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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

Ezekiel 2:1-5

 

2:1 He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you.

2:2 And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me.

2:3 He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day.

2:4 The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD."

2:5 Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

 

Comments:

 

At our lectionary study, it was suggested that if one reads through 3:3, you get a fuller story,

more of the assurance of God's presence no matter if the people "hear or refuse to hear."

We, like Ezekiel, should be checking our message, to make sure it is God's and not ours... (for it is the sweeter word.)

Doug in Erie


One of the things I noticed is that in the Hebrew, God addresses Ezekiel as "Ben Adam" or "Son of Man/Son of Humanity." I feel there must be a connection to Jesus identifying himself as the Son of Man/Son of Humanity. Interesting, but I'm not sure where this might lead me.

Betty in Spokane, WA


When I read this text I was immediatley struck by how contemporary it is to toady'a social climate. People will not listen to the gospel, but we are still charged withy preaching it. Thus, my idea for a sermon is "What's the Bottom Line?"

Most churches have now adopted a corporate model with bottom line expectations: "nickels and noses." But is this God's bottom line?

WEll, that's the direction I'm going to take. Anybodyelse got any ideas?

Paul in Illinois


So far, my title is "The World's Worst Self-Help Book for Prophets." It's too much of a mouth-full but we'll see where it leads.

What I'm feeding off of here is the glut of self-help and "church-help" books there are out there. Most list steps to make you a more effective you or the church a more effective church (ie. "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" and any book by Lyle Shaller [and I have several!]).

But, the church is less about effectiveness and more about faithfulness. By being faithful Christians we will fine areas we are not going to be "worldly effective."

Some ramblings from Jim in Alaska


To Paul in Illinois,

Clearly, and as I'm sure you know, "nickles and noses" is not God's "bottom line." If one reads the rest of Ezekiel 5, one clearly sees that God's meassage wasn't one that would tend to breed popularity.

It was, inteneded, however, to bring credibility. After Ezekiel delivered his message, they would know a prophet was among them (v.5). So, for Ezekiel, the bottom line was being a prophet, however unpopular the message. What do we think of Israel's obstinate refusal to hear the message? What does God think of us when we obstinately refuse to heed His message to us in His Word and try to water it down, simply because it convicts us of our own sinfulness?

Jim in Alaska has exactly the right idea, in my opinion.

JG in WI