Ez36:22-32 The Wanderers (3/5)

# The Wanderers
## Ezekiel 36:22-32 (3/5)
[San Diego, US. Tyler Mullins](https://unsplash.com/photos/Zldz46wahbE "caption")

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# **How** do I change?

[###](#/outline "secret")

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+ want magic **5-steps** to a better you
  + but **no** power to change self
+ lasting change starts from **heart**
  + only **God** can do that
+ change of **heart**: humble before Him
+ change of **values**: priorities, what is important
+ change of **actions** / speech, over time
+ change of **habits**

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| 1. What must I change? | [ch16:](# "ref") *Princess* [(identity)](# "ref") |
| --- | --- |
| 2. Who will help me? | [ch34:](# "ref") *Shepherds* [(leadership)](# "ref") |
| 3. **How do I change?** | [ch36:](# "ref") *Wanderers* [(God's work)](# "ref") |
| 4. Am I beyond hope? | [ch37:](# "ref") *Dry Bones* [(new life)](# "ref") |
| 5. If others won't change? | [ch33:](# "ref") *Watchman* [(missions)](# "ref") |

[Bad Pyrmont, Germany.  Sebastian Unrau](https://unsplash.com/photos/sp-p7uuT0tw "caption")

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+ (1) know **self**:
  + baby kicking in **blood**
  + rescued + **blessed** by God
  + **proud**, addicted to **affirmation**
  + **humbled** by forgiveness
+ (2a) for **sheep**:
  + trust real **Shepherd**
  + don't **push** aside weaker sheep
+ (2b) for **shepherds**:
  + only **caretakers**, not rulers
  + weak, sick, injured, strays, lost
+ (3) **process** of change

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## The Wanderers [(Ez36)](# "ref")
1. **Healing** [(v24-25)](# "ref")
1. **Heart** and **Home** [(v26-30)](# "ref")
1. **Humility** [(v31-32)](# "ref")

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+ all **actions** / promises God does
  + not **we** fixing selves
+ bring us **home**
  + cleanse / **free** us from old life
+ **Spirit** gives **strength** to change
+ good **memory** the key to **humility**
  + remember our **sins**
  + how much God has **forgiven**

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I will ... **gather** you from all the countries 
and bring you into your **own land**.

[Ezekiel 36:24 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Highclere Castle, UK](https://unsplash.com/photos/c8ET5XvBwnU "caption")

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+ Israel in **exile**
  + Canaan **promised** land
+ **scattered**, unstable, homeless
  + from **own** pride (harlot, ch16)
  + or lack of good **shepherds** (ch34)
+ God **sees** and **seeks** lost sheep
+ establishes a **home** for homeless

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I will sprinkle **clean water** on you, 
and you shall be clean from all your **uncleannesses**, 
and from all your **idols** I will cleanse you.

[Ezekiel 36:25 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Litchfield Park, Australia. Andy Fitzsimon](https://unsplash.com/photos/w8g2vws1VBQ "caption")

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+ **idols**: what we put **above** God
+ e.g. family w/$$ **jade** idol
  + when **unwilling** to destroy,
    + **Satan** attacked
  + not that **jade** is evil
    + Satan saw **opportunity**
  + **know** not pleasing to God
    + unwilling to **yield**
+ what are **our** idols? 
+ edu / **career**: not for **recognition**
  + but to **serve** others
  + **subordinate** to God
+ rltnshp / **family**: not for our **comfort**
  + but to **love** others
  + as **Christ** loves us
  + "God, how should I **parent**?"
  + "God, how do I find a **mate**?"
+ if these are **not** subordinate to God
  + they become **idols** to us

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If we say we have **no sin**, we **deceive** ourselves, 
and the **truth** is not in us.

[9](# "ref") 
If we **confess** our sins, 
he is **faithful** and just

to **forgive** us our sins 
and to **cleanse** us from all unrighteousness

[1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Plattenkogel, Austria. Lukas Budimaier](https://unsplash.com/photos/6cY-FvMlmkQ "caption")

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+ **admit** these **jewels** from God
  + have become **idols** to us
  + **pride**: control own life
+ **yield** control to God
  + edu / career **objective**
  + desire to be **married**
  + desire to have **children**
+ but if I **refuse** to admit sin
  + cling to **pride**
  + v8 **fooling** myself
  + v10 make **God** out to be a **liar**

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# Do I **want** God to remove my **idols**?

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+ worked **hard** for, sacrificed for
  + believe they give us **value**
+ idol of **anger**: indignation of **victim**
  + **familiar** response
  + illusion of **control**
+ hard to **let go** of our sins!

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## The Wanderers [(Ez36)](# "ref")
1. Healing [(v24-25)](# "ref")
1. **Heart and Home** [(v26-30)](# "ref")
1. Humility [(v31-32)](# "ref")

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And I will give you a **new heart**, 
and a **new spirit** I will put within you.

And I will remove the heart of **stone** 
from your flesh 
and give you a heart of **flesh**.

[Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Mayur Gala](https://unsplash.com/photos/2PODhmrvLik "caption")

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+ not (my life) + (Christ)
  + entirely **new** heart
+ **stone**: afraid of getting **hurt**
+ our **Creator** is strong enough to rescue
  + our **Saviour** loves us more than any other
+ ⇒ **flesh**: come **alive**
+ **strength** to change our habits:
  + secret **superpower**:

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And I will put my **Spirit** within you, 
and cause you to **walk** in my statutes 
and be careful to **obey** my rules.

