An open door Part 1

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 14 MARCH 2021

REVELATION 3 VERSES 7 AND 8

Listening to the news in these past days, reading local newspapers and listening to various broadcasts some of the restrictions might now be relaxed.  When we think back to the past year, we can think of some closed doors - for instance our churches and our schools but now we can see these restrictions being lifted.  These doors will be opened again.  One door I want to turn your attention to.  The door of grace was opened on the day when Christ died for us 2000 years ago.  These are verses written to the church of Philadephia and they are all about service.  I want to apply it to the gospel message.  God is giving us a door of opportunity and will not close it.  Jesus said "I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved."  The Lord is calling each and every one of us.

A door of opportunity.  God says to you and I "I have set before thee an open door".  Will you be wise and take a step towards that door today?  A door provided by God.  It is no one else but God who sets before us this door.  The door of salvation was opened for us by God himself.  Only he could open it.  Only God made the way for you and I.  Remember the word of God "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in me shall not perish but have everlasting life."  I think of the story of Abraham offering up his son Isaac in Genesis 22.  God challenged him to take his only son and offer him on the altar.  He rises early and takes Isaac with him.  Isaac asks him "behold I see the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for the burnt offering."  Isaac asked the question on that day.  There had to be a lamb involved.  Genesis 22 verse 8 Abraham replies "my son God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering."  Abraham put his son on the altar and was about to kill him when God called from heaven.  There was a lamb caught in the thicket which was offered in place of Isaac.  Jesus was similarly placed on Calvary.  He took our place.  When I turn to Genesis 6 I read there "and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and every imagination of the thougths of his heart was only evil continually."  Judgment came on the people but not before a substitute was provided.  God has provided a way of escape.  In Genesis 3 after the fall of mankind the world was cut off from God.  God provided a way.  There is only one way.  Which way are you travelling tonight?  On way to heaven and home?  This world is fast approaching judgment but God has provided the way.  Galatians 4 verse 4 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."  God has set before you the way of salvation, an open door but it is up to you to come and enter through that door.

A door presented.  God's word says "I have set before thee an open door."  He didn't hide it from us.  Remember when John the Baptist saw Christ he said "behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."  He was telling the people to stop what they were doing as this was of the utmost importance.  Remember when Jesus was baptised and he came out of the waters the heavens opened and God the Father spoke "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."  God has provided a perfect salvation for us today.  The Children of Israel were in Egypt for 400 years.  God saw their afflictions and he did something about it.  The plan he made to deliver them was presented to them.  They were to take a little lamb on that particular night to be put to death.  They were to apply the blood to the door lintels and door posts.  The lamb had to be slain for their redemption.  The plan is not hidden from us today.  When Jesus spoke to his disciples about the way to heaven Thomas said to him "we don't know where you are going, how can we know the way?"  Jesus said to him "I am the door by me if any man shall enter in he shall be saved."  The Lord stands at your door.  He is the answer to the life you want to live.

A door protected.  This is a door that is provided, presented and protected.  No man can shut that door for you.  That door is to heaven.  Will you come and trust Jesus as your personal Saviour?  When he revealed his love for a guilty world, when his son bore our sin on his body that door was opened and never would be closed by anyone.  That door has been opened for 2000 years but one day it will close when Christ will come again.  That is the event we are waiting for right now.  The Lord is not coming to bear the sins of the world again.  He is coming again to the church of Jesus Christ first and foremost, those trusting in him as Saviour and Lord.  Will you rise to meet him?  That is the reality.  The Bible tells of that great event in Matthew 25.  It is the story of the 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom, 5 were wise and 5 were foolish.  Five had oils for lamps and they burned bright.  The other 5 had no oil to burn.  The bridegroom comes.  He is a picture of Jesus Christ himself.  When the bridegroom comes the wise were ready and went in with him to the marriage.  The 5 who were foolish knocked that door but they were too late.  The door was closed and they were not ready.  That door is the door of salvation and one day it will close  The opportunity was given.  In the days of Noah the door to the ark was shut by the Lord himself.  The door of salvation is provided, presented and protected for you too.  The only one who shuts the door is you through wilful neglect and stubbornness.  What will you do with the Lord?  Trust him as Saviour and Lord?  Or reject him once more? 

