First Baptist Church
Fairbanks, Alaska
805 Sixth Avenue
(907) 456-4923
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Fairbanks, Alaska 805 Sixth Avenue (907) 456-4923 |
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“The Word of the Lord” Ezekiel 3: 1-17 Mark Howdeshell (19 August 2007) Ezek 3:16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me Introduction What do you think about when you hear the words, “The Word of the Lord”? If you’ve been in church for any amount of time, those words have been spoken numerous times. If you’ve read the Bible, you’ve read those words numerous times. In fact, “the Word of the Lord” is written in the Bible 230 times!!! Contemplated Series: “Words” · What are the key words in the scripture? · What is the meaning? · Who cares? · What’s in it for me? · Words like…..faith, hope, love, forgiveness, perseverance, patience….. o Make suggestions if you’d like!! Before we get into that series… · What is “The Word of the Lord” and why would that phrase be in the Bible 230 times? · How important is it? o Do you mean me? o What if….? · Many other questions……..let’s explore! Heart of the Matter The Lord speaks to each of us through the Holy Spirit. Are we listening? I can have the best long distance plan in the world (and we do!), but if all I do is pick up the phone and talk while never taking the time to listen, then who cares? And this concept doesn’t just work for individuals…it works for committees, churches, and nations, too. Review of Last Message Last week we talked about the “peace” of God. I guess I started my word study earlier than I thought! In reality, our path to the peace of God begins as we learn to listen and trust in Him. 1. We are to expect trouble in the world. 2. We know that His definition of peace is different than the world’s definition. 3. We know that it is a free gift, but only available for so long if we don’t accept it. 4. We have assurance that we will not have to face the judgment or wrath of God if we accept His gift and that is our source of peace. 5. And the bottom line: God’s true peace transcends all understanding. Our path to this precious peace begins as we start to engage in His Word. Let’s open our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds while we close our mouths and the thoughts of the world around us and LISTEN to His Word this morning. The Meat of the Message 1. What is the “Word of the Lord”? Simply put…His will, His commands, and His desires. It is His method of communication with His people. It is a 1-way channel of information flow.
Ps 33:1-9 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. 5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
· If He has the power to speak the universe into existence, don’t you think we should take notice when He speaks to us? · His promises have been revealed to us, His wrath displayed for us, and His love quantified for us all through His Word. 2. How important is this topic about the “Word of the Lord”? Let’s look at the life of Ezekiel. Note at what he had to go through before the Word of the Lord came to him.
Ezek 3: 1-17 3:1 And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.
3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4 He then said to me: "Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house."
10 And he said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen."
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound — May the glory of the LORD be praised in his dwelling place!— 13 the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. 14 The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days — overwhelmed.
16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me : BACKGROUND: Ezekiel starts with the high priest, Ezekiel, sitting with a bunch of exiled friends when the hand of the Lord came upon him. He saw the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of the Lord. Ezekiel fell face down in the presence, but was raised by the Spirit onto his feet. It was here that the Lord gave Ezekiel his mission…go to Israel and speak the Words of the Lord…after a time of listening and preparation as his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.
· The Words of the Lord won’t be accepted by those that don’t listen to God. We are still responsible to tell them. We aren’t permitted to take the “easy way out.” We are to tell them “whether they listen or fail to listen. · This also holds true for us!!! Others are obligated to tell us…whether we listen or fail to listen!! Are you like the whole house of Israel, hardened and obstinate? Has someone been telling you something you really didn’t want to hear? Pray about it!! · Hearing the Word of the Lord might not be easy…in fact we too may be overwhelmed. The key is to accept it and move forward! · “…the Word of the Lord came to me”-- These exact words were spoken by Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Zechariah 61 times in the Old Testament. The prophets of the Lord were open and willing to hear from God before they proclaimed His Words. 3. You may be saying, “Who cares about Ezekiel, what about me?” Acts 13:44-49 44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord . 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord ; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. · If we are responsible for the decision we make about our eternal salvation, and we are, we need to listen to the Word of the Lord to make an informed decision. · We wouldn’t buy a house or a car without checking it all out, how on earth can we make this decision without all of the information? 4. In this day of deception, advertising, SPAM, and deceit, how reliable is this Word? 2 Samuel: 22:31-- As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. · The maker of the universe has given us an Owner’s Manual that is without flaw. 5. “And if I don’t listen?” · We are never forced to listen to God. It is our choice. Isa 28:13 13 So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there — so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. 6. “Will it last?” · YES 1 Peter 1:24-25 24 For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you. The Bottom Line If the Word of the Lord is so important, where can we find it? We find it through prayer, we carry it in our hands in the form of the Bible, it speaks to us through fellowship with believers, and it lives in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Jesus faced temptation with it HEAD ON when he replied directly to Satan, “It is written…”. Where was it written? In the Word. What power did it have? It stopped Satan cold. He did not have an argument that could even come close. How can you harness the power of the Word. Know it, do it, live it. |
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