Home
Series: Ezekiel
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 31st May 2015
Passage: Ezekiel 37:1-28
00:00:00 --> 00:00:12 Good evening, 5pm. Are we well? Cold? No? No? Some people are warm? That's good to hear.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:18 Well, my name is James, I'm a student minister here at St. Paul's, and it's a joy to be bringing
00:00:18 --> 00:00:25 the word of God tonight to you all. So how about I pray for us as we begin. Please join
00:00:25 --> 00:00:31 me in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much that we can come to you tonight, we
00:00:31 --> 00:00:36 can gather as your people, even on this cold night, and we pray, Father, that you would
00:00:36 --> 00:00:41 work in us tonight through your word, that you would change us, that you would warm our
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 hearts with the joy of the gospel, of what you've done through your son Jesus, in whose name
00:00:46 --> 00:00:55 we pray. Amen. Hopelessness is not a feeling any of us enjoy. It is something we dread
00:00:55 --> 00:01:03 feeling when things go wrong, sometimes even in the most smallest of ways, like last year's
00:01:03 --> 00:01:10 AFL Grand Final. I had made sure I had the whole day off so I could watch my mates, see
00:01:10 --> 00:01:17 the Swans get up and win the AFL Grand Final, to see a great battle between the Hawks and
00:01:17 --> 00:01:24 the Swans, and hoping to see the Swans go away with the flag. Boy, oh boy, was I disappointed.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:32 Weren't we all? If you're a Swans fan, especially, I mean, as the game went on, it was just dreadful
00:01:32 --> 00:01:37 to watch. The Hawks kept extending their lead out, walking all over the Swans. It was as
00:01:37 --> 00:01:42 if the Swans didn't turn up to play the match. My hope felt the whole game just dwindled,
00:01:43 --> 00:01:51 and by the time the siren of the fourth quarter sounded, all hope was gone. Swans had lost
00:01:51 --> 00:01:57 terribly. And it was just depressing, sitting there watching the whole game unfold, knowing
00:01:57 --> 00:02:03 it was just hopeless. There was no hope of winning. The Hawks were just too good for us.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:11 Sometimes hopelessness can affect us in much more serious ways. I remember getting a phone
00:02:11 --> 00:02:16 call from my father, and he was telling me that my uncle had just been diagnosed with lung cancer,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:23 and they had caught it in a very late stage, a bit too late. It was only a number of months
00:02:23 --> 00:02:30 after I received that call, I got another call, and he had passed away. Those months were difficult.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:37 I felt helpless. I felt hopeless. My uncle was dying. I couldn't do anything to stop it.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:46 I had this feeling of inadequacy. I could do nothing. I just had to accept it, and sit there,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:55 and just wait. But such a conclusion is not one we like, nor is it one we accept. We are creatures
00:02:55 --> 00:03:03 of hope. Our world is obsessed with hope. All over Facebook, we are bombarded with stories of hope
00:03:03 --> 00:03:10 that always ends. You've good news. Our movies and TV shows tap into our felt need for hope,
00:03:10 --> 00:03:17 to see the hero overcome obstacles, holding on to hope for a good outcome. We are people of hope,
00:03:17 --> 00:03:23 and even in death, we hope. At the funeral of Philip Hughes, Michael Clark spoke very passionately
00:03:23 --> 00:03:29 and lovingly towards his friend and fellow teammate. He finished by stating that Hughesy would always
00:03:29 --> 00:03:35 be present with him on the cricket field when he went out to bat. The way Clark dealt with the
00:03:35 --> 00:03:43 seemingly hopelessness of the situation was to ignore the reality of death itself and somehow justify
00:03:43 --> 00:03:48 his ongoing presence through some sort of spiritual or ethereal presence on the cricket field.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:59 Hopelessness is not something we enjoy, so even in the face of death, we choose to hope.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:04 Hopelessness is not something we enjoy, whether it's by ignoring the reality of our pain or by explaining it away,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:12 we choose to hope. However, this is not a description of the Israelite people in Ezekiel.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:18 They were a people who did have much hope to begin with, but now they were a people of utter despair
00:04:18 --> 00:04:26 and hopelessness. Why? Because they were under the complete judgment of the Lord God. And by the time
00:04:26 --> 00:04:33 we get to chapter 37, they are in a pitiful state as a people. They're not trying to look for hope in the
00:04:33 --> 00:04:42 midst of hopelessness, trying to explain it away. They describe themselves in verse 11 as dry bones.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:50 They're in a death-like state, a hopeless state, and any chance to find hope was gone.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:59 All because they felt and experienced and knew that they were under the terrible judgment of God.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:05 One cannot simply explain away God's terrible judgment.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:15 To think so many today are living hopeful lives, looking forward to the future, looking forward to tomorrow,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:23 with hope, and yet at the same time, ignorant that they live under the very same judgment of God
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 as the Israelites did.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:30 In the end, blind to the hopelessness that sums up their true reality.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 Is this the end of Israel?
