Can These
Bones Live
Ezekiel 37:3-5
Introduction:
1.
Ezekiel
wrote these words when Judah was in Babylonian captivity for her continued
rebellion against God.
2.
Jerusalem
had been utterly destroyed and the walls torn down.
3.
Because
of the continual sin of Judah’s leaders, God abandoned them. Judah is at this time dead…
4.
But
God has a plan (Ezekiel 37:1-6)
5.
'Behold,
I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. And 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.'"
6.
Can
these dry, dead bones live again? Yes,
Yes, Yes!
1.
In
the last four years we have lost three congregations
2.
It
has taken ten Tennessee congregations a year to gain one new member.
3.
50%
of churches did not experience even one conversion last year.
4.
88%
of churches of Christ are declining or on a plateau. They were not converting
enough to grow any.
Can God bring us back?
1. Rom. 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
2. Col. 2:13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
If God raised
Jesus,
If the Spirit will
raise us on the last day,
if God can make us
alive at baptism, having forgiven us,
He can bring us
back to life when our hearts have grown cold.
Three churches in our area have made a dramatic turn-around. Eddie Lawson will speak more about this:
1. Jerry Whitworth, Woodbine, 40-100
2. Jerry Carmichael, Ivy Point, 40-100
3. Craig Collins, Riverdale in Murphreesboro, 40-75
II. Things we
have told ourselves about why we are not growing:
1.
People
aren’t interested.
2.
People
are prejudiced.
3.
People
just don’t believe.
4.
People
won’t repent.
We
could say these same things about every city and country in the first century.
They had all these problems but still grew.
The
problem isn’t the “outsiders”; it is we “insiders.” We have become apathetic.
III.
Why Have Our Hearts grown
cold?
1.
Distractions. Loss of focus. Luke 8:14 "And the seed which fell among the thorns, these
are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with
worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
2.
Loss of fruitfulness and joy has caused
discouragement.
3.
Lack of faith in the truth. We are not sure the world is lost. We have an identity crisis and timidity from doctrinal indecision.
4.
We don’t know how to teach
our neighbors
and need to be converted again. (Heb. 5:10-12)
5.
Carping, continual criticism against doing good and
success.
6.
Conflicts among us.
7.
We lack Christ in us. The old man of sin is alive
and well in us.
8.
The deceitfulness of sin. (Heb. 3:12,13)
1.
Ephesus
in Revelation 2:4,5
'But I have this against
you, that you have left your first love. Remember
therefore from where you have fallen, and repent
and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove
your lamp stand out of its place-- unless you repent.
2.
Laodicea
in Revelation 3:15-20
'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.’
My eyes are dry, My faith is old,
My heart is hard, My prayers are cold;
And I know how I ought to be,
Alive to you and dead to me.
What can be done
To an old heart like mine?
Soften it up with oil and wine
The oil is You, Your spirit of love
Please wash me anew in the wine of Your blood.
3. Heart changes:
a. God expects us to change our hearts
Ezek. 18:31-32 "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."
b. God will give us a new heart
Ezek. 36:26-27 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
V.
God Can Restore Us
When We Repent!
3. David as a young man was a man after God’s own heart. He was strong in faith, conquered Goliath by the power of God. He loved God. He was the sweet singer in Israel.
4. God made David king. His kingdom spread far and wide. He conquered because God was with Him.
5. But David as king once stayed home from the battle and his heart was turned to another man’s wife, whom he took. To cover up his sin, he had Uriah killed and married his wife.
6. When Nathan the prophet pointed out David’s sin, David had to look closely at his life and his relationship with God.
7.
Psalm 51:7-17
a. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. (10-11)
b. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners will be converted to Thee. (12-13)
8. Brethren, we need a change of heart! Do you need one, preacher, elder, deacon, teacher, worker? Where is your fire? Your passion?
9. Who knows of Jesus because of your influence? Does Jesus live in you?
Two requests:
1. Brethren, we need a long look at the cross,
to see the One who died for our sins,
to see the One who spent His life seeking and saving,
to see the One who loves us more than life itself.
If the love of Christ does not soften our hearts,
If our failures do not open our eyes,
Then I know of nothing else that will.
2. Look deep inside your soul.
Do you like what you see?
If not, when will you seek a new heart?