Empowered by the Spirit: Israel's Promise and Prophecy
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers, enabling them to live according to God's will and obey His teachings. This power is connected to God's promise for His people to live in the land He gave to their forefathers, a promise fulfilled through the Zionist movement and the rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948. The pastor warns against spiritual adultery, which occurs when anything in one's life becomes more important than God, and urges the congregation to repent and make sure that God has first place in their lives.
The pastor then focuses on the Holiness of God and how the people of Israel had spurned Him despite being blessed in remarkable ways. He references Ezekiel's writings, highlighting how God poured out His wrath on Israel for defiling their own land with their impure ways and shedding blood. The pastor emphasizes the seriousness of not profaning the name of God through one's attitude, actions, or words. He reminds the congregation that just as God disciplined his chosen people in the past, he will discipline believers as well.
The pastor then emphasizes the transformative power of God's grace and the promise of a new heart through the New Covenant. He explains that a heart of stone represents stubbornness and unresponsiveness to God, while a heart of flesh is sensitive to God's word and desires to comply with His will. The pastor concludes by highlighting God's promise of spiritual support through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to walk in God's statutes and observe His ordinances.
The sermon then transitions into a series on Israel, prophecy, and the Middle East, specifically focusing on the book of Ezekiel. The pastor highlights that although the prophecy is ancient, it is incredibly relevant to current events. He addresses the issue of anti-Semitism and the tragic events that have occurred, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the reasons behind such hatred. The pastor also emphasizes God's power and His intention to restore the Jewish people to their land and renew them spiritually.
The pastor concludes the sermon by discussing the current events happening in relation to the nation of Israel and the City of Jerusalem. He expresses his concern about the mistreatment of Jewish people, particularly on college campuses and in major cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He concludes by emphasizing that the establishment of the state of Israel has God's approval.
Key Takeaways:
- The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live according to God's will and obey His teachings. This power is connected to the promise of God for His people to live in the land He gave to their forefathers, a promise fulfilled through the Zionist movement and the rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948. [49:33]
- True repentance should be accompanied by shame and remorse for past disobedience. Spiritual adultery, which occurs when anything in one's life becomes more important than God, is a serious offense that requires repentance and a reordering of priorities. [52:45]
- The transformative power of God's grace and the promise of a new heart through the New Covenant are central to the Christian faith. A heart of stone represents stubbornness and unresponsiveness to God, while a heart of flesh is sensitive to God's word and desires to comply with His will. [56:12]
- The prophecies in the book of Ezekiel, though ancient, are incredibly relevant to current events. Understanding these prophecies can provide deeper insight into the reasons behind anti-Semitism and the tragic events that have occurred. [59:30]
- The establishment of the state of Israel has God's approval. Despite the mistreatment of Jewish people, particularly on college campuses and in major cities, God's power and intention to restore the Jewish people to their land and renew them spiritually is evident. [1:03:15]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Ezekiel 36:1-15
2. Zechariah 12:1-3
3. Ezekiel 36:16-21
Observation Questions:
1. In Ezekiel 36:1-15, what does God promise to the mountains of Israel and what is the significance of this promise?
2. In Zechariah 12:1-3, what does the prophecy say about Jerusalem and its impact on the surrounding nations?
3. In Ezekiel 36:16-21, what were the actions of the people of Israel that led to God's wrath and their dispersion among the nations?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the promise made to the mountains of Israel in Ezekiel 36:1-15 relate to the concept of God's people living in the land He gave to their forefathers?
2. How does the prophecy in Zechariah 12:1-3 about Jerusalem being a heavy stone for all the peoples align with the current events happening in relation to the nation of Israel and the City of Jerusalem?
3. How does the description of Israel's actions in Ezekiel 36:16-21 reflect the concept of spiritual adultery and the need for repentance?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on Ezekiel 36:1-15, how can you ensure that God has first place in your life, and what might need to change for this to happen?
2. Considering Zechariah 12:1-3, how can you pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the Jewish people in the current political climate?
3. In light of Ezekiel 36:16-21, can you identify any areas in your life where you might be profaning the name of God through your attitude, actions, or words? What steps can you take to repent and realign your life with God's will?
