America a Useless Vine
E.A. Johnston warns that America, once blessed and fruitful, has become like a useless vine destined for judgment due to its rejection of God and moral decay.
In this prophetic sermon, E.A. Johnston delivers a solemn warning to America, likening the nation to the useless vine described in Ezekiel 15. He traces the nation's spiritual decline from its days of blessing and revival to its current state of moral decay and rejection of God. Johnston challenges listeners to recognize the impending judgment and calls for repentance and revival within both the nation and the church.
Full Transcript
Our message tonight, friends, can be found in Ezekiel chapter 15. Here now is the word of God, and may the Spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his holy word. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, what is in the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? Or will man take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel.
The fire devoureth both ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. It is meat for any work? Behold, when it was whole, it was meat for no work. How much less shall it be meat yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? Therefore thus saith the Lord God, as the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I will set my face against them.
They shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I set my face against them, and I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God. Well, in the book of Ezekiel, in chapter 15, we see a vivid description of a nation that has turned its back on God.
The backslidden people of Israel have taken up idolatry in favor of serving the living God. They preferred worshiping blocks of wood and stone, and had given themselves totally over to a multitude of idols. The surety of their judgment was fast approaching, yet they were completely oblivious to their multiplied sins, and they were blind to their coming destruction from the hands of a provoked God.
God revealed to his prophet Ezekiel what was on his heart regarding his people, and the news wasn't good. God compares the nation to a useless vine that was good for nothing, and then God makes a startling statement, saying because of Jerusalem's sins, he would make the land desolate. America was once a fruitful bough in that it honored and feared God.
It had a missionary enterprise that went out all over the world, and God had smiled upon America by giving her the greatest prosperity in the world, making it an influential nation of the world, one that other nations looked up to. God sent revival and spiritual awakening in the land, and multitudes and thousands were brought to Christ in salvation. But the last revival in this country was 180 years ago.
Look at what's happened to this nation in the recent past, since 1962, when we kicked God out of the public schools. Our schools have become killing grounds. Since 1973, when the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe versus Wade, we have butchered over 54 million innocent babies, as this country has become a killing ground.
America has become a useless vine. Our young people today are a godless generation, hooked on booze, sex, and drugs. As a nation, we have legislated God out of our educational system, booted him out of our judicial system, and our corporate culture hates the name of Jesus.
America has become a useless vine, ready for the fire. Well, what about the churches in the land? The self-absorbed church has barricaded herself within the confines and comforts of self-preservation, and the church in America lost her influence with society through compromise and conformity. Pulpits fear man more than God, and we live in a day of a prayerless church and a diluted gospel.
The useless vine of America is ready for the fire. The fire of destruction that has come into this country will send shockwaves all over the world. Heaven help us all.
Sermon Outline
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I
- God's message through Ezekiel about the useless vine
- The vine as a symbol of Israel's unfruitfulness
- The inevitability of judgment for the backslidden
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II
- America's past spiritual fruitfulness and blessing
- The missionary enterprise and revivals of old
- God's favor upon America historically
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III
- The moral and spiritual decline since the 1960s
- Removal of God from schools and society
- The rise of godlessness and cultural decay
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IV
- The compromised and fearful church today
- Loss of influence through conformity
- The warning of impending judgment and call for repentance
Key Quotes
“America has become a useless vine, ready for the fire.” — E.A. Johnston
“Our young people today are a godless generation, hooked on booze, sex, and drugs.” — E.A. Johnston
“Pulpits fear man more than God, and we live in a day of a prayerless church and a diluted gospel.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Examine your personal and national spiritual condition and seek repentance.
- Pray for revival and a return to God’s principles in society and the church.
- Resist cultural compromise and boldly proclaim the gospel in a godless generation.