Introduction: 

I.                   THE BIBLE HAS MANY REFERENCES TO BONES.

A.     This includes:

1.        Adam said, “She is bone of my bones” (Gen. 2:23).

2.        Joseph requested his bones to be removed from Egypt and taken to Canaan (Gen. 50:25).

3.        Ezekiel’s account of “the Valley of dry bones” presents a valuable truth (Ezekiel 37).

a.      A familiar popular song of the past is based upon “the Valley of dry bones. 

Song:  DRY BONES

Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"

Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"

Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"

"Oh, hear the word of the Lord."

The foot bone connected to the leg bone,

The leg bone connected to the knee bone,

The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,

The thigh bone connected to the back bone,

The back bone connected to the neck bone,

The neck bone connected to the head bone,

Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun'

Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'

Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'

Oh, hear the word of the Lord.

 

B.     The word “bones” is familiar to all of us.

1.        As a colloquial expression:  “I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”

2.        I understand that there are 206 bones in the human body.           

C.     Just as there are different kinds of bones in the physical body; just so, there are several different types of bones in the spiritual body of Christ.

1.        We will now consider seven kinds of bones in the spiritual body of Christ.

2.        Which of these seven kinds of bones represents you? 

DISCUSSION: 

I.                   JAWBONES.

A.     The Jawbones represents those who keep their mouth open and continually spout off. 

James 1:19, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” 

Rev. 2:7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” 

B.     Such are similar to the religious leaders of the first century.  In essence, their attitude is:  “Don’t do as I do, but do as I say do!!” 

Matt. 23:3, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works:  for they say, and do not.” 

1 John 3:17-18, “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 

James 2:13-24 (Refer to). 

Luke 6:46, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” 

C.     The Jawbones talk “a good game” of professing Christianity, but do not consistently live it.

                  1.    They may be guilty of sins of the tongue. 

James 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” 

James 3:1-12 (Refer to) 

Eph. 5:3-4, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient:  but rather giving of thanks.” 

II.                KNUCKLEBONES.

A.     The Knucklebones represent those who, negatively, knock everyone and everything.

1.      They are first class complainers who delight in trying to put others down. 

Phil. 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” 

1 Cor. 10:10, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.” 

B.     Many choose to be Knucklebones because it is easier to criticize than to be constructive.

1.      It is detrimental to a congregation to have those who continually find fault and complain.

2.      Usually, a vocal 4% of a congregation hinders it from carrying out many good works. 

Titus 3:1, “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,”  

3.      We, as fellow Christians, need to stop knocking one another and work more closely together in the greatest work in the world, the saving of souls. 

Gal. 5:15, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” 

III.             WISHBONES.

A.     The Wishbones represents those who “day dream” in wishing how things might be better; but at the same time, they do not become involved in making those dreams a reality. 

James 2:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” 

B.   Their favorite word is:  “wish.” 

1.      They are inclined to say:  “I wish that this church would grow!”  “I wish that we were more spiritual!”  “I wish that we could convert more people!”  Etc.

2.      Instead of wishing, we need to roll up our sleeves and go to work. 

IV.              FUNNY BONES.

A.     The Funny bones represents those who never seem to take God and His Word seriously.

1.      It is one thing to take one’s self too seriously; but quite another to down play what the Bible actually teaches.

2.      Often, when specific Biblical truths are presented, there are those who are inclined to say:  “Yeah, but I think that God will make exceptions in the case of my loved one.”

3.      We need to realize that God says what He means and means what He says! 

B.     What is your attitude toward God’s inspired Word?   

Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” 

Isa. 30:9-11, “That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:  Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” 

C.        There is a time to laugh, and there is a time to be serious. 

Eccl. 3:4, “A time to weep, and a time to laugh;…” 

V.                 LAZYBONES. 

Song:  “Lazy Bones” 

Tell me, how you spect to get your days work done
Days work done
You'll never get your days work done

Sleeping, lazy bones
Sleeping in a noon day sun
When day's dusk means praying
I bet you keep praying
That all the bugs fall off the vine

And when you go fishing
I bet you keep wishing
That the fish would never never grab your line
You old lazy bones
Loafin, loafin all through the day
Tell me how you spect to make a dime that way
Dime that way
You'll never make a dime that way

Well look at him, lazy bones
Never hear a word I say
Lazy bones 

A.     The term “Lazybones” refers to an indolent slothful person who does not have ambition, nor is he industrious.

1.      Some individuals are too lazy to work in order to have food on their table. 

2 Thess. 3:10, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” 

2.      The one talented man is a vivid example of one who does not put forth because of a lack of ambition or a desire to improve his situation. 

Matt. 25:24-30 (Refer to). 

3.      Jesus destroyed a barren fig tree as an example unto us.  He expects us to bare fruit in His spiritual kingdom. 

Matt. 21:19, “And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.  And presently the fig tree withered away.” 

B.  We, as Christians, are to be zealously involved in the Lord’s vineyard. 

Titus 2:14, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” 

VI.              DEAD BONES.

A.     Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones was God’s way of describing Israel when that nation had become spiritually dead. 

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (Refer to). 

B.     The Son of God portrayed the Scribes and Pharisees as tombs full of dead men’s bones. 

Matt. 23:27, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

 

C.   The church at Sardis had become spiritually dead. 

Rev. 3:1, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write:  These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars:  I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” 

VII.   FINALLY AND THANKFULLY THERE ARE BACKBONES.

A.       The term “Backbone” refers to those brethren who have the moral courage and stamina to standup against error and immorality. 

B.       There are several examples in the Bible of those who had the moral courage to stand up for that which is right in the sight of God.

1.        Those include:  Moses, Joseph, Daniel, the three young Hebrew men in the fiery furnace, Joshua and Caleb, the Apostle Paul, and Stephen. 

C.       We need brethren in the church of our Lord who will standup against sin and to uphold that which is in harmony with the Will of the Lord. 

1 Cor. 16:13, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” 

Jude 3, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” 

1 Thess. 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 

1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:  and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 

CONCLUSION: 

I.                   WHICH KIND OF THOSE SEVEN BONES BEST DESCRIBES YOU? 

II.                LET US LEARN AND BENEFIT FROM OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT BONES. 

III.             ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? 

Borrowed and Revised

--Dub Mowery