Ezekiel 37:15-28 adds one new emphasis to what Ezekiel has been saying: unity. The restoration from exile would not restore two kingdoms but one (like in the days of King David), with one God. These verses point us to the work of Jesus Christ who is Lord and King over one people (not just over the Jewish people of the southern and northern kingdoms, but even over the Gentiles) because of His greater exile on the cross and His greater restoration from exile in the resurrection. And Jesus has poured out the Spirit on His people so that we can be with the one God as one nation. This nation knows no national boundaries, but consists of Christians throughout the world whose citizenship is in heaven. Unity is impossible with those who do not have the Spirit, those who have not experienced an initial sanctification by the Spirit, those who are not united to Christ. But salvation is the restoration of communion with God through union with Christ by the Spirit in our hearts.

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Labels: church, ezekiel, king, spirit, union with Christ, unity

Ezekiel 37:15-28 adds one new emphasis to what Ezekiel has been saying: unity. The restoration from exile would not restore two kingdoms but one (like in the days of King David), with one God. These verses point us to the work of Jesus Christ who is Lord and King over one people (not just over the Jewish people of the southern and northern kingdoms, but even over the Gentiles) because of His greater exile on the cross and His greater restoration from exile in the resurrection. And Jesus has poured out the Spirit on His people so that we can be with the one God as one nation. This nation knows no national boundaries, but consists of Christians throughout the world whose citizenship is in heaven. Unity is impossible with those who do not have the Spirit, those who have not experienced an initial sanctification by the Spirit, those who are not united to Christ. But salvation is the restoration of communion with God through union with Christ by the Spirit in our hearts.

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Labels: church, exile, ezekiel, king, spirit, union with Christ, unity

Ezekiel 37:1-14, the famous passage about the dry bones, describes Israel as a deserted desert full of bones that are weak and dry. This is a picture of the cross without the resurrection. But with the resurrection picture of return from exile we can begin to see the hope that we have in Christ. Thus we remember that hope, see that we need to live with that hope as people who are alive, and promote that message of hope. Here we look at pessimism and optimism in light of the death and resurrection of Christ and His giving of the Spirit and see that pessimistic thought and attitudes are inconsistent with our identity as Christians. And here the text should encourage empathy for the unbeliever without hope and encourage evangelism as the answer to their exile from God.

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Labels: death, evangelism, exile, ezekiel, optimism, pessimism, resurrection, spirit

Ezekiel 37:1-14, the famous passage about the dry bones, describes Israel as a deserted desert full of bones that are weak and dry. This is a picture of the cross without the resurrection. But with the resurrection picture of return from exile we can begin to see the hope that we have in Christ. Thus we remember that hope, see that we need to live with that hope as people who are alive, and promote that message of hope. Here we look at pessimism and optimism in light of the death and resurrection of Christ and His giving of the Spirit and see that pessimistic thought and attitudes are inconsistent with our identity as Christians. And here the text should encourage empathy for the unbeliever without hope and encourage evangelism as the answer to their exile from God.

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Labels: death, evangelism, exile, ezekiel, optimism, pessimism, resurrection, spirit

Ezekiel 36:16-38 shows that God will act for the people of Israel not because of the people but because of His concern for His own name and reputation. After looking at the catechisms on the ninth commandment and mentioning current events (Jon & Kate Plus Eight), we looked at three ways this text comforts the people without causing us to think too highly of ourselves. The first way was by looking at the contrast between your character and God's character -- knowing yourself apart from the grace of God, knowing yourself in Christ, and knowing God. Secondly, in how the text points us to the death and resurrection of Christ. And third primarily looking at the giving of the Spirit on Pentecost. All three points provide comfort without being puffed up with conceit.

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Labels: character, christ, comfort, death, ezekiel, name, pentecost, reputation, resurrection, spirit

Ezekiel 36:16-38 shows that God will act for the people of Israel not because of the people but because of His concern for His own name and reputation. After looking at the catechisms on the ninth commandment and mentioning current events (Jon & Kate Plus Eight), we looked at three ways this text comforts the people without causing us to think too highly of ourselves. The first way was by looking at the contrast between your character and God's character -- knowing yourself apart from the grace of God, knowing yourself in Christ, and knowing God. Secondly, in how the text points us to the death and resurrection of Christ. And third primarily looking at the giving of the Spirit on Pentecost. All three points provide comfort without being puffed up with conceit.