An Open Door Part 1

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 21 MARCH 2021

JOHN 10 VERSES 7 - 11

Last Sunday we were thinking of our anniversary services.  We looked at the verse in Revelation 3 "I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it." (verse 8)  We thought of the gospel message of how God provided the door, how God presented it and how God protected it.  Hebrews 2 verse 3 "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation."  The God of heaven still offers you his mercy and grace today.  Let us consider another door we find here in John 10 verse 9 "I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture."

The simplicity of the door.  In this Middle Eastern culture the shepherd would bring his sheep in from the hills at night then he himself would lie down at the entrance.  He would make himself the door.  Jesus was speaking here of the entrance into heaven - by him we shall be saved.  I suppose it is at this point that many get confused.  When we begin to think of the splendours of heaven, we sing and read about a place he has prepared.  He told his disciples "I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also.  And whither I go ye know and the way ye know." (John 14 verses 3 and 4)  No sin is allowed to enter in.  There is no night in that place.  Every pain is dispelled.  We will never see the funeral director for there is no death there.  We will not need the medical practitioner because there is no sickness.  It is a place where there will be no crying for God shall wipe away every tear.  We get confused because we think we need a difficult way to get to such a place yet it is so simple.  The Lord stands before us and invites us to come to him.  By doing that we shall be saved.  He makes it so uncomplicated.  Remember in Acts 16 the Philippian jailer was given charge of Paul and Silas.  After he beat them he put them into a dark cell.  He himself went to lie down and sleep.  At midnight the foundations of the prison shook and the walls began to crumble.  All the doors were opened.  The jailer feared what would happen the next day when he would be charged with allowing the prisoners to escape.  He would be put to death so he drew out his sword to kill himself.  Paul shouts to him "do thyself no harm for we are all here."    The jailer comes in to where Paul and Silas are and asks "what must I do to be saved?"  He realised what he didn't have, he wasn't saved.  Sin will mar you from heaven one day.  This man is honest with himself.  He acknowledges he is not saved.  I am sure he wondered to himself 'what will I have to do?'  Paul told him "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."  I can imagine that cold, callous man asking himself 'surely it cannot be as simple as that?'  The simplest of messages that is sometimes overlooked in this world.  It must be very difficult to get saved.  You must have to do this and that but the Bible says "believe on the Lord and be saved."  D L Moody was holding a mission in a mining area.  The owner of the local mine came under great conviction of sin and knew he needed to be saved.  He spoke to Moody many times but he coulldn't fathom it.  Surely it was not as easy as that, just believing in Christ dying for the sins of the world.  He was always looking for a more difficult way yet it was so simple.  Moody went to his mine one day, talked with the man at length and had lunch.  The owner asked him if he would like to do down to the coal face.  Moody asked "how do we get down."  The owner replied "it is easy, just press the button, the door opens and you get in and are taken to the ground."  Moody said he couldn't believe it would be that easy.  The owner of the mine went on to explain how the lift was designed.  The more he explained how the lift operated the gospel of saving grace dawned on him.  The simplicity of the gospel became real to him.  All that man had to do was to trust, depend, believe.  That is all you have to do - believe.  He left heavens glory, walked on this earth for 33 years with no sin.  Then one day he was taken out to a hill called Calvary, there he suffered, bled and died for our sin.  On the third day the tomb is empty, he has been raised from the dead and is now seated with his father in heaven to come again one day to the air for his people to take them home.  

