powerful – all present – all knowing – that did all these things – so, what could David do for Him?

– if God had wanted a permanent home on earth, then God would have made it happen – He would have commanded it – because He was not like the false gods around them – He did not need men to serve Him as these gods did – because the God of Israel was the Lord God Almighty and all things and all blessings flowed from Him to us and not vice versa

 

            -- so, as David expresses his desire to serve God by creating a permanent house for the Ark of the Covenant, God reiterates the promise that had been made in the beginning – He tells David that He will make David’s name like the names of the greatest men on earth – and He would provide a place for Israel and plant them there so that they could have a home of their own

            -- this would be a place of peace and safety and security – no longer would they be disturbed – no longer would they be oppressed – no longer would their enemies come against them, because God would subdue all their enemies

 

            -- now, something you need to realize here is the dual fulfillment of prophecy that we see in the Bible – remember, that everything – that all the promises of God – that all the prophecies of God – ultimately point towards Jesus and the salvation that He brings

            -- with a lot of the prophecies in the Old Testament, there is an immediate fulfillment of the prophecy that is experienced by the people that the prophecy is given to – but there is a complete fulfillment of the prophecy at the end of time – that is the case with this prophecy and promise that God is giving to David through Nathan

            -- for a time, the nation of Israel would enjoy peace and security under David – David would continue on and subdue all his remaining enemies through the power of God and God’s will – God would make a secure and firm place for the nation in Israel and put His presence in Jerusalem – but it would not be permanent

            -- lest we forget, not long after David dies, the nation of Israel is split into two – the people stray from the true worship of God and chase after idols and false gods – and are

punished by exile into a foreign land

            -- and even after returning to the Promised Land, the nation no longer is free but remains under the authority of other nations – all the way through the time of Jesus, when the Romans ruled over Israel – and all the way through modern history – as the Jews were dispersed throughout other countries in the world and had no nation of their own, until 1948 when the modern nation of Israel was formed

            -- so, this promise of God to David here is a temporary promise for David and Solomon – it has an immediate fulfillment through David and his son Solomon, but it does not last

            -- instead, it points to a future fulfillment through Christ – when, at the end of time, the people of God will receive their permanent home with Him forever

 

            -- look at verse 10b-14

 

1 Chronicles 17:10b “‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”

 

            -- once again, we see one of those promises from God that has an immediate and an eternal fulfillment

            -- God tells David that David will not build a house for Him, but that He will build a house for David – speaking of the legacy of David’s lineage

            -- He says that one of David’s own sons will succeed him and that the kingdom will be established through him – He will be the one who builds a house for God, and his throne will be established forever

            -- God will be his father, and he will be God’s son – God will never take away his love from him, as He took it away from Saul – David’s descendant will be set over the house of God and His kingdom forever, and His throne will be established forever

 

            -- so, what’s going on here? – obviously, God is talking about Solomon here – for we know that Solomon becomes the king of Israel after David and we know that Solomon builds the first temple for God – the permanent structure that mirrors the tabernacle and that will serve as the place of worship for the nation of Israel – it is here in this temple that God will allow the Ark of the Covenant to be installed in the Holy of Holies as a permanent location where His presence interacts with earth and with His chosen people

            -- but there are things that God promises here that don’t fit Solomon – we know that Solomon died and that his son Rehoboam failed in his leadership of Israel, leading to the split of the nation into two separate nations – we know that the temple no longer exists – it was destroyed around 587 BC when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and took the people captive to Babylon – and we know that there is no king in Israel today – there hasn’t been since the last king was taken into captivity in Babylon – so, what’s going on here?

            -- this promise that God is giving to David here is the promise of the Messiah – all that God promises here will be fulfilled by Jesus, the son of David – Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God – the Bible tells us that God is His Father and He is God’s Son – we know that God’s love has never been taken from Him – and we live in the hope and promise of the ultimate fulfillment of God’s Kingdom on earth, which will happen when Christ returns

 

            -- but what about verse 12, where God promises that the Messiah is the one who will build a house for Him? – what does that mean?

