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Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter preaches from Ezekiel 37 on "How to Revive Dry Bones" during the September 16 plenary session of the SBC Executive Committee. Photo by Morris Abernathy.
Proclaiming the Scripture is the most important thing preachers must do if dry bones will live—the only thing that will bring real revival to the Southern Baptist Convention and the nation, according to SBC President Fred Luter.
Genuine revival sweeping through the churches and entities of the SBC is still his heart's desire, Luter told the SBC Executive Committee September 16 in Nashville, drawing comparisons to what he termed the "sad story" of the prophet's vision of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-10.
"My ultimate goal is, prayerfully, that we can pray that God will send revival across America and particularly among Southern Baptist churches," he said, "because it's so easy to get sidetracked. It's so easy to get comfortable where we are. It's so easy to rest on our laurels and all of the past things that we've done.
[2]"However, I am convinced that revival is still sorely needed among us, among our churches, among our denomination, and particularly among the body of Christ," Luter said. "My heart's desire is still that God will send revival through the churches, the seminaries, the colleges, and the entities of the Southern Baptist Convention. That's still my heart's desire."
Drawing from Ezekiel's vision in his sermon "How to Revive Dry Bones," Luter noted that revival will only come when dry bones realize they are dry, when they hear the Word of God, when they respond to the Word of God, and when they are filled with the Spirit of God.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if we're honest with ourselves, many of us can identify with the children of Israel in our text, because many of us are like dead men walking. We've lost our vim, we've lost our vigor, and we wouldn't know vitality if it slapped us in the face.
"Oh, dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord!" Luter said, quoting Ezekiel 37:4.
"Pastors, the most important thing we can do on Sunday mornings in our pulpit is not to pull out the latest story from Reader's Digest, not to pull out the latest story from National Geographic, not to tell the latest story on Duck Dynasty, but the best thing we can do . . . is to lift up the Word of God.
"[Preach] not the latest in politics, not the latest in denominational issues during the preaching time, [but] the Word of God," Luter said, ". . . words that bring nourishment to dry bones, words that bring strength to brittle bones, words that bring life to lifeless bones."
An encouraging, stirring symphony of numerous Scriptures drawn from both biblical testaments flowed from Luter's lips.
Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter reads from Ezekiel 37. Photo by Morris Abernathy.
"Words like Psalm 1:1-2, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord.
"Words like Psalm 27:1, The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
"Words like Psalm 34:19, Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
"Words like Romans 8:31, If God is for us, who can be against us?"
The Scriptures Luter cited blended overflowing love and encouragement with prescriptions for revival.
"Oh dry bones, hear words like John 15:7, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
"Words like Acts 1:8, But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
"Words like 1 Corinthians 10:13, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape," Luter quoted, "that you may be able to bear it.
"Words like Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me," Luter quoted.
"These dry bones that were dead came to life, one by one by one, because they heard and responded to the Word of God. And so it is with every child of God that hears and responds to the Word of God."
When dry bones hear and respond to the Word of God, something happens, Luter said. "All of a sudden, there was a noise and a shaking. . . . These dry bones that were dead came to life, one by one by one, because they heard and responded to the Word of God," he said. "Even dead, dry, brittle bones come together when they hear the Word of God."
The Lord then commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the four winds to breathe the breath of life upon the slain, Luter said.
"These are the same bones that in verses 1 and 2 were dry. The same bones that were brittle. The same bones that were dead," Luter said. "But now, they have a new spirit! And because of the Spirit of God that was within them, they stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
"And so it is with every child of God that hears and responds to the Word of God," Luter continued. "Same bones, but a new spirit. Same bones, but a new attitude. Same bones, but a new determination. Same bones, but a new outlook. Same bones, but a new value system. Same bones, but a new creature."
When dry bones are filled with the Spirit, they are revived, renewed, rejuvenated, and restored because they have been resurrected, Luter said.
If you're suffering from the "dry bone syndrome . . . your walk is dry, your smile is dry, your life is dry, your marriage is dry, your ministry is dry, your relationships with your friends and family are dry," he said.
Asking the question "Can these dry bones live?" Luter emphatically thundered, "YES! YES! YES!"
Calling on Southern Baptists to report for duty to witness, evangelize, and pray, he closed the message with the threefold refrain, "God, send a revival! God, send a revival! God, send a revival! . . . And let it begin with me."
The sermon drew applause and many amens and affirmations from Executive Committee members, SBC entity heads, and guests in the audience.
Click here to listen to the full sermon. [3]
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