The sufficiency of this door.  "By me if any man enter in".  Not an angel could do this.  No-one was sufficient to do it.  Not Moses nor Elijah or Elisha.  Jesus is all that we need.  Think of the words "I am".  He is the one who changes not.  He is sufficient.  When I think of the Old Testament sacrifices, when little lambs and bullocks were slain and the priests offered them as sacrifices, they could never save.  They were insufficient to save the soul of a man or woman.  The priest could never clear the conscience of anyone.  It had to be continually repeated day after day, year after year.  It could never take away the sin of the man and woman.  Hebrews 10 verse 12 "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."  Your sins were placed on his body.  He died on the cross of Calvary once for all.  Nothing more can be added to it or taken away.  He sat down on the right hand of God.  "Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4 verse 25)  The man of Gadara was demon possessed.  Society gave up on him.  They had tried many things but left him to wander amongst the tombstones.  There he would cry out from the depths of his soul.  He hurt himself.  Everyone was afraid of him.  One day the Lord came across his pathway.  The man fell down at Jesus' feet.  The demons cried out from him and with one word the Lord cast those demons out.  The demons went out into the swine which ran down the hillside into the sea.  The people heard of what had happened and came out to see.  There was the man clothed and sitting at the feet of the Lord in his own mind.  What a change the Lord makes.  When society could do nothing, when the religious leaders could do nothing the Lord took over.  

The security that is offered.  "If any man enter in he shall be saved."  His offering and sacrifice can secure the salvation of all who come.  "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  There is not a sin that the Lord has not dealt with at the cross of Calvary.  He presents him and then invites all to come to him.  Will you take up that invitation today?  Maybe you have rejected him time after time.  He invites you to come.  In the book of Genesis when the ark was being made, the Lord told Noah he would destroy the world because of sin.  Before he would send judgment he would offer grace to a lost world.  The ark was to be a place of safety and security.  The details God gave - he spoke of the different floors but then he spoke of the door in the side of the ark.  That door was sufficient and secure.  The safety of everyone who would enter in.  The door was tall enough to allow the greatest animal in, wide and low enough, sufficient for all.  Not an animal was turned away.  The Pharisees one time spoke to the disciples ridiculing Jesus - "this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them" (Luke 15 verse 2)  How true that is if you are to take your place as a sinner.  We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.  In Old Testament Isaiah said 'all we like sheep have gone astray, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."  The Lord bore my sin and your sin.  He laid it upon him to atone for our sin.  He waits for you to come.

The satisfying that was enjoyed.  "And he shall go in and out and find pasture."  This speaks of the freedom and liberty found in Christ.  Many would say 'if I got saved I couldn't enjoy myself, I could never live like that."  The Lord satisfies the longing in the sinners heart and soul.  The Jewish religion brought bondage and misery.  Galatians 5 verse 1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  Paul was speaking to those who had believed in Christ but were tempted to go back in to the old rituals.  What Paul is saying is 'there is no satisfaction in circumcision, in the days we keep and the foods we eat.'  John said "he whom the son sets free is free indeed."  Will you come to Christ today?  Will you trust him?  Will you make your way to Calvary, acknowledge that Jesus has taken your sin on himself?  What you have to do is simply accept it.  He has done it all.  Will you come to the door of heaven?  "By me if any man enter in he shall be saved."  Jesus also said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me."  There is only one way and that is through faith in the Lord Jesus.

 

CAN THESE BONES LIVE?

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 21 MARCH 2021

EZEKIEL 37 VERSES 1 - 14

Ezekiel is here in this valley of dry bones.  It is an image of Israel. At this moment in time they are not a great nation but one day God will take them up and revive them again, to bring them back into their own land.  If we read verses 21 and 22 we can see what God will do in the future.  In verse 16 God pictures them as 2 sticks, the north and the south.  What are the principles marked out for such an event?  They are the same as God looks on the church today.  We see a man separated for God "he took me out" (verse 1).  I pray that this is not just another Sunday morning to gather here today.  Here was a man separated for God  We are to be separated for God today.  We are to bring glory and honour to his name.  Here is a man settled by God - he was set here in the valley of dry bones.  We need to be where God would have us to be spiritual speaking.  A man summoned to God - "and he said unto me" (verse 3).  We are separated unto the gospel  Are we where God would have us to be? Are we asking God to speak to us today?

