THE RATTLING IN THE BONE YARD

Pastor George Dronen

Midland SDA Church

August 25, 2012

TEXT:  Ezekiel 37:1-6

OPENING HYMN 111—Closing Hymn 316

THEME:         BONES BY THEMSELVES, AREN’T THAT USEFUL. THEY NEED FLESH AND MUSCLE AND EACH OTHER TO BE USEFUL.

37:1   The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones,

I. Ezekiel in the Spirit of the Lord.

II. When we are in the presence of the Lord the first thing that HE does is to reveals HIMSELF to us and show us ourselves.

III. Isaiah 6: Isaiah saw the LORD, high and lifted up. Then Isaiah saw himself and he said woe is me for I am undone and I live in the midst of sinful and unclean people

IV. Daniel was praying in Daniel 9. Daniel acknowledged his sins and the sins of his people.

  37:2   And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry. 

                        I.          Notice what Ezekiel says, they were very dry. We don’t have much of the Lord’s Spirit. So the first question we must ask ourselves, “Is there hope for dry bones.  Notice the text, verses 3 & 4.

  37:3   And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 

  37:4   Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 

V. The first step for a resurrected church is a revealing of God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit must breathe on us.

VI. This revealing comes by Prophesying, preaching is synonymous to prophesying. Whenever God speaks to His people He uses the foolishness of preaching. We read that John the Baptist came preaching. Mark 1:14: “Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.”

VII. When God’s Spirit comes thee is a revealing. God calls His servants to reveal to His people their great need.

a. What does God’s Spirit reveal?

b. Our unconsecrated heart.

c. Our uncommitted life.

d. Our unconfessed sins.

e. Our self-proclaimed righteousness.

f. Our better than though attitude.

g. Our bitter roots of resentment.

VIII. This leads to confession.

a. Private sins are to be privately confessed.

b. Public sins are to be publicly confessed.

IX. When we accept confession – there must be a revealing and a restoration.

a. We must be willing to receive back the erring.

b. We must be willing to put trust in the dubious.

c. We must be willing to forgive like Jesus forgave.

i. Jesus forgave Mary Magdalene. Peter wonder how many times the Lord was going to forgive her. She had gone back into her former life style seven times and Peter asked, “How many times are you going to forgive her? The Lord said, ‘if necessary 7 times 70.’”

ii. Mary was last at the cross that fateful Friday and first at the tomb that glorious resurrection morning.

iii. Jesus forgave Peter after Peter had said, “I don’t even know Him.” After the resurrection when they found the tomb empty and an angel in attendance, the angel spoke to them and said: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go and tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” Mark 16:6-7.

In one brief moment Peter blew it all.

iv. Peter was re-instated, the Lord went to Peter privately after the resurrection. And Peter went on to be a great leader in the newly formed church that Jesus left on this earth.

v. Jesus would have forgiven Judas if he would only have acknowledged his sin.

vi. When they were nailing Him to the cross He prayed: “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”

vii. Forgiveness means we are canceling the debt. You know, “I am not going to forgive unless so and so does such and such.”

viii. Jesus forgives unconditionally and we need to also.

X. Words are like wind. Wind can bring rain, or it can bring drought.

XI. What caused Peter’s fall?

a. Remember just a few hours earlier Jesus and His 11 disciples enter the garden. Jesus took His three closes disciples into the recesses of the garden and He asked Peter, James, and John to pray with Him for an hour.

b. Jesus went in a little further and fell down and pleaded with His Father. He agonized with Him praying, “If possible let this cup pass, nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.”

c. He came back to check on the three men and they were sleeping.

d. Sleeping when we should be praying.

e. Sleeping can get you into trouble.

f. If Peter had been praying when he was sleeping he would have been braced for the trial.  How often we let the demands of life crowd out the time we should be spending with our Lord.

g. Revival only comes in answer to prayer.

h. If we want revival then we must start praying.

i. If we want revival then we must spend time with our Lord.

We are a valley of dry bones, very dry bones.

j. Do you know what dries us up spiritually?

k. Do you know what causes a drought in the church?

XII. I am going to suggest several reasons why God hasn’t blessed us the way we should be blessed. You may not like it. I may have to leave because of what I will say but God has revealed to us what the difference is between His people and the world.

