A Word-Driven Church

Let me pray for us as we turn to study God’s Word and ask that God would bless us as we seek to give what he has given to us, so that we might build his kingdom.

Lord in heaven, we thank you for your provision. You meet all of our needs in Christ Jesus. There is not one thing we have that we did not receive. And so, Father, we want to be a generous people who hold our possessions with the loosest of hands. Lord, build your kingdom. Multiply fish and loaves, we ask, as we give to your church.

We thank you, Lord, for giving us so many things—not just material blessings like money and homes, but relational ones too, like families and friends. Most of all, Lord, we thank you for giving us your Son. Even now, he whispers the merit of his blood in your ear and lives to make intercession for us.

We also thank you for your Word, which we are about to study. God, we pray that you would reveal yourself clearly and beautifully as we seek you in Scripture. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now, let’s turn to Ezekiel chapter 37. As you’re heading there, let me ask you a question: In your mind, what constitutes a good church? What makes a good church good?

There are seemingly innumerable variables one might consider when sizing up a church, when determining whether or not it is a good church. For some, the success of a church hinges on its music. We have many talented musicians here, and music is indeed important. Some believe that for a church to be considered good, it must have excellent music. But what kind of music? Should we stick with the traditional hymns from the red and blue hymnals in the pews? Others might prefer newer, more contemporary songs. Some may advocate for a choir, while others would prefer to be led by a skilled musical team.

Then there are those who focus on other aspects, like church programs. Are programs important? Do they make a good church good? A church has to have its programs, right? Programs for children—we’ve just discussed that—and programs for adults, men, and women too. The more the merrier, some might say: basketball teams, quilting ministries, Baptist Men, WMU, Sunday school, Awana programs. And if you don’t have all of those things, then you’re not a good church.

And what of the preacher? You can’t have a good church without a good preacher. He needs to be a strong leader, but not too strong. Holy, but not too holy. Wise and intelligent, articulate even, but certainly not verbose or gabby. I threw those in for you, Anne. His sermons should be good enough, relevant enough, entertaining and engaging enough, and certainly short enough. He needs to visit you when you need him, unless you don’t want him to. He’s got to be there for you on those big days—graduations, anniversaries, movie nights, garage sales, cookouts. All of that matters.

There’s so much to consider when choosing a church to love. And so, let me ask you again: What makes a good church good?

This is a crucial question for any church to consider, but it’s especially important for us, as we’re still in the process of becoming one ourselves. So what kind of church will we strive to be? A good one, certainly. But what does that mean exactly?

Here’s my take on it: I believe a good church is one that believes what God says and obeys his commands. That’s the essence of it. It’s about believing God’s Word and following his teachings.

This is something we see reflected in the early church as well. Consider the church in Acts 2:42. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. That is what they did and who they were. The apostles had the words of the Old Testament and of Jesus, and they taught these to the church, whose people believed and obeyed all that God said. That’s what made the early church great.

Today, if we can be a church that believes and obeys all that God commands, watch out—because just as it was true in Acts, such a church could shake the earth. So we’re serious about getting this right. We’re intent on being a good church, which is why we’ll be pondering this question in various ways over the next five months leading up to our launch. In our new sermon series, “Good Church,” we’ll explore what it means for a church to believe and obey God’s commands regarding missions, worship, membership, finances, ordinances, and more.

But this first Sunday is a bit different. The mark of a good church we’re discussing today is perhaps the most fundamental one, for if you miss it, you’re likely to miss all the rest—and I’m confident your church won’t be a good one.

Here’s what we’re studying this week. This is what I hope to demonstrate and persuade you of today: A good church is a Word-driven church.

Think about it: How can you be a church that believes what God says and obeys what God commands if you don’t know what God says or what he commands? You obviously cannot believe or obey God’s Word without knowing God’s Word. That is why it is so important, church, that when I or Pastor Ethan or anyone else stands up here to instruct, teach, or preach, we give you God’s words and not our own.

We don’t need our words. We don’t need our cleverness, ingenuity, wit, or charisma. You need the Word of God. If you’re going to believe all that God says and obey all that God commands, you must hear from him.