Ezekiel's consideration - verse 3 God says to Ezekiel "He said unto me."  As far as he could see there was nothing but dry bones on the earth everywhere.  Then God speaks to him "can these bones live?"  Now at this point he is listening to the word of God.  Just as Isaiah the prophet came into the temple on that day, he realised he lived in the midst of a people of unclean lips and he was one too.  That day he saw the Lord high and lifted up.  I wonder how do we visualise God today?  Ezekiel said "thou knowest all things."  He knows God has the answer.  No matter what the problem may be today God has the answer if only you will allow him to come into your life.  In Mark 4 we read of a man who was dependent on his 4 friends.  He was robbed of his mobility.  He had no strength in his arms or legs.  Those friends placed him on a stretcher and carried him to Jesus.  On the way the people asked them where they were going.  They would have replied "we are taking him to Jesus."  Why?  Because the 4 men believed that Jesus can help him, raise him from the sickness.  Their eyes are on the Lord.  They considered the situation.  They considered what Jesus could do.  It was in the hands of the Lord.  Let's trust the Lord today, trust him for what he can do.  Is there someone in your home, or a difficulty in your life, a problem you have to face today.  Bring it to the Lord.  George Whitefield was preaching on one occasion.  One man was running down the footpath to where Whitefield was preaching when another man approached him and asked him "you don't believe what Whitefield preaches do you?"  The man replied "no but Whitefield does."  Do we consider that the Lord can breath into our lives, bring spiritual breath into your family, your community, your province again?   

