Can these bones live?

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2021

EZEKIEL 37 VERSES 1 - 14

We have been following through thinking about the situation in Babylon with the captives from Israel.  They were carried away because of their disobedience and rejection of God.  God allowed the king of Babylon to carry them away into captivity for 70 years.  They were now about to return to their own land.  Think of the situation in Babylon and the revival God was about to send to his people.  God has done an amazing thing in oUr lives today.  Maybe there is a coldness in your heart today.  Your heart is in a back slidden state.  God wants to bring you into a place with himself again.  Ezekiel 37 shows us what God will do with the nation of Israel.  Like the bones scattered in this valley, he will one day bring them together and set them on their feet.  We thought of Jeremiah who wrote to the people in Babylon, assuring them of God's presence, power and plan.  Then Daniel comes on the scene and realised the 70 years were almost up so begins to seek the face of God.  Cyrus was the man God raised up to make it possible for the captives to return to Jerusalem.  Ezekiel now shows the people what they will become.  Ezekiel was a young man, a priest, a man of about 30 years of age, married.  God would start to use him mightily.  This man first got an overwhelming vision.  Ezekiel was shown this vision when the captives were living by Kebar.  He was given this vision, lifted and taken out, set down in the midst of a valley full of bones.  The valley represented Israel.  God was showing his own people that he still loved them, his heart and his passion was for this nation.  He saw them now as downtrodden, defeated.  Their hopelessness broke his heart but Ezekiel was to see what could arise from the dust in which these bones lay upon.  The Lord's hand was upon Ezekiel.  He was led to this place by the Spirit of God.  Is God showing us something?  Is he revealing something to us over the past number of weeks?  As we look at this situation maybe we see the hopelessness of our lives, the barreness and the helplessness of our lives.  As we come into this world we come in as sinners, have taken on the nature of Adam when he fell in the Garden of Eden.  It is a nature that will take us out into a lost and helpless eternity in hell.  We will be condemned for turning our back on God and his precious word.  As Jesus hung on the cross he was giving his life a ransom for you.  Maybe you realise you  don't have that hope in you because you know not the Saviour for yourself.  Here was  a man God was speaking to.  This was a man of God, raised up to stand in the gap.  His very name means 'God strengthens'.  If God is showing you something he wants you to do he will strengthen you for the purpose.  Sometimes we think we are doing OK.  Ezekiel was living among the captives, trying to help where possible.  One day God lifts and takes hm to this barren place.  All he could see was bones lying in the valley.  I am sure Ezekiel thought 'what am I doing here, what am I supposed to be doing?'.  Maybe he felt useless, that there was nothing he could do about this barrennes.  Perhaps that is the same for you - as you look into the family circle there are people you have prayed for day after day but you don't see any difference.  God does answer prayer. Maybe God is using you in a ministry that feels barren and like a wilderness, doing it for a number of years but there is nothing to show for it.  You are asking yourself 'what am I doing here?'.  God knows why you are here and in that situation.  He knows what you need.  He knows and he will reveal it to you.  Don't give up on God today, don't turn your back on the promises of God.  Paul when he came to Corinth, he was working in the secular sense and preaching the gospel on the Sabbath.  In Acts 18 verse 6 we read "I have preached to you but you would not listen to me.  I am now walking away from you and will preach to the Gentiles."  Just as he feels there is no hope he received the vision in the night.  God stepped into his life "fear not for I am with thee."  The Lord is with you in whatever situation you find yourself in.  An overwhelming vision.  Maybe you are overwhelmed, there is a great need all around you and it seems there is nothing you can do about it.