To help you understand just how much we all need to hear from God, let me direct your attention to Ezekiel chapter 37. In verse one, it says:

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley. He led me around among the bones, and behold, there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. The Lord asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ I replied, ‘O Lord God, you know.’

“Then he told me, ‘Prophesy over these bones and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews upon you and cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”’

“So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. When I looked, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.

“Then 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.”’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

“Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.” Therefore prophesy and say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. You shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it,” declares the Lord.’”

This is the Word of the Lord. Amen.

What an incredible passage. Don’t you just love the Bible? Ezekiel 37 is a vision of dead people being made alive—people who are truly deceased, with bones as dry as can be, according to verse two. The first verse informs us that there are enough bones to fill an entire valley.

This vision given to Ezekiel is something of a nightmare, isn’t it? And yet, by the end of the passage, those same deeply dead bones will find themselves alive and drawing breath once more. They will be dwelling in God’s presence, kept in the Promised Land, knowing and enjoying their God.

Who are these people? And what in the world is going on in this vision?

Well, the person writing this book, whose name is Ezekiel, was a prophet. He wrote it while in exile in Babylon, located near modern-day Baghdad, Iraq. If you lived through 9/11, you might recall seeing Baghdad on maps after the United States invaded Iraq. That’s where the prophet Ezekiel was.

In fact, at the start of the book of Ezekiel, we learn that the Babylonians had taken Jerusalem, Judah’s capital city, and captured its king and queen. They had taken the royal court, all the skilled workers, and many important citizens. Some 10,000 people in total had been taken into captivity, Ezekiel among them.

As bad as it was to be a prisoner in Babylon, Ezekiel was going to spend the first 24 chapters of his book warning that it was about to get worse. Even after the deportation to Babylon, the people of Judah refused to repent of their sins. They continued in sin; they continued in their idolatry.

In fact, there is this very graphic, very vivid story in chapter 16, where God likens the people of Jerusalem to a newborn infant who has been thrown out at birth—helpless, doomed to die, unwashed, and unwanted. But God, in his great mercy, sees this newborn, unclothed baby. He cares for her, clothes her, raises her, eventually marries her, and adorns her as a queen in fine linen and jewelry.

And what does she offer to her God? She exploits his kindness to chase after false gods. She prostitutes herself to every carved image and sleeps with every wicked king. She takes the sons and daughters born from her union with the one true God and sacrifices them to Molech—a pagan demon, as chapter 16 says.

That is, Jerusalem is worse than Sodom. She is utterly reproachful, and even after being taken captive, the ancient Israelites refuse to repent. The consequence is clear: Jerusalem will fall. God will hand the city over to destruction. Initially, it was defeated in battle and its inhabitants were taken captive, but later the city itself would be destroyed.

As predicted, in chapter 33 the day of its fall arrives, and a refugee fleeing Jerusalem’s destruction informs Ezekiel that the city has fallen. Nebuchadnezzar, coming from Babylon, has burned down the temple and torn down its walls. It is now a heap of ruins. Countless people have been slain without mercy.

And so here they were, the Israelites: their temple destroyed, their city in ruins, and their people either dead or barely alive. They were slaves in captivity in Babylon. What hope did Judah have? Was there any hope for such a wicked, doomed, dried-up people?

Enter Ezekiel chapter 37.

In chapter 37, Ezekiel is taken by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley, where he sees a vision of bones scattered across it. The Lord then asks him, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

This title, “son of man,” is quite common in Ezekiel’s writings, appearing 93 times throughout his book. However, while Jesus also uses this phrase to refer to himself in the Gospels, he does so differently, harking back to a prophecy found in Daniel chapter 7. That passage speaks of a divine being coming with the clouds.

But when Ezekiel speaks of being a son of man, he means it in the most literal sense: He is ben Adam, son of Adam, son of man—or you could translate it as son of dust. He is nothing. He is dust.

And so God looks to Ezekiel and asks him, “You, son of dust, do you have any power or wisdom that can raise these dead bones? Can they live?”

How does Ezekiel respond? I love this: “O Lord God, you know.”

You know, God. “I can’t do it,” Ezekiel admits, “but you can, Lord God. You know whether there is any way for these bones to live again. Only you know the way. It will be by you and through you.”

