“Ezekiel”

Scripture: II Corinthians 5:18-20

C.I.: The Watchman

Last week… - Today we will see it is the responsibility of God's people - to be watchmen in their community!
ILLUST.: The alarm clock (set for 20 minutes into the sermon, “For there is something I want to say”) – doesn't go off!

I. The Responsibility of the Watchman, (Ezekiel 33)

A. The Need for Watchmen, (vs. 1-6)

1. ( vs. 1-6 ), “And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, speak to the sons of your people, and say
to them, ‘”If I bring sword upon the land, and the people of the land take one man from among them - and make
him their watchman; - and he sees the sword coming upon the land, and he blows the trumpet and warns the
people, - then he who hears the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his
blood will be upon his own head. – … – But he who had taken warning will have delivered his life. – But if the
watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and a sword
comes and takes a person from them, - he is taken away in his iniquity; - but his blood I will require from the
watchman's hand.”'
a. A couple of weeks ago – a weatherman from the National Weather Service – a day before hurricane Ike
struck, said, “Persons not heeding evacuation orders… would be facing certain death!”
1) We teach something similar about our American Revolution, “The British are…” P. Revere.
2) God is telling Ezekiel – that certain death is coming – and the people must be warned.
2) The responsibility of the watchman is to blow the trumpet – and to warn the people.

b. The idea of trumpets being used as warning devices – is used throughout scripture
1) In the O.T., ( Num. 10:9 ), “When you go to war in your land against the adversary who
attacks you, - then you shall sound the alarm with the trumpets.”
2) In the Revelation – God uses the figure of a trumpet – as a means of warning the people.
a) ( Rev. 8:2 ), “I saw the 7 angels who stand before God; and 7 trumpets were given to
them.” – In each case these sound before great calamities befall the people.
b) ( v. 7 ), “hail & fire” – ( v. 8 ), “great Mt. burning w/fire thrown into sea” – ( v. 10 ),
“great star fell into the rivers” – ( v. 12 ), “1/3 of the sun, moon stars darkened”…
3) Whether in Ezekiel or Revelation – the purpose of the trumpets - is a warning!!!

2. God hasn't changed ( Hebrews 13:8 ) – He still is trying to get man's attention – before it's too late!!!
a. He uses the actions of others - ( Lk. 13:1-3 ), “…there were some present who reported to Him about the
Galileans, - whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. – And He answered and said to
them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they
suffered this fate? – I tell you, no, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.'”
b. He will use natural disasters – ( Lk. 13:4-5 ), “Or do you suppose those 18 on whom the tower in Siloam
fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? – I tell you….
c. The Point: We need to see these things as “Wake-Up Calls!” – and change before too late, ( Jms. 4:14 ).



B. The Work of the Watchman, (vs. 7-9)

1. It is God who appoints the watchman – ( v. 7a ), “Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman”
a. Today, God has determined that the church of the Living God – has been appointed to blow the trumpet
1) There are various groups which need to be warned…
a) Ourselves – We may have grown complacency, or have become distracted, by life.
1)) ( Matt. 24:44 ), ”Keep watch, … for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do
not expect.”

b) The Lost - ( Quote Matt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16 ; I Pt. 2:9 )!
1)) ( II Pt. 3:3-4 ), “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will….”
2)) ( II Pt. 3:7-9 ), “The present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, -
kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. … – The
Lord is not slow about His promise, but is patient towards you, not….”

b. Or perhaps the problem – is that either we don't believe people are lost – or that they will go to hell!
1) But Jesus believed in hell. – For He spoke more about hell than He did about heaven!
2) ( Matt. 25:30 ), “Cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness, - in that place there shall
be weeping an gnashing of teeth.”
3) ( Matt. 25:41 ), “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire, which has been
prepared for the devil and his angels.”
4) ( Matt. 25:46 ), “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the R. into eternal life.”

2. The watchman who warns: ( v. 7b, 9 ), “…so you will hear a message from My mouth, and give them a warning
from Me. … If you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he
will die in his iniquity; but you will have delivered your life.”
a. Notice that the responsibility of God's watchman – is to take God's message and to warn others.
1) God will not hold us accountable - for the decisions others make in regards to the message.
2) ( I Cor. 1:17 ), “Christ did not send me to baptize (cf. Mk. 16:15-16 ), but to preach….”

3. The watchman who does NOT warn: ( v. 8 ), “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die,'
and you do not speak to warn the wicked man from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his
blood I will require from your hand.”
a. God has given to us His message – which is to go into all the world. – But what if we remain silent?!
1) “…his blood I will require your hand” = The penalty for MURDER!!!

b. All the rationalizations & justifications for our silence – are therefore worthless!!!
1) I don't know enough (you knew enough to become a Xn!) – ( II Tim. 2:15 ), “Study to show….
2) I'm afraid of what others may say/do? – ( Matt. 10:32-33 ), “Whoever shall confess Me …
deny Me before men….”
3) ILLUST: What good is an alarm clock that doesn't sound the alarm???! It's worthless!!!

God has called for us to be watchmen & ambassadors – (Mark 16:15). Therefore, we must be about His work….

If you are one of our guests today…, (Mark 16:16)