            -- does this mean that Jesus is going to build a temple for God in Jerusalem when He returns? – the answer is “no” – in Revelation 21:22, we read that there was not a temple in the city of God that comes down from Heaven at the last days because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple

            -- the thing you need to realize about the temple of God is that it not about a structure or a building – that’s the whole point that God is trying to make to David here in this message He is sending him through Nathan

            -- the temple itself was not holy – the tabernacle itself was not holy – this building we are sitting in is not holy – it is not the permanence of the structure or the purpose of the structure that makes it sanctified – it is the presence of God therein

            -- the tabernacle and the temple were merely the locations where God’s presence interacted with earth – where God’s presence was made manifest to man – the tabernacle and the temple were no more holy than the burning bush – but in all of those places, God’s presence made them holy – in all of those places, God was found

            -- so, in the last days, we do not need a place to go to find God because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are there – they are the temple – that doesn’t mean that they are a building or a structure or a house – but they are the place where man finds God

 

            -- so, if Jesus is not going to build a house for God in that sense – if Jesus is not going to build a new temple in Jerusalem – a building – a house – for us to go to, then what is God talking about here in verse 12? – what is the house that Jesus is going to build for Him? – and what is the place that Jesus said He was going to prepare for us in John 14:3?

            -- I’m glad you asked, because I know where the answer is – remember, the house we are talking of is going to be the place where God is found – just as God was found at the burning bush and in tabernacle and in Solomon’s temple, there will be another place for all eternity where God’s presence resides

            -- 1 Corinthians 3:16

 

1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

 

– we are that place! – we are the temple of God – the place where His presence is found today – the church of God – the people of God – filled with His very presence in the person of the Holy Spirit – is the temple of God today

            -- the house that Jesus was going to build for God was not a building of stones and timber – instead, it was a house made of living stones – the people of God – who come together to make a home for God in this world today

            -- Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:5, that we are like living stones being built into a spiritual house so that we might become a holy priesthood – offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ

            -- when God told David that his Son would be the one who would build a home for Him, He was not referring to Solomon, but to Jesus – who would build His church through His death and resurrection – who would build His kingdom through the people that were indwelt with His Spirit

            -- so, our home is found in Jesus – and our ultimate hope – that desire for home that we all have – finds its fulfillment in Christ as the Head and Cornerstone of His church and His kingdom

            -- this is the promise of God to us this Advent Season – it was this temple and this house for God that the people of Israel longed for – and it is us – God’s people, filled with His presence, who are living in the reality of this promise today as we look forward to its ultimate fulfillment in Christ at the end of days when Christ returns and dwells with us forever

 

            -- I want to close by reminding you that this promise that God gave to David was given to us in Isaiah 9:6-7, as we are told that the Son of God is coming to establish His Kingdom forever, just as David was promised here in 1 Chronicles 17

            -- listen as I read this passage to you

 

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this.

 

            -- and with this hope in our hearts today, let us close in prayer and look forward to the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom on earth forever

            -- Let us pray

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Paraphrased from story on webpage, Love Never Quits, https://www.habitat.org/stories/love-never-quits

SERMON: RISEN CHURCH

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

Naylor, Georgia

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Ezekiel 37:1-14

 

Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

 

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

 

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

 

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them 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 it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

 

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, 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 the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

 

            -- I saw a cartoon this week that really made me think – the first character asks the other, “Are you feeling any better?” – they said, “No, so I googled the symptoms” – “And, what was the result?” – they replied, “Well, according to this, I’m clinically dead”

            -- and I know the cartoonist was trying to make a joke, but when I read that cartoon, I couldn’t help but think about the church in America today

            -- I am worried about the state of the church in America -- I am worried about the state of Christians in America – things just don’t seem right

            -- when I look around me, I literally see churches on every corner -- every flavor -- every tradition -- every liturgical style -- from Baptist to Methodist to Presbyterian and all the way to the independent, nondenominational churches -- over 200 churches in Valdosta and at least 7 churches right here in Naylor – the problem isn’t the number of churches – it’s what we are doing in those churches – as those churches…

            -- when I look at the things that we have been through in the last several years in our country, from the pandemic to the divisive politics to everything else – I have to ask the question, “Where has the church been in this?”

