God's Watchman

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To teach believers about the great responsibility we have to reach the lost with the gospel so every man, woman, boy and girl can have an opportunity to be saved through faith in Jesus.

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GOD’S WATCHMAN

Ezekiel 3:16–21 NASB95
16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. 18 “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 “Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. 20 “Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 “However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”
Ezekiel
AIM
AIM
To teach believers about the great responsibility we have to reach the lost with the gospel so every man, woman, boy and girl can have an opportunity to be saved through faith in Jesus.
INTRODUCTION
Last week we learned some valuable lessons about search and rescue from those who worked during and after Hurricane Harvey. This week we need to learn from those who worked hard for more than a week to warn people, especially in Florida, about the danger of Hurricane Irma. I heard several warnings from Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, about the need to evacuate before Irma hit their state. One of the things I remember him saying is, “If you do not evacuate, we cannot save you after the storm hits our state.” He also said, “We will not put anyone’s life in danger if you choose to ignore the warnings.” Governor Scott said, “Do not put yourself or your family in danger,” and, “Do not ignore any evacuation orders.”
Brothers and sisters, we need to learn from these people and sound God’s warning about the judgment coming to this world. Right now we can warn people and hopefully help many of them avoid God’s judgment. Each of us needs to be God’s watchman and do everything possible to warn the unsaved before it is eternally too late. Now is the time to sound the warning. Today is the day of salvation. Just like Ezekiel, Paul was God’s watchman who was busy encouraging people with urgency to be saved while they had opportunity.
2 Corinthians 6:1–2 NASB95
1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— 2 for He says, At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
2 Corinthians 6:1-2
We need to learn some very valuable principles about being God’s watchman.
A WATCHMAN IS APPOINTED BY THE LORD
Ezekiel 3:16–17 NASB95
16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.
Ezekiel 3:
We must believe lost people who die in their sins will never be with Jesus. Listen to our Lord’s own words to the Pharisees who took their religious views very seriously.
John 8:21 NASB95
21 Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”
Did you hear what Jesus said? Those who die in their sin cannot go to heaven to be with Him. Listen to some additional words of Jesus a few verses later.
John 8:24 NASB95
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
We must be honest and accept the fundamental Bible truth about those who die without knowing Jesus as their Savior. Each believer must also understand a watchman is appointed by God to warn the lost about the coming judgment and encourage them to accept God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.
A WATCHMAN IS ACTIVE FOR THE LORD
Ezekiel 3:17 NASB95
17 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.
A watchman will sympathize with people, but he will also give them timely warning about danger when they have no idea there is any. The warnings will always be repeated many times because some will totally ignore them in the beginning while others will not accept or believe there is any danger ahead. A watchman will always be on duty and ready to sound the warning.
Acts 20:28 NASB95
28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:28
A watchman will always be on guard and active for the Lord.
A WATCHMAN IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LORD
Ezekiel 3:
Ezekiel 3:19–21 NASB95
19 “Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. 20 “Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 “However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”
There are two groups of people in these verses. We would classify them as lost and saved. The lost never knew the Lord while the saved turned away from the Lord. God makes us accountable to sound words of warning to both. Some will not listen, but we must still sound the warning. There may be times when people will totally reject the message and the messenger, but we must still sound the warning. The Bible teaches us many people do not and will not listen because of their rebellion. These people can also be cruel with their attitudes and words.
Some will not listen, but we must still sound the warning. There may be times when they totally reject the message and the messenger, but we must still sound the warning. The Bible teaches us many people do not listen because of their rebellion. These people can also be cruel with their attitudes and words.
Ezekiel 2:6–7 NASB95
6 “And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. 7 “But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.
Ezekiel 2:
Why should we warn people about the impending judgment of God? The main reason is because the Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
Ezekiel 18:23–24 NASB95
23 “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? 24 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
God’s greatest desire is for the lost to hear the message of redemption and accept Jesus as their Savior and a return to the Lord for those have turned away after accepting Him as their Savior. God made the greatest investment in the redemption of humanity. He gave His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, so people would not die in their sins and unrighteousness. The Lord wants the lost to respond to His message with repentance and faith.
Ezekiel 18:30–32 NASB95
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. 31 “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
Ezekiel 18:30-32
God has the most compassion for those who are lost. He is the most concerned about the possibility of people dying without receiving His gracious offer of forgiveness and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer who is God’s watchman should be burdened for the souls of those who are lost. Peter told his readers God is patient because He is not willing to allow anyone to perish.
2 Peter 3:8–13 NASB95
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
People perish because they choose to reject Jesus, their only hope of salvation. God’s watchman must sound the warning and encourage the lost to be saved because he is accountable to the Lord.
CONCLUSION
A watchman is appointed by the Lord to warn the lost and encourage them to accept Jesus as their Savior. A watchman is active for the Lord taking advantage of every opportunity to warn the lost and share with them the message of salvation. A watchman is accountable to the Lord for every opportunity we have had to warn the lost and tell them the wonderful story of His redeeming love through Jesus Christ. Will we, like Paul, be able to say we have done our job as God’s watchmen and are innocent of the blood of all men?
Acts 20:26 NASB95
26 “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
Will you be God’s watchman and do your best to share the gospel of Jesus with every lost soul?
Prepared for First Baptist Church Oakdale - September 10, 2017
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