Sermon Notes: Lent 5 Continued.
2] Hearing means obeying. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. James 1:24
God sets us standards not to limit our lives but to give us the ability to enjoy life to the full. It is the difference between trying and training. We can try as hard as we like but if we don’t know what we are doing, it is all just wasted effort.
Yet that is not the last word.
3]. God commands the prophet to call on the four winds, and his Spirit brings life. The word shows us that God has this promise for us. Our response means that we trust that promise and desire to walk in God new life, but it is the work of the Spirit and not our efforts which brings new life.
The bones were together, the muscles and all that were in place, but to real power for living still had not come until God’s spirit blew into their bodies.
It is not effort that brings life but God’s presence symbolised here through the presence of His Spirit.
Has life lost its point? Does the way ahead seem lonely, is there a sense of pointlessness/ powerlessness. Jesus is the answer. He is the answer through a very unique way. He offers us through his Spirit his friendship. He died to make the way to God possible. And offers us a relationship with him.
Let Jesus, Spirit come into your heart. He will bring a new confidence in living if we will just listen and trust in him. These dry dead bones can live for Gods’ breath [in the form of god’s Spirit will come into us and we will stand.
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