            -- Paul and Silas were accused of turning the world upside down with the gospel of Jesus -- but no one is ever going to accuse the church in America of doing the same thing today -- as I've pointed out before, we don't even live differently from those around us -- most Christians today don't really reflect Christ and follow His commands in their lives – instead, they reflect our modern culture and hold fast to societal values more so than Christian values

            -- and with this Christian nationalism push, we’re seeing Christians trying to find power and influence in politics and government instead of trusting in God and in His power and trying to do things in accordance with His will

 

            -- in 2 Timothy 3:5, Paul warns Timothy about people like these -- "the time is coming," he wrote, "when you will see people who have a form of godliness but deny its power -- have nothing to do with them," he writes

            -- I know what it's like to have a form of godliness without the power -- I've been there -- done that -- I've lived it in my own life -- I've experienced it in many churches -- and I see it when I look at the church in America today

            -- we're like the walking dead -- we think we're alive, but when you google our symptoms, we’re really clinically dead

-- we're doing all the things we think a good church should -- we're filled with people -- we're known for our activities and our programs -- we're applauded for our ministries -- we have a reputation for being a really vibrant church, when in reality we are dead, dead, dead -- we're like the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:2 who God told, "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead"

            -- I know this seems harsh -- I know this seems critical and judgmental -- but Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 that we would know them by their fruits -- that we would recognize true believers and true churches by the fruit they bore

            -- if you're honest -- if you look at the church in America today -- if you compare our churches to the portrait of the early church that we see in the Bible -- can you say that we're bearing any fruit at all?

            -- over the last 2000 years the vibrant body of Christ that we see described in the New Testament has been replaced with an empty shell -- having a form of godliness but none of the power of God -- alive on the outside but spiritually dead on the inside

            -- is it possible for the church in America to rise from the dead? -- is it possible for the church in America to live again?

           

            -- the answer is “Of course!” – as Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible” – when God gets involved, the sick are healed – the lame will walk – and the dead will be raised to new life again

            -- that’s the message of the gospel – and we see that promise given to us right here in this passage from Ezekiel 37

 

II.  Scripture Lesson (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

            -- look back at Ezekiel 37:1-3

 

Ezekiel 37:1-3

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.

3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

 

            -- this passage in Ezekiel is a prophecy to the exiled nation of Israel – as you remember, although the nation of Israel started as one unified country, following the death of Solomon, the nation split up into two countries -- Israel to the north and Judah to the south -- but rather than following God and His commands, both countries had turned away from God and started worshiping foreign gods and relying on their own strength to save them -- and so God's judgment fell upon them

            -- both the northern and southern kingdoms ended up in captivity in Babylon -- Nebuchadnezzar had burned both the city of Jerusalem and the temple of God and carried King Jehoiachin and the leaders and young men and women of Judah and Jerusalem into captivity in Babylon -- Ezekiel was one of those who was carried to Babylon

 

            -- in these verses, Ezekiel writes that God brought him to a valley full of dry bones -- and as God led him back and forth among these bones, Ezekiel grasped what they represented -- they stood for the people of Israel – they represented the people who made up the nation of Israel -- and they showed what God's people had become by rejecting the true worship of God for a form of godliness devoid of His power

            -- notice that Ezekiel tells us these were dry bones -- everyone here knows that bones are living organisms -- when you break a bone, it will mend itself if you set it back in place -- and most of us are familiar with the medical practice of grafting bones -- inserting living pieces of bone from one person into another and having the entire bone grow back together -- bones are living organisms

            -- but, we all recognize that bones die -- if they're removed from the body -- if they're separated too long from their source of life -- they lose all signs of life and dry out -- and once a bone dries out, it dies -- a dead bone cannot be repaired -- a dead bone cannot be grafted onto another bone

            -- this is what happened to the nation of Israel – the people of Israel had turned from their source of life -- they had broken their attachment with the body -- with God -- and they had become dry and spiritually dead -- and this is what is happening to God's church in America today

            -- after God showed Ezekiel this valley of dry bones, He asked Ezekiel the question that should be on our lips today -- "Can these bones live? -- Can this nation be revived? -- Can these people become spiritually alive again?"