The challenge Ezekiel receives.  Ezekiel replies in verse 3 "thou knowest".  That was a great answer.  God had asked him "can these bones live?"  Ezekiel replied "thou knowest."  We read in verse 4 "again he said unto me prophesy upon these bones."  In other words 'prove what you believe to be true.'  God was telling Ezekiel to stand in front of the bones and prophesy unto them - verse 4 "and say unto them."  The word of God alone was what he had to preach.  What a responsibility on the preacher.  There is a challenge to step up to the mark.  You have seen this, you know what I can do, now preach to these bones, give them my word.  Ezekiel must have felt silly standing at the mouth of that valley and started to preach unto those bones.  Maybe God is asking you to do something today that seems silly. God is separating you, settling you to do it, summoning you to do it.  We might have all the correct spiritual language and pray to God saying "I have faith in you to do this" but maybe he is asking us to do something about it.  Maybe we are afraid of this challenge. God is asking and challenging us.  In Mark 4 the 4 friends saw their friend, knew Jesus was in the house in Capernaum and they knew he had the power to heal that friend.  The challenge was there for them to arise and place him on the stretcher and carry him to the Lord.  They could believe all they liked but they had to do something about it.  They had to carry him to Jesus.  Remember the little boy in the crowd one day.  All he had was his lunch of loaves and fishes.  He was listening to the Lord.  He saw the Lord healing men and women.  The day was far spent and the people had no food to eat.  Even Andrew when he brought the lunch to the Lord said "this is all we have, what is that among so many?  Jesus tells Andrew "you tell the people to sit down."  He had to step up to the mark.  They were to sit down in expectation of what was going to happen.  The disciples went back to the Lord who broke the bread and fishes.  He asked the disciples to give it to the crowd.  They believed the Lord could provide for the people but now they had to do something.  Jairus was a man with a daughter of 12 years of age.  She was at the point of death.  If only he could find the Lord, get him to come to his house.  The Lord could raise his daughter again.  He believed the Lord could do it.  He pleaded with the Lord to come to his house.  He only wanted him to come and touch her.  He believed she would be raised up again.  Can you imagine the joy in his heart as Jesus comes with him.  As they get near the door, within just a few feet that door opens and a man tells Jairus that his daughter has died.  I am sure his heart sank to his boots.  Jesus said "she is not dead but is sleeping."  Jairus had to prove his faith where he stood.  Maybe this was a prominent man who told him this news, perhaps a doctor.  Maybe when he came out Jairus put weight into his words.  Jesus was asking Jairus "are you going to believe him or me?"  The Lord asks us that same question.  "Step up, surrender our life to the Lord without any excuse."  Evan Roberts, the great Welsh Revivalist emphasized the honouring of the Holy Spirit, to give God the Holy Spirit his way in the peoples lives.  Just like in Acts 2 when the disciples waited in the Upper Room.  The Holy Spirit filled them from heaven.  We need to surrender our lives to him who can fill us to the utter most.  Maybe you are still in your sin today, you need to come ot the cross where Jesus suffered and bled and died for your sins.  Or maybe you have neglected the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel complies - verse 4 prophesy, verse 5 "I will cause breath to enter", verse 7 "so I prophesied as I was commanded."  Notice the progression until the point he did as instructed.  Evan Roberts once attended a meeting where Rev Seth Joshua was the preacher.  Seth Joshua had been praying, asking the Lord to raise up a young man to lead a mighty revival in wales.  Before the meeting began that night when Evan was present, Seth asked the congregation to pray in their hearts, to ask the Lord to bend them, not the preacher but the congregation.  We need to get back to this praying again.  We can pray for souls, for foreign lands, for missionaries, for Israel and for all sorts of things but we need to get back to praying "Lord take a dealing with me."  Evan Roberts prayed that night "Lord bend me, not the person beside me or in front of me."  Isaiah in the temple prayed "Lord here am I send me."  That is what God is looking for today - for you and I to be bent of the Holy Spirit, to surrender our lives to him.  Are you prepared to surrender?  Will you comply as Ezekiel did?  Am I ready to say "yes Lord."  Maybe there is a situation in your heart and your resolve needs to be made, maybe a debt needs to be paid or someone needs to be spoken to.  Maybe God wants you to bring someone from your family to the gospel today.  Ezekiel saw a great change in verse 7.  The vision was symbolic of what would begin to start.  He heard a noise, a shaking of the bones, flesh coming into the bones and then breath.  They were able to stand up as a great and mighty army.  Are we ready to obey and follow the Lord, to say "revive me."

"The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken"

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021

PSALM 50

The opening words of Psalm 50 "The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken" speaks of the revelation of God.  It was a revelation of the reality of God.  The Psalm was either written by Asaph or written to Asaph.  The Psalmist wanted his readers to get a glimpse of God.  Sometimes we forget, we need to be reminded again.  Verse 22 "now consider this ye that forget God."  The people were in danger of coming and going through the motions of singing, praying, reading the word of God, even preaching yet missing out on the revelation of God.  The mighty God was turning every eye and head.  Remember John the Baptist when we saw Jesus approaching said "behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."  Jesus had come into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  We get our minds on other things.  What have you done with Jesus?  Have you neglected him, forgotten him, set him aside?  Or have you taken him as Saviour and Lord?  Would it not be great to say to him one day "I took your son for myself and I lived my life for you."  We live in a day when people take the standpoint there is no God, everything came about by chance.  Psalm 53 "The fool hath said in his heart there is no God."  In Exodus 5 Pharaoh asked "who is this Lord, I have never heard of him, I don't know he exists."  Genesis 1 verse 1 "In the beginning God."  You and I get so caught up with the things around us. The Psalmist reminds us we are coming into the presence of the mighty God, the one who spoke and everything came into being.  Isaiah the prophet on that day when he went into the temple saw the Lord high and lifted up.  Everything else that went with it.  Isaiah on that particular day, a prophet in the land was standing in the temple that day.  What was going though his mind that day?  It was "the year that King Uzziah died."  Was he going up with a heavy heart, a burden?  The Lord knew exactly what he needed.  He had a heavy heart that day.  You need the Lord today if you have a similar heavy heart.  I wonder as Isaiah went into the temple was his eyes on something else, somebody else?  Maybe this was a time of great tragedy, heartache and sorrow.  Now he saw the Lord.  Many times he had been there before and didn't receive this revelation.  Wonder will you like Isaiah stand before God and be able to say "here am I send me."  Remember Acts 16 in Philippi Lydia came to the Sabbath day.  A few of the women folk went out to a meeting by the river.  Lydia came along.  Her lifestyle is set to one side for the Sabbath day.  She made her way out.  She must have been a religious woman, a busy woman, a seller of purple.  She set everything aside to go out and worship the God of heaven.  On this particular occasion God opened up her heart to receive the things Paul spoke on.  God met with her.  Maybe God wants to meet with you today.