An obscure question - verse 3 "can these bones live?"  In verse 2 we see these are very dry bones.  These bones had been lying in this valley for a long time, in the scorching, bleaching sun for a considerable time.  It was a test for Ezekiel's faith.  Maybe you are thinking of someone who you have prayed for for some time and are asking "will they ever be saved?"  Maybe you are feeling they are too far gone.  The bones are too dry.  Listening to the gospel day in and day out.  Perhaps you feel that your life is now dry and barren, that there is no hope for you.  Jesus died for you.  He was unwilling that any should perish but that all should come to repentence.  Even as you sit where you are if you acknowledge sin, acknowledge that you have come short of the glory of God, plead with God to come into your life.  He is waiting for you to turn to him.  The credentials of this man God now tests in his faith.  He doesn't test us in a backslidden state.  It is when a man or woman is standing strong for the Lord that he comes and tests us even more.  Can you ever see these bones standing up right in this valley?  Ezekiel if he was honest would have said 'no'.  Sometimes God has to give us a little jolt as the people of God.  Remember the disciples in the boat one day.  Jesus said to them "lets go to the other side."  The disciples got into the boat with the Lord.  TheLord leaves them to go down into the lower part of the boat and falls asleep.  The winds and the waves started to rise up until water filled the boat.  They tried everything they could but eventually they went to the Lord and asked him "do you not care that we perish?"  When in a storm it is good to know the Lord is there with us.  We are told to "cast our cares on the Lord for he careth for us."  The Lord rose to his feet, spoke to the wind and the waves and everything became calm.  He turned to the disciples and asked them "where is your faith?"  As we come to the car park and see the devastation around us, the backslidden state of the church, the coldness of the church, the lukewarmness of the church, the Lord asks us "where is your faith?"  Will you open your heart to him today?  Return to him.  Remember the feeding of the five thousand.  The disciples told him to send the people away.  Jesus told the disciples to give the people bread but Philip told him they couldn't afford to feed the people, it would cost too much. Ezekiel could see only dry bones.  He was asked "can these bones live?"  Ezekiel relied "only thou knowest."   Can we really believe what God can do today?  The church at Ephesus was going through the motions at their worship and praise services.  They were a good congregation, probably had a good bank balance and some of the best preachers but the Lord told them "you have left your first love".  The Laodicean church stood in need of nothing but Jesus was standing at the door knocking to come in.   

An outstanding response.  Ezekiel begins to hear the noise, the rattle of the bones coming together.  Ezekiel had to go through many things before he could see the vision come to pass.  He was told in verse 4 to prophesy unto these bones.  God wants us to come to him afresh today, to place our faith and trust in him, to see the impossible happen but will we?

A challenge, a commitment that called for a conscious effort, consecration and a combined effort

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2021

EZRA 1 VERSES 1 - 6

The enemy is today coming against the church.  We need to be those who will rise up to the bible.  God has been calling his people in Babylon, walking with them.  It is now time for them to rise up and build.  God is in no rush.  It took 70 years to build and shape his people into what he would have them to be.  God is doing the same even today for the task before us.  For 400 years the Israelites were in Egypt, for 80 of those years God shaped his servant Moses for the task - to lead them out of Egypt.  Think of John the Baptist in Jesus' day, preparing the way for Jesus.  To come telling people to repent and trust in Christ.  It took Peter 3 years to be shaped and moulded, from a faltering fisherman to the point where he was filled with the Holy Spirit's power.

