Scripture reference: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Although this scripture refers directly to God restoring Old Covenant Israel, it is an allegory of God filling the born again Christian with His Holy Spirit, having brought the spiritually dead back to life through the savior Christ Jesus. It tells us clearly and plainly that, no matter how long a person has been dead in spirit, even long enough to make a person nothing more than a bag of dried bones, His Spirit can restore life to the vigor of a great army.

This scripture can also been seen as a sign that God can and will raise up a wayward Church; restoring it to real Christian life, by pouring upon it His Holy Spirit. This is something that is surely needed today; and something that should give all who are concerned for the modern Church hope. For it could be said that many of the groups around the United States called churches are nothing more than collections of dried, old bones. Lifeless and motionless, they sit disconnected from one another in what should be an active field of battle against the enemy. Christian in name only, there is no sign of the life of the risen Christ; no carrying of his teachings to all the world; no feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison, caring for the sick, comforting the sorrowful, or teaching the things which Jesus taught. Instead there is political action preaching against abortion and gay rights, or secular guru teachings about having a good marriage or an organized life, or prosperity preaching about how to live a materially rich life style. All of which is popular with those who are worldly wise, but have nothing of the life of Christ in them. The churches who engage in such socially relevant preaching are as spiritually dead as a field of dried old bones.

For those who wring their hands and bemoan this condition of the modern Church, this passage of scripture brings hope and assurance. It tells us that not only can God restore life to his dead Church, He will. He will call leaders to whom He gives his Word to proclaim life among the dead. And He will pour out His Spirit on currently dead churches, bringing them back to life. And not a passive life; but an active life of vigorous service to the living Lord, fighting His battles and displaying His greatness and glory. God will use those who will commit themselves to Him just as He used Ezekiel to proclaim His message of promise to a beat down and scattered Israel. God will call His Church to life, and empower it to go forth into the world and accomplish His mission.

If you have been discouraged and depressed over the current condition of the American Church, cheer up. God has not and will not forget and forsake His Church. He will call leaders just as He called Ezekiel. And He will pour out His Holy Spirit upon the dead dried bones of local congregations. God will give new life to old churches that have been languishing in secular guruism and prosperity preaching. He will raise up His people, those called according to His purpose, and fill them with His Spirit, that they might go forth and do His work. They will teach what Jesus taught; they will live the way the Acts 2 Church lived; they will be the true living body of Christ.

We can all be a part of this re-birth of the Church in America. All that is needed is for each of us to follow the example of the prophet Isaiah as recorded in Isaiah 6:8: "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Let us each let the Lord know that we are ready to fill Ezekiel's role, and call dried bones to life.

May the God of new life be with you. Amen.