A revelation of the reasoning of God.  God communicates with us.  How often have you gone to the word of God with a burden on your heart, have a heavy decision to make.  Then you sit down with the word of God.  The Psalmist says the mighty God, the one who created everything has spoken.  He has spoken and called the earth together - "from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.  Hebrews shows the supremacy of God.  "God in sundry times ... unto the fathers ... through the prophets.  But he hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son."  The supremacy of the son.  God spoke to the exiles in Babylon through Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Cyrus.  We today have the everylasting word fixed in heaven.  God is still speaking to us even today.  God is still speaking to us even today.  God is speaking to us through this Pandemic.  Perhaps we are caught up with all the inconvenience of the Pandemic and not giving God the proper thought.    "I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.  Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High.  And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me."  God is asking for a sincerity from his children.  "When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentest with him and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit."  God sees these things.  He is communicating, reasoning with his people though the Psalmist.  "Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mother's son.  These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thougthest that I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver."  God demands righteousness.  We can go through the motions of reading, praying and preaching yet there is no reality.  That is what God is reasoning with the church today.  God speaks to you and I today.  I wonder are we really listening to what God has to say?

The revelation of God's range.  We must pay attention this morning.  Are we crying out to God today?  Not going through the motions but asking God to speak to us.  God has spoken through the mighty prophets of old, he even spoke to the young boy Samuel.  Samuel was tending to the needs of Eli in the temple.  One night as he is resting his head on the pillow God spoke to him.  He didn't recognise the voice of God.  Do we recognise the voice of God that is speaking to us today?  It is too easy to forget about our children.  We say they wouldn't understand what is being said.  God spoke to Samuel as a child.  God spoke though his prophets yes but he wants to speak to us today too.  Verse 5 "gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."  Revelation tells us that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth when the Lord comes as judge.  The heavens and earth will flee at his presence.  "And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the even fled away and there was found no place for them."

A revelation of what God requires.  Looking at what God has done for us but what does he require of us - "And call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."  You are dealing directly with me this morning, not anyone else.  You and I as individuals.  God is speaking to you this morning.  What will our response be?  "The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken."  What will we do this morning?

Can these bones live part 2

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 7 MARCH 2021 am

EZEKIEL 37 VERSES 1 - 7

The setting for this passage was Babylon, the people were exiles from Jerusalem.   They were paying the price for their rebellion, rejection and obedience.  God allowed them to be carried away into Babylon.  They were carried away in 3 separate stages.  The first raid was in 606BC when Daniel would have been carried away.  The second raid was 597BC when 10,000 people were taken captive and Ezekiel would have been included in that company  Then in 586BC Jerusalem was completely destroyed.  Ezekiel in chapter 37 is showing what God is going to do.  The bones Ezekiel saw were  picture of the great nation of Israel.  They didn't look very inspiring, they were helpless.  Ezekiel saw something very special coming together.  The bones, sinews, flesh would stand as a mighty army.  Great revival was to come on the nation of Israel.  

