These Dry Bones Will Live Again

At least five times the Faith has to all appearances gone to the dogs. In each of these cases, it was the dog that died. G.K. Chesterton

 Depending on where you look things here in Europe are either going from bad to worse or we are on the precipice of another great Christian renewal.

Europe, like most of the Middle East, is post-Christian. The Gospel once flourished here, but no longer. These lands are fallow; plowed but left unseeded.

Some are going as far to say the West is committing suicide. Richard Kock and Chris Smith make a strong case for this in “Suicide of the West.” 

The warning lights on our spiritual dashboard are flashing:

• The decline of Christianity in Europe and North America
• The rise of radical Islam
• The acrimonious factionalism of our politicized society
• The rise of belligerent dictatorships threatening nuclear war
• The church in cultural bondage to the spirits of the age

Yes, if you look around you can find plenty of reasons to be discouraged and pessimistic.

Then, there is the resurrection. It speaks better things to us.

The God who created light out of darkness and a well-ordered universe out of chaos is not rattled by a few madmen with crazy ideas.

The God who used the dust of the earth to create his image bearer is not hampered by our systems.

Ezekiel the prophet saw a valley full of dry bones. God saw a mighty army.

For us who follow Christ, we need to shift from our cultural bondage to his kingdom bounty. It starts with a clear vision of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On that first Easter morning the angel rolled away the stone that covered the entrance to the tomb not because Jesus needed to get out but because the women needed to get in. They had to see “he is not here, but he is risen.”

The ontological question we face today is the same the women faced that day, “Why are you seeking the living among the dead?” If we look around us at the signs of death and the fall we will not see him.

The resurrection speaks better things to us.

When I look for the living among the living I see

• The Word of God has lost none of its power.
• The Holy Spirit is Alive and Well.
• The Name of Jesus is still above every other name.
• The unstoppable Mission of God is freeing the captives, giving sight to the blind, and declaring the time of God’s favor.

So let the Church rejoice. These dry bones will live again.