XIII. First we don’t make a full commitment! We are potluck. We pick and choose.

XIV. Second, we don’t make a full commitment to our Lord because:

a. We believe in 911. When we get into trouble we start praying.

b. Mark Kelley asking why God didn’t heal his father.

c. Arlene who had cancer and the elder coming to me and saying we need to teach Arlene the health message, this is her only hope.

XV. I used to own a six-shooter, a revolver.

a. Do you known what Russian  Rolette is all about.

b. In the USA one out of every two men will get some kind of cancer.

c. One out of three women will get cancer.

XVI. If we would make a commitment to the Lord and follow His plan our chances of getting cancer is reduced to 3 out of 100.  If you have a fighting spirit you might just want to find out why this is so.

XVII. We don’t make a full commitment to the Lord in the handling of our money.

a. Remember you can’t out give the Lord.

b. God blesses those who are willing to follow His plan.

c. Remember when you die you leave it all. How much are you leaving the Lord.

XVIII. We are a valley of dry bones because we won’t let go.

a. So & so said this about me. He said, she said, they won’t, they aren’t and I won’t.

b. Brothers & sisters, if you have unresolved issues, if you are unwilling, if you are unforgiving, if you know but don’t because of this or that than you are in that bone pile.

c. If you are living in a relationship that is wrong, than why don’t you fix it?

d. If there is resentment or hatred in your heart this morning than you are dry bones.

e. If there is something you know that you don’t want to do than you are dry bones.

f. 37:11   Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 

XIX. We are a valley of dry bones because we haven’t spent the necessary time with our Lord.

a. How is God going to put life back into us?

b. The same way He always puts life into something.

“37:5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.” 

Gen 2:7 God breathe into Adam the breath of life. Isn’t that what God wants to do for us. If we don’t want Him to breathe life into us now what is to say He will breathe into us life at the resurrection?

XX. We believe He will resurrect our loved ones, but what about us who live, don’t we need a resurrection?

XXI. My brothers & sisters, eternal life doesn’t begin when Jesus comes. It has to begin now. Eternal life is a choice we must make now. Eternal life is a commitment we must make now.

XXII. Is there enough appeal to Jesus’ offer or has Satan blinded our eyes so badly that eternal life is no longer appealing. You know, eat, drink and be merry, tomorrow we die.

XXIII. My dear ones, sin is so appealing yet so repulsive that it is disgustingly impossible for most of us to distinguish between good and evil, what is good and what is not. We have come to a place where men say good of all evil and evil of all good. Did anyone go to Scott Ritsema’s seminar at camp meeting this year? There are six CD or DVDs. You owe it to yourself and the church family to hear what he has to say. We are held captive by the media by the music, tv & internet.

a. Do you know what hate literature is all about?

b. Do you know what kind of laws are in place in our country to protect the guilty?

c. Dear ones, stay out of trouble. Don’t fool with the system. Live as men and women in a foreign land. We seek a better country. A heavenly one.

d. Words and pictures captivate us. We can no longer distinguish right from  wrong.

XXIV. There is only one way. We must allow the soft gentle breezes of God’s Spirit to blow on us. When that happens there will be a rattling of the bones. When that happens the body will start coming together. When you know you are dry bones and God begins to breathe on you there is hope. There is hope for Israel, God’s special people.

XXV. When God breathes on His people the church will flesh out.

XXVI. When God breathes on His people we will come together.

a. Can you imagine a foot moving around not connect to the leg?

b. A thigh without a back.

c. A back without a shoulder.

d. A shoulder without a neck.

e. A neck without a head.

XXVII. We are all part of a body, I might only be a little toe, but if I hurt my whole body hurts. I don’t want to be cut off, I just want to be healed.

a. If I am the hand, I have a purpose, I serve the body. Dear people, do you see what God wants to do with & for us. He wants to make us like Himself.

b. He wants to take these dry bones, hook them up and make us a spectacle to the world. We have to do certain things, but do we have to be so resistant to our God.

c. He wants to make us like Himself. Conformed to His image.

XXVIII. We sing; “Be like Jesus all day long, Be like Jesus in the home and in the throng. I would be like Jesus all day long.

XXIX. What can I say, we are going to be changed if we want eternal life, or be left out.

XXX. How does God change us”

a. Rather simple

b. By words. John 1:1-3.

c. The creative power of words. The keeping power of words Psalm 119:11.

d. Every word is God breathed. Jesus wants us to get to know Him and He tells us that we will become like Him by the Word. John 17:3 & 17:17.