There is a separation that is called for - verse 1  "the hand of the Lord was upon me and he carried me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me in the midst of the valley which was full of bones."  Separated from the nation of Israel.  Maybe God is separating you right now for a very special purpose.  He wants you to do something that no-one else can do.  You have been selected to do it.  The Lord was separating Ezekiel into a different situation.  Revival was to come through one man  Jeremiah 5 verse 1 "run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it."  Jerusalem was told to look for one person to give his will over to God.  Remember Abraham - he was called out of Ur of the Chaldees and he was told to surrender his all to God.  Acts 8 shows how a door would be opened for the Gentile nation, all outside the Jewish nation to come to faith in Christ - it would all begin with one man, Cornelius.  Peter took the gospel down to his home.  All his friends gathered in and Peter began to preach the gospel to them.  The Holy Spirit fell on them.  That is what happens in salvation, as we hear the great story.  That God sent his son down into the world to take on himself the form of a servant, born in a manger, placed in the place of poverty.  He came into the world, grew amongst men and 33 years later was nailed on an old rugged cross.  Why?  For you and I, that we might have our sins forgiven.  Have you given your life to God today?  He has opened the door of salvation to you today.  Think of the boy on the mountainside with his packed lunch.  He gave his all to the Lord.  He was separated from the crowd and gave everything to the Lord.  From that lunch the Lord fed a multitude of people.  Maybe God is waiting for you to step out for him.  

Ezekiel saw the state the bones were in.  He recognized that God placed him in a valley.  We often think of a valley being a place of defeat and despair.  David likened the valley to death in Psalm 23.  Only in this valley did Ezekiel see the helpless and hopelessness of the situation all around him.  Ezekiel saw nothing but bones stretching across the floor.  The scope was vast.  He saw the state of the nation in this vision.  In verse 11 we read that the people were actually saying "our bones are dry"  They were without hope, cut off.  What a state was before Ezekiel.  This has been a year like no other.  God is calling us individually today.  Ezekiel saw this people in despair, distraught.  When we look back on the history of Israel, we can see how God has kept his hand on them.  In Egypt Pharaoh tried to destroy the Israelites but God had his hand on them.  Assyria tried to destroy Israel but couldn't do it.  Nebuchadnezzar couldn't do it either.  Haman thought he would destroy the Jewish nation but he ended up on his own gallows.  In the book of Revelation and Daniel we see the coming prince, the antiChrist will try to destroy Israel as well but they will remain to the end - why - because they are God's nation.  They would be a great nation again.  Ezekiel didn't see the people destitute.  Jeremiah 29 verse 11 "I know the thoughts I think towards you."  God had his plans for this nation.  When we open the word of God we can see God's calendar is coming together.  The next great event on his calendar is the coming again of Jesus to the air.  The bible calls this the blessed hope.  The church in Revelation chapter 3 Laodicea couldn't see their state - God saw them as poor, wretched and blind.

The suggestion that comes - verse 3 "can these bones live?"  The God of heaven takes this man and asks him.  Will you step up to the challenge?  God is putting in to the heart and mind of Ezekiel what would take place under the right conditions.  God would gather them together again to their own land and they will be my people and I will be their God.  "Is there anything too hard for me?"  Maybe you have someone in your family and you see nothing happening despite all your prayers down through the years - remember God is in control and he is working all things out.  The people's joy was gone. There was no way back.  Ezekiel was being asked by God to step out.  Have we lost out because we don't believe God could revive the people again?  Philip on the mountainside could see that the people were tired and hungry.  He asked the Lord to send the people home.  The Lord looked at him and told him to feed the people.  Philip knew that even 200 pence would never feed all this people.  Maybe God has a task for you to do for him.  These bones could live again.  God started the work in Ezekiel's heart.  Maybe God is challenging us with the work of revival to begin in our hearts.  Remember the man who had a son that was demon possessed.  Jesus challenged the father "do you believe that I can do this."  The man replied "I believe, help my unbelief."  Or the Roman Centurion who had a sick servant at home.  Jesus said he would come with him but the Centurion told him no, just speak the word and he would be healed.  Do we have that faith to believe today?

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?