The call to preach the Gospel is as urgent today as it has ever been. In Ezekiel 37:1-10, the prophet receives a powerful vision of dry bones coming to life. God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, and as he does, they are miraculously brought back to life. This vision symbolizes the spiritual renewal of Israel but also serves as a broader picture of how God’s Word has the power to bring life where there is death.
Ezekiel 37:1-10 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. – Ezekiel 37:1-10 ESV
As believers, we have been entrusted with the life-giving message of the Gospel. Like Ezekiel, we are called to speak God’s Word into the spiritually dead world around us, trusting that He can breathe life into even the most hopeless situations. We are His ambassadors, sent to proclaim His truth with the confidence that His Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11).
“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:11 ESV
The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel to all nations so that Christ’s reign may be recognized and experienced by all people. This is the task we have been given, and it is one of great significance. Sharing the Gospel is, at its core, sharing the love of God. The Gospel message is the greatest expression of God’s love for humanity. It tells of God’s unwavering commitment to His creation, even when humanity had rebelled against Him. In Romans 5:8, Paul writes, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The Gospel is not simply a set of theological truths; it is the revelation of God’s love poured out in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As we share the Gospel, we are sharing the love of God in its most profound and transformative form.
One of my favorite preachers, Mark Dever, says, “The most loving thing you can do for someone is to give them the Gospel.” I can’t imagine it any other way.
Romans 6 further adds an urgency of sharing the Love of God, the Gospel message. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we have died to sin and been raised to new life in Christ. The Christian’s transformation from death to life is not just a personal blessing; it is a testimony to the world that Christ’s power is able to bring about radical change. As Christians, we are not to live for ourselves but to live in a way that reflects the Gospel’s transformative power. In Romans 6:13, Paul exhorts believers to “present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life,” and in doing so, we are called to bring others into this same life-changing reality. The world around us is still living in spiritual death, and the only way they will come to life is through hearing and responding to the Gospel.
"The most loving thing you can do for someone is to give them the Gospel."--Mark Dever
As we consider the world’s need for the Gospel, let us remember that we are partners in God’s mission to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). We are not tasked with saving people, but with proclaiming the truth, trusting that God’s Spirit will do the work of regeneration. Like Ezekiel speaking to the dry bones, we can trust that as we faithfully share the Gospel, God will bring life where there was once only death. Therefore, let us go forth, encouraged and empowered by the Gospel, knowing that it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).