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 Is this death-like state forever their reality?
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 And what about us?
00:05:39 --> 00:05:43 Us, who Ephesians 2.1 describes as dead in our sin.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:48 Is there any way out of this hopeless, death-like state for us?
00:05:48 --> 00:06:18 Is there any way out of this hopelessness?
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 Live again.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:27 The amazing truth, the incredible miracle of this passage is that the answer is yes.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:33 Yes, dead, dry bones can live again.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 And this passage will tell us how.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:41 Indeed, verses 1 to 14 tell us how dry bones can live again.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:48 And verses 15 to 28 will tell us what this new life looks like now as the people of God.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 So firstly, how can dry bones live again?
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 How can these bones have new life?
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 Look at verse 3.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 He asked me, Son of man, can these bones live?
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 I said, Sovereign Lord, you alone know.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:08 Then he said to me, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:16 God asked Ezekiel here, after showing him the valley of the dry bones, can these bones live again?
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 It's a bit of an unfair question, don't you think?
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 The obvious answer is no.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 Of course not.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 These bones are dead.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 They're so dead, they're dry.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 They've been dead for so long.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 There's no way these bones could live.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:35 But the one asking the question is not anyone.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 It's God.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 He is the creator of all life.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 The one in control of life and death.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 So Ezekiel answers wisely.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 Only you know God.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:54 A wise answer, indeed, which acknowledges that God is the one who says who lives and who dies.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 Ezekiel is then told in verse 4 how these bones are going to live.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:04 He is going to prophesy to these dead bones.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:08 Saying to them, Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord God.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:12 That is how God is going to give life to these bones.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 He's going to speak to them.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:19 Now he didn't already think the idea of dead bones living again was a bit far-fetched.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 Surely now you think his method is.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 I mean, he's going to speak to bones.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 I have a dog.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 That's a Shih Tzu cross poodle named Mr. Bingley.
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 And if you're wondering, yes, it's from Pride and Prejudice.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 Mr. Bingley from Pride and Prejudice.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 If you've seen or read the book.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:45 Now Mr. Bingley always, I kid you not, he always poos in my room.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:52 Whenever I go to college for a week and I come back, there's always a little gift in my room waiting for me.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 And it's very, very frustrating.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 It's very annoying.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 And I get really upset about it.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:03 All I want to do is when I get home is just relax and sit down and put my feet up.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:08 But then the first thing I've got to do is clean up a little dog poo from my room.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 And it gets very frustrating.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 I remember one time I was so fed up.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:18 I was so angry at my dog for doing this that I had to do something.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 Now I don't believe in hurting animals.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 But I had to do something.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 So I went downstairs.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 I found the dog.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 I picked him up.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 And I carried him to my room.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 And I made him look at the turd.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 I made him look at it for some time.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 Now I made him look at me.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 And I said to Mr. Bingley, this is not acceptable.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 You can't do this.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 This is wrong.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 And it went on for about a minute and a half.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 And I realized at that point, this is ridiculous.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 This is not going to work.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 He's a dog.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 And I'm trying to communicate with a dog and tell him not to do that.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 That is, this is not working.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 And I felt pretty dumb and pretty stupid for doing that.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 And I feel like it's the same here.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:10 How does speaking to dry bones and telling them to live again going to work?