See the resolve here in the venture in these people.  The effort that is made here for revival was based upon the word of God.  Jeremiah said the people would be in Babylon for 70 years.  When the 70 years expired God would move and bring them back.  Daniel read those same portions of scripture and got down to prayer as a result.  Every revival is based on the word of God and the prayers of men and women.  The 1859 revival came about because 4 men took the challenge to read the word of God, prayed and sought the Lord to pour out his spirit on the land.  Thousands of people were saved as a result.  Cyrus said in verse 2 "The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth."  He was counting his blessings, knowing what God had done for him, acknowledged it.  Are we living in the blessing of God today?  Have we poured out our hearts in thankfulness for what he has done for us?  Do you know the Lord as your personal Saviour today?  Have you accepted Christ for what he has done on Calvary, died to save your sin?  Have you ever confessed your sin to him, accepted his forgiveness through his death?  Have you thanked the Lord today for what he has done for you?  Here's a man who realised that God would now use him, the challenge came to him to build a temple in Jerusalem.  Revival is from God and is based on the word of God.  It is not about feeling good, singing well, hearing a great evangelist speaking.  That is man made revival.  Revival begins with God himself.  In Acts 2 Peter stood up before the people and preached a great sermon but he never promoted himself.  He took the word of God right back to the book of Joel.  These men are not drunk but they are filled with the Holy Spirit, this is that which was prophesied by Joel in the Old Testament.  He began to speak of how Jesus came into the world, was nailed on the cross, gave his life for the peoples sins.  We cannot be saved until we feel guilty of our sins and acknowledge our guilt before God.  How can we repent of something we don't feel sorry for?  Jesus had to take our sin and die on the cross for us.  Peter preached and the Holy Spirit came.  They were pricked in their hearts.  Only God the Holy Spirit can do that.  He can come into the inner me, the heart of man himself and touch the heart of man.  It is not the voice of the preacher speaking to you today, it is God speaking into the depth of your heart.  What should we do they asked Peter.  They  realised there was something they needed to do.  Is God speaking to you today, what is he saying to you?  God is challenging their effort.  I read in verse 1 that Lord stirred up the heart of Cyrus but in verse 5 we see it is a committed effort.  Revival is not just desiring or talking about it, it begins and ends with God.  God was raising up people who would take their stand before everyone around them.  Are you ready to commit or is it just a thought?  To take our stand before men.  We have to do what the Lord asks us to do.  We are to commit our way unto the Lord.  Think of the fishermen - when the Lord called them they set their net and boats aside and followed after the Lord, committed their lives to the Lord whatever the cost.  Are we committed to it?  CT Studd was a missionary in India.  He gave up a great career in cricket.  He forsook his inheritance and became committed to the Lord, into doing what the Lord would bid him to do.  Take up they cross and follow me. If we have been to Calvary know him as Lord and Saviour today God is calling us for a committed life, to surrender our all today.  Not just part.  It is a conscious effort for revival.  We see here this example of this people - full consecration.  All must be on the altar to the Lord, no turning back, everything given to him.  Hebrews "let us run the race that is set before us."  God was asking this people to leave everything behind them, all they had built up for 70 years.  Jeremiah had previously told them to settle down for 70 years but now they were being asked to give it all up.  That is consecration.  This would take them away from everything they had.  C T Studd "if Christ be God and died for me there is no sacrifice too big for me to make for him."  In verse 4 the were to take all the precious things and offer them to God.  How do we value things in light of spirituality?  Everything you have has been given to you by God.  Are we keeping it for ourselves today?  The Lord needs and wants it.  Are we ready to give it up?  The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  The Lord told him to obey the commandments.  He replied "all these have I kept from my youth up."  The Lord said to him "do you see all the wealth and riches you have, you have got to give them up."  He went away down hearted because he couldn't do it.  "Lord I could do anything but not that."  You and I could read our bible today, are saved by God's grace, spend time in prayer but maybe God is asking for something else.  Consecration, commitment and challenge to you and me today.  Remember in Acts 5 when we meet Ananias and Sapphira.  The church was just getting off the ground, the disciples were helping out as best they could, preaching and witnessing.  When a need arose the disciples would take a plot of ground and sell it, then gave the money to the apostles so that others need could be met.  We then meet Ananias and Sapphira who sold their possession.  They knew what was happening and what to do.  We read there was a need among the people so they sold the possession and got so much money for it.  They thought to themselves "no one knows how much we received, we will give some away but keep back part of it."  Maybe this morning you are keeping something back from the Lord?  Maybe Ananias and Sapphira gave the biggest part to God but the fact is they kept back some and suffered for it as a result.  They suffered for it at the end.  We lose out on the blessing as a result.  Mary came in with a box of ointment.  The wages for a man for a full year.  She had hid it in her home and took great care of it.  Mary realised one day she needed to use it.  She broke the box and anointed Jesus with the ointment.  Maybe you need to break the box today.  It was a combined effort.  There were people who couldnt go back to Jerusalem, they were to help and encourage those going back.  The work of the gospel is not just down to one or 2 people.  There is a work for every one of us.  Are you willing to throw your weight into the work of God?  Are you prepared to say 'I want to do this for the Lord today?".  Will you come and surrender your all to him?

The man who was stirred by God

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2021 am

EZRA 1 VERSES 1 - 6

Over the past number of weeks we have been looking at our motto verse found in Jeremiah 29 verse 11.  The context of that verse was that the people had rejected and rebelled against God.  God had allowed the king of Babylon to carry them captive to a foreign land.  Psalm 137 shows they were in a state of sorrow and shame.  "By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down and wept."  Remember Peter when he denied knowing Jesus, we read "he walked afar off."  Maybe for you there is no song in your heart today.  Maybe there was a time when you knew God personally but now you have grown cold.  In Psalm 126 when God came in to the midst of that people they began to sing again.  When God allowed them to return to the land of their birth they said "the Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad."  Let us look this morning at what God had done for these people living in Babylon.  He can do the same for us even today.  Let us trust him for the future he has before us.

