30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 20 27-40 He is not the God of the dead but of the living 03 Luke 20 27 Resurrection from our deadness
📖 Luke 20:27-40
22Mar2021 - *Resurrection from our deadness* - _Luke 20:27-40_ - HE IS NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD BUT OF THE LIVING 3 – Bible reading: _Ezekiel 37:1-14_
_Luke 20:27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,_ These Sadducees denied the resurrection. We have seen that the whole purpose and plan of God is to bring us back to life from our death. We saw what Jesus has done for us.
When we receive what Jesus did for us on the cross, by faith, we cross over from death to life. _John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life._
Man had life, once. We lost life and we died, when we rejected God’s will over us and chose to live by our will. Jesus entered our predicament and died our death. When we receive what Jesus did for us, by faith, we come back to life, which we first had with God.
_I John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life._
How do we understand this life?
_Ezekiel 37:1-14 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones._
This is how man is before God, a valley of dead bones. Man thinks he is alive but he is in a state of death and Jesus has done for us that which was needed so that we could cross over from death to life.
_(2) Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry._ God wants us to look at people around us. He wants us to pass through them and see the condition of people just that way God sees people. He wants us to see people with His eyes.
_(3) And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."_ He then wants to birth faith in us that the dead bones can come to life. We, to a large extent, do not see the condition of people the way God sees them and secondly, we are so full of our own struggles, that weighs heavily on us, that we are not able to see the dead bones coming to life.
_(4) Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!_ God wants us to trust Him and prophesy to the dead bones to come to life. God is placing the responsibility upon the church to be prophets, who will prophesy the words of God and bring the dead bones back to life.
_(5) Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. (6) I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "_
The Lord is telling us that He will do the work of resurrecting the dead bones and bring life into them. Not only life but also sinews, flesh, skin and breath so that the dead bones can once again live the full life of God. This is God’s work of resurrection but He wants the church to be His co-workers and co-labourers in the process of resurrection.
_(7) So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. (8) Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. (9) Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' " (10)
So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army._
When we obey the command of God and do what the Lord has called us to do, then we will see miracles taking place in the lives of people around us. People who are in the state of death will begin to come to life.
_(11) Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!'_ This is what the church is saying today.
We are discouraged. Cynicism and pessimism have taken hold of us. We feel that things will not change and the life of God cannot be experienced. God’s heart breaks looking at the negativity in us. Will we be open to God to change us?
_(12) Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. (13) Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. (14) I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.' "_
The Lord’s assurance is with us that He will do as He has promised if only we will be the prophets of God for our time and for our generation.
*Thought to ponder*
```There is hope for life to come into our deadness but that hope is not based on us but on the Lord, who promises resurrection.```