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 At least my dog was alive.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 And I could pick him up and I could show him.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 These are dead, dry bones.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 They are lifeless.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:25 Whilst I might have thought in a moment that my words had some sort of power over my dog,
00:10:25 --> 00:10:31 my words are nothing compared to God's words.
00:10:32 --> 00:10:36 When God speaks, powerful things happen.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:42 It was through his word that everything came into being, that God created the world.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 God said, let there be, and there was.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:51 The psalmist says in chapter 33, for he spoke and it came into being.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 He commanded and it came into existence.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:59 When God creates, he does so by speaking.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 When he gives life, he does so by speaking it.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:08 And so when, through the prophet Ezekiel, he commands the bones to live,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 they will live.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 Because these are the words of the almighty God.
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 They're not my words or anyone else's words.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 They are God's words.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 And we see this take place in verse 7.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 So I prophesied as I was commanded.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 And as I was prophesying, that is telling these bones to live,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 there was a noise, a rattling sound.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 And the bones came together.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 Bone to bone, I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 And skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 As Ezekiel spoke to the bones to hear their Lord God,
00:11:41 --> 00:11:46 new life began to come upon these bones to form bodies.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:50 Now we are told at this point there was no breath in them.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 That these bodies were formed, but they had no life just yet.
00:11:55 --> 00:11:59 Now this word breath comes from the Hebrew word ruach.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 Can you say ruach?
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 Ruach.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 Don't be afraid to use spitball.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 Ruach.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 Come on.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:06 Ruach.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 Yeah, that's good.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:08 That's good.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 It can mean breath or wind.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 But it can also mean spirit.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:19 And it's difficult to work out how we should read this word here.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 Ruach.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 Is it breath or is it spirit?
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 I think in this chapter it means both.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 I mean, it has to mean breath.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 Because how would these bodies become alive?
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 Indeed we see in verse 9,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:40 Such a picture of this breath,
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 breathing into the slain, into the bodies,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:47 is reminiscent of God breathing life into Adam.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 Which makes me think,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 since it is God who gives life,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:56 that this breath must be also referring to the spirit.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 Indeed, when God is interpreting the prophecy
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 in the vision to Ezekiel,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 he says in verse 14,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 I will put my spirit in you,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 and you will live.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 God's spirit, his ruach, gives life.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 And it does so in the command of his word.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:18 Indeed, his word is enacted and carried out by the spirit.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 And so as we read on the result,
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 they all arose,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 all these bodies,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 as they were breathed life into him,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 they all arose like an army.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:33 The interpretation of this vision and prophecy
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 is that all the house of Israel
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 made up these dry bones.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 They were in a death-like state,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 saying to themselves,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 we are dry bones.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 Our hope is no more.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 We are cut off.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 But then God says to him in verse 12,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 interpreting the prophecy,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 this is what the sovereign Lord says,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 my people,
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 I am going to open your graves
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 and bring you up from them.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 Then you, my people,
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 will know that I am the Lord
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 when I open your graves
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 and bring you up from them.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 I will put my spirit in you
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 and you will live.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 And I will settle you in your own lands.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 Then you will know that I, the Lord,
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 have spoken.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 And I have done it,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 declares the Lord.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:25 God's word is Israel's salvation.