            -- to which Ezekiel answered, "only You know" -- God is the source of life and only God could revive these dry bones and make them live again

 

            -- verse 4-8

 

Ezekiel 37:4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'"

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

 

            -- God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the dead bones -- to prophesy means to proclaim the word of God -- to speak God's word and God's life into a situation

            -- God said, "Ezekiel, prophesy to these bones -- tell them that they will live again -- that I will bring life to the dead -- tell them that I will restore their faith -- that I will make them spiritually alive again"

            -- and as Ezekiel proclaimed God's word, the bones came together -- tendons and flesh appeared on them -- skin covered them -- but look what was missing -- there was no breath

            -- these dry bones looked alive -- if anyone had happened on this valley, they would have seen a valley full of living people -- but these restored bodies were still dead, dead, dead, because they lacked the breath of life -- the presence of God

            -- that sounds a lot like our churches in America today, doesn't it? – like a lot of us Christians today? -- alive on the outside, but spiritually dead within

 

            -- verse 9-10

 

Ezekiel 37:9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'"

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet--a vast army.

 

            -- the first time God had Ezekiel prophesy, he spoke to the dry bones of Israel -- but this time, God has Ezekiel prophesy to the Breath -- what does this mean?

            -- this is a prayer for revival -- Ezekiel cries out to the Breath -- to the Spirit of God -- and asks that the Spirit enter the walking dead standing there on the valley floor and make them wholly alive again

            -- and, as Ezekiel prayed, the Breath entered them and they became alive again -- transformed into a vast army of saints

 

            -- this picture of the dry bones coming to life after the Breath – the Pneuma -- the Spirit – entered them was a fulfillment of a prophecy that God had given Ezekiel earlier – look over at Ezekiel 36:24-28

 

Ezekiel 36:24 “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

 

            -- this is the gospel of Christ – this is the promise of the Messiah and the effects of the indwelling presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit – this is a picture of what will happen to the nation of Israel when the Spirit comes on the Day of Pentecost and the church is born

            -- before Christ – before the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost – the religion of the Israelites was void of true power – they had the law – they had a form of religion – but they didn’t have the power to follow God’s commands – they could not keep the law and they could not save themselves from the penalty of sin and death

            -- but Christ came and conquered sin and death on the cross and the empty tomb, and then He sent the Spirit to empower us and help us to live a life of true faith and obedience in Him

            -- that is what we see described for us here in Ezekiel 36 – God promises to the nation of Israel that they will be cleansed from their impurities and their idols – their sins will be forgiven

            -- they will be given a new heart and a new Spirit – in verse 27, God promises to put His Spirit in them and to move them to follow His decrees and to keep His laws

 

            -- and then, in Ezekiel 37, when He has Ezekiel prophesy and speak to the Breath, that is pointing to the Day of Pentecost, when the promise of salvation and the indwelling presence of His Spirit within us will be realized

            -- the message in these two verses is clear -- we cannot become spiritually alive on our own -- only God can bring the dead to life -- and if we want to see true and lasting revival in our lives and in our churches, we have to look to the Spirit of God, and only Him, to revive us

            -- I don't care how many revivals a church schedules -- I don't care how many guest preachers someone brings in -- unless the Holy Spirit shows up, revival is not going to happen -- only God can bring the dead to life

 

            -- verse 11-14

 

Ezekiel 37:11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.'

12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, 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 the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'"

 

            -- C.S. Lewis wrote that you had to first convince someone they were a sinner before they could accept Christ -- that's the reason God had Ezekiel prophesy first to the dry bones of Israel in the valley of the plain

            -- the nation of Israel thought they were saved because they were the chosen people of God -- they thought they had all the answers because they had the Scriptures and the Law of Moses -- they thought that just going to Temple on the Sabbath and following the laws were enough -- but they were wrong -- dead wrong

            -- and so, God prophesied through Ezekiel to open the eyes of the dead -- to hold up a mirror so they could see their true spiritual reflection and recognize what they had become so that they might turn from their ways and turn back to Him

 

            -- David Jeremiah tells the story in one of his books about a pastor who was fed up with the lack of life in his church -- and so one Sunday morning, he got up in the pulpit and pronounced that he wasn't going to preach that day -- that this church was dead and that night they would hold a funeral service for it -- and with those words, he walked out, got in his car, and left

            -- well, everyone was very upset and angry at what he said, but their curiosity got the best of them -- so the entire church showed up for the evening service -- and when they walked in, they were greeted with the sight of a casket at the front of the church

