Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: A Watchman’s Vision

Theme: Biblically Achieving Our Call

Topic: Biblically Understanding CrossRoads’ Vision

“Stand at the crossroads and look… ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

I have appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet.’”

(Jeremiah 6:16 NIV)

Biblical Explanation of Our Social Claimant

At this time in Biblical history, Judah was in danger of destruction because she had strayed from the ways of God.

Therefore, the Lord raised up a prophet of God to admonish the people and gave them instructions on how to walk in a manner worthy of the people of God.

The New Testament has a warning of destruction for all who do not desire the ways of God, destruction that affects the life and soul of mankind.

Romans 1:18-32 says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened… Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised.

Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.

Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.

Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.

They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.

They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

(Romans 1:18-32)

I would propose to you that in a world bound in the modern day wrath of God, there is a call upon the church to become aggressive in her fight for the souls of mankind.

Just what is our purpose at CrossRoads Ministries?

Just what is our call?

What is our belief based on?

Grasp our purpose / concept of prophet as watchman

The first step for us to enjoying God’s will is to understand our purpose in the “Great Commission.”

The heartbeat of our ministry is found in what Jeremiah wrote to a people who were about to suffer the consequences of sin, “I appointed watchmen over you and said listen to the trumpet.”

(Jeremiah 6:17)

The concept of prophet as a watchman is found throughout the whole counsel of God’s word.

Hosea 9:8a gives us this truth, “The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman…” “Prophet” (nabiy) here is an inspired spokesman who is raised up by the Lord to proclaim the message from God, who does not contradict the law of the Lord, or one who speaks from his own mind or heart.

(The Complete Word Study) Thus, a prophet is a spokesman for the Lord and one who speaks under God’s authority.

(Exodus 7:1; Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Harper’s Bible Dictionary)

The whole Word of God as it was written by men who received the revelation from God (2 Peter 1:20-21) communicates the Lord’s mind and will to men.

Anyone who is a spokesman for the Lord, preaching the Word of God is thus exercising the grace gift of prophecy for the purpose of proclaiming divine truths to mankind.

(Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Harper’s Bible Dictionary)

In the New Testament the prophetical office is continued.

Our Lord is frequently spoken of as a prophet of the church.

(Luke 4:2; 13:33; 24:19; Matthew 13:57; 21:11; John 4:19; 9:17) He is the Great Prophet of the Body of Christ and He has given the grace gift of prophecy to the modern day church.

(Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:26-32; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:20; Acts 11:27; 13:1; 15:32; James 5:10; Harper’s Bible Dictionary; Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

The Body of Christ who understands her purpose and call will have someone in their congregation who has the grace gift of “prophet” as mentioned in Ephesians 4:11.

“Prophet” (prophetes) in Ephesians generally refers to those who have the Holy Spirit gift of speaking the heart and will of God to mankind.

(The Complete Dictionary of the New Testament; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Men or women exercising this gift have a healthy walk with the Lord and they are sent by Him to warn, correct and exhort people.

It has been said of these Christians, “They love God and disturb people.”

(Donald A. Leggett)

“Watchman” (sapah) in practical application is to have someone stand guard.

When applied to the duty of being a watchful prophet with Jesus Christ in this dispensation, it is having a spokesman who is proclaiming the truths of God to a people who are being overcome by sins that feed the flesh, that embrace a world view and listen to Satan’s lies.

Where were watchmen stationed?

Historical researchers tell us that whenever possible, towers were erected in fields, vineyards and especially in key positions around the city so as to have someone give a warning call.

The church who grasps her purpose as being a watchman has someone with the Christ apportioned gift of prophet (Ephesians 4:11-12) getting the Word of God out to those suffering the consequences of not living for the Lord.

Those who are called of the Lord to exercise this gift are very much illuminated with the same exhortation that was given to Ezekiel, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman… so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me.

When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

…Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.

Turn! Turn from your evil ways!..’” (Ezekiel 33:7-11)

Taylor in his teachings on the duty of the watchful prophet writes, “A dying person unwarned would be regarded as a murder victim.

