"Celebrating God's Work"

Sermon by Pastor David Layman

March 13, 2005

Ezekiel 37:1-14

I John 3:18, 4:7-12

John Alley was a person I always enjoyed calling upon when I served First Presbyterian in Greenville. He was a retired physician and a

faithful member of the congregation. John also had a kind heart, and a wonderful sense of humor. To be honest, there were some elderly members of that congregation that weren't always ajoy to visit! When I found myself getting worn down, I'd go see John, and inevitably feel better! John could even face sobering issues with a sense of humor. He once

said "You know, I think God has things backward. Instead of coming into the world as cute babies, and going out as a balding and wrinkled old man, it should be the other way around. We should be born old and wrinkled, and then become younger and more and more appealing. I was a very cute baby!" John had a point! The normal course of our physical existence is that our bodies are on a downward trend, after we peak from about 18 to 30.

The prophet Ezekiel served during Jerusalem's darkest hours, beginning 7 years before its fall to Babylonia in 586 BC, and continuing for 15 more years of exile and captivity. The Hebrew people did not practice embalming, and were well familiar with the decomposition that followed death. Yet Ezekiel had a vision where the hand of the Lord brought him out and set him in a valley of dry bones. The Lord asked Ezekiel "Mortal, can these bones live?" Instead of replying "No way!", Ezekiel wisely responded "0 Lord God, you know." Ezekiel was then told to prophesy to the dry bones "0 dry bones, hear the word of the Lord I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." Lo and behold, God's Spirit entered those dead and dry bones, and they came to life!

In a world where the course of nature seems to be a downward spiral, God brings the hope of new life! God gave Ezekiel a vision of His Spirit bringing new life for the nation ofIsrael. God raised Jesus from the dead and gives us the vision of forgiveness, and life eternal which need not wait for decomposition to begin! Death and decomposition may be at work in our physical body, but God's life-giving spirit can be at work in our hearts and minds.

1. Ezekiel was told to speak to the dry bones and say "Hear the word of the Lord." In our 40 Days of Community groups, we listened for God's Word through our reading, and through Rick Warren's videotaped messages. We also hear God's word in worship and Bible study. Transformation begins with hearing God's Word. A spiritual puts it this

way: "Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones now hear the word of the

Lord!"

2. As we hear the word of the Lord, such as in I John 4, we see we are called upon to love one another. Our 40 Days of Community allowed many people to meet together weekly, grow closer to one another, and find ways to love and support others. John Hollis will share how those in his groups grew closer to one another through prayer and mutual support. In response to God's Word, our groups have been challenged to demonstrate love and support for one another.

3. Day 13's lesson focused upon James 1:22, and how we are not simply to be hearers of God's Word, but doers. Various 40 Days leaders shared their projects, including assisting Achieva, Genesis, fund raising for Hope House, and baking cookies for Lindsay Carr's Campus Crusade outreach at Michigan State.

(There were reports from several Grace Group leaders about the plans their groups have for Christian outreach in the community.)

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