Revival–Light the Fire
(The Revival of Ezekiel)
Ezekiel 37:1–14
INTRODUCTION
The world is looking for God. Tragically and ironically, as the world is looking for God, God’s people are asleep in their pews, asleep in religious traditions and lethargy. CHURCH, IT IS TIME FOR REVIVAL!
1. The world wants and needs to know “how to” come to God and worship God, not with man’s opinion but with a “thus saith the Lord.” The world wants to hear God. 2. The world wants models of authentic Christian living. The world wants to see God. 3. The world for all its longing for the word of God is empty of information about God. But can God’s word solve your personal problems? What about world problems? “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Prov. 14:34 Can God’s word speak to my personal problems? “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matt. 6:33
Listen to 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves (the church can be too proud–the church is not led by outstanding people but by kneeling people) and pray and seek my face (we must hunger for God and lost souls more than for food) and turn from their wicked ways, (not halfway, each one of us must repent, confess, be baptized, and be revived) then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
God will bring revival to our land, our people, the church, if we humble ourselves, pray and turn from our wicked ways. Church, it is time for revival!
Today let’s look at God’s Visual Aid of Revival.
Ezekiel is a man of God confronted with a congregation of God’s people who are discouraged, displaced and spiritually dead. The circumstances were ripe for revival. God took Ezekiel to a mountain top and gave him a visual aid of revival. Read Ezekiel 37:1–14 Revival is the process of bringing to life that which once was alive, but is now at the point of death. “Can these bones live again?” Ezekiel obeyed God, preached to those dry bones and then God breathed his spirit back into their bodies, God revived for himself a mighty army.
Today churches are full of people, but many are empty of God. Too many of God’s people have a self–sufficient spirit, an apathetic heart, and a dead disobedient lifestyle. Can these bones live again? Why is it that we have people coming to church more, but experiencing it less? They have not confessed their sins. They are spiritual corpses, dry bones.
How do you know if your bones are getting dry?
1. When there is no desire for Bible study and prayer.
2. When spiritual conversation embarrasses you or is avoided.
3. When you rationalize sin.
4. When you can quote scripture and attend service, but it doesn’t make a difference in your life.
5. When you life revolves around money.
6. When it no longer bothers you that others are in misery and spiritually lost.
7. When worship and service to God does not excite you.
8. When you don’t have blessed assurance.
MAIN BODY
I. A closer look at “Dry Bones.”
A. Dry - Dried out by the sun and wind.
1. Is the church suffering from the effects of modern society?
2. Have we been dried out by the elements?
B. Scattered - as if strewn in battle.
1. Has the church been torn apart in battle?
2. Do we find ourselves wondering where everyone has gone?
C. Numerous - they were in a hopeless state.
1. Do the problems in the church seem so big that you don’t know where to begin?
2. In our minds are we almost ready to give up on the church?
II. Can these bones live again?
A. Revival comes through preaching God’s word.
B. Ezekiel preached to dry bones and they lived!
1. It was not his power, it was the power of the word of God.
2. “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4
C. Revival comes through prayer. 2 Chron. 7:14
III. The Effect of following God’s commands.
A. “Those that do as commanded in the face of the greatest discouragements, need not doubt success, for God will own and enrich his own appointments.” Matthew Henry
B. The dry bones came to life when Ezekiel obeyed God’s command.
C. They that were once dead were made new.
D. Even dead, dry bones were moved when called to hear the word of God.
CONCLUSION
How can we revive?
1. Recognize the dryness of our bones.
2. Ruthless confession of sin. We cannot be right with God with wrongs in our life.
3. Rejoice in our salvation and engage in passionate worship once again. Psalm 32
Results of Revival
1. The Rekindling of a passion for lost souls. Psalm 51:12–13
2. The Recommitting of our lives to make the main thing the main thing. John 21:17
3. The Restoring of spiritual congregations. Revelation 3:15–22
Illustration: Robert Robinson, in 1758, wrote the song, “O Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” He later fell away from the faith. He met a young lady singing his song. She, noting his sadness, wanted to share the lyrics with him. Robinson responded, “Madam, I wrote the song and I’d give a thousand worlds to have that feeling once again.” The psalmist expresses the same in Psalm 85:6, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”
Sermon adapted from bible class material by Dr. Stephen Guy