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Labels: character, christ, comfort, death, ezekiel, name, ninth commandment, pentecost, reputation, resurrection, spirit

Ezekiel 35:1-36:15 afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted to keep the people of God on the straight and narrow path of Jesus Christ. Here God speaks to the mountains (Mount Seir and the mountains of Israel), representing two different groups of people, a message that points to the final destination of those two groups of people. For one, represented by Esau or Edom, the final destination is a deserted desert. For the other group, represented by the mountains of Israel the destination is the fruitful and full of the faithful new heavens and earth. The passage has two major purposes. First, it serves as a warning for those who may seem like a brother for a time but ultimately prove through their actions, attitude, and words that they are not. And second, it comforts afflicted sinners. Christians should not be comfortable in their sins, their sins should make them upset and troubled (even afflicted), but then the comfort of the gospel message of forgiveness applies. This is good news.

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Labels: edom, envy, esau, ezekiel, new creation, warning

Ezekiel 35:1-36:15 afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted to keep the people of God on the straight and narrow path of Jesus Christ. Here God speaks to the mountains (Mount Seir and the mountains of Israel), representing two different groups of people, a message that points to the final destination of those two groups of people. For one, represented by Esau or Edom, the final destination is a deserted desert. For the other group, represented by the mountains of Israel the destination is the fruitful and full of the faithful new heavens and earth. The passage has two major purposes. First, it serves as a warning for those who may seem like a brother for a time but ultimately prove through their actions, attitude, and words that they are not. And second, it comforts afflicted sinners. Christians should not be comfortable in their sins, their sins should make them upset and troubled (even afflicted), but then the comfort of the gospel message of forgiveness applies. This is good news.

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Labels: edom, envy, esau, ezekiel, new creation, warning

Ezekiel 34 shows us that we are like sheep in need of Jesus as our shepherd. Answering the most common objection to being compared to sheep -- that sheep are weak and dumb -- I began by offending the congregation by telling them that they are weak and dumb. Then we looked at the themes of accountability and abundance in the passage. Both of these are ways that the gospel is indeed good news for the weak and stupid sheep who depend on God. Let us not muddy the waters or trample the good pasture of others, but let us be accountable to the Chief Shepherd who pours out upon us showers of blessing. It was a blessing to baptize George afterwards.

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Labels: abundance, accountability, christ, ezekiel, sheep, shepherd, stupid, weak

Ezekiel 34 shows us that we are like sheep in need of Jesus as our shepherd. Answering the most common objection to being compared to sheep -- that sheep are weak and dumb -- I began by offending the congregation by telling them that they are weak and dumb. Then we looked at the themes of accountability and abundance in the passage. Both of these are ways that the gospel is indeed good news for the weak and stupid sheep who depend on God. Let us not muddy the waters or trample the good pasture of others, but let us be accountable to the Chief Shepherd who pours out upon us showers of blessing.

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Labels: abundance, accountability, christ, ezekiel, sheep, shepherd, stupid, weak

Ezekiel 33 marks a turning point in the book of Ezekiel because of what happens at the center of the chapter -- the destruction of Jerusalem. Up until now, Ezekiel has stressed the bad news and now that the survivor comes and tells us that Jerusalem has been destroyed he shifts his emphasis to the good news. This good news is a message of repentance. After discussing how we like a good sermon but hearing a sermon and doing it are two different things, we looked at how your righteousness will not deliver you when you sin. The Christian lifestyle is one of repentance. You trust in Christ's righteousness and when you sin you turn to Him and away from the sin. This is all because He was the temple of God that was destroyed on the cross for your sins.

Did the portion demonstrating lying on my side &c for the children's message before this sermon, compared to Peter Creek below.

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Labels: death, ezekiel, jerusalem, repentance, sermons, sin

Ezekiel 33 marks a turning point in the book of Ezekiel because of what happens at the center of the chapter -- the destruction of Jerusalem. Up until now, Ezekiel has stressed the bad news and now that the survivor comes and tells us that Jerusalem has been destroyed he shifts his emphasis to the good news. This good news is a message of repentance. After discussing how we like a good sermon but hearing a sermon and doing it are two different things, we looked at how your righteousness will not deliver you when you sin. The Christian lifestyle is one of repentance. You trust in Christ's righteousness and when you sin you turn to Him and away from the sin. This is all because He was the temple of God that was destroyed on the cross for your sins.

The audio gets a little softer where I did crazy things like laying down on my side and such.

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Labels: death, ezekiel, jerusalem, repentance, sermons, sin