The murderer would be the watchman who failed his duty.”

The purpose of the watchman today is to proclaim the Word of God publicly, and give a warning of God’s modern day wrath which leads to His final surrender of mankind over to themselves just as warned in Romans 1:18-32.

Through the teaching of God’s Word this watchman is used to bring conviction of sin and to point the lost to Christ Jesus.

By God’s grace on everyone involved in the ministry we can say yes, we are watchmen.

For 9 years CrossRoads has been found on the second page of the Norton Telegram every Monday.

It reached 4,600 homes, including every home in the Norton County area and beyond.

These articles are also placed in the church section of The Telegram nearly every Friday.

The Norton Telegram staff also visits our website regularly to get these Biblical teachings for their devotionals.

New CrossRoads articles are placed on the front page of our website weekly.

Christians and non-Christians, some being shut-ins due to age or physical ailments, have expressed thanksgiving to us for our Biblical teachings.

CrossRoads Messages are in full transcript format and are found on two websites: standatthecrossroads.com and SermonCentral.com.

According to SermonCentral, we currently have 112 messages on their website with nearly 134,500 readings with a 90% rating saying these messages are helpful to those who read them.

The viewings are now growing about 2,000 per week.

For this I do praise the Lord.

Proclaiming the Word of the Lord

Once the church has grasped her purpose she is to fulfill her call by proclaiming the Word of the Lord. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 says, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in the view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word: be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:1-2)

The best corporations, the best men, in fact, everyone in the work force needs someone to remind them of their duties, even more so the preacher of God’s Word.

The Apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy was not to preach about the Bible, but to proclaim or herald the Word of God.

To preach (kerusso) means to publicly announce, to publish abroad religious truth, the gospel with its attendant privileges and obligations in this gospel dispensation.

The herald is to proclaim in such a way as to persuade, urge, warn and intrigue people to comply too the message.

(Dictionary of Biblical Languages; The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament; Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament)

In the early days of my walk with the Lord, I was so moved by Dr. Billy Graham’s faithfulness to preach the Word of God.

There was that very familiar phrase in the messages he spoke forth, “The Bible says.”

In watching the film, “The Cross and the Switch-blade,” I took notice of the scene that presented David Wilkerson as a man who was not ashamed of the Word of God.

Every letter, e-mail and transcript of messages I ever received from him was full of the Word of God.

I excitedly opened his material with a full expectation of receiving something from the heart of God and my hope in the Lord was restored.

Once when Missionary David Haag was about to share a word to a group of Christians and stood to speak, some of the younger appointed leaders spoke out, “Don’t preach, Don’t preach!”

To the delight of the God who created him, to the delight of the Christ who died for him and in the empowering of the Holy Spirit who anointed him, Missionary David Haag preached the Word of God anyway.

There is a Biblical term, “man of God.”

It has been reduced to someone who is religious or has regular church attendance.

However, Biblically the term “man of God” refers to God’s spokesman, often referring to men exercising the gift prophet, evangelist, apostle, pastor or teacher.

Our key text in this division of the message was written to the young pastor Timothy to whom Paul accredited the term “man of God.” (1 Timothy 6:11) This term is given to the person who represents God by speaking His Word.

In 1 Timothy 6:11-14 the Apostle Paul lists four marks of the “man of God,” one being a man or women who is faithful to fulfill the responsibility of their charge or calling.

(Rediscovering Expository Preaching, John MacArthur)

CrossRoads Messages fulfill the ministry of watchful prophet The ministry is overseen by people who are called to and have proven faithful the “Preach the Word.”

The one who proclaims God’s Word in this ministry that reaches out to those in this world, must be overseen by men or women of God who are Holy Spirit illuminated with 1 Timothy 4:13-15, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

Do not neglect your gift… Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”

Those who prove faithful and unashamedly preach the Word do so because they have a firm belief in the foundation of what they preach.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

(2 Timothy 3:16) Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is living and active.