Friend, I hope you have that sort of faith. I hope you know in your heart of hearts that God can grant new life even to the dead.

Look at verse four to see how this new life is brought about. The Lord commands Ezekiel to prophesy—to speak openly and declare these words: “Prophesy over these bones,” he says, “and tell them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’”

Now, this seems bonkers—quite crazy. You have to keep in mind whom God is speaking to. This is a son of dust. This man Ezekiel is but dust. And is it really possible that this man of dust can open his mouth, say some things, and bones come alive? That’s crazy.

It would make sense if God were the one doing the speaking, wouldn’t it? I wouldn’t find that bewildering. God has done that since the very beginning. We read this morning, “In the beginning God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” God speaks reality into existence. He is all-powerful and all-knowing. The Bible says Christ upholds the universe by the word of his power.

So if God were to speak and skeletons were animated, that would make sense. But for Ezekiel to speak, or for me to speak, or for you to speak, and to expect the dead to rise—that is foolish. That’s foolishness, isn’t it?

Unless the power to raise the dead lies not with the messenger but with the message and its author.

The apostle Paul puts it like this: “For since, in God’s wisdom, the world didn’t know him through human wisdom, he chose to save those who believe through our proclamation of a message that sounds foolish.” We proclaim: God saves.

And the prophet Ezekiel says, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” Not Ezekiel’s words. His words won’t do anything for these dry bones. Not his cleverness, ingenuity, wit, or charisma. It is God’s words alone that bring life, for it is God’s words that prepare God’s people to receive God’s Spirit—which is exactly what we’re about to see.

Ezekiel speaks God’s words over these bones, as commanded in verse seven: “So I prophesied, and as I did, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.”

It’s quite a fantastical scene. My mind goes to something like Fantasia, with Ezekiel conducting the bones together, surrounded by magical, swirling dust. But for all the power and mystery of this scene, something still feels off, doesn’t it? These bones are clothed in muscle and flesh, but they are motionless. Why? Because there is no breath in them. They are organic, yet not alive.

And so God redirects Ezekiel’s attention from the bones to the breath spoken of in verse nine. Now, instead of speaking to the bones, he is prophesying to the breath, instructing it: “Prophesy to the breath, son of man, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’”

“I prophesied as commanded, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

Curious indeed. To understand this, know that in Hebrew, the words for breath, wind, and spirit are all the same. You’ve probably heard it before: ruach. It is a single word with a broad spectrum of meanings. It appears ten times in this passage, four times in verse nine alone.

The breath Ezekiel is prophesying about is the Spirit of God. We know this for certain because later, in verses 11 through 14, God interprets the vision for Ezekiel and makes it clear. Look at what verse 11 says: “These bones are the whole house of Israel.” Then, in verse 14, he explains that the breath coming into them is his Spirit: “And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live,” declares the Lord.

God’s Word prepares God’s people to receive God’s Spirit. That’s how it has always been, and that’s how it will always be.

We read this morning from Genesis chapter 1: God speaks his words. Then, in Genesis chapter 2, what happens? God grants his Spirit, and they receive it. Paul, in Ephesians chapter 6, refers to the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we’re told that all Scripture is breathed out by God.

Throughout the Bible, you’ll find the Word and the Spirit paired together. And when they are paired together, let me tell you, it’s like fire and gas. Things happen. Life bursts forth from even the driest bones, even in the most sinful of men.

God’s Word prepares God’s people to receive God’s Spirit. And every Sunday morning, if you’re part of a good church where pastors faithfully preach God’s words, God will use those words to fill his people with his Spirit and grant them life.

Some pastors are more gifted than others. Some are more capable orators. Others are masterful storytellers, while some of us, like me, simply do our best with what we have. Guys, at the end of the day, hear me on this: However clever someone’s wordsmithing or storytelling might be, those things cannot raise the dead. They simply can’t.

The power to bring dry bones back to life isn’t left to the messenger. It is in the message itself and in the author of that message. Just consider all the wonderful things God does through his words, not ours.