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 Although they were dead,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 although they were hopeless,
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 under God's terrible judgment,
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 through the word spoken by the grace of God,
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 Israel is given new life by his spirit.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 God's word is our salvation.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:50 And although we were dead in our sins,
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 hopeless, helpless,
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 to do anything about our sin,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 under God's terrible judgment,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 ignorant that we were so,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 God, through his word,
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 indeed the word that became flesh,
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 gave us new life by his spirit.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 Indeed, Ezekiel is looking forward
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 to the salvation that we enjoy now,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 to the word of God
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 that would become incarnate in flesh
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 to save us from our deathly state,
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 to give life to these dry bones.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 Jesus, the word of God,
00:15:27 --> 00:15:31 the fullest and final revelation of God,
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 who takes away the sin of the world
00:15:33 --> 00:15:37 and makes his sacrifice effective for us
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 by his spirit,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 giving us new life.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:46 I wonder if there's any of us here
00:15:46 --> 00:15:50 who haven't accepted God's word,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 who are living lives ignorant
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 that you are under God's terrible judgment.
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 We heard last week from Steve
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 that we ought not to harden ourselves
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 to God's word as it's revealed to us.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:08 God's word gives life,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:12 life that saves us from our sins,
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 from our death-like state.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 And so tonight,
00:16:15 --> 00:16:18 if you haven't heard the great news
00:16:18 --> 00:16:21 that we are saved from our death-like state,
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 then I encourage you to listen,
00:16:25 --> 00:16:29 to hear what God has to say to you.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 The words of the gospel are powerful.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 They are words that bring life.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 And it's why Paul is so bold to say
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 in Romans 1.16,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 I am not ashamed of the gospel
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 because it's the power of God
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 for the salvation of all who believe.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 Is it not incredible
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 that we, as we have been made alive
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 by God's word,
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 given new life?
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 And now the very words
00:16:59 --> 00:17:02 that brought life to us and to Israel
00:17:02 --> 00:17:06 have now been given to us in the gospel.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 That as we go out and speak to dry bones,
00:17:09 --> 00:17:13 they might hear God speak to them
00:17:13 --> 00:17:17 and speak of the one who died for them.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 That they might have new life
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 by the Spirit.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 Is that not just incredible?
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 We, who were once dead in our sins
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 but now made alive by God's Spirit,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 we now have the opportunity
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 to go tell others,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 to other dry bones,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 God's word,
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 God's redeeming word in the gospel
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 and be conduits of this new life.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:51 How does one have new life?
00:17:52 --> 00:17:55 By the very grace of God
00:17:55 --> 00:17:58 who gives us life through his word
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01 by the power of the Spirit.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 All for the glory of his name.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 This is where we get to our second point.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 What does this new life look like
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 as the people of God?
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 We learn that although we were dead in our sins,
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 we were in a hopeless, death-like state.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 God, through his word,
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 by his Spirit,
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 has given us new life.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 But what does this new life look like?
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 How does it shape the way we live today?
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 What does it mean for us?
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 Well, look at verse 15.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 The word of the Lord came to me,
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 Son of man,
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 take a stick of wood and write on it,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 belonging to Judah
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 and the Israelites associated with him.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 Then take another stick of wood
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 and write on it,
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 belonging to Joseph,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 that is to Ephraim,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 and all the Israelites associated with him.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 Join them together into one stick
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 so that they will become one in your hand.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:59 These sticks represent two kingdoms of Israel
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 before the exile,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 the northern kingdom of Joseph
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 and the southern kingdom of Judah.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 And Ezekiel is told to bring these sticks together
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 and make them one.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 When the people of God wonder
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 why exactly this is
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 and what this all means,
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 Ezekiel is told to tell them,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 verse 21,
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 this is what the sovereign Lord says.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 I will take the Israelites
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 out of the nations where they have gone.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 I will gather them from all around
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 and bring them back into their own land.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 I will make them one nation in the land
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 on the mountains of Israel.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 There will be one king over all of them
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 and they will never again be two nations
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 or be divided into two kingdoms.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 For Israel,
00:19:43 --> 00:19:46 new life meant that they would no longer
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 be scattered
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 like the exile had made them scattered.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:53 They would no longer be divided
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 amongst each other,
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 separated into the north and to the south,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 but God was going to make them
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 one nation once again.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 They would enjoy being brought back
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 into the one land
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 as one people
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 under one Lord and King.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:11 Never again to be divided.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 Never again to be scattered.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 Never again to become dry bones.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:20 to be in this death-like state.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 Because
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 intrinsic to this new life
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 was the gathering of God's people.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:32 Was God's people becoming one?
