Day of Pentecost

(You can’t blame them—their best friend had left; the Important People and Leaders were after them; and Jesus had given them a job they didn’t know how to do.)

As they waited, they were praying and remembering—remembering how, from the beginning, God had been working out his Secret Rescue Plan.

Suddenly, a strong wind filled the little room, whistling through the walls, rustling the straw on the floor. And there—on everyone’s heads, shining in the gloom—were flickering flames. Fire that didn’t hurt or burn.

And something more: inside, in their hearts, they felt a strange heat, almost as if all the coldness and hardness were melting away. As if their broken hearts were mending. And God was giving them brand new hearts— hearts that could work properly.

How it happened they didn’t know, but they knew God’s power had struck their hearts ablaze—and Jesus himself was coming to live inside them.

They had seen Jesus go away, but now he was closer than he had ever been—inside their hearts. And this time nothing could ever separate them. Jesus would always be there. With them. Loving them. Whispering the promise that would get rid of the poison and the terrible lie and the sickness in their hearts. God’s wonderful promise to them: “You are my child. And I love you.”

“Make your home in me, as I make my home in you,” Jesus had said. Could it be? Heaven was coming into their hearts.

They threw open the shutters. Sunlight flooded their room, as love had flooded their hearts. And the little room was filled with happy noises. Dancing feet, singing, laughing.

They unlocked the door and surged out into the streets—as if they had never been afraid.

Peter spoke in a loud voice, so everyone could hear: “Jesus died for you!” he said. “Because he loves you. But God made him alive again. He has rescued you!”

People stopped. And listened. The words sank down deep into their hearts and worked like a medicine that makes you well. Like the antidote to a deadly poison. Like a kiss that wakes you from a deep sleep.

“Stop running away from God!” Peter said. “Run to him instead! So he can love you. And make you free!”

And Peter told them the wonderful Story of God’s Love—God’s Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. How Jesus had come. All that had happened.

There were lots of people from faraway countries in Jerusalem. They couldn’t speak the same language but as they listened to Peter, everyone could understand what he was saying—in their own languages!

Many people believed. And became Jesus’ new friends and helpers. And the wonderful news of Jesus spread. Like sparks from a fire. To villages. Towns. Cities.

Every day, more and more people believed.

And so it was that the family of God’s children, his special people, grew.

Pentecost

Can these bones live?

Ezekiel 37:1-14 is one of my favourite Old Testament passages.

It really is such a strange and haunting passage.

And it is assigned with our lectionary readings on Pentecost Sunday.

Ezekiel

The book of Ezekiel seems to have been written in the period 593-571BC. This was the time in which the city of Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed.

At the time when all this happened the Middle East was unstable.

Palestine - a small region in the middle.

Egypt - was losing its grip on power.

Assyria - was losing its power.

But Babylon was growing strong.

2 Kings 24:14 tells how Nebuchadnezzar subdued Israel:

2 Kings 24:14 NRSV

14 He carried away all Jerusalem, all the officials, all the warriors, ten thousand captives, all the artisans and the smiths; no one remained, except the poorest people of the land.

Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon - in Exile - and he was a very interesting prophet. One of those prophets who acted out his prophecies…

He lay bound in ropes - shaved his head, covered his face and dug a hole in a wall - he avoided full mourning rituals for his dead wife.

Ezekiel was a popular prophet - he was recognized as speaking the truth. But that doesn’t mean that people listened:

Ezekiel 33:30–31 NRSV

30 As for you, mortal, your people who talk together about you by the walls, and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to a neighbor, “Come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.” 31 They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not obey them. For flattery is on their lips, but their heart is set on their gain.

People didn’t like what Ezekiel had to say because most of it was bad news.

Chp 4-24 - Warnings about Destruction

Chp 25-32 - Warnings to Isreal’s Neighbours

Chp 33-48 - Words of hope for people in Exile

From chapters 4-24 he warns about the destruction of Jerusalem. From 25-32 he warns Israel’s neighbours about their failure to help - and then from 33-48 his words turn hopeful.