[Ezekiel 36:27 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Orange County, US. Samantha Sophia](https://unsplash.com/photos/NaWKMlp3tVs "caption")

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+ **Holy Spirit** is the spirit of Christ
  + **Immanuel**: God with us
+ **walk**: daily habits, regular routine
  + **obey**: heart of **humility**
+ but not just **one-time** transformation:
  + daily **walk** in step w/Spirit:

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But I say, **walk** by the Spirit, and you will 
not gratify the desires of the **flesh**.

[17](# "ref")
For the desires of the **flesh** 
are against the **Spirit**, 
and the desires of the Spirit 
are **against** the flesh,

for these are **opposed** to each other,  
to keep you from **doing** 
the things you **want** to do.

[Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ **tension** / struggle:
  + **want** to do good
  + but **unable** to do so
+ not fully **free** til body of sin done
+ but daily keep **in step** w/Spirit
  + "what do You want me to work on **today**?"
+ God not **high** in heaven
  + but **alongside** to sustain
  + **indwelling** to strengthen
+ but I'm so **tired** of trying to be good
  + my bad **habits** are so ingrained
  + is Spirit really **able** to change me?

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If the **Spirit** of him who 
**raised** Jesus from the dead **dwells** in you,

he who **raised** Christ Jesus from the dead 
will also give **life** to your mortal **bodies** 
through his **Spirit** who dwells in you.

[Romans 8:11 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Iceland. Davide Cantelli](https://unsplash.com/photos/H3giJcTw__w "caption")

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+ **body**: of sin, selfish, lustful
+ but **redeemed** by Spirit
  + not just far off in **heaven**
  + even right **now**
+ Spirit **empowers** us to walk in rightsns
+ Is the Spirit **strong** enough?
  + He **raised** Jesus from dead!
+ new **spirit** also invites us into
  + new **home**:

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and you shall be **my people**, 
and I will be **your God**.

[Ezekiel 36:28 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Ales Krivec](https://unsplash.com/photos/ywtbSuCSjhM "caption")

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+ **identity**: people of God
+ **relationship**: my people, my God
  + not just **abstract** God
    + what I **know** about
  + but **my** God
  + **teens**: parents' faith ⇒ own
+ from unwanted **orphans** 
  + to **belonging** to God's family:

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I will also have **compassion** 
on her who had **not** obtained compassion,

And I will say to those who were **not My people**, 
‘You are **My people**!’

And they will say, ‘You are **my God**!’

[Hosea 2:23 (NASB)](# "ref")
[Los Angeles. Edwin Andrade](https://unsplash.com/photos/6liebVeAfrY "caption")

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+ Lo-Ruhamah, Lo-Ammi

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# What does the **Holy Spirit** do in us?

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+ **changes** heart of **stone** to **flesh**
+ **opposes** desires of flesh
+ **strengthens** us to obey God
+ **reminds** us of new **identity**
  + as people of God

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## The Wanderers [(Ez36)](# "ref")
1. Healing [(v24-25)](# "ref")
1. Heart and Home [(v26-30)](# "ref")
1. **Humility** [(v31-32)](# "ref")

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Then you will **remember** your evil ways, 
and your **deeds** that were not good,

and you will **loathe** yourselves 
for your iniquities and your abominations.

[Ezekiel 36:31 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Ian Espinosa](https://unsplash.com/photos/oXo6IvDnkqc "caption")

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+ secret to true **humility**:
  + good **memory**!
+ remember unwanted **baby** kicking in blood
+ remember **pride** in own beauty / blessings
+ remember being selfish **shepherd**
  + or arrogant **sheep**
+ God saves us **not** bc we're **deserving**:

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It is not for **your sake** that I will act, 
declares the Lord God; 
let that be known to you.

Be **ashamed** and **confounded** for your ways, 
O house of Israel!

[Ezekiel 36:32 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Thailand.  Dominik QN](https://unsplash.com/photos/9gGQvhC4PEY "caption")

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+ why? so we will **know** that 
  + He is the **LORD** our God
+ **remembering** this keeps us
  + in right **rltn** w/God
  + **humble** + reliant on His grace
  + **walking** in step w/Spirit

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For **godly grief** produces a **repentance** 
that leads to salvation without **regret**,

whereas **worldly** grief produces **death**

[2 Corinthians 7:10](# "ref")
[Ben White](https://unsplash.com/photos/bEbqpPeHEM4 "caption")

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+ 1Cor pretty **harsh**: church messed up
  + **factions** / personality cult
  + how exercise **gifts**
  + **sexual** immorality
  + even holy **communion** wrong
+ church **grieved**: not always smiley happy
  + led to **repentance**
+ by 2Cor, tho Paul hasn't seen in **person**
  + but has **heard** of their repentance
  + other **cities** seen the change
+ **good grief** leads us to repentance
+ e.g., how often have we **dads** apologised?
+ e.g. reunion trip to **zoo**
  + all **tired**, last to leave
  + **dad** blows up
  + later in car, **apologies**:
  + "it's ok", "no, it's **not**"
+ grief ⇒ **change**
  + empowered by **Spirit**

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# How do I **react** when I'm proven **wrong**?

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+ **downplay** the wrong: no big deal
+ **counterattack**: you're no better
  + impute **ill intent**: fine, happy now?
+ **withdraw** in fear: never try again
  + wallow **self-pity**: can't do right
+ ⇒ godly grief ⇒ **repentance**
  + change **direction**
  + **empowered** by Spirit indwelling
  + one **step** at a time: keep in step
+ that's how we get **lasting** change!

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