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 That is the shape
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 of the new life that we have
00:20:36 --> 00:20:38 in Jesus.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 Now the people were originally scattered
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 because of their disobedience
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 and unwillingness to turn to God,
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 to listen to his word.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 Deuteronomy 28, 64
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 warns them as such.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 To give you some context though,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 verse 54 of 28 says this,
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 If you do not carefully follow
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 all the words of this law
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 which are written in this book
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 and do not revere this glorious
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 and awesome name,
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 the Lord your God,
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 verse 64,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 then the Lord will scatter you
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 among all the nations
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 from one end of the earth to another.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 There you will worship other gods,
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 gods of wood and stone,
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 which neither you nor your ancestors
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 have known.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 The scattering was a curse
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 on God's people
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 because they did not heed
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 and follow his word.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 They did not listen.
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 God cursed them
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 and scattered them.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 And so they could not enjoy
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 the blessings
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 and the promises
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 that came being a unified people
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 under God.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 But here in Ezekiel 37,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 we see that new life
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 for God's people
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 means being brought together
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 in the land
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 as one people.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 Indeed,
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 whilst the scattering
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 of God's people
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 was always seen
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 as a curse,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 the gathering
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 of God's people
00:21:52 --> 00:21:54 has always been seen
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 as a blessing.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 Deuteronomy 12,
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 verse 5 says this,
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 But you are to seek
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 the place
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 the Lord your God
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 will choose
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 from among all your tribes
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 to put his name there
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 for his dwelling.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 To the place
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 you must go.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 There,
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 bring your burnt offerings
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 and sacrifices,
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 your tithes and special gifts,
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 what you have vowed to give
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 and your freewill offerings,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 and the firstborn
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 of your herds and flocks.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 There,
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 in the presence
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 of the Lord your God,
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 you and your families
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 shall eat
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 and shall rejoice
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 in everything
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 you have put your hand to,
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 because the Lord your God
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 has blessed you.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 When God's people
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 live faithfully
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 in the land,
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 obeying his word
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 and worshipping him rightly,
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 they enjoy unity
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 as the people
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 of God.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 Verse 18 goes on,
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 Instead,
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 you are to eat them
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 in the presence
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 of the Lord your God
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 at the place
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 the Lord your God
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 will choose.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 You,
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 your sons
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 and your daughters,
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 your male
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 and female servants
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 and the Levites
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 from your towns,
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 and you are to rejoice
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 before the Lord your God
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 in everything
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 you put your hand to.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 True and proper
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 worship of God
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 is when the people
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 of God
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 are gathered together
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 as one,
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 not scattered,
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 but together as one
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 to rejoice
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 and be thankful
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 for what the Lord
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 has done.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 And it's with this
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 in mind,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 Ezekiel 37
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 wants us to land,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 that as God
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 gives us new life
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 to our dry bones,
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 he restores,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 his people
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 to the oneness
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 that they used
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 to enjoy.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 However,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 Ezekiel 37
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 is pointing forward
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 to so much more
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 than just
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 Israel's restoration,
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 but to what
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 this new life
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 looks like
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 for all people,
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 all of God's people,
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 looking towards eternity.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 Verses 24 to 28
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 give us a picture
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 of God's people
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 enjoying everlasting
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 peace.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 with a king
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 that is of like
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 David,
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 who will rule
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 forever in a place
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 that we will be in
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 forever.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 With a God,
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 with God himself,
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 who promises
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 to dwell with us
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 forever.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 The purpose
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 of this new life
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 that God
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 has given
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 to us,
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 dry bones,
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 is to enjoy
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 his presence
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 forever.
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 forever.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 That we will live
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 in community
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 together
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19 under one
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 Lord
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 and Saviour
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 and King
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 Jesus.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 And to never,
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 ever again
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 be separated
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 from him
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 or from one
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 another.
