Dry Bones Baptist Church

Temple Baptist Church 5-29-2011

Ezekiel 37:1-10

Introduction:

A. By interpretation, this chapter deals with the re-gathering of Israel in the End-Time. Since the Allenby Declaration of 1914—making Canaan of the Old Testament the homeland of the Jew—God’s covenant people have been going home. Jacob’s Trouble is at hand (Daniel’s 70th Week) and God will once again deal with Israel as a nation.

B. We see the desolate state of the nation prior to the ingathering (almost 2000 years of national blindness and dispersion). Now, we see life once again come to Israel as the Lord brings them together and blows upon them with the breath of God.

C. By application, we see the condition of the church just prior to the Rapture. Much has been in the news lately concerning the coming of the Lord and that news has been detrimental to the cause of Christ. False prophets arising who go against clear scripture with their predictions while giving the news media and the enemies of Christ an occasion to mock and blaspheme.

D. “Dry Bones Baptist Church!” I have never seen that name on any sign but I have seen death slowly come to the majority of churches. These churches once lived! They were vibrant with life; preached the truth; won souls to Christ; lived separated lives; shed abroad the love of Christ; and made a difference in both their communities and the world.

E. There are several things that I want us to see in these verses that should open our eyes to the condition of the local church today. If we do not see, we cannot correct!

1. The Deadness of Our Churches – vs. 1

a. Churches Have Traded Preaching for Programs

b. Churches Have Traded Conviction for Compromise

c. Churches Have Traded Revivals for Seminars

d. Churches Have Traded Wed. Night Services for Family Nights

e. Churches Have Traded Prayer Rooms for Family "Life" Centers

f. Churches Have Traded Salvation for Church Membership

g. Churches Have Traded God's Word for Man's Reasoning

2. The Dryness of Our Churches –vs. 2

a. Churches Have Traded Praise for Knowledge

b. Churches Have Traded Worship for Menus

c. Churches Have Traded Powerful Preaching for Philosophy

d. Churches Have Traded Pure Word of God for Perverted word of man

e. Prayer rooms are empty

f. Altars are empty

g. Sunday night, Wed night, revival night, visitation nights are empty

h. Baptistries are dry

i. Eyes are dry

j. Souls are dry and thirsty

k. The joy of salvation is gone

3. The Question of Our Churches – 3 “Can these bones live?”

a. The answer is yes! In the midst of this Valley of Dry Bones, there can be local churches that live!

b. It takes realization of what has been lost. We must see where we have come from; what we have lost!

c. It takes a desire to live. In my years of visiting the sick and dying, I have seen people who have died simply because they lost the desire to live. They gave up when there was still hope. We must fight for life in order to live.

4. The Message of Our Churches – vs. 4

a. The Prophecy to the Church. Preach, Preacher, Preach! Our churches need to hear the Word of God preached in order for them to live. Pulpits must be much more than just compassionate, they must be straight and strong. The message must be biblical and complete.

b. Hear the word of the Lord, Church, hear! Jeremiah 22:29 says, “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.” There must be a hearing of what is being preached. Otherwise, we go home empty and unchanged; we go home disobedient; and we go home dying.

c. In order to live, we need to preach to dead churches!!! Otherwise, they will continue to die or they will remain dead.

5. The Desired Result of Our Churches – vs. 5-6

a. Breath – We need the breath and life of God! Not a pseudo-spirituality that is disobedient to the Bible but a spirituality that is obedient to God and His Word.

b. Life – We need life! Not the life of the world in the churches but the life of God. A life that has holiness instead of worldliness; a right music; a right dress; a right attitude toward God.

c. Growth – We need a right growth. Most churches grow through the loss of other churches. Many grow through proselyting! They grow by sheep stealing instead of door knocking and soul winning. I know what time it is; I know that God has to add; but I also know that have to go out and compel people to come to Christ.

d. Faith - "know that I am the Lord!" He is still the I AM THAT I AM who opened the Red Sea and led Israel through the wilderness. He is still the same!

6. The Deception of Our Churches – vs. 7-8

a. There Is A Noise - shouting is not necessarily Spirit

b. There Is A The Shaking - Things going on are not necessarily Spirit

c. There Is A Coming Together - Numbers are not necessarily Spirit

d. There Is A Placement - Organization is not necessarily Spirit

e. There Is An Appearance - Beauty is not necessarily Spirit

7. The Need of Our Churches – vs. 9-10 We need the Breath of God!

a. We Need The Breath of God In Our Worship - John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

b. We Need The Breath of God In Our Witness - Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

c. We Need The Breath of God In Our Fellowship - 1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

d. We Need The Breath of God In Our Daily Walk With God - Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Conclusion: “Can these bones live?” Yes, they can live! “Will these bones live?” That is up to you and me!