In Genesis, he speaks realities into existence with “Let there be,” and so they are. James 1:21 tells us that our souls are saved by means of the implanted Word. According to John 17:17, God sanctifies his people in truth: “Your word is truth.” We know from 2 Timothy 3:15–17 that God’s Word makes one wise for salvation and equips God’s people for every good work. It is God’s Word that causes people to be born again, as stated in 1 Peter 1:23. Even faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ, according to Romans 10:17.

Moreover, God’s Word makes wise the simple, as mentioned in Psalm 19:7. God’s words cleanse the filthy in John 15:3, heal the sick in Psalm 107:20, free the captive in John 8:31, guide those in darkness in Psalm 119:105, protect us against sin in Psalm 119:11, and cause fruitfulness in Luke 8:15.

The Word of God is powerful for those who are being saved. I’ve got a long list of references that I don’t have time to go through, but you get the point. This is special. In it there is life and power, and God uses it to prepare God’s people to receive God’s Spirit and therefore be alive.

Listen to me: Do not ever settle for some funny guy with jokes, some loud guy who can move a crowd, or some clever storyteller. You demand of your pastors that they give you this. Do not settle.

Sure, the pastor can explain the text. He can illustrate it. But your pastors and preachers ought to be preaching God’s words in the Spirit of the Lord. They must preach God’s words, not their own.

And that is why, God help me, as long as I am one of your pastors, we will spend most of our Sunday mornings studying the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book. Not that there isn’t ever a time and place to study the Bible topically. That is actually what we’re doing right now. Just because something is topical doesn’t mean it can’t also be textually faithful. You can cover a lot of ground during topical sermons.

But ultimately, God’s people should focus primarily on reading the Bible verse by verse, from start to finish. That is why, once we wrap up here, do you know where we’re headed next? We’re tackling Exodus first, then the Gospel of John, followed by Acts, and after that, 1 and 2 Samuel. There’s your four-to-seven-year preaching plan. You’ve been warned.

Beloved, we want to be a Word-driven church. Word-driven means we are not behind the wheel. God, by his Word, has taken hold of it, tucking us away in the trunk while he steers the ship. He drives the car, knowing exactly what his people need to hear each week. He understands which doctrines are crucial and that every part of the Bible is relevant for God’s people throughout history.

So, week by week, let’s go through each chapter, making God’s main points in his Word the focus of our sermons. That’s what we need, beloved. If we’re going to be a good church—one that believes and obeys all that God says and commands—we’re going to have to have some Ezekiel-like prophesying happen. We need to hear from the Lord. We need his words.

And this is how I’ll close. Not just we, but Surry County desperately needs to hear God speak. Consider this, folks. Consider all the lostness—the drugs, the abuse, the shattered homes. Consider the condition of our churches today: biblical illiteracy, ignorance, vitriol, and division. It’s all dead. We’re a community that has been left for dead, like the valley of dry bones.

Is there any hope for us, so hard-hearted and spiritually lifeless? “O son of man,” I ask, “can these bones live?”

“Lord God,” I reply, “only you know.”

What can bring life back to Surry County? Programs are fine and dandy, but they can’t bring life. Great music? Also good, also important—but God has not promised to bless our music. What about a nice facility, a gifted preacher, community meals, bingo nights, or youth lock-ins? Will any of those things bring life?

No, they will not—not in and of themselves. They can adorn the ministry of the Word, but they cannot supplant it. God works through his Word. He always has, and he always will.

And if we want God to use us to raise Surry County’s valley of bones from the dead, then we must commit ourselves to being a church where God steers the ship through his Word. He is in charge. To be a good church, beloved, we must be driven by the Word.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we depend on you. As for the task before us—to revive ourselves and our community—we are as capable as the lifeless bones in Ezekiel’s valley. We can’t do it alone, God, but we trust that you will act miraculously, filling hearts with your Spirit so they might live in you.

Lord, please fill us more with your Spirit now. Help us become a church firmly rooted in your Word, not deviating an inch from your instruction and guidance. And, Lord, may we be heralds of your Word to our community.

God, we pray for Surry County. Have mercy, Lord. Have mercy on these people who need to hear from you, see you, and be filled with your presence. Have mercy, God, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.