            -- the pastor took the pulpit and said, "This church is dead -- and the body of this church is right before us -- I want each of you to come up here and take a look at the dead, lifeless body of this church" -- and he had each of them file up and look in the casket

            -- and when they looked in, they saw a mirror had been placed in the bottom, and the face that stared back was their own

 

            -- that's what God was doing through Ezekiel -- He wanted the nation of Israel to see the truth of their spiritual state -- He wanted them to see with open eyes how far they had fallen from His image

            -- and once they recognized their spiritual state -- once they realized that they had indeed sinned against God by turning away from Him and His presence -- then they would be ready for revival – then they would be ready to put their faith and trust in the promised Messiah for their salvation and deliverance

            -- we see that here in verse 11 -- the people of Israel have looked into the coffin and seen their reflection and cried out to God -- "We are dead -- our bones are dried up and our hope is gone -- we are cut off from Your presence"

            -- but God said, "Hang on, because I'm not done with you yet -- when the Spirit comes in response to Ezekiel's prayers, you will know that I am God -- I will bring you from your graves -- I will restore your faith -- I will bring you back to the Promised Land -- and when this happens, you will know that it was I who did this and I alone -- you will know that I have spoken -- you will know that I am God"

            -- and, once again, we see the promise of the Holy Spirit in verse 14 – “I will put My Spirit in you and you will live…”

            -- the only way to live again – the only way to raise the dead – is through the power and the Spirit of the Lord

 

III.  Closing

            -- God is in the business of bringing the dead back to life -- isn't that what the gospel of Christ all about? -- eternal life through Christ?

            -- but we forget that this promise of life is not just for the future -- it's a promise for us today -- Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" -- the King James Version says, "abundant life" -- not future life -- not life in heaven -- but an abundant and full life now with the very Spirit of God within

 

            -- who knows what this is? -- a popcorn kernel -- look at it -- it looks dead and dried out, doesn't it? -- if I was to leave this popcorn kernel right here on the table, it would stay in this same dead and dried out condition

            -- but, if I take this piece of popcorn and put it in a pan with a little oil and add some heat, it will explode into new life, ending up as a tasty treat

            -- do you know how popcorn works? -- you see, even though the kernels look dried and dead, there's just little bit of moisture trapped inside the kernel -- and when the kernel is heated, the moisture turns into steam and the pressure inside the kernel builds until it pops open

 

            -- the church in America is just like this popcorn kernel -- we might be spiritually dry right now -- we might look like dry bones in a valley -- lifeless -- fruitless -- but there's always a remnant -- there's always just a little bit of life left inside

            -- and if we turn back to God and ask the Holy Spirit to revive us, then that little bit of life will cause us to pop just like this popcorn kernel

            -- over in Acts 4:33 it says that the apostles gave witness about Christ with great power from the Holy Spirit -- the original Greek for the term "great power" is dunamis -- it's from this word that we get our English word, "dynamite."

            -- this means that the power of God is literally explosive in nature -- and when we allow ourselves to come under the power of the Holy Spirit, we will literally explode for Christ

 

            -- Isaiah 26:19 says, "But your dead will live; their bodies will rise" -- it was this dunamis power that raised Jesus from the dead -- and it was this power that raised dry spiritual bones here in Ezekiel 37 and gave them new life – and this is the power that will raise us back to the abundant life that Jesus promised

            -- you have to agree that our churches are not what they should be -- our lives are not what they should be -- but God's not done with us -- He hasn't given up on us -- He wants us to experience His dunamis power and real life with Him -- He wants to see us turn our communities and our cities and our world upside down

 

            -- there's only two steps in becoming alive again

            -- first, we have to admit our spiritual state -- we have to recognize how far we are from God's ideal image -- how far we are missing the mark

            -- second, we have to ask the Holy Spirit to revive our spiritual lives -- to make our churches alive with His presence

 

            -- I wanted to close by sharing with you the chorus from Andy Cherry's song, "Our God is Alive," that I think speaks to the heart of the message of Ezekiel 37:

 

            -- "Rise with a shout -- Cry out, our God's alive -- Rise holy fire -- burn bright, burn bright

            -- "Rise with a shout -- Cry out for freedom -- Rise church, arise -- our God's alive"

             

            -- let this be our prayer and our cry today as we pray for the church in America to once again rise up and be who God called them to be

            -- let's pray