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 Ephesians
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 captures
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 this central
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 theme of
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 oneness
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 quite well
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 in this chapter.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 Verse 4
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 of chapter 4
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 in Ephesians
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 says,
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 there is one
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 body
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 and one
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 spirit,
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 just as you
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 were called
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 to one
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 hope
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 when you
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 were called,
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 one Lord,
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 one faith,
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 one baptism,
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 one God
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 and Father
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 of all,
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 who is over
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 all and
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 through all
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 and in all.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 The great
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 hope of
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 our new
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 life is
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 that we
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 don't do
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 this new
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 life alone,
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 but in
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 community
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 with believers.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 Right now,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 under the
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 lordship of
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 Jesus,
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 we get to
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 enjoy
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 community
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 with the
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 promise
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 that as
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 God's
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 people,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 we have
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 peace
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 with him
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 now,
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 that he
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 dwells
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 with us.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 We get
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 to do
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 as the
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 Israelites
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 did in
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 Deuteronomy
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 12,
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 gather together
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 for worship,
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 our families,
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 our friends,
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 to rejoice
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 what the
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 lord has
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 done for
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 us,
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 experiencing
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 his blessing
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 as we
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 meet together,
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 encouraging
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 each other
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 and strengthening
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 each other,
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 reminding
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 each other
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 of the
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 hope that
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 we now
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 have in
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 Jesus,
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 that we
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 are no
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 longer
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 dead in
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 our sin,
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 that we
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 are no
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 longer
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 dry bones
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 and we
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 get the
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 promise that
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 never again
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 will we be
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 separated from
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 God or
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 from his
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 people,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 never again
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 will we be
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 in this
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 death-like
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 state,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 like dry
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 bones.
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 As verse
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 24 says,
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 they will
00:26:02 --> 00:26:04 follow my
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 laws and
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 be careful
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 to keep
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 my decrees.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 this new
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11 life is
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 different to
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 before.
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 It is
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 guaranteed and
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 sustained by
00:26:15 --> 00:26:17 God himself.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 So God
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 gives us
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 new life
00:26:20 --> 00:26:22 by his
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24 word and
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 the shape of
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 this new
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 life is
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 this oneness
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 intrinsic to
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 this new
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 life is that
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 God's people
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 are brought
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 together to
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 be one,
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 to enjoy
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 and worship
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 God as
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 one people.
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 However,
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 we're in an
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 interesting
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 time.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 We enjoy
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 this new
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 life now
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 since in
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 Christ we've
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 been made
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 alive.
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 We enjoy
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 the presence
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 of God in
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 life now
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 through the
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 Spirit.
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 We enjoy
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 new life,
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 but there's
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 still a sense
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 that we are
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 still scattered.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 Christians are
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 all over the
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 world.
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 We're not all
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 in one place
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 at the one
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 time,
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 worshipping and
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 enjoying God's
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 presence.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 We do enjoy
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 God's presence
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 as God's
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 people,
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 but we are
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 still persecuted
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12 by those who
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 are not God's
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 people,
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 burdened by the
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 sinfulness of
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 the world,
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 indeed,
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 burdened by
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 our own
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 sinfulness.
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 And so it
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 can be
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 confusing.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 It can feel
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 like we're
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 stuck in
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 between this
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 now and
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 not yet,
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 waiting for
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 this to all
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 be fulfilled,
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 but also
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 knowing and
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 enjoying the
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 benefits that
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 we already
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 have.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 But something
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 has
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 definitively
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 changed.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 We have
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 hope.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 We have
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 hope.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 We are no
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 longer dry
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 bones.
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 We are no
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 longer under
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 God's judgment.
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 We have
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 new life.
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 And with
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 new life
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 comes new
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 hope.
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 Hope for
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 the future.
