June 4, 2006 pm
A Bone Shaking Experience! Ezekiel
37:1-14
By Ronald E.
George Jr. at the
Dem Bones are going
to rise again. The before and after
effect of the Spirit of the Lord.
Scripture
Text:
Ezekiel 37:1 The Lord took
hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2He led me
around among the old, dry bones that covered the valley floor. They were
scattered everywhere across the ground. 3Then he asked me, “Son of
man, can these bones become living people again?”
“O
Sovereign Lord,” I replied,
“you alone know the answer to that.”
4 Then
he said to me, “Speak to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word
of the Lord! 5This is
what the Sovereign Lord says: Look!
I am going to breathe into you and make you live again! 6I will put
flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you,
and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7So
I spoke these words, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a
rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and
attached themselves as they had been before. 8Then as I watched,
muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies,
but they still had no breath in them.
9Then
he said to me, “Speak to the winds and say: ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord
says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so
that they may live again.’”
10So
I spoke as he commanded me, and the wind entered the bodies, and they began to
breathe. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army of
them.
11Then
he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of
1. Before:
What kind of Bones did Ezekiel see? We
must realize our need. Recognize the problem.
Is it I? Do we have a
problem? What is it?
The bones are dry and dead. Do
you see any signs of life. We
must accept the fact. People
need the Lord. Are we alive to God
or alive to self? Are we more
concerned about others or are we more concerned about ourselves?
They needed an extreme makeover.
· Dead Bones. Most all activity has ceased. There is a noticeable lack of normal reflexes.
·
Cold Bones. Coldness
has crept in. No warmth, love,
or compassion. No fellowship with
one another. Too busy doing our own
thing to care.
· Missing bones. A sudden loss of contact with the living world. Begins to be noticeably missing from the presence of those who are living.
· Dry Bones. No breathing is noticeable. No Water and no spirit. No breath is now present, which is symbolic of the presence of the Lord. This condition is especially noticeable when we just begin to go through the motions.
· Stinking Bones. A stink is the evidence of sin. A stink of corruption is present. Always wanting to cause problems. Raise a stink. Sin is prevalent and unrepented.
·
Deaf Bones. Haven’t
answered the Lord’s call. There is
no interaction. There is no interest in the living activities with the one
true living God.
·
Faithless Bones. Unfaithfulness
among the bones. The jobs that
were once completed now go undone. Nobody
does the work of the Lord.
2. After:
A Change took place when Ezekiel had faith and was obedient.
There was a shaking in the bones. A
noise occurred. A revival was given
by God.
·
Jawbones came alive even when it seemed impossible.
Preaching, Praying, and Singing Jawbones came alive that day.
We must preach the word. Be
instant in season and out of season. Preach
with our lives. Preach with our
lips. Preach with our heart.
Preach the truth in love even if it is what the people don’t want to
hear. Is it what God wants to hear?
People prayed and talk to the Lord began again.
·
Ear bones were opened up and batteries in hearing aids were
renewed. We must hear the word.
We hear but we don’t listen. We
hear what we want to hear. We tell
the preachers to preach to us smooth things.
Don’t ruffle our feathers or rock the boat.
Don’t preach about politics or say what we don’t want to hear.
Now hear this. If you don’t
hear the word of the Lord as the Lord gives, then you will remain in your boney
situation. Dry without the Lord.
We need the washing of the water of the Word of God to liven us up and
keep us in line. We don’t need
teachers or preachers of the word who say to us that this word is too old and
doesn’t apply to our situation. It
does apply if God Applies. But if
God doesn’t apply then His Word doesn’t apply.
·
Foot bones got up and went out to bring them in.
We must be obedient. Hear,
listen, obey, and follow. Go out to
bring them. We must go with God.
Do you care about the lost, the youth, and the dying?
What have you done about it?
· Knee bones began to bend and people prayed for God to work in them and their church. We must be saved or rededicated to God. You must be born again. John 3:3 Have you decided to follow the Lord or are you going to follow yourself. Decide again here tonight. Light the candle to follow the Lord. Follow him where? Into the darkness to shine the light for all those who are lost.
·
Backbones were mended and commitments were made to the Lord.
People stood up for the Lord. We
must be committed. Give yourself to
God, come what may? Don’t be no
quitter. We give ourselves to what
we can see. We say show me and I
will believe, but God says believe and I will show you.
· Head bones were being used. Use your head for something more than a hat rack. It makes sense to trust in the Lord. It is smart to become a Christian. We must change and repent. Turn from our evil ways to the Lord. (Maintaining the status quo when the Lord says go. We say no.)
· Heart Bones were transplanted and people were raised when God breathed on them. The Lord must raise us. Yield to Him and the Spirit will raise us up. We must be empowered by the spirit whom we have given ourselves to. Have you allowed Him to work in your life? Will you go with the Lord? Will you change? Will you seek the Lost? Will you go to them? Some where saved and some received their second breath. What do you need tonight?