There is a response to the voice.  These people had been 70 years away from the land of blessing given to them as a gift.  Remember when you were given the gift of savlation through God's own son, when he accepted you as his child, gave you eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit?  Maybe you are still in your sin today, have never accepted that gift today.  On Calvary he shed his blood to pay the price of your sin.  Are you his child today?  One of his family?  God is speaking here through Cyrus.  Isn't it wonderful what God can do.  God would use this man, mighty in authority and position to bring revival to his own people, to take them into the land of blessing where they should have been living.  Maybe God is looking for one person to surrender their life to him, to be a blessing to others.  God stirred up the heart of this man.  Remember when God called Abraham out of Ur of Chaldees.  God called Nehemiah out of Shushan to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls again.  God wants to reach into your family and community.  He wants to use you there.  This was the first year of Cyrus' reign.  He did not settle.  God moved on him.  Maybe you feel you are not long saved and could not step out in faith for Christ.  Or maybe you feel you have been saved for a long time and don't feel you have much to offer God today.  Remember the little boy with the 5 loaves and 2 fishes.  He was willing to surrender all he had to feed the people.  The woman with the alabaster box used it to anoint Jesus' feet.  Serving the Lord with everything she had.  Have we given the Lord everything we have today?  When Daniel prayed he knew the time was almost up for the people to return to Canaan  He set his face to pray with sacklcoth, ashes and repentance.  Is it possible that Daniel discussed with Cyrus what God had placed on his heart?  Did he explain God's plan for the Israelites?  Did Cyrus know that 100 years previously Isaiah wrote about him and what he would do in sending the Israelites home to Canaan again?  "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  Jesus said "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3 verse 16)  He was wounded for my transgressions, he was bruised for my iniquities.  He took the form of a servant in dying for you and I.  Cyrus believed that God was speaking to him.  There was an urgency in this call.  Are you listening for God today?  For the call of God on your life?  In the Old Testament scriptures Elijah the prophet was sent to the brook Cherith.  He had spoken to King Ahab and challenged him.  Then he ran from the kings presence to the brook Cherith.  The birds fed him and he drank water from the brook.  One day the water dred up.  God came and spoke to him (1 Kings 17 verse 9).  God was paving the way for the prophet.  God would use a poverty stricken woman to take him in and give him what he needed in the midst of trying circumstances.  She was listening for God.  Have you come to listen for God today or just to listen to another sermon.  Are you hearing God's voice through the sermon?  Cyrus would be the champion of that day.  He was assured of the call of God - Ezra 1 verse 5.  Maybe God is just waiting for you to say yes to him, to surrender your life to him.

The revelation of the vision.  Cyrus was called to a work.  Has God blessed you, placed you in the position you are in to use you today?  There is a work to be done for God today.  Not every captive returned to the land of Israel.  The people were put off by what Cyrus said - to build again the temple.  This was a great distance to travel back to Canaan.  The people thought of the many battles they would face on the way.  They said the cost was too great.  Maybe we are counting the cost of serving the Lord and it is too much for us.  God is asking something great of you today.  Many of the people after 70 years had invested in business.  They had settled down in Babylon.  It was too much to leave behind.  Maybe what God is asking you to do is very difficult.  The task is challenging.  perhaps you are being challenged about the salvation of your soul, to come to the cross of Calvary.  Here were a people getting a vision from the Lord.  Where there is no vision the people perish."  Maybe we have become too complacent and content today.  Are we asking God to open to us the great need of people around us?  These people were to build a house for God.  Maybe God is asking to build in your own life.  Nehemiah challenges us in the first chapter - he was the king's cupbearer, a job of great significance.  Nobody could see the king without Nehemiah allowing them to do so.  On his heart was the burden of Jerusalem on his heart.  The work of God was on his heart.  He met 2 friends coming up from Jerusalem and asked them what was happening in the city.  They told him the situation.  Nehemiah fell to his knees and cried.  He was broken hearted over God's work.  Have I that same vision today?  Am I stepping out for God as I did all those years ago?  Have we lost the vision today?  Have we become content, complacent with our lives?  These people were in Babylon, they had built homes and lives and were now being asked to give it all up and return to Canaan.  For Nehemiah it would cost him great hardship, many difficult decisions were to be made.  The people started to respond to the voice of God.  Will we respond to the voice of God today?  God is asking us to step out, not to perish but to gain victory through him - are we willing?