New Life to Dead Things
Theme: To show how Christ brings salvation to dead people. Also how He can breath life into our dead situations.
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17 – 19, Ezekiel 37
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
I think this is one of the most powerful scriptures in the Bible. In it is contained a summary of the salvation experience.
We were “dead in our trespasses from sin”. Christ came into our life and made us a “new creation”. We have been “reconciled” with God.
What does reconciliation mean?
Original: ?ata??a´ss?
- Transliteration: Katallasso
- Phonetic: kat-al-las'-so
to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value
a. to reconcile (those who are at variance)
b. return to favour with, be reconciled to one
c. to receive one into favour
In this passage is alluded to the new life in Christ. I believe this is symbolized in baptism as we see in: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3–4)
We put away the old things? Throughout Paul’s writing there seems to be this challenge of teaching people to move forward in their faith in God. There is this challenge of showing people that they no longer live as they once did when they become a believer in Christ Jesus.
He often compares his readers to the “works of the flesh” and the “works of the spirit”. Galatians 5.
And I believe it is best illustrated in Ezekial 37
(Eze 37:1) The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; (valley has always been symbolized as a low place, a dark place, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil” Psalms 23) and it was full of bones. (bones represent death, maybe there was life here at on time but obviously they are dead now. Maybe there was flesh, organs and skin here at one time, but all Ezekiel sees is death)
(Eze 37:2) Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.
As Ezekiel peruses the valley he notices there is a lot of bones.
These bones were “very dry”. They had been here for a while. They had been openly exposed.
“What do you see when you look at the world around you? Although the people around us may be living their lives, working their jobs, enjoying their hobbies, raising their families; while they may be charming, intellectual, reasonable, and apparently fit, if they do not know Jesus Christ, they are spiritually dead. Paul tells us that until the Holy Spirit quickens men and women to spiritual life they are “…dead in trespasses and in sins,” Eph. 2:1. This can be true of your husband, your wife, your parents, your children, your friends, your neighbors, or your coworkers. While they may be full of life physically, they can be dead spiritually.
We should pray and ask God to open our eyes and help us see the world around us as it really is. That was what Jesus said to His disciples, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest,” John 4:35. We need to see the world as it really is.”
https://www.sermonnotebook.org/old%20testament/Ezekiel%2037_1-14.html
But I believe this can also speak to more than just those around us. It can also speak to things inside of us.
“The bones of family drama, medical issues, heartbreak and loneliness.
Dry bones of bad finances, unemployment and the driest bones of all, spiritual conflict.”
from https://sermons.logos.com/sermons/799613-ezekiel-37:1-14-%28sermon%29-there-is-life-for-your-dead-situation?sso=false
(Eze 37:3) And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."
“I so appreciate the honesty in what Ezekiel says. I hear his uncertainty. I sense his feeling of powerlessness. I picture him looking around and shaking his head at the overwhelming enormity of it all. God only knows if these bones can live again. “
from https://interruptingthesilence.com/2020/03/29/and-you-shall-live-a-sermon-on-ezekiel-371-14/
(Eze 37:4) Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
God’s answer is to “prophesy” or speak to the bones under the power and anointing of God. To prophesy is not to represent oneself but to represent God. “I am a child of God”.
It is God’s Spirit that brought him here.
(Eze 37:5) Thus says the Lord God to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. (not can, no maybe but shall) 6) I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live.
Why?
Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel’s role
(Eze 37:7) So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied,
Prophesy could also mean preach or proclaim. Preach to the dry bones. Stand over them and proclaim the gospel of Christ.
I believe this message of new life in Christ should be so much inside of you that you have no choice but to proclaim and preach to the world.
We need to be like Jeremiahs (Jer 20:9) His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes… Romans 1:16a
(Eze 37:8a) there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
There was rattling or shaking some things up.
The pieces started coming together. The bones rattled and came together. The sinews and flesh came back. They were getting ready for their purpose. But their purpose was not just to look good.
We get around people and they start “acting right”. Their language changes. That is good. We are a good example. But there is more to this.
(Eze 37:9) Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' " 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
When Ezekiel prophesied again he prophesied the Spirit to come. The fullness of the Spirit who hovered over the face of the earth at creation. I guess what, “Breath came into them, they lived.”
They stood upon their feet. No more bowing down to this world. No more backing down and giving in to the enemy but true life.
Meaning of the Prophecy
(Eze 37:11) Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' 12) Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13) Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14) I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it," says the Lord.' "
Out of the graves of death shall come life. New life in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
• While we have already pointed out that this prophecy primarily speaks of the re-gathering of Israel in the millennial kingdom, we can also agree that it is beneficial to the Gentile church. Let us consider the message of the bone-yard.
• We are dead without Christ; cursed by our sin. We face an eternity of living hell, known as the second death, if we do nothing about our miserable condition.
• For some reason, not fully understood by us, God has chosen to pay our sin debt for us. Christ accomplished this deed on Calvary’s cross.
• Through a miracle, we can have new life in Christ. This miracle takes place every time a sinner hears the Word, is convicted of his sin, repents, and places his faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The Lord wants to prepare a mighty army of believers from piles of dead bones.
• Jesus is ready to bring to life some people today, are you up for it? Jesus is ready to bring to life some life-less marriages today, do you think He can? I know that He can!
from https://preachingpoint.org/a-message-from-the-bone-yard/