4. How can you apply the transformative power of God's grace and the promise of a new heart in your daily life?
5. What actions can you take to stand against anti-Semitism and support the Jewish people, particularly in your local community or on your college campus?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Power of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine gift that empowers believers to live according to God's will and obey His teachings. This power is intricately connected to God's promise for His people to inhabit the land He gave to their forefathers, a promise fulfilled through the Zionist movement and the rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948. [49:33]
Ezekiel 36:27 - "And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationship with the Holy Spirit. How can you better embrace its power to live according to God's will?
Day 2: Repenting from Spiritual Adultery
Spiritual adultery, which occurs when anything in one's life becomes more important than God, is a grave offense that requires repentance and a reordering of priorities. True repentance should be accompanied by shame and remorse for past disobedience. [52:45]
James 4:4 - "You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
Reflection: Identify one thing in your life that has taken precedence over God. How can you repent and reorder your priorities to give God the first place?
Day 3: Experiencing Transformation through God's Grace
The transformative power of God's grace and the promise of a new heart through the New Covenant are central to the Christian faith. A heart of stone represents stubbornness and unresponsiveness to God, while a heart of flesh is sensitive to God's word and desires to comply with His will. [56:12]
Ezekiel 36:26 - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Reflection: Reflect on your heart's condition. How can you allow God's grace to transform your heart of stone into a heart of flesh?
Day 4: Understanding Prophecy in Current Context
The prophecies in the book of Ezekiel, though ancient, are incredibly relevant to current events. Understanding these prophecies can provide deeper insight into the reasons behind anti-Semitism and the tragic events that have occurred. [59:30]
Ezekiel 37:12 - "Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.'"
Reflection: How can you deepen your understanding of biblical prophecies to better comprehend current events, especially those related to Israel?
Day 5: Recognizing God's Approval of Israel
The establishment of the state of Israel has God's approval. Despite the mistreatment of Jewish people, particularly on college campuses and in major cities, God's power and intention to restore the Jewish people to their land and renew them spiritually is evident. [1:03:15]
Jeremiah 31:10 - "Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.'"
Reflection: How can you actively support and pray for the peace and restoration of Israel, recognizing it as part of God's divine plan?
Quotes
1. "When some people remember their sins, they enjoy them again in the dirty depths of their imagination. This is evidence that they really haven't judged them and repented. When the true children of God remember their past disobedience, they're ashamed of themselves and uplift themselves because of what they have done to the Lord themselves and others." ([58:12])
2. "I want you to understand if God would discipline his chosen people like this you know the Bible teaches that he'll discipline us too right... an Idol is anything that takes the place of God... if anything takes the place of God at the top rung of your life a priority I tell you friend it is spiritual adultery and you need to repent of it and get right with God" [24:24]
3. "Do you want to know why there was a Zionist movement back in the late 1800s that multiplied and mushroomed until 1948 occurred and the state of Israel was rebirthed? It's because of this right here: you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants." [55:34]
4. "What is a Heart of Stone? Well, it's a stubborn heart and unresponsive heart. What is a heart of Flesh? It is a heart that is sensitive to God, His word, and therefore longs to comply with God's Will and God's word." [52:54]
5. "God also promised something else, He promised spiritual support through a New Covenant. 'I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will be careful to observe my ordinances.'" [54:16]
6. "I want you to know on May the 14th 1948 one of the most important prophetic developments that's occurred in 2,000 years occurred the Jewish state was formed... the fact that this rag tag bunch of Jewish zealots were able to withstand that three pronged attack against them and survive can only be attributed one thing the power of almighty God... the fact that the Jewish state was born on May 14th 1948 has a stamp of God's approval on it." [44:19]
7. "God intended to restore the Jewish people to their land and he intended to renew them spiritually... they didn't deserve it... do we deserve to be saved and have all of our sins forgiven and go to heaven and spend all of eternity in the glory of Heaven?... no not a single one of us deserves it if we got what we deserve you wouldn't like it."
8. "This has not been fulfilled in totality yet... 1948 went a long way in making sure that there was a fulfillment of this prophecy... God promised to restore the Jewish people to their own land... he calls it my land... he gave it to Abraham Isaac and Jacob their descendants as a permanent possession."
9. "God says he's going to do some very specific things... when God sets his mind on doing something who's going to stop him? Nobody. Nobody's going to stop God."
10. "The reason there's anti-Semitism in the world is because God because Satan hates God and God has chosen the Jewish people to be his Covenant people."
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