Words of Hope

Against all of the horror that the people have experienced - Ezekiel gives these words to Israel:

Ezekiel 36:26–28 NRSV

26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

These words of hope - we believe - are fulfilled in the moment of Pentecost in Acts 2. What God has promised to do all along God does.

These verses from 36:26-28 describe -

A new Heart

I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezek 36:26)

Obedience

I will put my spirit within you… (Ezekiel 36:27)

Relationship

…and you shall be my people, and I will be your God (Ezekiel 36:28)

From Defeat to Victory

And so - Ezekiel is painting a picture of the people of Israel moving from a posture of defeat to a posture of victory.

From victim to vindication.

But this movement is not possible without the 32 chapters of despair.

In those chapters of despair Ezekiel really does point out some terrible things. Sometimes I think I’ve failed as a parent - but then I hear of what the people did that Israel had to prophesy against:

Ezekiel 16:20–21 NRSV

20 You took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. As if your whorings were not enough! 21 You slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering to them.

It seems that the Israelites so taken in by the cult of Molech and Baal - had even offered their children as sacrifices.

Phew - I’m not the worst dad ever.

The incredibly harsh words of judgment against the people - point to the fact that they are spiritually dead. Dead and dry like a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel 37

Can these bones live?

Ezekiel is given a vision of a valley of dry bones.

The scene of a major catastrophe. Perhaps an army violently defeated in battle.

The Assyrians and Babylonians were known to destroy their enemies and leave their corpses to rot on the battle field.

It was seen as a curse for ones corpse to be left exposed to the elements.

It wouldn’t be a great surprise that in taking their 10,000 captives from Jerusalem the Babylonian armies might have lefts similar scenes in the wilderness.

These dry bones are a picture of defeat. Disaster. Curse. Utter hopelessness.

But God gives Ezekiel a vision and in the vision he gives him a word - I’m going to call it SEE, SPEAK, and BREATHE

Ezekiel 37:3–5 NRSV

3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

Can these Bones Live? [See]

Ezekiel 37:3 NRSV

3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

As you look over the boneyard of your life.

Maybe you think that spiritually you’re not where you should be.

You feel like you’ve failed at relationships - at friendships - at work - one too many times.

I think if Ezekiel had given his answer to the question: Can these bones live - he might have said - just send a breeze to cover them in desert dust.

Bury them.

But in his wisdom he simply says: “O Lord God, you know.”

O Lord God, you know.

Prophesy - Hear the word of the Lord [Speak]

Ezekiel 37:4 NRSV

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

Ezekiel first has to learn to ask God what potential he sees - and stop living in his own ideas of what is possible and what is true.

But then he is invited to speak God’s word.

“O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.”

Now this is not so simple as just quoting scriptures.

But the word of the Lord is more than just - stuff God said.

But more - the message of God.

You know - in older times - before there was email - you could say:

“Oh, so and so sent word that...”

In this case word means the whole story. Like Jesus is - the WORD of God. He isn’t a word - but he is a message.

A message about what God can do - what God’s heart is.

At this point you need to know that you are one part dry bones.

And one part Ezekiel.

Dry bones - need to hear the word.

Ezekiel - needs to communicate the message.

All that Ezekiel needs to do is say something quite strange to the dry bones:

I will cause breath to enter you… [Breathe]

Ezekiel 37:5 NRSV

5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

Bones - you need to hear the word. God says to you today.

“I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live.”

You feeling defeated.

You feeling useless.

You feeling like you’re no good.

Just a bunch of bones.

God says: I’ve got something for you.

Breath. Life. Vitality. A sharing in God’s power. A sharing in God’s life.

Ezekiels - And the line between dry bones and Ezekiel prophets is not as wide as you think. You need to prophesy.

You need to tell people that the world is not a hopeless mess.

That life is no dead end…

Its time to say: “Thus says the LORD…”

And before you’re tempted to give them chapters 1-36 stop there - and give them 37. They’re worn out. They’ve been through enough… Say “Thus says the LORD…” -

I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live.

Ezekiel 37:7–8 NRSV

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.

Ezekiel 37:10 NRSV

10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Romans 8:22

Romans 8:22 NRSV

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;

Romans 8:26 NRSV

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.

See

Speak

Breath

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