XXXI. Are you willing to let the Word change you?

a. As this happens something will happen to you. God will fill your cup. This cup will spill over to others. You will have enough to give to others, they will share with others and very quickly this gospel will preached and this valley of dry b ones will have come together, we will be one body. Ready for the coming of Jesus.

Let us sing our closing hymn as an appeal  Hymn # 316 “LIVE OUT THY LIFE IN ME.”

1-10. What Can Man's Power Do?--At one time the prophet Ezekiel was in vision set down in the midst of a large valley. Before him lay a dismal scene. Throughout its whole extent the valley was covered with the bones of the dead. The question was asked, "Son of man, can these bones live?" The prophet replied, "O Lord God, Thou knowest." What could the might and power of man accomplish with these dead bones? The prophet could see no hope of life being imparted to them. But as he looked, the power of God began to work. The scattered bones were shaken, and began to come together, "bone to his bone," and were bound together by sinews. They were covered with flesh, and as the Lord breathed upon the bodies thus formed, "the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army" (MS 85, 1903).  {4BC 1165.2}

     A Vision of Our Work.--The souls of those whom we desire to save are like the representation which Ezekiel saw in vision,--a valley of dry bones. They are dead in trespasses and sins, but God would have us deal with them as though they were living. Were the question put to us, "Son of man, can these bones live?" our answer would be only the confession of ignorance, "O Lord, Thou knowest." To all appearance there is nothing to lead us to hope for their restoration. Yet nevertheless the word of the prophecy must be spoken even to those who are like the dry bones in the valley. We are in no wise to be deterred from fulfilling our commission by the listlessness, the dullness, the lack of spiritual perception, in those upon whom the Word of God is brought to bear. We are to preach the word of life to those whom we may judge to be as hopeless subjects as though they were in their graves.  {4BC 1165.3}

     Though they may seem unwilling to hear or to receive the light of truth, without questioning or wavering we are to do our part. We are to repeat to them the message. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."  {4BC 1165.4}

     It is not the human agent that is to inspire with life. The Lord God of Israel will do that part, quickening the lifeless spiritual nature into activity. The breath of the Lord of hosts must enter into the  lifeless bodies. In the judgment, when all secrets are laid bare, it will be known that the voice of God spoke through the human agent, and aroused the torpid conscience, and stirred the lifeless faculties, and moved sinners to repentance and contrition, and forsaking of sins. It will then be clearly seen that through the human agent faith in Jesus Christ was imparted to the soul, and spiritual life from heaven was breathed upon one who was dead in trespasses and sins, and he was quickened with spiritual life.  {4BC 1165.5}

     But not only does this simile of the dry bones apply to the world, but also to those who have been blessed with great light; for they also are like the skeletons of the valley. They have the form of men, the framework of the body; but they have not spiritual life. But the parable does not leave the dry bones merely knit together into the forms of men; for it is not enough that there is symmetry of limb and feature. The breath of life must vivify the bodies, that they may stand upright, and spring into activity. These bones represent the house of Israel, the church of God, and the hope of the church is the vivifying influence of the Holy Spirit. The Lord must breathe upon the dry bones, that they may live.  {4BC 1165.6}

     The Spirit of God, with its vivifying power, must be in every human agent, that every spiritual muscle and sinew may be in exercise. Without the Holy Spirit, without the breath of God, there is torpidity of conscience, loss of spiritual life. Many who are without spiritual life have their names on the church records, but they are not written in the Lamb's book of life. They may be joined to the church, but they are not united to the Lord. They may be diligent in the performance of a certain set of duties, and may be regarded as living men; but many are among those who have "a name that thou livest, and art dead."  {4BC 1166.1}

     Unless there is genuine conversion of the soul to God; unless the vital breath of God quickens the soul to spiritual life; unless the professors of truth are actuated by heaven-born principle, they are not born of the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth forever. Unless they trust in the righteousness of Christ as their only security; unless they copy His character, labor in His spirit, they are naked, they have not on the robe of His righteousness. The dead are often made to pass for the living; for those who are working out what they term salvation after their own ideas, have not God working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure.  {4BC 1166.2}

     This class is well represented by the valley of dry bones Ezekiel saw in vision (RH Jan. 17, 1893).