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 For us
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 here who
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 struggle in
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 the present,
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 who feel
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 the weight
00:28:00 --> 00:28:02 of sin,
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 who experience
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 the burden
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 of sin,
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 pain,
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 and suffering,
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 who feel
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 hopeless,
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 we must look
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 forward in
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 hope.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 For what God
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 has started,
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 he finished at
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 the cross,
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 and it will
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 come to its
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 completion and
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 to its
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 perfection soon.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 As Romans 5
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 reminds us,
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 not only so,
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 but we also
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 glory in our
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 sufferings because
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 we know that
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 suffering produces
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 perseverance,
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 perseverance
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 character,
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 and character
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 hope.
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 And hope
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 does not put
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 us to shame
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 because God's
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 love has been
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 poured out into
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 our hearts
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 through the
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 Holy Spirit
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 who has been
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 given to us.
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 This hope
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 did not come
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 from us.
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 It's not an
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 artificial hope.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 It's not something
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 we conjured up
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 to dull our
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 pain and
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 suffering.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 It's not a hope
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 like Michael
00:28:55 --> 00:28:59 Clark based
00:28:59 --> 00:29:01 on nothing.
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 This hope
00:29:03 --> 00:29:05 comes from the
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 one who loved
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 us.
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 It comes from
00:29:08 --> 00:29:10 God who
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 poured out his
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 love for us
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 by his Spirit
00:29:13 --> 00:29:15 and gave us
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 new life.
00:29:16 --> 00:29:18 When life is
00:29:18 --> 00:29:20 hard, when we
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 go through
00:29:20 --> 00:29:22 struggle, when
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 we stumble in
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 our sins and
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 fall, we
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 must look
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 forward to
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 that hope
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 and remember
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 the new
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 life and
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 the promise
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 that God
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 has given
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 us, that
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 he will never
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 separate from
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 us.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 But also,
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 we should
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 look around
00:29:40 --> 00:29:42 us, look
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 around here,
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 for what we
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 experience here
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 is a taste
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 of what is
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 to come.
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 This is what
00:29:49 --> 00:29:51 Ezekiel 37
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 envisioned
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 right here.
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 New life,
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 as the
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 people of
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 God, in
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 the community
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 of God,
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 worshipping
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 God and
00:29:59 --> 00:30:01 rejoicing with
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 each other
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 about what
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 God has
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 done, being
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 thankful
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 together.
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 That is
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 what's going
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 on in
00:30:06 --> 00:30:08 Ezekiel 37.
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 And we
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 get to
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 partake in
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 this right
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 now.
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 To be one
00:30:13 --> 00:30:15 people under
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 one Lord
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 Jesus, this
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 is the
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 tangible
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 expression of
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 our hope for
00:30:22 --> 00:30:24 future today.
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 I wonder,
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 how urgent
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 are we to
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 gather here
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 as a
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 community?
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 Do we
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 come here
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 realising that
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 intrinsic to
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 the new
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 life that
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 God has
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 won for
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 us is
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 gathering as
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 one people?
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 Or do we
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 come here when
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 it suits us,
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 when it's not
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 cold?
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 Our weekly
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 gathering, as I
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 said, is a
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 tangible
00:30:50 --> 00:30:52 expression of
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 what our
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 hope is for
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 the future.
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 When we are
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 gathered here
00:30:57 --> 00:31:01 as one, with
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 the new
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 life that God
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 has given
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 us, we do
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 so in
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 hope, in
00:31:05 --> 00:31:07 anticipation of
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 what is coming.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 We're all of
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 God's people from
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 all over the
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 world, from
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 all times, will
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 be gathered
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 together at
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 the one time
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 and at the
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 one place,
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 worshipping the
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 one Lord
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 Jesus.
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 Indeed, the
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 place called
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 the Lord is
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 there.
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 Amen.
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 Amen.
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 Let's take a
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 moment to let
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 those words
00:31:39 --> 00:31:42 cement
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 themselves in
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 our hearts, in
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 our minds,
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 whatever it is
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 that God was
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 challenging or
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 encouraging you,
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 just take a
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 moment to
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 reflect on it
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 now.